Darcey Gillie

Darcey Gillie

Dr Darcey Gillie is a Careers Consultant for Researchers at the University of Sheffield. In addition to guidance practice and pedagogy, her main interests are the psychology of networking and emotions

Location Sheffield

Activity

  • I'm glad you found a solution - I am sure there is some complicated browser setting solution that would work on your home PC. Ah, technology!

  • Thank you for that comment, Theresa, it's really helpful (and nice) for us to know that the course is effectively supporting people in managing their careers. Thank you for your participation!

  • @JenniferZike Eek. Apologies, Jennifer, I completely missed this comment. Have you had any success?

  • Hi Eryfyli - you make an important point: it's fine going to conferences, but it's important to find a way to socialise with people. And we're operating in an increasingly trans/interdisciplinary research environment - access and insight into other research groups is important. Thank you!

  • Congratulations!

  • Hi Katrina,
    Have you had any inspirations or ideas since this post?

  • Hi Erifyli, Absolutely - have you any insights or examples that could help other participants generate ideas or strategies for doing this?

  • Hi Colin, Thanks for sharing that - a fascinating and probably unusual career experience for many people. What sort of differences have you found that might help people unsure about gravitating towards an FE or HE role?

  • Hi Colin, thanks you for commenting. What in particular caught your attention? What sorts of things has it made you consider? If you don't mind sharing your insights with other participants.

  • Hi everyone, Have you seen some of the professional services jobs that have been added to the padlet? Also there are some links to some Sheffield Vista profiles of PhD graduates working in a variety of professional services at a diverse range of institutions. You can explore many more profiles on the THink Ahead blog (where the profiles are hosted) by...

  • Hi Fiona, Thank you so much for sharing that. I empathise completely, and I am sure other participants will feel relieved that they aren't alone. In fact, that's what lead me to build The Networking Game (and it took several years of planning - part of which was battling the anxiety the topic caused). If it helps (and it may not), my way of approaching it...

  • Hi Jennifer, Have you booked an appointment to speak to a careers consultant (Strathclyde, isn't it?) - that would be a useful starting point, if not. There's also this blog post on international academic job searchers from UCL https://www.ucl.ac.uk/researchcareers/resources/overseasacademia.htm You are aware of the doctoral extension scheme,as well?

  • Hi Teresa, pleased to hear the course has helped you. Thank you for sharing some of the actios you've taken/plan to take. Whenever any of you share your plans, it's a real inspiration for other participants, whether or not they're actively engaged in the conversations.

  • @KirstyBlack @FionaGleed I really enjoyed reading this exchange!

  • Not completely alone! I spent a lovely morning the other day updating some spreadsheets and analysing data. (It was very therapeutic after a stressful drive in, and with a rare treat of a locally produced cinnamon bun.) It has it's rewards - it appeals to those who like organisation, planning, strategy, etc. - for those who don't, it has the potential to...

  • Hmmm...maybe it's time they stop being called 'graduate schemes'...(!)

  • Hi Ciara, thanks for sharing that - really glad you've found them to be a useful approach to managing your career!

  • It makes perfect sense, Lynn. There's a whole body of research - and some of you are probably far more qualified to comment on this than I am, so please do! - on the difficulties of internalising successes, whether it's impostor syndrome, certain types of self-deprecation or self-effacement. Some things that can help are asking our friends for specific...

  • @TessBaxter Social media *is* a tricky one - some researchers have spoken to me about some of the individual challenges they face (what to share, what not, dealing with unhelpful/unpleasant responses, or not making an impact all, losing control of content), and there certainly has been online discussion about the risks and benefits. - and as you point out, how...

  • Thank you for sharing your experience, Wafa, especially the role it played in how you managed your career. It's such an important part of work life balance - more so if it's a particularly long, hazardous or otherwise stressful journey. I really miss being able to take a bus or the train into work. I specifically park 2 miles from my workplace so I get some...

