Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Career Planning
A reality check
2008
Ken Bromfield
Contents
GUIDEBOOK EXERCISES: SYNOPSIS..............................................................................................................................1
CAREER PLANNING: A REALITY CHECK...................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION: A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE............................................................................................................................2
EXERCISE: THINKING ABOUT CAREER OPTIONS.....................................................................................................3
SO, WHATS STOPPING YOU?...................................................................................................................................................4
EXERCISE : WILL I JUMP, OR BE PUSHED?...................................................................................................................5
CAREER CHANGE: YOUR DECISION........................................................................................................................................6
CAREER CHANGE: EXTERNAL FACTORS.................................................................................................................................7
CAREER CHANGE: TO CONSIDER THE OUTCOME OF CHANGE.................................................................................................9
QUESTIONS FOR MANAGERS OF TECHNICAL SERVICES.......................................................................................9
EXERCISE: CAREER PLANNING, THE FUNDAMENTALS..........................................................................................9
THINKING ABOUT YOUR STRENGTHS......................................................................................................................................9
EXERCISE: WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR?........................................................................................................................9
SKILLS ANALYSIS: THINKING IN DETAIL.....................................................................................................................9
WADDLE WE DO NOW, EXERCISE?..................................................................................................................................9
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS....................................................................................................................9
CAREER PLANNING ASSISTANT.......................................................................................................................................9
CAREER PLANNING: ESSENTIALS.............................................................................................................................................9
CAREER PLANNING: POINTS TO AVOID....................................................................................................................................9
EXERCISE: WHAT NEXT; THE REAL TEST!...................................................................................................................9
APPENDIX 1: RESOURCE LIST........................................................................................................................................IX
USEFUL WEBSITES.................................................................................................................................................................IX
APPENDIX 2: CAREER MANAGEMENT IN CONTEXT..............................................................................................IX
CAREER MANAGEMENT: ISSUES AND KEY QUESTIONS........................................................................................................IX
FURTHER POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION..................................................................................................................................IX
APPENDIX 3: EXAMPLE OF ROLE PROFILE...............................................................................................................IX
MANAGER OF TECHNICAL SERVICES AND RESOURCES ROLE PROFILE.................................................................................IX
THE AUTHORS CAREER AT A GLANCE.......................................................................................................................IX
Authors Note
This guidebook has been made freely available to used and distributed by trainers, HR and managers
of technical resources throughout UK universities. Universities and/or Staff Development Units may
opt to contribute an optional donation based on their assessment of its usefulness. I stress that this is
not conditional. I remain committed to encouraging a culture of career development among university
technical and related staff. Therefore I hope that this guidebook will serve as a useful asset towards
that end.
Ken Bromfield MBE Chartered FCIPD,
Email: ken12brom@aol.com Telephone: 0208 748 8231
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank Petra Dodd for her advice and notes. Her CP course was also an invaluable
source of ideas.
Notes Pg No
(I) Thinking about career options 3
(G) This starter exercise invites you to consider a wide range of potential career moves. The examples are
based on reported case histories of technical staff who have moved upwards and onwards.
(I) Questions for Managers of Technical ServicesThe purpose is to explore the extent to which the 10
(G) Managers of Technical Services see their role in the Training &Development function, and how this
translates into involving them with their staff in the career planning process. To what extent is this an
essential strategic approach to leadership?
(I) Career Planning, The fundamentals 11
This is a standard method entailing detailed preparation for career planning and change.
The very nature of many technicians jobs means that we often see ourselves as specialists,
sometimes within very narrow fields. Should a doubt arise over our job security, we may have
misgivings as to whether we are equipped to compete for employment prospects outside our area
of expertise. It follows that we may ask; Are events beyond my control? What support can I count
on, to enable me to be better prepared for emerging opportunities? How can such contingency
planning benefit me, or for that matter, the university?
This guidebook is addressed directly to you to be used in conjunction with a conference or forum
involving committed participating technical staff. As such, it should serve as a useful springboard.
