Career Guidance for PhD's and Postdocs, Leuven, autumn 2020
10 September 2020
Intake interview on 10 or 11 September 2020
General context
PhDs and postdocs often rethink their career when they start exploring their opportunities outside academia. Having identified themselves with the topic of their research for a couple of years, they have come to a point where there is a need to translate their research into a broader range of acquired competences, professional networks and specific technical skills. On top, there is a desire to gain insight into the working context (industries, departments, type of jobs) in which they possibly could value their skills, competences and networks. Being on a turn of events in their professional careers, there is a desire to picture this change into a larger context of aspirations (drivers, values) regarding their career.
The aim of this course is to support last year PhDs and Postdoctoral researchers in:
- Defining new career opportunities.
- Gaining insight in their competences and qualities.
- Learning how to present themselves to future employers in a professional way.
The Career Guidance Course approach:
- It consists of 3 modules.
- Each module deals with a specific topic of career guidance.
- Each module consists of an individual session and a group session.
- You can choose your own menu.
- The course starts with an intake where we will discuss the content of the program and your needs.
- During the intake, you book the sessions you wish to follow during the corresponding semester.
- Final registrations will be based on motivation, availability for participation and urgency.
- The course is offered every semester.
- Places are limited: 12 participants for the individual sessions, 15 participants for the group sessions.
This training is explicitly meant for PhDs and postdocs within VIB who will finish their project in the near future (2020/2021).
Trainers
Lucia Smit, Braingain
Doctor Lucia Smit is a professional career guide for PhDs and postdoctoral researchers. After finishing her dissertation on the careers of PhDs in the private sector at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, she started to guide high potentials in their careers and developed several tools to optimize their placement in a non-academic context. Doctor Lucia Smit is member of international OECD working group on the careers of doctorate holders and consultant for private companies on their R&D and HR strategy for more than 10 years.
Program
Intake interview
10 or 11 September 2020 - Room O&N4 04.23 - individual session of 30 minutes
Module 1: Career Exploration
Discover your career options
18 September 2020 or 2 October 2020 - Room O&N4 04.23 - individual session of 60 minutes
Personal branding
9 October 2020 - Room 06.239 - group session from 11h00 - 14h00
Module 2: Discover your competences and qualities
Detect your qualities and downsides
16 or 23 October 2020 - Room O&N4 04.23 - individual session of 60 minutes
Discover your competences
13 November 2020 - Room 06.239 - group session from 11h00 - 14h00
Module 3: Effective job application
Review your CV and cover letter
20 November or 4 December 2020 - Room O&N4 04.23 - individual session of 60 minutes
Convincing a jury
11 December 2020 - Room 06.239 - group session from 11h00 - 14h00
Practical info
Campus Gasthuisberg
Herestraat 49
3000 Leuven
Belgium