  • If someone has a 'portfolio career' - a range of diverse, seemingly unconnected experiences, for example - do you have any recommendations for how they might 'market' to the Civil Service (and hence, non-academic employers generally)? Thank you!

  • No worries, Ivano - welcome to the course. We're glad you're here!

  • Welcome, Lucy - it's great to have you on board!

  • Hi Michele,

    We'll be doing that next week. The intention with Week is that the activities are useful for those who are uncertain all the way through to helping people manage their options and decision-making for a career that they're decided on (for example, how might one choose which of the ca. 170 HE institutions in the UK to aim for - research...

  • @TessBaxter Thank you for taking the time and being generous aboiut sharing your thoughts. The comments, reflections, questions, and stories from you and the other participants are a rich source of learning and development - and very much appreciated.

  • Hi Tess - please don't apologise! There's no obligation to reply :-) You have some excellent suggestions in there that will be helpful to other distance PhDs - many might not have considered that there could be community (or other) groups that might be places to socialise for work as well as pleasure. I was wondering if you use social media at all? Or if...

  • Hi everyone - welcome to week 2. Don't forget this afternoon we'll be joined by Lucy Booth from the Department of Work and Pensions.

  • For folk who felt -
    'Reasonably confident' - what would need to change for you to feel you could tick 'very confident'?
    'Not at all confident' - what would need to change for you to feel you could tick 'reasonably confident'?
    'Very confident' - can you share things you've done, experienced, thought about, etc that helped you be able to tick that?
    Thank you!

  • The comments from mid-career participants led me to my library shelf where I observed that the several volumes I have on mid-life career transitions cover much the concepts and activities that we do in this MOOC. If it helps, good career management skills are generic. One of the authors secured a lectureship in an FE college after 23 years out of paid work...

  • Hi Tess, Thank you for comments on the MOOC, and generously offering a different insight into the researcher experience. I've noticed you mention working from home alot (it may have caught my attention as a former ODL student at an institution 5 hours from home) and the feelings of isolation that can stimulate. What support does your institution provide for...

  • Hi Caroline, pleased you found it helpful! A bit of a teaser here - in terms of looking at positions, and trying to evaluate what they're looking for, and what can be meant by 'experience', hopefully you'll find the materials and discussions in the last week useful.

  • Welcome Gloria! :-)

  • Hi Ellie, Thanks for the reply. I love the forward to "How to win friends and influence people" written by, ahem, 'Mrs Dale Carnegie' in one of the editions: "Certain examples and phrases seem as quaint and dated in our social climate as those in a Victorian novel." As she noted, though the wisdom is still there, and that had he lived, he would have updated...

  • You've sparked my curiosity, Ronie. What sort of 1-1 do you imagine doing with people? What sorts of qualifications do you think you might be looking at?

  • Hi Elise, thank you for contributing to the discussion. Social Science PhDs are valued in all sorts of sectors: not for profit, government/civil service, consulting, freelance research, market research. Many more options are available depending on motivations, skills, prior experiences. In my experience, I have observed challenges when someone's ideal job...

  • @ClementSitali That's helpful - a useful reminder of the how 'opportunities' aren't just jobs - they're interactions, relationships, ideas. Thank you!

  • Hi Ellie - thank you for your comment and sharing your experience. I agree - there's often a sense that in order to be "people people" we have to relinquish our authenticity. Not true. Are there any resources - books, articles, websites, people (role models) that you can share? Thank you.

  • For those you who (like me) find it difficult to talk about, promote, and market onself - all crucial career management skills, particularly when making a transition - here are some resources for reflection (and action...). You may not identify as 'shy' or an 'introvert' - but all of the articles are useful insight into marketing yourself more effective...

  • Some interesting comments about 'people skills'. It's important to balance our preferences but also be aware of which things that may not come naturally to us that we may need to develop in some way. For example, for people (like me) who might describe themselves as shy or introverted may abhor the idea of office politics (more constructively, positively...