It will provide optional ideas and concepts that will get you actively involved in CP. As a
professional trainer, I commend practical exercises. These are designed to give you an appetite
for exploring your professional future. It is by no means a complete insight. You should look at the
references and further reading listed in appendix 1. nb if you want to pursue PDP, explore the
HEaTED links.
Your career momentum may well depend on what you are prepared to learn and do so as to
support your aspirations. Can you plan your career? How can you plan when everything seems to
be so uncertain? How can you be sure what you want to do; surely this will change according to
circumstances? . Your initiative will determine the outcome to these important questions. So, you
will notice that there is a strong flavour of do-it-yourself included in this guidebook.
You should start with the premise that conscious planning will be the first step in a process to take
you from ambition to reality. The clearer you are about what you want from your career, the more
likely you are to prepare a plan and to achieve objectives. The more you are aware of what is
going on around you, locally in your organisation or in the external employment situation, the better
equipped you will be to be able to spot and seize opportunities as they come up.
You may not achieve your precise planned objectives.. Your long term aims will almost certainly
change. The key point that I would want to explore during a CP forum, is how a holistic vision of
cause and effect will enable you to gain the experience and skills that will help you to pursue your
career objectives. The effort is not only worthwhile, it is also enjoyable. The notes and exercises in
this guidebook are designed to help you on your way in your chosen technical field or beyond.
Introduction
The purpose of this basic exercise is to encourage you to think about the potential direction of your
career and to consider some of the key issues that affect progress. It is not meant to identify
personal career objectives in precise terms. Furthermore, in a seminar or conference setting, it is
important to note that the outcomes of the exercise will depend on the composition of, experience
and input from, the cohort of participants. It will also be influenced by the introduction and
technique of the facilitator.
Technicians successfully negotiate careers that move along a traditional linear path from, say,
trainee technician to chief technician/ departmental superintendent, or towards a professional field
such as NMR/ EM experimental officers or research specialists. This is sketched out in the centre
column of the schematic diagram. This process is often carried out using a system of
reassessment of job content/ role, or recruitment to vacant posts. It should be noted that, junior
posts are often filled with graduates who carry out teaching or research duties, often a combination
of both. School leaver trainee appointments are relatively rare.
In recent years, recruitment into the more senior roles such as technical resources manager or
departmental superintendent has not necessarily been supplied via technical grades. The people
responsible for their selection weigh the advantage of well grounded scientific and technical
experience against imported business and senior management expertise. This may signal a more
flexible, not to say challenging, approach to promotion and recruitment in universities. The formal
situation within universities is outlined in Appendix 2: Career Management in Context (page 3). In
practice this makes a strong case for more regular movement across career categories; ie from the
centre, towards the outer columns in the diagram.
The exercise starts a brief overview of the roles listed in each column. This can be lead by the
facilitator, or be delegated to participants or the forum organisers. Some jobholders from external
enterprises can be invited to briefly describe their experience in migrating from their time in post as
university technicians to their current job. This session is followed by a question and answer
session during which roles that are of significant interest to the audience can be identified. This
should take up to 40 minutes.
Individuals are invited to write down, within 10 minutes, one or two preferred career path options,
and two reasons why they might be attracted to their choice. At this point simple answers are
required. Example reasons for choice of career target could include:-
1) I think it is well within my capability to achieve this aim
2) It enables me to move on, and make good use of my experience
3) This is the sort of role that I believe I would enjoy
4) The role would bring me into contact with more people
5) I would earn more money
6) I want to continue using the technical and scientific skills that I use now, and to develop them in a
more challenging role
7) At some stage I want to be in a position to manage a team
Participants organise themselves into pairs or small groups to discuss what each person has
written down. The pair or group will brainstorm the question What is stopping me from going
ahead with my preferred career path option(s).right now. Remember, in a brainstorming session,
anything goes! For example, if the answer is I have no idea, it is as valid as a highly structured
answer that pinpoints detailed relevant challenges and opportunities.
