Career days 2014

In the beginning of September we will host the VBC Career days, specially targeted for PhD Students and Postdocs from IMP/IMBA/GMI*.

The first days - The Career Workshops - will take place on September 8 and 9, and will cover different practical skills important when looking for a job, whether academic or non-academic. The full list of available workshops is available below.

Then on September 16 we will host: The Career Day. During this day you will have the opportunity to listen, and ask questions, to a variety of speakers (many of them VBC alumni) following different non-academic (but research- or science-related) career paths. The detailed programme will be available soon.

Organising committee:

Nial Gursanscky (Postdoc, GMI); Tina Schrödel (PhD Student, IMP); Michaela Steiner (PhD Student, IMBA); Marcin Suskiewicz (PhD Students, IMP); Wiebke Wlotzka (Postdoc, IMBA) & Inês Crisóstomo (Scientific Training Coordinator)

Career Workshops

To attend the workshops you must register (follow the instructions sent internally by email). Registration is open to IMP/IMBA/GMI PhD Students and Postdocs, until August 15. We will inform the selected participants by email on August 18.

For further inquiries please contact Tina Schrödel (tina.schroedel(at)imp.ac.at) or Michaela Steiner (michaela.steiner(at)imba.oeaw.ac.at).

Career planning

Consultant: Andrea Tschirf (http://www.tschirf.at/)

Date: September 8th, 2014

Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Number of participants: 12-15

Topics

Identification of personal needs, strengths, skills and professional experience.
Dreams, wishes and goals – always have a plan B.
Academia versus private sector – chances and challenges.

Academic Careers - How to become a PI and what it’s like to be one

Panel Discussion

Date: September 8th, 2014

Time: 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Topics:

Invited speakers are internal and external junior group leaders as well as directors from our campus. Speakers will give an introduction about themselves and their career development, highlighting why and how they became PIs. In addition, we’ll take a closer look at the decision making process from the side of a director. The afternoon will finish with a panel discussion to get a comprehensive answer on important questions, such as

How to become a PI?
How does the faculty choose new PIs?
Research only or teaching as well?
Independent research institute or University?
Europe or USA?
Career and family – mutually exclusive?

Interview Training

Consultant: Harald Dvorak (http://blog.harald-dvorak.at/start/)

Date: September 9th, 2014

Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Number of participants: 20-30

Target group: PhD students (3rd and 4th year), Post Docs

Objectives:

This workshop will consist of individual and group exercises, role play and discussion. It will provide a mixture of self-experience, interaction and collegial sharing, accompanied by job interview experts.

Participants will:

Explore the possibilities for proper preparation for job interviews.
Observe several job interviews
Experience interview situations and receive feedback from colleagues and job interview experts.

Potential Assessment

Consultant: Manuela Kainz (http://www.manuelakainz.com/)

Date: September 9th, 2014

Time: 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Number of participants: 12-15

Objectives

Participants will:

gain new insights in their competences and abilities (soft factor oriented)
strengthen their ability of self-reflection
practice how to assess themselves and others
prepare themselves to be able to talk about personal strengths during the company meetings
get to know instruments commonly used for potential assessments (individual and group based).

* The MFPL will organize a career day with workshops in October.