What can Occupational Psychology teach you about careers: evidence and experiences Dr Vicki Elsey Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Associate Fellow BPS Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Principal Lecturer Vicki.elsey@Northumbria.ac.uk

My Journey

I thought my career would be…

My early Career 2000 2001 BSc Hons Psychology Factory work Office work Bar work 2000 MSc Occupational Psychology MSc Thesis with management consultancy 2001 Recruitment Consultancy (Admin Role) Management Consultancy

My first “proper” job (2001-2006) 4) Chartered Occupational Psychologist 1) Business Support Role 3) Occupational Psychology Consultant 2) Research Consultant Role Management Consultancy

Management consultancy Research design, advanced data gathering and analytical techniques Applying psychology to work and organisations Learning, training and development Leadership, engagement and motivation Wellbeing and work Work design, organizational changeand development Psychological assessment at work Five core areas of OP (from BPS accreditation handbook)

What did I learn? How a business works 4) Chartered Occupational Psychologist 1) Business Support Role 3) Occupational Psychology Consultant 2) Research Consultant Role Management Consultancy What did I learn? How a business works Back to basics – literature, theory, research Applying occupational psychology to the real world Becoming a professional occupational psychologist (chartered) Working in a small organisation gave me more opportunities than I would have had in a large organisation You have to be prepared to make mistakes…they build your confidence (with support)

My early Career - reminder BSc Hons Psychology Factory work Office work Bar work 2000 MSc Occupational Psychology MSc Thesis with management consultancy 2001 Recruitment Consultancy (Admin Role) Management Consultancy

Things got messy! 2006 2010 2016 2009 2011 2016 2012 2017 Got Married University Lecturer MSc Programme Leader 2006 Start Professional Doctorate in Occupational Psychology 2010 Awarded DOccPsych 2016 Got Married 2009 Had a child 2011 Had another child 2016 Things got messy! Back to work 3 days per week 2012 Back to work 4 days per week 2017

Academic Career Practitioner becoming an academic! Chartered Occupational Psychologist – that is my identity Working with the next generation of Occupational Psychologists, while also being one myself DOccPsych: The Career of an Occupational Psychology Graduate: Employment, Identity, Employability (2012-2016) (classed as Early Career Researcher) Doing what I originally wanted to do 20 years ago – make a difference to the working lives of individuals Variety, autonomy, development, challenge

My current projects Research: Practice: Wellbeing in the Police Force The Motherhood Penalty Values based recruitment tool for a hospice Employee Silence Practice: Development of an approach to support leaders in the health service Assessment centres for Heads of Service Graduate coaching skills training and coaching Supervision of Trainee Occupational Psychologists Volunteering with the BPS

I thought my career would be…

My actual career…

What have I learned so far? Early career: the role – finding the right one, making the most of it, getting experience Mid career: now about managing competing priorities, how to maintain a work identity while having a new identity as wife and mother I love my subject and my profession! Going back to my initial interests e.g. career, enjoying work Adapt, adapt, adapt!

Career Theory

What is career? “the evolving sequence of a person’s work experiences over time” (Arthur, Hall and Lawrence, 1989) Through education, reflection, experience Work, life, sports, volunteering Formal and informal At all levels What do you want? What is important to you? Values and ambitions Education Learning Participation

Important Theories Career Construction Theory Happenstance “The process through which individuals construct themselves, impose direction in their vocational behaviour and make meaning of their careers” (Savickas, 2013, p.147) Requires adaptability (4Cs) – concern, control, curiosity, confidence https://www.caba.org.uk/how-we-help/career-development/career-adaptability-tool- introduction Happenstance Indecision is a normal part of career, unplanned events foster learning (Krubmoltz, 1999) Interactionist approach Many theories apply in employability – it is a multifaceted construct

My research findings The Career of an Occupational Psychology Graduate: Employment, Employability and Identity (2016) Job craft or career craft What employees do to redesign their own jobs in ways that can foster job satisfaction, as well as engagement, resilience and thriving at work (Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001) Craft for your role or professional identity Self-efficacy Confidence, has an influence on employability and career success (se also Abele & Spurk, 2009a) Comes with experience – positive and negative Profile raising Sell your profession, joint responsibility, be proud to be a psychologist! Destination data You may be asked to participate in surveys from your university and from the professional body to understand what you have done post graduation – participation helps us to understand the employment market

Your Journey

Why career matters…

Waiting for the weekend The reality of ‘work’… 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Being a child Work Retirement Having fun Waiting for the weekend “getting through it” Watching the clock

What’s your career journey? Values and ambitions Education Learning Participation Past Present Future

Journeys of people I have worked with

Some Tips/thoughts BE AUTHENTIC! Make the most of opportunities – future success is about more than understanding theories at university! Experience grows confidence (self-efficacy) Be prepared to adapt – what you want now might not match where you end up – openness and adaptability matter to employability…job craft Develop an understanding of YOU – what do you enjoy, what makes you happy, how can you measure success…YOUR measure Be interested – attend careers talks, network, learn about jobs and careers BE AUTHENTIC!

Thank you vicki.elsey@Northumbria.ac.uk Any questions?