Depending on size of the participating audience and the time available, the groups can aggregate
(4-8) or deal with the response in a plenary session, to identify common themes along the following
lines:-
1. The roles that have been chosen for career objectives
2. The reasons for the various choices
3. Potential barriers that might inhibit or block the perceived career path
The ensuing discussion in a plenary session should be used to identify a number of themes that
will serve to lay the foundation to the exercise Will I jump or be pushed on page 5.
Introduction
The purpose of this exercise is to explore a range of issues that could affect your career, and to
consider the extent to which you will be able to take steps to shape the outcome to your
advantage. The end result may be used to provide a basis of reflection and discussion.
You may have already been involved with some scenarios, by your own initiative or as part of an
internal policy decision. Other scenarios touch on external events that, one way or another, could
affect your career in the short or long term. All are based on real issues that have occurred in UK
universities.
You may find it useful preparation to read through all the scenarios to ask yourself what is the
likelihood of me being involved in this situation. For example, it is highly probable that at some
stage you would be thinking about a higher grade by promotion up the pay structure
(scenario 1). This preparation will help to create a picture in your mind of the potential challenges
and opportunities that result from change.
Potentially this exercise can generate discussion over a wide range of employment issues.
Therefore, it is important to bear in mind that the focus throughout must be steered towards
themes that are directly related to Career Planning.
1
There is an important distinction between career planning and career management. Career
planning applies usually to the individual. Career management refers both to the individuals, and the
institutions, behaviour, for example a concious policy to apply a structured approach that involves staff and
their supervisors in a formal dialogue about careers.
The Career Change scenarios listed in the table outline examples where the initiative is largely in
your hands. This is an exercise that you can do yourself.
Nb: There is a range of possible responses to this exercise from nothing to detailed objective
setting. All responses are valid!
Group Exercise
Groups of up to six participants collate the results of the Exercise for Individuals. They should
identify any common features in the responses. Discuss the significance of what you have found
in relation to:-
1) Planning for changes in your grade or career
Record what you have found for your own future reference, or for presentation to a plenary session
of your course or conference.
Finally, summarise (and discuss) what you have learned from the exercise.
The examples listed in the table, outline scenarios that may have a critical influence on your
career, either positive or negative. For example, the change event may unblock the route to
greater professional responsibility and therefore to promotion. On the other hand, a major
reorganisation may bring about changes to many occupational roles and responsibilities
throughout your university, thereby putting a question mark over the viability of some jobs. The
underlying purpose is to get participants to weigh the implications of being forewarned, and
therefore forearmed.
Scenario Notes %
4) To be involved in a university merger What is the chance of your university being involved in a merger 20
that will result in major job restructuring that might have a direct impact on your job? Mergers usually
involve realignment of departments (academic and
administrative), faculties and schools in the university.
5) To be involved in an internal (school, What is the likelihood of your department, faculty or school 20
department or group) job restructuring going through a process of restructuring that will inevitably affect
exercise staff and what they do? This scenario is usually associated with
either financial constraint, or to concentrate teaching and
research resources to obtain academic excellence.
6) To be affected by a departmental or Is your department viable in the long term? What is the chance 15
research group closure of it being closed permanently? What are the trends for student
recruitment? Is funding becoming an issue?
In a recent training exercise a group of participants was asked What is the chance of you being
involved in or affected by these scenarios within the next 8 years? The result is shown in the right
hand column, expressed as a percentage.
If these figures represent a realistic pointer as to what is likely to happen, then we are looking at a
50/50 chance that a major change will occur within the next eight years or so. So, what are you
prepared to do about it?
Please note that this is a subjective exercise that is meant to give you food for thought. It will be a
source for reflection as to how you may react to predictable change.
Positive outcomes:-
Negative outcomes:-
Individual responsibility:-
Managers responsibility:-
Plenary Session
A summary of the Group Task may be presented to a plenary session.