  • Hi Clement - thanks for your comment! What are some of the things you might suggest to help people spot opportunities? Your'e spot on - week 1 in fundamentally about having that accurately - honest - self-awareness that helps us to make reliable decisions.

  • Hi everyone, a warm welcome on this January day and a belated hello. With tongue firmly in cheek (a little), one thing to perhaps consider in terms of career criteria is your commute. Here's a picture that somewhat captures my commute in this morning: https://binged.it/2MmaVBQ :-) I look forward to meeting and getting to know you on the course!

  • Darcey Gillie made a comment

    Hi everyone, a warm welcome on this January day and a belated hello. With tongue firmly in cheek (a little), one thing to perhaps consider in terms of career criteria is your commute. Here's a picture that somewhat captures my commute in this morning: https://binged.it/2MmaVBQ :-) I look forward to meeting and getting to know you on the course!

  • Darcey Gillie made a comment

    If anyone has been having difficulties accessing the feedback form, I've been in contact with FutureLearn, and the situation appears to be resolved now. If you do find any technical issues with any part of the course, don't forget (as I seem to have!) that there's a Support button at the bottom of each step.

  • If anyone has been having difficulties accessing the feedback form, I've been in contact with FutureLearn, and the situation appears to be resolved now. If you do find any technical issues with any part of the course, don't forget (as I seem to have!) that there's a Support button at the bottom of each step.

  • Some really helpful advice and insights from everyone - thank you for sharing. If you haven't read the comments here yet, please do!

  • @GabrielleBaalke Just picked up these comments - will look into it! Thank you for letting us know.

  • It would be worth checking to see how they support you long distance. For instance, careers services in the UK will arrange phone and Skype appointments with students/graduates, and some will offer various forms of email support. It's unfortunate that many part time or distance students do not seem to be aware or made aware of what's on offer for them.

  • @ClareMartin Most opportunities are advertised openly these days. What's at play with the networking is reputation, evidence, and familiarity with prior experience. Recruitment is expensive - employers want to be sure they are getting the best person, and someone who is going to be motivated to stay - which is why personal recommendations can be of help. Few...

  • You're welcome - glad you found it useful!

  • @ChloeColla @AnnieNate Intriguing indeed.Be interesting to see if anyone else has come across that.

    As with any question asked of your interviewers: Why are we asking it? (What useful information are we eliciting that's going to help our case - part of the reason that, for me, I never ask how many people are being interviewed.) What impact might the...

  • A classic example of an interview being a two way process!?

  • Thank you, Chole, for participating and sharing your insights!

  • Hi Chloe - thank you for sharing your insight! You're comment has shed light on an important point - thinking why the employer has asked you that question. And your example demonstrates this. The employer is asking you about your weakness(es) because they want to see how self-aware you are, if you are proactive in your development and take steps to remedy...

  • Some good advice there about preparing for interviews - thank you, Melanie. HAving a mock interview with a careers adviser is helpful as an important part of our role is liaising with employers to find out what their recruitment practices are, how they might be changing, feedback on performance (at a population level) that we can share with applicants. For...

  • @LaurenAlexO'Hagan That's a good question...about questions...does anyone out there have any advice/successful strategies from their experience?

  • Thanks for sharing some strategies that have worked for you - others may well take inspiration from these!

  • Hi Lauren, thank you for sharing that - it will be really helpful for other participants who may have similar concerns. This is something you could certainly make an appointment and discuss a careers consultant - they can't give you answer (that's obviously up to you) - but you could talk through things, weigh up pros and cons, clarify your ideas and feelings...

  • Hi Annie, than you for your kind comment - and for joining and participating in the discussions.

  • Thank you, Lam, we're really pleased you found it helpful, and see the value in revisiting the activities in the future.

  • You're welcome, Lauren, and thank you for joining in and actively participating in the forums!

