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Academic staff - Career Development Discussions

Beyond the Initial Period of Office, Academic Faculty are invited to attend a Career Development Discussion with their Research Group Head every three years - you can also choose to have a conversation more often, or with a different senior colleague.

The purpose of a Career Development Discussion is to:

  • offer a reflective, exploratory and non-prescriptive conversation about your work,
  • take time to reflect on successes,
  • think through future goals and the steps required to achieve them,
  • explore career aspirations with a senior colleague, and
  • consider whether there is anything the department, division and/or university might realistically do to improve your working life

The discussion is not linked to discipline, reappointment or promotion.

Process

Before the meeting, the HR Team will be in touch with the individual and the Research Group Head (or an alternative senior colleague) to let both know that a Career Development Discussion is due and to share a link to the record form, which is administered via a SharePoint workflow for ease. This form includes some short text boxes for the individual to complete, suggested as a framework to support thinking and reflection, and should be shared between both parties in advance of the meeting.

The form also serves as a brief record of the discussion and can be completed by either party, during or after the discussion. It should serve as a useful record of the discussion which will be saved on the individual's HR File, and includes space to highlight points which should be drawn to the attention of the department, division or university for further action. 

CDD form.docx

Preparing for the discussion

Individuals should complete the Career Development Discussion form, to act as a guide or starting point for the discussion.  In doing so, you may wish to consider:

  • What were your main plans for the past few years or so, and do you have any reflections on particular successes or difficulties in meeting those aims?  
  • What were your main achievements that you would like to celebrate?
  • How do you envision your research evolving over the next few years, and what steps will you take to stay at the forefront of your field?
  • What are your long-term career goals, and how do you plan to achieve them?
  • Are there specific professional development opportunities or collaborations you believe would enhance your academic career?
  • Considering your recent teaching, research, and other administrative / good citizenship duties, how do you plan to prioritise these elements over the next three years?
  • Is there anything that the department, division, or university could realistically provide to help you achieve your goals or otherwise improve your working life?
  • Are there contributions to the department, division or wider mathematical community that might build your career or profile? Some examples of wider academic activities are included at the bottom of this page.

The Research Group Head (or the alternative senior colleague) is asked to prepare for the conversation by:

  • Scheduling the meeting at a mutually convenient time.
  • Reading the completed Career Development Discussion form in advance (prompting it's completion, if necessary) to understand what the individual wishes to get from the meeting.
  • Creating an inclusive space in which the individual feels comfortable discussing their career and potentially sensitive issues.

During the discussion

It is helpful for the individual to have topics for discussion ready, and to share these at the start of the conversation.

The discussion should encourage self-reflection and the individual should be encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions.  The Research Group Head should primarily listen, ask open questions, and give information and advice when appropriate. The Research Group Head may wish to take a coaching approach to challenge the individual's thinking, suggest additional options, and allow them to move towards their own conclusions.

Individuals should be open to suggestions that may sound surprising initially, trying not to write anything off until it has been given consideration - a creative suggestion could provide an opportunity that would take your career in a new direction.

You should consider and discuss whether a mentor would be beneficial, either as part of a formal mentoring scheme or on an informal basis, or whether an additional Career Development Discussion would be helpful with another colleague. 

After the discussion

Please share a brief note of the discussion using the form, which is designed to be flexible such that you can write as much or as little as you find helpful. The HR Team will review each form, and will pass on any points flagged for attention as appropriate. 

Create regular opportunities to check in with each other on how progress is going towards any goals identified.

If you feel that a further conversation would be useful, either with an additional university colleague, or sooner than three years - please contact @email and we will be glad to facilitate this.  

Examples of wider academic activities

  • Department, MPLS or University committee
  • Department, MPLS or external recruitment panels
  • Department roles (e.g. DGS, Faculty Chair, etc) 
  • University roles (e.g. Assessor, Junior Proctor, etc)
  • Preparation of major bids (e.g. CDTs, REF, large grants) 
  • External Research Council or funding body panels (e.g. advisory networks, refereeing grant proposals)
  • Organising conferences or workshops
  • External examining or appointment panels
  • Councils or Committees for learned societies (e.g. LMS, IMA, Royal Society, etc)
  • Editorial work
  • REF panel
  • Director of a company / spin-out, Consultancy
  • Outreach

Further resources

Additional guidance and resources to help you plan and hold constructive career conversations can be found on the People & Organisational Development pages, including a summary of skills for 'reviewers' and for 'reviewees'

These pages also include guidelines for constructive career conversations with academic staff which underpin this departmental approach to Career Development Discussions.

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Please contact us with feedback and comments about this page. Last updated on 13 Nov 2023 20:36.