Career Vision, Career Design

Career Maker

 

 How to build your career vision and achieve it

A blended learning course


During your studies, you typically spend plenty of time learning scientific methods and facts about your field of study. There are much less systematic opportunities to learn how to translate that academic knowledge into a job, how to find and decide for a specific career pathway and how to pursue it.

 

This workshop introduces you to an approach that helps you to do exactly that: building your own career vision and working towards achieving it. Rather than taking the passive approach to wait for your dream job to pop up on the job market, you learn strategies that put you into the driver’s seat of your own career and help you to work actively towards that dream job. The validity of the concept’s basic principle is widely proven. In this workshop, we adapt and extend it to meet the specific demands of junior scientists.

About the course

 

The course follows a blended learning approach, combining

  • a one-day kickoff workshop (module 1), with an
  • online interactive self-study period (module 2), and
  • one-on-one remote learning transfer meetings (module 3, by teleconference).

 In the kickoff workshop, you will get to know a number of techniques that will help you to find your sweet spot in the multidimensional career universe – after all, in order to get somewhere, you must first know your goal! After that, we will focus on empowering methods for how to acquire your goals – from taking smart job decisions to strategically positioning yourself and, finally, to securing or creating your own next position. 

 

During the self-study period, you will apply the methods you learned to work out further aspects of your career goals and take your first steps towards them.

 

The follow-up one-on-one transfer meetings will give you the opportunity to get individual feedback and advice on your plans, any open questions, the progress that you made so far and the next steps to take.

 

Target Group

Advanced doctoral students and postdocs.

 

Organizational Issues

 

Duration: One full day (kickoff workshop), plus individually timed self-studies and up to 1,5 hours of one-on-one remote meetings. Total workload equivalent to 2 full days.

 

Group Size: 6 - 12 participants.

 

Methods: Impulses by the course leader, discussions, group work, practical exercises, interactive online self-study material, one-on-one remote learning transfer meetings.

 

Course Language: English or German.

 

Flexibility: Module 1 (the kickoff workshop) can also be booked as a stand-alone course. Modules 2 and 3 may be added in addition. Other modifications of the course scheme to fit your individual needs can be discussed.

What participants say

 9 out of 10 participants said they felt more confident about their careers after the course.

"I have acquired many helpful resources and feel well prepared for planning my career."

4 out of 5 participants have this course the best rating on a scale from 1 to 5 and would be happy to recommend it to others.


 "A wonderful opportunity to talk to a professional coach, which is very helpful to get a clearer picture of future career.

"The coach is very kind and humorous, with clear communication. Do not miss it!"

"This is a unique opportunity to talk to a professional with considerable experience in academia and who is well-versed about the pros and cons of an academic career - don't miss out on this!"


"The course motivated me to take concrete steps in my career planning, which was really helpful for forming a concrete goal of what to do after the PhD and how to achieve it."

"Simone is tailoring the course for the participants, she will discuss your career options with you and help to clarify your options. She invites all the participants to share their ideas, tips and experiences and help each other. In the online version of the course we work all together as well as in small groups, it is really great to listen to the counseling of the other participants as it broadens your own perspective. The course material is optimal. I highly recommend the career maker course!"

"Come with open mind and willingness to get to know yourself. The course has helped me to  think about myself, to organize my ideas and to know what I want (or at least what I don't want) for the future."


"The workshop and the subsequent individual coaching provided my with very valuable insights and tools to plan my career path after my PhD. Participation in the workshop and working with you made my feelings shift from anxiety ("How do I know which career path is right for me?!") to confidence ("I now have career vision and I am looking forward to what the future will bring!")."

"The online course triggered positive feelings thanks to many videos,  tips, and tools for making decisions, although it was difficult to constantly work on it.
It also triggered an active search of personal needs.
The one-to-one coaching session is also great to discuss about the achieved goals, or to address doubts."

"Simone's course is full of practical and dynamic activies that help to 1) reflect on one's inner drives and aspirations and 2) useful strategies to go out there and find possible career paths. I highly suggest it for people about to finish their degree and wishing to explore different career possibilities."


If you are a higher education institution:

Contact me to discuss options and get an individualized offer.

 

If you are an individual scientist currently employed at a university:

Make use of your institutional support and ask your institution's Career Center, Graduate Program or Research Department if they would sponsor a course for you and your peers!

If you have any doubts or questions, please feel free to contact me!