Having discussed the findings and significance of the Group Tasks, the session should list one or
two ideas that can be proposed in order to help individuals to get a positive result from major
organisational changes, or would safeguard then from potential disadvantage. Remember, action
may mean enlisting the help of friends and colleagues. It might be helpful to think about this in
terms of career planning and individual competitive edge.
The facilitator may offer to send a summary of the results and discussion to participants.
These scenarios should be considered from the standpoint that a significant change has taken
place or is about to happen. All of them have occurred in most UK universities at one time or
another.
The obvious answer as to what may tempt staff to become actively involved any of these
situations, is to look at the bottom line. If the reward is high enough, then people will take the bait.
In practice, the offer of financial incentive is usually set at a level that would mean staff would have
to take a much more considered view, embracing career issues such as future job options and
whether they have the requisite competence.
However there are other inducements or conditions that may draw staff into taking up any of the
situations outlined in the table.
Exercise for Individuals:
1) List no more than two answers to the questions posed in the
Explanatory Notes columns 7 and 8.
2) There is a clear link between 7 and 8 leading to the important question What needs to be
done; how and when. Attempt to fill in this gap in the context of preparedness, support within
the organisation and to what extent might you may choose to exercise contingency career
planning.
Group Tasks
This is best tackled in Groups of 4-6 people. Participants may find it easier to split the group, each
half to tackle 1) and 2) separately, then come together to finalise the outcome.
During 2007, the National Association of Biochemistry and Biology Superintendents (NABBS)
considered the evolving roles of Managers of Technical Services (MTS). Among its findings was
the extent to which they were involved in work that could be described under the heading listed in
the chart. The percentages refer to the time spent in each activity.
Career planning is closely linked to training and development (T&D). The role of MTS should
include a commitment to be involved in the T&D of individuals in their teams.
The purpose of this exercise is to examine, briefly, the extent to which the MTS see their role in the
T&D function, and how this translates into the career planning process involving their staff. MTS
should work in small groups to identify their involvement in the example functions listed below.
Points may be listed under the headings indicated in the above chart. Eg procedural, managerial,
strategic. Which of the identified functions support the staff career planning process?
The Examples below indicate MTS roles in the T&D function. They can be used for guidance.
recognises the significance of the managers role with regard to competence (functions and tasks executed
effectively) and competencies (values, behaviours and related processes fundamental to professional performance)
establishes sustainable networks of co-professionals so as to examine issues of mutual importance and best
practice, thereby to promote high quality training and development in the context of career planning
implements a structured approach to training needs analysis
takes action to ensure that the identified needs are met and that training resources are identified
liaises with internal and external training personnel to ensure provision and/or facilitation appropriate T&D
demonstrates a managed and sustained programme of staff appraisal
inspires co-workers about the benefits of T&D to themselves and their career paths
engages in formal and informal career planning discussions with subordinate staff
uses contacts and professional networks to research career development opportunities
ensures that all staff have a personal development plan (PDP)
participates actively in the training review and evaluation process in the context of effective application
passes on skills, knowledge and understanding to others
encourages staff to engage in projects that extend experience and skills
encourages staff to take an active part in leading training for regional and national training programmes
develops practical steps to ensure useful succession evaluation and planning
evaluates the practical benefits of training and development programmes and advises accordingly
uses role/job profiles, and competency frameworks to inform and encourage positive attitudes to career
progression
contributes towards the strategic review and improvement of T&D practices and policies
The dynamic of the group exercise can be varied by mixing MTS with other technical grades.
Groups report to a plenary session to discuss their findings. The facilitator will collate the results.
The process of career planning (CP), must start with building a foundation that will develop an
understanding of yourself and where you want to be. It will enable you to formulate a plan to get
you there, and prepare action points.
As you go through this exercise you might find it useful to jot down some ideas under the five
headings set out below. This exercise will act as simple start to the planning process.
2. Gaining understanding.
You need to identify and understand your own career and the factors that will drive it. Here are
some examples of question that you could attempt to answer:-
What particular elements of your current job motivate you? ie what do you enjoy
doing?
