Exploring Careers Outside of Academia

Location: POD 60Phone: (416) 979 – 5177Email: career@ryerson.caHours: Mon – Thu 8:30 am – 6:30 pm/Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Career Development Workshops

Get ReadyKnow yourself and what you

want

Get SetPresent yourself with style

GOMake your move

• Discovering Your Career Passion

• The “Wow” Factor: Resumes & Cover Letters that Stand Out

• Job Search Strategies that Maximize Results

• Exploring Careers Outside of Academia

• Interview Techniques that Land the Job

• Networking On & Offline

• Grad School Application Essentials

• LinkedIn: Developing Career Connections & Effective Profiles

• Cultural Adaptation: Working in Canada

Agenda

5. Create a Personal Brand- What do I want them to know about me?

1. What Brings You Here?- Introduction

2. Major Concerns in Job Search

3. Exploring Other Areas- What other kinds of jobs are out there for me?

4. Conducting a Successful Job Search- Self Assessment- Skills Inventory- CV vs. Resume- Job search methods

What Brings You Here?

Your ordinal plan was to go into academia, but then…?You feel that the labor market is

poor.You got a PhD for its own sake and want to see what’s out there.

You have no idea what is out there and what your education can do for you.

Potential BarriersLow Labor Market Prospects Several studies have shown a rapid decline in educational funding across many

faculties One study indicated that only 50% of doctorate grads work in academia, and only

50% of them work full time

Environment You’re used to an academic environment and are not sure how to adapt to the

“outside” You’re accomplishments may be difficult to translate to employers You may not have “traditional” work history

Emotional You feel that leaving academia means leaving behind all that you have done Ironically you may feel that you may know nothing

Myths About Post-Graduate Degrees & Job Search

Adapted from an article from the University of Florida, Career Resource Centre

Myth 1: “I have no skills outside of academia”Truth: You have gained many valuable transferable skills throughout your education

These are also known as employability skills that many employers will find attractive. These are gained through your research work (both for

your papers and for the professor you had worked for), projects, committees, volunteer work, student organizations and survival work.

Some examples of these skills include: Communication skills Training/Consulting

Research skills Problem Solving and Leadership skills

Myth 2: “No one will hire me with such little work experience”Truth: You have already gained valuable work experience

What you need to remember is that you need to “speak” the language of the employers when discussing your experiences. You have many

skills and experiences to offer to employers, but you need to bridge the “meaning” of what these are so that the employer sees its value.

This means learning to say what they want to hear.

Myth 3: “I have no idea where to work” “It’s impossible to get a job” “I’m over qualified”

Truth: You are not overqualified. There are plenty of places to work, however, you just might need to think outside of the box.

Myth 4: “I can’t talk to my advisor. They want me to stay in academia”

Truth: You are not the first person to explore other options.

It is important to speak honestly with your advisors and mentors. However, you want to avoid just dropping this idea on them. It is better to approach this concern

with more of an exploratory discussion method. That way, you can get their advice and potential

leads for others who have also gone through this process.

Exploring Other AreasThere may be many other areas that you can explore outside of academia in which

your education and skills will be highly valued. Here are some sample areas:

Higher Education Administration (You may not have to leave the school environment after all!)

Teaching, Writing, Learning centres Research and Public Affairs offices Student and Academic affairs Project Management

Law Counsel Litigator License Patent Agent

Consulting Cooperate Strategy Human Resources Marketing

Government/Not-for-Profit Regulator

Researcher Policy Maker Scientist Administrative work Project Management

Finance iBanker

Financial Analyst, Advisor Business Development

Media Journalist

Writer

Industry Research & Development Medical

Pharmaceutical Engineering

Become an Entrepreneur Consultant

Do the same type of research, but now for companies

Reporter Publishing

Take a look at the resources below to find out more about these

careers

Or, professional association websites

National Occupational Classification

www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC

Working in Canada www.workingincanada.gc.ca

Career Cruising www.careercruising.com

Username: ryersoncruise

Password: 00ru01f

Ontario Job Futures www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/ojf/

O*Net http://online.onetcenter.org

Conducting A Success Job Search

The next step in your journey is to begin job search. However before we can start, there are three very important things that

need to happen first.

