Ready to progress your career? These pages are designed to give you support and structure while you explore the options open to you and help you understand your capabilities and aspirations. The days of 'a job for life' have changed, perhaps you are ready for a change as well. It isn't always about changing jobs, sometimes we just need to look a little harder at ourselves and decide it's time to improve our lot.
A good starting point is your last PDR
- Did your objectives really stretch you?
- Is there scope in your current position to allow you to achieve your full potential?
- Do you have skills that are currently under utilised?
- Do you think you would benefit from some additional development?
OED run sessions on getting the most out of the PDR process for reviewers and reviewees which you might find helpful.
What can you do next?
How about job shadowing or secondment? This is a useful idea to gain an insight into someone else's area or just to get some good ideas to bring back to yours.
Putting yourself forward for projects can be an interesting way of gaining experience and of increasing your circle of influence.
Networking is as important as ever, seek out opportunities to increase your contacts both within and outside the University
Seek out a mentor, or volunteer to mentor someone else, gaining feedback in this way can be a valuable tool in understanding gaps in your development and finding new opportunities.
There are a number of development programmes that could help. The one day 'Personal effectiveness' session, is a good starting point, details of this course and other training opportunites are available on the Development Opportunities section of the OED website.
Where attendance at group sessions is not possible then there are also on-line opportunities. Pansophix offer a wide range of self help guides, available to all staff. The guides have been created independently from any Lancaster development programme, and are intended to serve as supplementary/immediate access information.
Gaining a greater understanding of yourself, your motivations, aspirations and needs will help you realise your full potential.
If you still feel unsure how to progress contact Jean who may be able to offer further advice and guidance.
And then...
If you do decide that a change of career is for you, or you want to explore other job options, then further help is available
The careers service (CEEC) are able to offer some support for staff. Their web pages gives further information as to what is available for staff, but in brief:
Make use of the resources and on-line guidance available to all members of the University, currently situated on the ground floor in University House.
CEEC can also offer a 20 minute appointment with one of their advisors.
Prepare yourself well before this session so that you can make the most of the opportunity.
- Bring a job description and get help in tailoring your CV
- Get assistance with difficult parts of application forms
- Advice on covering letters
To make an appointment call in or ring 01524 592480
For more useful information, take a look at the careers guidance page.
for research staff...
there is additional support in the form of one to one support sessions and tailored development opportunities, for more details see the researcher support page.Please contact Jean Bennett, for more information.
Last updated: 06/11/12 (SP)