You may have priorities regarding your professional future. What are they and how
would you rank them in order of importance to you?
What are your most important strengths and skills
a) For the job that you have now
b) That you need to develop so as to achieve your career goals
Nb: This exercise is expanded in Thinking about your strengths on page 13.
This is a relatively challenging task. Most of us are not completely aware of the skills that we
possess, or need to acquire for current and future roles. Appraisal interviews may be helpful.
However more detailed inventories may need to be studied (see Skills Analysis: Thinking in detail,
Page 17). This approach will enable you to reflect about a range of competencies, and to decide
which are relevant for you and your future. A useful first stop is a detailed look at the introduction
to the Higher Education Role Analysis (HERA) scheme see (,Appendix 3: Example of Role Profile,
page 8). This can be viewed on a number university websites. This approach has the added
advantage in that you can gain inside knowledge about key factors that determine job grading.
Have a look at this website:- http://hera.ucea.ac.uk/toolkit/
Ask yourself, how can I obtain further insight into the key issues listed here? Is there a role here
for my manager, the training department, personnel, careers advice/resource centre or trade
unions? If so, how should I get them involved?
How far are you prepared to go in order to test and to understand your personal drivers, skills and
attributes? You could investigate psychometric and ability/aptitude testing. Is there support
available in your institution for personality testing? To find out more, follow the links from:-
http://www.strath.ac.uk/careers/apply/psychometricassessments/
4. Developing a plan.
At first glance, developing a plan to achieve career goals can appear to be pointless because the
way ahead is so full of imponderables and variable options. However, there are issues that can be
addressed, e.g. training to acquire new skills, seeking opportunities that may lead you in the right
direction, and building a network of people who can help provide beneficial introductions. One of
the most important questions in any plan is how portable and transferable are your skills?
See: http://www.skills.cam.ac.uk/undergrads/skills/index.html
Transferable skills are as relevant for you as they are for young people starting out on their career
path.
5. Taking action: Summary
The final step of taking action is never as easy as it sounds. You can be certain that your chances
of achieving your actions will depend on these factors:
Factor Examples
Practical tools
There are a number of tools you will inevitably need in order to manage your career successfully:
A up-to-date CV that can be tailored to a specific job description or vacancy
advertisement.
A portfolio of what outstanding professional achievements. You may also find it
useful to acquire letters or references that help to highlight the your strong points.
These could point towards what motivates you. Extracts can be tailored towards
suitability for a specific position.
4. How have other people commended your achievements and expertise? (what did they say?)
5. As a result of answering the questions above, what are your top ten skills/attributes?
You have identified your skills. The next vital step is to organise these in such a way that it would
would interest or convince people who may have an influential role on the development of your
career. How would you market your attributes?. For example to simply say I am pretty good with
people would not convince anybody. You need to back up any statement about skills with
evidence, i.e. a specific example of something that you have done using this skill and the benefits
produced. You need to demonstrate your qualities in terms of:I did this with this result.
Avoid using vague terms like I was responsible for or I ensured that or I was involved in. Aim
to create a picture that illustrates end results and initiative.. As regards working with colleagues or
within a team, express the key role that you played or what particular contribution you made.
You will not always be able to quantify the results of your professional endeavour. Comments from
others such as colleagues or customers, examples of excellent performance or fast promotion of
people that you have managed, or a consistently high success outcome are all ways in which you
can give evidence of a job well done.
All of this can be compiled in a highly focussed cv. You have probably got one. Is it up to date?
Maybe you have forgotten how to set about compiling your cv? There is a lot of material on the
web. There is some useful basic advice at Learn Direct:-
https://www.cvbuilder-advice-resources.co.uk/learndirect/
People Environment
Skills I am Prepared to
Use
Physical Environment
Geographical Location
My personal Values
Pay
The university
environment
The essentials of
work/life balance
The table lists a typical set of broad competences that could apply to someone in charge of
technical resources in a university department or division.