  • Thank you, Susanna, for actively participating and sharing your thoughts and ideas!

  • Hopefully what's come through in terms of discussion, the course material, The Networking Game (if you've played) is that networking doesn't have to be a once size fits all practice. We can all - and do! whether we realise it or not - network in ways that are authentic to our personalities. The important thing is that we choose and build relationships with...

  • Hi Susanna, thank you for such a candid response. If it helps, I have some empathy - the fear and anxiety of "bothering" people really made me avoid seeking help - even when people enthusiastically offered it (they don't mean it...). I'm not quite sure when the switch flipped for me, but I've not looked back since (although whether it's giving a talk or...

  • Hi Alanna - thank you for posting. What country are you in? Is there anyone on here who can help Alanna with her query? Also, Alanna, is it possible for you to talk to academic colleagues who recruit to get a sense of what they look for?

  • Hi Nnenne, thank you for your comment! Engaging with your career at the start of your PhD is a significant positive strategy - something backed up by the AHRC's Oakleigh report (which I've talked about elsewhere on here) arts and humanities PhDs/Early Career Researchers. Have you talked about or are planning to talk about a publication strategy with your...

  • @ClareMartin Hi Clare - thanks for your comment! I was wondering if you could share a little more about your perspective on personal contacts? I think there's a useful conversation starting in this thread, and I hope others will join in. Thank you.

  • Hi Marjan, I'm not 100% sure what you mean by the question. If you can clarify, I'll try to help out.

  • At this stage of the course, Susanna, what ideas do you have on how you could increase your network - in a way that feels comfortable, authentic and useful for you?

  • @ZacharyBrigante Interesting point about trains - and bus stops - over the years students and colleagues have related some great public transport related networking outcomes in terms of research opportunities, ideas, and actual eventual job opportunities.

  • I wonder if there's potential for you, or other UK researchers on the course to organise some departmental seminars/round tables/discussion groups? Hmmmm...

  • Hi Ranya, are you aware of all the available support your institution may offer you?

  • Hi Karen, thanks for wondering! As an arts and humanities student, there is a report on early career researchers, particularly moving from PhD to the first job, that might help. It was produced by the AHRC in the UK, but the generally principles of useful career behaviours it highlights is probably useful in a wide variety of contexts....

  • Hi Seraina, thanks for your comment. I think your observations link very well with Holland's theory of career choice, the basic premise being that our occupational choices are very closely linked to our personality and character - whether we explicitly recognise it or not (hint: recognising this give us more control and intentionality in our careers). ...

  • Speaking as a PGDE holder, don't underestimate the importance of this experience in academia (or out) - grounding in theory, practices around assessment, feedback, pastoral care etc. are things you can really capitalise on. Have you got opportunities available to you to gain HE teaching experience? What's the potential for you creating your own? Or finding...

  • Hi Gabrielle, thanks for your post - and that very rich and personal illustration of the inner workings of 'luck' :-)

  • Giving yourself some choice can often be helpful in terms of having a couple of career paths of interest. Also looking at what you wrote, you're developing a useful set of key words, which might help you find just the sort of roles which might appeal to you. There are roles in universities and even in careers work, which didn't exist when I started in...

  • Hi Annie, I'm wondering...depending on where you are and which university - researcher development teams may be able to help with advice and workshops on writing. Have you looked into this?

  • Hi David, thank you for your post, both in terms of sharing the impact of the course, but highlighting and reinforcing how important the social dimension is to learning. I'm a bit of a mountaineer myself, so can certainly appreciate the metaphor - it's funny how one's attraction to certain types of routes changes with time, age and experience!

  • Thank you for sharing that - sharing experiences like that can inspire other participants who also find networking a challenge to give it ago, too.

  • @PierpaoloDiGiminiani Mobility is an interesting one. Overall, mobility is associated with greater chances of early career success and consequently, progression. I do certainly take your point about stability and the benefits that can confer to an individual and an organisation - and as you point out, there are the benefits of exposure to new working...

