Life as a Post Doc (for PhDs)
May 9th, 3:00pm-4:30pm - Thompson House Ballroom

Are you considering pursuing an academic career and want to do what life is like in those next career steps?  Then don’t miss this interactive session where you can hear from and network with McGill post docs who can tell you about what life is like as a post doc, how to find and apply for post doc jobs and get tips on pursuing this career path.  The event will comprise a short presentation from each speaker and opportunities for informal discussion.

How to develop your academic career and secure a faculty position (for post docs and PhDs)
May 9th, 4:30pm-6:00pm - Thompson House Ballroom

Are you considering pursuing an academic career?  Then don’t miss this interactive session where you can hear from and network with faculty members.  Find out what academic life is like as a faculty member, what the job really involves, how to find and apply for academic jobs and how to develop yourself as a post doc to succeed in this career path.  The event will comprise a short presentation from each speaker and opportunities for informal discussion followed by wine and networking with the speakers.

Interviewing Theory (Module 4)
May 14th, 10:00am-11:30pm - Brown 5001

Module 1 + 2 (Self Assessment and Careers Outside Academia and Job Search Simplified: Networking or Not Working?)
May 14th, 10:00am-12:00pm - Macdonald Campus, MS084

Module 3 + 4 ( Effective Job Applications for a Career Outside Academia and Interviewing Theory)
May 16th, 10:00am-12:00pm - Macdonald Campus, MS084

Effective Job Applications for a Career Outside Academia (Module 3)
May 18th, 3:00pm-4:30pm - Brown 5001

Academic Applications and Interview Skills (for PhDs and post docs)
May 22nd, 3:00pm-6:00pm - Thompson House Ballroom

This interactive workshop will equip you with the skills to maximise your chances of gaining academic employment. Emphasis will be given to understanding the processes which universities use to select staff, the importance of tailoring CVs and cover letters accordingly and developing other effective academic application materials. We will discuss and practice the skills required for effective performance at interview; preparation

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CaPS has many on-line subscriptions available to all McGill students to help you with your career exploration and job search. You can access these subscriptions on myFuture.

Sign into your myFuture account

You’ve probably heard us tell you all about how essential networking is for you career. But perhaps you worry about being shy and whether you can succeed.  This fun and informative slideshow will show you how you can turn shyness to your advantage and build successful relationships to enable you to develop your career:  http://manchesterpgcareers.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/networking-for-shy-people/

UK Resources for Researchers:
We currently have Claire Conway, Careers Adviser for Researchers at the University of Oxford Careers Service, here with us until June.  Claire is on a professional exchange here at CaPS and can help those of you interested in an academic career in the UK and Europe, and is also experienced at helping PhDs and post docs transition outside of academia.

We’d like to share some useful UK based resources with you which you may find interesting and useful even if you’re not from, or looking to work in, the UK.  If you are interested in what people do after their PhD then check out this website which has data on ‘what do PhDs do?’ and career stories of researchers: http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1341/Career-stories.html  This website has excellent resources specifically for arts and humanities PhDs: www.beyondthephd.co.uk  These websites may give you ideas of the broad range of careers you could embark on after your graduate studies or post doctoral research!

New Academic Careers Webpages:
We’ve recently launched a new section on our website which covers everything you need to know for your academic job search, how to apply, and what to do before, during and after an interview!  To get started take a look at this list of resources for beginning your academic job search! http://www.mcgill.ca/caps/students/grad-students/academia/job/

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Calling all visual artists. Do you want to exhibit and sell your work? The Campus Community Committee and Career Planning Service (CaPS) cordially invite you to participate in the upcoming Artists Among Us art exhibition and sale on Tuesday, May 1, in the McConnell Engineering Building. Artists working in all mediums are welcome. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to showcase your talents in a great venue to a large audience of McGill faculty, staff, students and graduates. To reserve your spot, please send a digital photo of your art to Susan Molnar at susan.molnar@mcgill.ca no later than March 30. Participating artists will be asked to donate a minimum of $25 to support the Campus Community Bursary Fund, one of the Campus Community Campaign’s featured projects. For more information, call 514-398-2940 or visit www.alumni.mcgill.ca/aoc/events-travel/EventDetails.php?id=MTExMTE%3D.

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1. Getting in is not a means to the end

Being a PhD student does not mean you may be awarded a PhD, perhaps nowadays it is getting easier but there have been cases when in the middle of your 2nd year the research does not appeal to you any longer, or other groups have published breakthrough results thus belittling your research, or you seem to have lost the motivation to continue. It happens, so make sure that once you are in the PhD candidature you have the motivation to sit through thick or thin for at least 3 years until you are there defending your thesis. It pays off!

2. You are in the driver's seat now

When you meet your PhD supervisor, advisor or tutor for the 1st time, did you think they were going to spoon feed you until you submit? No. They are there to assist and advice you when you need professional advice or when you cannot see eye to eye with either your supervisor or advisor, either one may serve as a mediator. You will need to have some idea where your research is taking you. You will also have to be able to see the big picture of your project in order to draft it into a comprehensive thesis which reads well. If not you may find yourself being pushed about in your final year trying to fill gaps in your research to make sense of your thesis. Not a pretty picture. Some may get frustrated and worse still - burnout and lose interest in their PhD. So make sure you know where you are driving your research and know what you want to do after the PhD

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This monthly bulletin aims to inform you of major news and trends in the Québec, Canada and U.S. labour markets. Your feedback is welcome mailto:caps.library@mcgill.ca.

Employment bright lining in cloud computing
Montreal Gazette, 14 March 2012
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Employment+
bright+lining+cloud+computing/6297273/story.html
Cloud computing will be responsible for one in six hires in the next three years.

Canadian hiring outlook warmest in the West
The Globe and Mail, 13 March 2012
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/
economy/jobs/canadian-hiring-outlook-warmest-in-the-west/article2366822/
Canadian employers see a steady hiring climate in the coming quarter, led by upbeat expectations in the mining and energy sectors.

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