The above outline provides enormous scope for variation of detail. (An example of that detail is
shown below see Positive Examples Page 18). It is an overview of activities undertaken by
managers over a wide range and level of responsibilities. It provides a framework that will help
individuals to undertake skills analysis by focusing on key competences that would be required to
ensure a high level of performance. This is particularly important in the context of career
development.
Managers of technical resources should find most of these broad competencies relevant. At this
point, it would be useful to prioritise each statement before proceeding to the next stage which
invites the individual to consider the content of each set in detail.
Questions to be asked
A series of reflective questions should be asked about each statement within the skills
sets:-
to what extent does this statement apply to my role (and is it
important)?
how would I demonstrate that I am able to fulfil what is stated?
what experience do I have or how much relevant training have I
received?
These reflective questions should enable the user to rate how well they perform in each set and
thence to identify 'SMART' objectives. This exercise can also be used to enable a systematic
translation of objectives into training needs.
Two examples of the broad competences listed in the table are fleshed out in the boxes below.
These are positive examples that detail what is involved in carrying out the activities under the
main heading.
Positive Examples
Every university job contributes in one way or another to the primary purpose of the institution. For
example, Manchester University focuses on achieving excellence in research and teaching. Every
leading university is fiercely competitive in terms of national and world ranking. They underpin this
quest with ever changing corporate strategies and resultant policies. These are often set out as
institutional aims and objectives that seek to drive this competitive agenda. That is why leaders
If leadership and management are in your career sights then a deep understanding of these
competences would form part of your development plan.
Positive Examples
Positive examples:
This approach to skills analysis, (thinking in detail) inevitably highlights gaps as well as well
founded expertise. The question arises as to what to do next so as to fulfil your career plan.
He enjoyed the courses where he learned a number of important skills that included:-
Exercising leadership Project management
Financial planning and control Coaching and mentoring techniques
Polly and Bill considered the extent to which his ambitions would be fulfilled by the course. What
could he usefully add to his CV? How would the course experience enhance his job prospects
outside the department or even outside his specialised field?
So! Done the course! Brilliant! But Waddle we do now?
Other clues and ideas are listed on page 21 as Training and Development Options.
Be active in a professional body or trade Write a report about a key aspect of your
union work, and obtain constructive comments
on it
Attend conference
Join a working party
Offer to lead a discussion or present a
paper to a conference Keep a work portfolio including a learning
log
Network with external colleagues and a
relevant professional body Undertake a secondment or job swap
Notes
Shadowing
Generally speaking, shadowing entails observation of someone doing a job and watching
what they do. Time constraints mean that it is often for a relatively short period. Best
practice necessitates that individuals carries out some of the work of the person they are
shadowing. As well as being a good development tool it can also help networking and can
facilitate the breaking down of barriers within and across organisation. As with most
development the clearer you can be about want to get out of shadowing, the better.
Acting up
This occurs when a post is vacant for a short time and employees are given an opportunity to
act up in the post.
Mentoring
A mentor is a person, usually in a more senior post, who will help to, advise, encourage and
act as a role model for an employee. The mentor does not have to work in the same
organisation and does not have to be in a more senior position. It is sometime possible to
find a person to act as an informal mentor.
Secondments
A secondment is where an opportunity arises to work in another part of the organisation, or
sometimes another organisation. It can be used where there is gap before a post is filled
permanently or where there is need for someone to work on a project or in a department for
a specified time. It is may be set up for relatively long periods, for example for six months.
Job Swaps
This happens when employees in different parts of an organisation are given the chance to swap
jobs and to work in a different office, often in a post with some new duties. Job swaps can provide
opportunities to work abroad.
Voluntary Work
One of the richest sources of extended training and application of organisational and
specialist skills can be found in the voluntary sector. These can be powerful additions to
personal cvs and add substance for job selection interviews.
2. Research the environment that you would rather work in (outdoors, an office, from home).
3. Identify your core skills. Do you use these in your current job? Do you use then elsewhere?
5. Develop a trusting relationship with your colleagues. Perhaps there is someone who could act
as a mentor for you?
