Realising your potential using the Researcher Development Framework

Realising your potential using the Researcher Development Framework

1. Realising your potential
using the Researcher
Development Framework
Dr Emma Gillaspy, Vitae NW Hub Manager

2. Objectives
An introduction to the RDF and how it can be
used to:
Prepare for developmental meetings
Identify your strengths and areas to focus development
on
Prioritise development opportunities
Consider how your skills and experiences enhance
your prospects

3. Are you engaged in PDP?
PDP is…
“A structured and supported
process undertaken by an
individual to reflect upon their
own learning, performance and/
or achievement and to plan for
their personal, educational and
career development.”

4. PDP cycle

5. Why bother with PDP?
Understanding how you ‘tick’:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Directions for change
Learning style
Responsibility for your own development
Articulate your skills and knowledge
Focus, motivation, confidence
Make more informed choices
www.vitae.ac.uk/careers www.palgrave.com/skills4study/pdp

6. Your skills
What have you developed in your career as a
researcher?
Knowledge
Skills
Qualities
Behaviours
Etc

7. Your skills
What have you developed in your career as a
researcher?
Knowledge
Skills
Qualities
Behaviours
Etc

8. What is the RDF?
RDF is an operational framework for planning,
promoting and supporting the personal, professional
and career development of researchers
How was it created?
Core of the framework consists of data drawn from
over 100 interviews
Phenomenographic method* – identified over 1,000
characteristics and their variants
Input from experts, specialists and stakeholders
Clustered into the 4 main areas or Domains
* See http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/167281/Background-documents.html for
further details on method.

9. www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf

10. A2 - Cognitive abilities

11. B3 - Professional and career development

12. C1 - Professional conduct

13. D3 - Engagement and impact

14. Using the RDF
What do you NEED to have a successful
career?
How can the RDF help?
Personal and professional development
Self-assessment and review
Job applications
Thinking about promotions
Transferable skills…

15. www.vitae.ac.uk/rdfplanner
Choose a domain
for self-
assessment
Access your report
and other resources

20. I’ve always thought of myself as being quite ambitious, driven
and focussed on what I want, but the framework made me
realise I can have a much larger visions.
It was very good for me to reflect.
I realised that nothing is
stopping me but myself. The sky
is the limit.
Think about staging the
targets; what can I do
smarter, what training do
I need to request and
what do I need someone
else to facilitate so that I
can move forward
I now have a path that I
would like to follow
I would see this [RDF] as a
barometer...to give me a bit
more clarity about what areas I
could develop and what might
be most important. It’s
something I could keep
returning to
It put career development back into the forefront
of my mind as it can often slip back when you’re
engaged in what you’re doing day to day.
The RDF “…identified areas for
me that I needed to hone and
really made me think about my
career development. I’ve
highlighted things now that I
know I need to do.
What we’ve always tried
to do with the postdocs
[in Edinburgh] is say
'look this is your career
and it’s your
responsibility'.
Read it carefully and be
honest about where you
are. You don’t always
have to aim for phase 5 -
identify shorter term goals
that are more achievable.
The RDF will encourage me to be
more proactive about my career
development as it provides me with a
framework (list of milestones).

21. Articulating your evidence
Pick a descriptor
Articulate skills (evidence)
Encourage better answers
Critical & constructive
feedback
Understandable?
Confident?
Waffle?
Jargon?
Improvements?
Image used:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bujiie/5440377935/

22. Action planning introduction

23. Career prospects
Job clip exercise
Browse through a large selection of job adverts
Pick the jobs that attract you or stand out
Look at 1, 2 or 3 grades higher than yours
Look for common features
What are the required/desirable characteristics
Use your networks / trainers / careers advisors
Arrange job shadowing
Get a mentor
Ask your friends / family / colleagues
www.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd,
www.vitae.ac.uk/careerstories

24. Pathways
www.vitae.ac.uk/nwhub
Day 1 (10 June): Career Options Expert
panel sessions ~100 doctoral professionals
Day 2 (13 June): Interviews and
Assessment practical exercises
Day 3 (15 June): PhD Employer Zone @ The
Graduate Fair - Exhibition of organisations
who are particularly interested in recruiting
people with a PhD & individual careers advice
1 day £30, 2 days £45, day 3 £free

25. Further information
RDF: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf
RDS: www.vitae.ac.uk/rds
RDF profiles: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdfprofiles
RDF Professional Development Planner and screencast:
www.vitae.ac.uk/rdfplanner
Contact: [email protected]
Research staff blog: www.vitae.ac.uk/rsblog
Vitae NW Hub:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/vitaenwhub
Blog: vitaenwhub.posterous.com/
Website: www.vitae.ac.uk/nwhub