  • @PierpaoloDiGiminiani Hi Pierpaolo - thanks for your replies! Your insight into your funding experiences is really helpful, and will give all of us something follow up on, as we continually update our knowledge of recruitment processes. During my PhD and postdoc - I did find opportunities to apply for funding but this was some time ago. I wonder if any other...

  • Thank you for your response Annie - I think your example perfectly encapsulates what Pasteur (and generations of careers advisers since :-) ) was trying to communicate. I can see a similar approach working in the UK - two researchers I've worked recently used networking, gained mat leave roles, and now both are in open ended contracts as lecturers. It may...

  • Hi Pierpaolo - thank you for your comments and observations. If someone else made the comment about moving for career progression, do you think you might feel differently about it? Looking at it objectively, can you see any advantages for you and for other institutions? Since it is a real example (& I know of others myself-as others here might), I have to...

  • Thanks for your comment, Alexandra! Out of curiosity, have you been part of any conversations about how TEF is changing and may change further place of teaching in an academic career?

  • There's been a few comments about luck. Anyone who knows me will know I have a particular stance on this topic :-) Generally when briefing panellists at careers events I explicitly ban use of the word 'luck'. When they use it - and when I ask some probing questions, it turns out, it wasn't luck at all, but could be attributed to some very specific...

  • @LaurenAlexO'Hagan Thanks so much for sharing that!

  • Hi Lauren, thanks for commenting on this and sharing your observations. Networking is a key career management skill in any industry and in relation to any occupation. I was just wondering, how robust do you think your professional network is at the moment? Are there things you could be doing to raise your profile/reputation and create or strengthen key...

  • Thanks for sharing that Lauren - it's really helpful for others to see what sorts of activities people engage in to manage their careers! I'm glad you brought up the topic of part-time/portfolio working. For some people, it can be useful way to meet their career needs (hours, inspiration, salary, flexibility, getting experience, whatever...) - it's something...

  • I was interested in your reflection that your goals "see, idealistic". At this stage in your thinking and planning, what sort of research have you done into the different types of organisations out there that could help you realise your dreams? I wonder if any participants out there have some suggestions for organisations or types of organisations it might be...

  • Hi Marjan, Crucially important observation you've made - some of the things we are good at doing are not necessarily things we enjoy and that we want to have as an important part of our jobs (or perhaps any part). I think it's helpful for the other participants that you brought up the idea of intrinsic motivations - understanding the source of our motivations...

  • Hi Kun, great to see that you are already identifying ways to further your own professional development!

  • Speaking as a former archaeologist - I think the activities in the course will help you identify career areas to explore further. And you may find you go in surprising, unexpected directions! :-)

  • Hi everyone-
    Lovely to 'meet' you all. And to see what amazingly diverse experiences and perspectives you're all bringing to the course. I can foresee that we;ll all have a lot to share and learn from each other!

  • Darcey Gillie made a comment

    Hi Sumuduni - welcome to the course!

  • Hi Victoria - thank you so much for sharing your informational interview experience! And doubly glad you found it useful in making progress. Also, really pleased to see the course has been helpful to you! Thank you for joining in.

  • Thanks for letting us know you found it useful - do feel free to share the link with others. As I said to, Birgit, we created because so many of us would like that opportunity for some practical, er, practice!

  • @BirgitSzabo I'm glad you found it useful - feel free to spread the word and recommend it to others. We created it because so many (including me!) share your perspective.

  • Something that's come to mind when giving feedback on applications (to 2 people in particular who've subsequently been invited to interview and selected for the jobs) - avoid being negative or apologetic in applications. I often see things like "While I don't have...", "I've never done X but..." Focus on the positive, direct (but honest!) evidence which...

  • @FrancescaYoungKaufman Hi Francesca, if you want to try practicing practical networking in a 'low stakes' environment, have a look at my reply to Birgit.