8. Identify short-term goals that are comparible with to your long term aims.
9. Prepare contingency plans to take account of external change events that could affect your
career plan
10. Take steps to understand the culture and mission of your present organisation. Do they offer
you the career development support that you need?
2. Do not allow continuous learning to be sacrificed to meet short term need. CPD is a vital
component in the career planning process.
3. Beware of becoming invisible to your colleagues who might not be aware of your
accomplishments; make sure that they are noticed
4. Avoid falling behind with developments in technology, essential legislation and policy change.
5. Do not overlook the vital role of personal and professional networking when job-hunting.
6. Reject a laissez-faire attitude to your career progression and job security. Get involved in short,
medium and long term planning.
7. Do not underestimate the value of developng a high profile within the wider institution. Think
about ways in which you can contribute.
8. Avoid becoming embroiled in personal disputes if they risk undermining wider relationships at
work.
9. Do not underesimate the potential impact of issues like absenteeism and punctuality. They can
turn up in personal references.
10. Do not run the risk of concentrating on you work and career to the exclusion of the rest of your
life, especially your health and family relationships.
EXERCISE: WHAT NEXT; THE REAL TEST!
Post conference or course evaluations are all very well. The real test as to the success of
any forum rests on what the participants would actually undertake to do as a result of being
there. A To-do list should be assembled throughout the day. You simply spot a good idea
and decide to follow it up.
This exercise is designed to give your intentions a kick start by suggesting some further
action (or otherwise). There is plenty of space for further to-do initiatives.
Become a mentor
Build Your Own Rainbow: Workbook for Career and Life Management (Mike
Scally and Barrie Hopson)
Who Do You Think You Are?: Understanding Your Motives and Maximizing
Your Abilities (Nick Isbister and Mike Robinson)
Challenge!: What is available to you at your university Careers Resource Centre? Check it out!
Useful Websites
HEaTED Project for technical staff
The HEaTED project is designed to bring the Higher Education Technical/Specialist community together
across the whole of the UK. In partnership with the IST the project will develop and deliver a specialist
Virtual Learning Environment for HEATED subscribers. See
http://www.istonline.org.uk/HEATED/heated.htm
Careers advice:-
http://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/employment/training/careers/
If your university operates a career web site, it should be your first port of call. (as in Manchester
University example above)
http://www.windmillsonline.co.uk/
Windmills Interactive has been specifically designed to help you to; take a fresh look at your life;
understand what is really important to you; picture the kind of life you want and then show you how you
can achieve it, creating a future that inspires you.
http://www.totaljobs.com/CareerAdvice/Default.aspx
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/career_and_jobs/
http://www.workthing.com/career-advice/
http://www.mycareerguide.com/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/career_and_jobs/
http://www.careerbuilder.co.uk/jobseeker/resumes/postresumenew/postyourresume.aspx
www.workingcareers.com has information on career planning, writing applications, job search and
interviews.
www.learndirect.co.uk offers free and impartial information and advice on over 500,000 courses
nationwide.
www.jobs.ac.uk has research, science, academic, teaching and management jobs and studentships in the
public and private sector.
www.cvspecial.co.uk this site provides a comprehensive guide to writing the most effective CV. It also
has a free online assessment of your current CV.
a) The National Framework Agreement for the Modernisation of Pay Structures (NFA),
developed in partnership between employers and trades unions representatives,
recognises
the vital contribution which staff at all levels make to the continuing
success of UK higher education, and the need for them to be rewarded properly;
and
the need to modernise pay arrangements in the sector to improve
the recruitment and retention of staff, to ensure equal pay for work of equal value,
to tackle problems of low pay, to recognise and reward the contribution which
individuals make, and to underpin opportunities for career and organisational
development2
Job evaluation and role analysis are identified as essential elements to underpin the new grade
structure. Occupational roles are not static. They are shaped by the changing needs of
universities, in turn, are driven by internal and external change factors. The NFA recognises that
a balance has to be struck between the needs of the organisation and individual employees.