1. Self Assessment2. Skills Assessment3. Research the industries

and jobs

1. Self AssessmentBefore you look at the jobs, you need to look at yourself.

Most Common Question

“I don’t know what I want to do. Is there a test or something that

can tell me what career is right for me?”

NO

Objectives of Career Exploration

Self-assessment is the first step of the career planning process. It allows you to learn more about your:

• An informed career decision• Information for a strong resume• Self knowledge for interviews

• Interests • Skills • Personality • Values

• Natural talents• Work styles • Unique strengths in

relation to career fields and titles

The result is:

2. Skills/Strengths Assessment

There are many skills that you have that add value to you - and being a good researcher is just the beginning. Some examples include:

What you need to know is what you can offer an employer.

Conducting

Presentations

Public Speaking

Listening

Organization

Collaboration … and many others!

ActivityLook at the “Personal Strengths” worksheet and take a few minutes to checkmark any of the strengths you think you have. Fill out the YOU side only. Pick a strength from the list and prepare to present it to the rest of the class.

3. Research the Industries and JobsAs part of this process, you need to relearn how to present yourself in such a way that

employers find value in you. The best way to find this out is to research the key terms they use and understand their vision and point of view.

Feature vs. BenefitAn information dump of what you did and how you did it that presents YOUR academic backgrounds. This could include words, jargon and results that may mean little to the employer because it lacks relevance.

Feature:

Benefit: Demonstrating how what you did and how you did it will benefit the employer in terms that they can relate to. This again means knowing what they want, first.

Using LinkedInAmong its benefits, LinkedIn is a great source for research. There are several Groups (forums) that are dedicated to careers outside of academia that you can look into joining. The members of these particular groups are individuals who may have found themselves in a similar situation you’re currently in. These individuals may be people you’d like to connect with and/or find out about their experiences.

CV vs. ResumeIn the vast majority of cases, an employer is going to want a resume instead of your CV.

Please attend our Resume & Cover Letters that Stand Out workshop, or book an appointment to find out more detailed information. Below is a

quick summary of differences.

CV Resume

Length

Content

Use

No page limit

Emphasis on academic experience (e.g. research,

teaching, publications)

Skills, experience, education

1 or 2 pages

For academic or research positions, grad school,

fellowships, grants

For employers outside of academia or

research

Job Search MethodsSuccess in your job search will greatly depend on the method you use.

The most popular include:

1. Internet Job Search2. Networking3. Recruitment Agencies

The following slide will provide a synopsis of these methods; but for more detailed information, please attend a counselling session or attend our Job Search Strategies

and Networking On and Offline workshops.

1. Online Job SearchingBy far the most used method to look for employment. However, on a statistical level, the least effective. Although many schools will post employment opportunities online, many mid-small sized companies will not. Most current statistics state that up to 70% of jobs are not found online.

2. NetworkingStatistically, one of the least used methods. However, one of the most successful! A current survey that had been conducted, stated that up to 80% of jobs are found through networking. Part of this reason is that there is less competition, and creating a personal connection is always superior.

Informational Interviews: This is a highly effective form of networking in which you would speak directly, either in person or on the phone, to someone who is in your desired work field. This is when you can ask customized questions about your next steps.

3. Recruitment AgenciesThese are for-profit, commission based, organizations that can act as a “bridge builder” for you. They often have hidden jobs and direct contacts with employers that they can connect you with if they wish to take you on as a client.

Creating a Personal BrandBranding is very important in the current labour market. It helps set you apart and makes you memorable. When creating a brand, you need to answer a very important question -

“What do I want them to know and remember about me?”

Since you are looking at making a “jump” in your current career it is important that your brand is both focused and relevant to your goal. A brand can be both a statement and an

overall impression.

Branding ActivityPlease complete the form below.

Summary

Remember that you have accomplished a lot to get where you are right now.

There are many potential barriers, but also many myths about leaving academia. You may have to think outside of the box to

achieve your goals. It is important to know your direction, know what you have to offer and know how to get there.

Connect With Us!

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Ryerson University Career Development & Employment Centre

www.ryerson.ca/career

Contact Information:

Location: POD 60

Phone: (416) 979 – 5177

Email: career@ryerson.ca

Regular Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 8:30 am – 6:30 pm

Friday – 8:30 am – 4:30 pminstagram.com/ryersoncareer