1. Marketing yourself and your research
Dr Nikki Penhaligon
Postgraduate Career Counsellor
QUT Careers and Employment

2. Today’s agenda Why are we here?
Where do we want to go? (And where can I go?!)
What’s happening in the world of careers?
How do I market my PhD to get that job?!

3. Who are we and why are we here?
Name/PhD topic
Where are you on your PhD journey?
What are you hoping to achieve out of today?
What do you want to know?

4. The changing world of work
No longer a job for life
More uncertainty in the air
We need to self manage and actively participate in our OWN career journey
Need to identify transferable skills and be adaptable
Need to learn new skills and engage in life long learning
We need learn how to market and promote ourselves

5. Where can I go? Universities Public service Academic Graduate programs
Research only
Professional
Student administration
Student support
Grant assistance
Information management
Research institutes e.g., CSIRO
Public service
Graduate programs
Private
Consulting
Contracting
Not for profit

6. Tips to effectively market yourself
Self reflect
Define your brand
Develop key statement(s)
Do not wait to be noticed
Present a professional image
Cultivate people skills
Have a vision
Enact your strategy!
(Karalis, 2007)

7. 1. Self reflect Ask yourself:
What motivated you to start a PhD?
Where did you hope it would lead?
What challenges are you facing?
Has anything changed since you first
enrolled?
Activity: Write them down in your booklet

8. Activity: Think Pair Share
Understanding my skills!
On the post-it provided, brainstorm as many skills as you can that you have developed during your PhD candidature. Also indicate where you have developed these skills (ie the evidence). You have 1 minute!
Now, grab a partner and brainstorm more. You have 2 minutes!
Share with the larger group

9. Where might you have developed these skills???
Valued skills
Work experience
Teamwork skills
Emotional intelligence (including self-awareness, confidence, motivation)
Leadership
Activities (including intra and extracurricular) .
Interpersonal/communication skills (written and oral)
Drive and commitment/industry knowledge
Critical reasoning and analytical skills/technical skills
Calibre of academic results
Cultural alignment/values fit
Where might you have developed these skills???
Data from 2011 survey of over 350 Australian employers. For more information see

10. Postgraduate Research Capabilities
Advanced theoretical knowledge and analytical skills, including methodological, research design and problem-solving skills
Advanced information processing skills, and knowledge of advanced information and research technologies
Independent research planning and execution
Research health and safety, ethical conduct and intellectual property
Project management, teamwork, academic writing and oral communication
Research results transfer to end-users, publications and presentations, research policy, and research career planning

11. 2. Define Your Brand
How do you stand out from the crowd?
What makes you different from the other applicants?
How do you add value?

12. Think Outside the Box
The goal of the puzzle is to link all 9 dots using four straight lines or less, without lifting the pen.

13. One Solution

14. How do you self manage, market and promote your skills?
Features versus benefits
Feature = distinctive element: an attribute, characteristic, mark, peculiarity, property, quality or trait.
Benefit = Something that promotes or enhances well-being; an advantage; Something that contributes to an organisation (i.e., enhanced profitability, better efficiency, or reduced risk); Something that reduces hassles or inconvenience
Employers buy benefits, not features

15. Features vs Benefits

16. Workbook activity: What are my features?
How are they benefits?

17. 3. Develop key statements
Have an elevator speech. A concise sec summary of you and your PhD. Write it in your workbook.
Pitching your PhD
Pitching yourself
Describe what it is (in universal language)
Highlight specialist knowledge and features
Apply the subject matter to the organisation/uni/role
Describe who you are
How you will be a benefit to the organisation?
How are you relevant to the role?

18. Remember! Who is your audience? Identify them: Academia? Industry?
Colleagues?
Peer?
Supervisor?
Adapt your language and message to suit
Believe in the product (you!) and what you bring

19. 4. Do not wait to be noticed
Let people know when you are ready for the next challenge.
The more people you talk to about it, the more likely you are to hear about opportunities as they arise.

20. How can you be noticed?
Step out of your comfort zone into a new and unfamiliar area
Always accept additional responsibilities that can build and diversify your portfolio
If there is a vacancy or assignment you want, ask for it
Be proactive and look for opportunities!

21. Make connections Attend conferences LinkedIn
Join professional associations
Attend events or engage in professional development
Network with others

22. Volunteer! Speak at conferences/seminars/organisations
Organise conferences/symposiums
Actively participate in professional organisations
Review for publications; contribute to a blog
Chair a conference stream
Serve on university committees 
Be available!
Volunteer outside of QUT
Volunteering Qld
seek.com.au
Activity: Turn to your neighbour. Ask them where they would like to work in the future. Spend 2 minutes brainstorming ways they can get noticed! Then swap.

23. BREAK

24. 5. Present a professional image
First impressions are crucial
Consider your online presence
FaceBook
MySpace
LinkedIn
Dress for success

25. 6. Cultivate people skills
Good communication and interpersonal skills are crucial
They can enable us to advance at a much faster pace than others with more experience
They help us form positive first impressions

26. What are good people skills?
Smile
Eye contact
Listen to understand
Call people by their name
Being open and confident
Being positive

27. Networking: why bother?

28. But what do I talk about?
Write one topic on the post-it provided

29. Activity: Networking cards

30. Activity: Team building

31. 7. Have a vision Have a broadly defined goal or a career vision
It may be a bit unclear, but having some direction will keep you moving ahead.
Activity: Think about where you want to be in:
3yrs?
5yrs?
10yrs?
Write it in your workbook

32. How do I get to where I want to go?
Have an overall vision of where you want to go
Break your vision down into manageable steps (SMART goals)
Look for opportunities
Record your progress and reward each achievement
Revisit, evaluate and revise as you go

33. Be persistent!
If you don’t succeed get some feedback and work out what you can do differently for next time

34. 8. Enact your strategy – Goal setting activity
S = SPECIFIC
Who is involved?
What do you want to accomplish?
Where? - Identify a location.
When? – Establish a time frame.
Why? – Specific reason, purpose, or benefits of achieving a goal.
M = MEASUREABLE
Helps you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience achievement.
A = ATTAINABLE
Break it down into steps - each step should move you closer to that goal.
R = REALISTIC
Personal and situational factors which may influence your ability to reach your goal.
T = TIMEBOUND
Define start points and end points to your goal and maintain commitment to these deadlines.

35. Writing an effective goal statement
Use clear, specific language.
Start your goal statement with TO + a VERB
Write your goal statement using SMART Goal Criteria
Avoid using negative language. Think positive!
Activity: Let’s now give it a go!

36. Questions?

37. Contact Careers and Employment
LOCATION
Gardens Point Campus:
Level 2, X Block
Reception: Room X226
Kelvin Grove Campus:
Level 4, C Block
(Above the Refectory)
Caboolture Campus:
Student Centre - J Block
PHONE
Gardens Point:
Kelvin Grove:
Caboolture
WEBSITE