Addressing employees career aspirations is an important part of this process and is
summarised in the NFA.
2
Pay and Modernisation Framework Agreement :-Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher
Education Staff (JNCHES)
Universities may proposed that these issues be incorporated into its Pay and Modernisation
Programme under the overarching title, Career Management (CM) so as to ensure that a holistic
view is taken of what are key strategic HR issues.
Career Management: Issues and Key Questions
A definition
CM is defined as Planning and shaping the progression or movement of individuals within an
organisation by aligning employee preferences and potential with organisational resourcing
needs3
This broad definition covers the essential features of CM. Planning suggests that it is a
managed process. It anticipates what is required by the organisation, and sets this in the
context of individual preferences. The reference to shaping implies that career progression or
movement will be part of a process of intervention where the outcomes are agreed. In practice
this shaping takes place through a process of informal and structured dialogues.
Employers have been warned or are aware that problems are in the pipeline in terms of
significant skills gaps in a number of key areas 5. Demographic trends suggest a shortage of
people entering the workforce. In this respect it is suggested that CM is pivotal to the success,
or even survival of organisations.
Individuals want a career where there is scope for development and progression, together with
opportunities to fully utilise their skills. The 2003 CIPD survey identified the following benefits
from the individuals viewpoint.
increase job security and personal ability to compete for jobs
clarify understanding about available and potential career
opportunities
provide opportunities to develop skills
enable flexibility during working life
make work more interesting
help to achieve life/work balance
create a career framework
establish professional goals
CM therefore is seen to be an intrinsic, but less immediately obvious aspect of a holistic
approach to employee reward.
The survey established that the significance of CM dialogues with employees is not widely
acknowledged. It is seen as a low priority option. The underlying reasons are summarised
6
Survey into Career Management Practices (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development June
2003)
The survey suggested that all of the above have an essential role in the formulation of CM
strategy, its promotion, operation and practice, and in ensuring that the outcomes are delivered.
The potential for high staff expectations, set against budgetary constraints, lies at the heart of
this tension. The CIPD research shows that individuals who might benefit from structured CM
become the drivers in the process. So an unrestricted launch of a CM strategy may well turn out
to be a Pandoras Box with significant financial implications. This problem would be
compounded if the lid were to be shut after expectations had been raised. Loss of trust and
credibility could be very damaging for those responsible for those initiating the project or even
for the Pay and Modernisation Programme as a whole.
Consultation with all stakeholders is essential. This includes senior managers, line managers,
individuals and their representatives. . The purpose here, as with all major change events, is to
find a way to reduce uncertainty, in particular to prevent any erosion of corporate trust and the
7
Trends and issues in career management, meeting the challenge Dr Wendy Hirsh (CIPD 2003)
potentially damaging outcome for staff morale and commitment; or to put it more positively, to
build on existing strong relationships and good practice.
Virtually all jobs in the university sector are rated using a job evaluation system whereby
objective criteria are applied to the job so as to ascertain the grade. As the system becomes
embedded, universities will accumulate evidence based on graded jobs. These will be used for
purposes of comparison, and grading. A role profile, like the one below is an example of such
evidence. These profiles should become available to staff who want to find out what is required
to progress from their current roles. They can also be a valuable source of information for
personal development plans ie Am I equipped to undertake the function? How can I learn to
accomplish each role?
1. Create and maintain a common purpose by proactively leading team members with
the delivery and development of technical support services and skills, across the full
range of subject specialist, research, teaching or service orientated provision.
2. Initiate and convey the overall vision of the team and delegate appropriate
responsibilities to technical staff with team managerial and supervisory responsibilities
Teaching/Research Technician/Senior
Technician; Pharmacology
Chief Technician: managing staff and
resources in Biochemistry dept
Departmental Superintendent:
Biochemistry
The external activities played a substantial part in the development of professional understanding and skills. Therefore they
were highly significant factors assisting career progression.