Career Day for Doctoral Researchers in Natural Sciences

Welcome by the Organizers

Silke Hell
Konstanz Research School
Language: English

Melanie Moosbuchner
Academic Staff Development

Time to network and discuss with your colleagues

Alumnis and guest will present their career pathways after their PhD.

Our guest are:

• Conor Heins, VERSES [more]
• Hiroko Shimada-Kreft, BioNTech [more]
• Stefan Wolf, SLP Wolf Consulting [more]
• Benjamin Merkel, Bodensee Patent [more]

Use the possibility to continue discussion with our alumnis and guests.

Companies around the lake will introduce themselves and their research. Organized by BioLAGO

Trainer: Matthias Merkelbach, Impulsplus
Time: 9:00 - 17:00 h
Room: M630

What are my unique abilities and interests critical in determining the right career path for me? Can I combine my ideas about a fulfilled life with a university career? How can I develop a strategy for embarking on an academic career path or other career choices? This seminar helps to answer these – and other - questions for those who want to plan their career development strategically. It focuses on supporting experienced scientists and researchers. It offers them possibilities to reflect upon future university careers or alternative career choices. Based on their individual profiles, participants develop their own vision for their future personal and professional lives.

• You reflect upon your professional career path and develop a well-orchestrated plan
• You develop a biographically-based profile that highlights und evaluates your individual qualifications, skills and job visions
• You explore different occupational alternatives: Career at university/research center or “outside”, e.g. in a company
• You get information about formal and hidden requirements for careers at university with special focus on Germany and Switzerland

Contents in brief:

• Creating your profile of skills and qualifications, highlighting your strengths and accomplishments
• Choosing your own criteria and values for work and life
• Developing a vision for your own professional and private life
• Review and evaluation of personal development goals
• Detect your professional network
• Next steps: application procedures and job interview

Methods:

• Individual work and team work
• Individual coaching session
• Visualizing methods
• Presentation and group discussion

Trainer: Melanie Moosbuchner, Academic Staff Development
Time: 9:00 - 13:00
Location: M630

Trainer: Barbara Hoffbauer, Kepos
Time: 9:00 - 17:00
Room: M630
The participants have already explored various career options outside academia and assessed their own fit for different paths. In this workshop, the participants will identify the next steps they need to take to achieve their personal career goal(s). They will discover which of their specific technical and personal skills are valued in the non-academia job market. They will also learn how to find and apply for jobs effectively, whether through online ads, personal or professional networks, or speculative applications. What can they do to make sure their application stands out? In the first part, the participants will learn how to craft a CV that showcases their unique strengths and aligns with their chosen career direction. They will also learn about the differences between applying for jobs in different sectors (public, private, non-profit) and countries (Germany, UK, US). In the second part the participants will learn how to write cover letters that spark interest and curiosity in the reader. They will get tips on how to take initiative and tap into the hidden job market. A major component of the second part will be the oral self-presentation. The participants will have the opportunity to practice their interview skills, phone etiquette, and networking strategies. They will also learn how to handle tricky questions or unexpected challenges.
Another major component of this workshop is the feedback on the participants’ application documents (1 CV and 1 cover letter per participant).

Trainer: Melanie Moosbuchner, Academic Staff Development
Time: 9:00 - 16:00 h
Room: M630
Language: German

Trainer: Margit Jetter and Eva Maisel
Time: 14:00 - 16:00 h
Room: D413 (German), D412a (English)
Is my resume neatly arranged? Are my strengths well highlighted? Does the cover letter make it clear why I am an asset to the company? We are happy to counter-check your job application documents with a trained eye and give you feedback.

Trainer: Eva Maisel, Career Service
Time: 17:00 - 18:30h
Room: M627
Which are typical questions in a job interview and how do you best answer them? What should you not do or say? And what are "forbidden questions"? This presentation will help you to prepare for job interviews in Germany. Questions are welcome!

Trainer: Christine Ludwig and Anja Weidenmüller, Kilometer 1
Time: 9:00 - 13:00h
Room: H308