slides from a workshop on employability and professionalisation for students in social sciences; employment strategies; interviews; resume preparation; jobs in NGOs, government, and private sector. From Macquarie University's Social Science Week.

1. Social Sciences Week
Macquarie School of Social Sciences
Professionalisation & Employability Workshop
Greg Downey
Macquarie School of Social
Sciences
Centre for Elite Performance, Expertise and
Training (CEPET)
greg.downey@mq.edu.au
Twitter: @gregdowney1
neuroanthropology.net
Photo by Elissa Garcia on Unsplash

2. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Reading an ad,
writing an application,
getting a job...
with a social sciences
degree.
2

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never
apologise
for your
degree.
*different is an advantage.

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Self inventory
• Study the industries you want to enter (‘the work’).
• Consider how you will do ‘the work’.
• Develop professional interests (close the gap with
working world).
• Begin to introduce yourself into the world of ‘the work.’
• Take stock of what you’ve done: skills,
accomplishments…
http://www.aaanet.org/profdev/careers/
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

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imagine
your
potential
employer’s
point of
view…
?

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the ad.
*use your university training!

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sample ad (heavily edited)
Grants Administrator, The sunrise project, Sydney - Remote Full Time;
Compensation: $66,000 to $80,000 Annually
About Us: Driven by a passion to solve the climate crisis, The Sunrise Project is a team of experienced changemakers,
researchers and communications professionals with a mission to scale social movements to drive the global
transition…
About The Role: This role coordinates and administers our global outgoing grants program. The role is responsible for
ensuring grants are approved and records are accurate…
About You: You are super organised and have an eagle eye when it comes to detail….
Required skills, knowledge and experience
• Previous experience in an admin role, or a similar or related role including unpaid, grassroots or lived experience, or
other relevant transferable skills and experience.
• Project administration skills with experience coordinating competing priorities and deadlines using project
management software, ideally Asana or similar.
• Well-developed administrative and organisational skills.
• Skills in MS suite including Excel, Word and Powerpoint including data management skills and experience with
handling and visualising basic quantitative data (e.g. financial).
• Experience in maintaining forecasts and budgets, or similar financial administration.
• Strong team-working and team coordination skills…
• Clear, direct verbal and written communication skills.
• A passion for action on climate change and social justice.
nfpcareers.org
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

8. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
sample ad (heavily edited)
Grants Administrator, The sunrise project, Sydney - Remote Full Time
Desirable
• Systems thinking (e.g. “how can we best handle this project?”)
• Ability to contribute to system design and management in no-code platforms (eg. AirTable/Zapier)
Job requirements
We value and recognize experience that has been unpaid, from the grassroots or is lived experience.
The successful applicant will have the opportunity to participate in the Democracy in Colour's People
of Colour (POC) Placement Program - an on-the-job training, mentoring and leadership development
program for people of colour. The program aims to support urgent change in the demographics of
social movements and their leadership to meaningfully include and represent communities of colour.
We encourage people who are Black, Indigenous or People of Colour and any intersection of these
identities to apply for this role.
• Full working rights for Australia. We are unable to sponsor employment visas.
• Employment background checks may be required.
• Intermittent travel with advanced notice.
nfpcareers.org
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

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do I look?
Where

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14
Lots of options
• Currently, many job listings are
available online: Seek.com.au,
LinkedIn (top site for spam!),
au.indeed.com, maxsolutions.com.au,
monster.com…
• Specialist databases:
ethicaljobs.com.au., nfpcareers.org,
jobs.theguardian.com, devex.com,
• International jobs: careerjet.com,
globaljobs.org
• Individual companies or organisations
sometimes list their own jobs online
(Twitter, websites).
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

11. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Fields for Social Sciences grads
Administration/Management
Advocacy (human rights/social justice)
Business development consultant
Career support officer
Case manager
Change and communication manager
Child protection case worker
Client care facilitator
Community development officer
Compliance manager
Cultural Resource Management (CRM)
Cultural tourism
Design (products and/or services)
Education/outreach
Environment and natural resources
Ethnography/cultural anthropology
Evaluation/assessment
Family dispute resolution
Financial analyst
Fundraising manager
Government agencies
Health (international/public health)
Healthcare management/services/deliver
Heritage officer
History and social science teacher
Human resources manager
Humanitarian efforts
Intelligence officer
International development officer
Law/criminal justice/law enforcement
Management consulting/organizational
development/training
Market researcher
Mass communication
Museum/curation/project design
Nonprofit manager
Policy researcher
Political consultant
Public relations manager
Security manager
Social impact assessment
Social researcher
Social worker
Tourism/heritage
Travel planning and tour director
Urban planner
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/bachelors-in-social-science-jobs

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a resume
is not a
biography
it’s a

13. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
14
the employer’s point of view
• Most resumes and cover letters are
boring. Hiring requires reading a LOT
of them.
• Target the position.
• Help employer to like you — play nice.
• NEVER lie! NEVER!
There’s simply no way to recover.
• Focus on skills and accomplishments.
PAR (problem-action-result).
• Be obsessive about reviewing your
work.
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

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resume
www.craigkunce.com for excellent examples.
• 1-2 pages.
• bullets, not paragraphs.
• accomplishments (not
duties).
• only relevant information.
• clear, succinct, flawless.
• formatting clean & clear,
no nonsense.

15. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
www.craigkunce.com for excellent examples.
resume

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www.craigkunce.com for excellent examples.

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cover letter
www.craigkunce.com for excellent examples.
• 3/4 page (up to 2 with
academic jobs).
• address a person by
name (call HR if
necessary).
• Respectful, formal —
professional identity.
• No form letters.
• Enthusiasm

18. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
www.craigkunce.com for excellent examples.
cover letter

19. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
www.craigkunce.com for excellent examples.

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there is no
that gets you
a job.
* BUT note that employers
increasingly use key word search.
magic word
*keywords? see the ad & industry
research.

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Top 5 skills
according to employers
• Communication
• Problem solving
• Planning & organising
• Negotiating
• Positive mental attitude
Source: Inspira (UK)

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Top 5 NACE Job Outlook
2022
• Critical thinking *
• Communication *
• Team work
• Equity & inclusion
• Professionalism *
* largest gaps between current grads & importance

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criteria
study the selection
you must
respond
to them.

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Selection criteria
• Government jobs (including university in Australia) have
‘selection criteria’ that need paragraph-long, explicit
responses that are scored.
• Situation - Context in which you used the skills and gained
the experience.
• Task - What was your role?
• Actions - What did you do and how did you do it?
• Results - What did you achieve? How does it relate to the
job?
http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

25. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Selection criteria
At university, I successfully completed many research projects that required
high-level analytical skills. I also undertook special project work with
Professor Cavendish that required extensive literature research and analysis of
organisational management theories.
This special project was an opportunity to develop my quantitative research
skills by analysing statistical data. I also utilised my qualitative research
skills by interviewing proponents of different theories. I completed the
research within the specified timeframe and presented the results according
to university standards.
My contribution was formally recognised by the faculty at a sociological
seminar, and I was subsequently asked to co-author an academic paper with
Professor Cavendish that was accepted for publication in Organisational Monthly.
http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

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Selection criteria
• Make sure you understand what they’re asking
for.
• Respond with evidence.
• State your claim to the criterium in first sentence.
• Think laterally about proof and experience
(brainstorm).
• Show to someone else before submitting!
http://www.apsc.gov.au/
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

27. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
build a
portfolio.
examples: http://www.theloop.com.au/

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treat your
job search
like a
research
project.
*learn your way into the industry.

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job search.
passive
don’t
conduct a

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active v. passive
• Biggest risk: disappearing in the pack
• Think like a headhunter: research, prepare,
repeat…
• Skills are transposable, so pick the targets.
• ABC: Always Be Connecting
• Do the job in the interview: ‘Give me a live
problem…’
http://www.aaanet.org/profdev/careers/
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

31. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
don’t wait
for someone
to pay you
to do what
want to

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caveat: beware of the internship treadmill in some ind
volunteer!

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start
acting
like a
professional
*polish matters, as do manners.

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focus on
people
*but do NOT neglect your online profile.

35. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Interviewing
• Practice & prepare in advance.
• Develop ‘career stories’ (focus on STAR framework)
• Do your homework – know the employer!
• Prepare to answer questions (briefly) about your resume &
job letter.
• Dress appropriately, arrive on time & pay attention.
• Do the follow through (thank you note, always).
http://gregdowney.me/lectures/professionalisation-for-study-
abroad-and-anthropology/
MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

36. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
clean up
your
digital
footprint

37. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
applications
are a
numbers
play the numbers
game.

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you’re in this
job.
*don’t wait for perfect job; make perfect job.
not just a
for a
career

39. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
final advice:
*do the work, get the result.
treat job
search like a
relax

40. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
questions

41. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Greg Downey
http://blogs.plos.org/neuroanthropology
greg.downey@mq.edu.au
photos and video by Greg Downey
41

42. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
• Interview by Sarah Abraham
• Thought Bubble by irene
hoffman
• Search by Gianni - Dolce Merda
• Question by Mark S
Waterhouse
• Documents by Roman
Kovbasyuk
• Hot Tub by Juan Pablo Bravo
• Mortar Board by Jon Testa
• Footprint by Ahmed Sagarwala
• Ladder by Michael Rowe
• Pixiu by Jerry Wang
• Research by Andrew Nolte
• Volunteer by Stephen
Borengasser
• Pacifier by Luis Prado
• Speech by Krisada
icon design
All icons by The Noun Project designers
Creative Commons licensed (BY 3.0)

43. MACQUARIE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
These lecture slides were prepared for Social Sciences Week at
Macquarie University.
The slides are freely available for use through an Attribution 4.0
International Creative Commons (BY 4.0) license.
All resources used in the production were public domain or Creative
Commons licensed and this use complies with all conditions. If you are
the rightful owner of any media used in this production & object to its use,
please contact Greg Downey (information at neuroanthropology.net).
licensing