Skills and Life after the PhD Lilian Simones

Overview 1. Skills developed throughout the PhD experience 2. Factors promoting skill development 3. Relevance of the acquired skills for life after the doctorate

Skills Networking Building contacts at conferences Engaging in academic networks Teaching/Mentorship Project management Conceptualising, planning, designing and implementing projects Problem solving Analysing information Generating creative solutions Generating research funding Communicating complex ideas Presenting ideas clearly for different types of audiences Teaching/mentoring To Understand and create new knowledge Research methodology Technical skills Drive to succeed Determination and motivation over long periods Resilience To work independently Use my own initiative Driving my own project Cutting edge research skills Interdisciplinary Qualitative and quantitative data analysis IT skills 1. Skills developed throughout the PhD experience

Supervisors Other Support at QUB(courses) /external Previous life experiences individual factors: Personality Motivation/ age 2. Factors promoting skill development

3. Relevance of the acquired skills for life after the doctorate Foundation skills for academic career and important for life outside academia These skills will not on their own grant us our “dream job” As time passes by in terms of obtaining employment these skills will become less and less relevant in a world of fast change a wider integration of PhD students in teaching and in the life of departments (committee meetings, help with Master students’ supervision) and writing bids for funding can increase employment prospects A change of mind set is needed where PhD is taken as an academic “internship” rather than just accomplishing a research project The term “supervisor” leads to a responsibility of “research supervision” whereas “Mentor” would imply more than that

Conclusion I have: Enjoyed the PhD experience Developed considerable skills Would like to continue to develop more Now, putting in place plans A (academia) and B (my own company)

Thank you!