Virtual Career Day 2024

 

On Thursday, April 25, 2024, our third Virtual Career Day 2024 "Transition Possible" took place in collaboration with seven other research institutions.

This year's focus was on "Postdoc Skills = Job Market's Needs". Participants could expect panel discussions, networking opportunities and get in touch with renowned international companies from several sectors. Furthermore, they were able to choose from a range of workshops to help them prepare for their move into industry.

This graphic recording visually summarises the content of the main panel.

Program

08:50 - 09:00 a.m.  I  Opening

09:00 - 09:05 a.m.  I  Greeting & Introduction
by Katrin Busch-Holfelder (▶ Website)
Discover your possibilities: From science to industry. Scientific capabilities and experiences combined with future skills enable a successful start in industry. Get motivated and activate your resources to take the next step  on your career ladder. Learn what is important and how you can market your potential to reach a new level. Join us and be inspired by new perspectives: the job market needs you!

09:05 - 09:30 a.m.  I  Keynote

09:30 - 10:15 a.m.  I  Panel Discussion "Transition Possible"
with company representatives and representatives from science management and science communication.

Panelists:

10:15 - 10:30 a.m.  I  Coffee Break
and breakout-rooms for networking

10:30 - 11:20 a.m.  I  Subpanel Session 1: Transition Possible
in breakout-rooms. Presentation of with representatives from recruiting and a postdoc from various companies.

Room 1: SIEMENS AG (Data Science)
with Edouard Fouché (Data Scientist for Product Innovation) and N.N. (Recruiter)

Multinational technology conglomerate. ▶ SIEMENS operations encompass automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, rail transport solutions, as well as health technology and digital healthcare services.
Room 2: EnBW (Energy Supplier)
with Dr. Geoffroy Chaussonnet (Quantitative Modelling & Structuring – EnBW Trading Business Unit) and Dr. Theresa Hecht (Recruiter)

▶ EnBW (Energie Baden-Württemberg AG) represents the energy transition more than perhaps any other company. As a former classic energy enterprise it has evolved into an innovative and sustainable energy company with nearly 28.000 emloyees and locations throughout Germany as well as France, Denmark, Sweden, UK and Turkey. It´s business focus lies on renewable energies, electricity grids, telecommunications networks, e-mobility and smart, sustainable energy solutions for their customers.
Room 3: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH (Semiconductors/Phy/Tech)
with Dr. Michael Becker (Project Lead) and Rebecca Wöhrle (Teamlead Research & Development)

The likelihood that you are able to read this website thanks to ▶ Zeiss SMT technologies is very high. More than 80 percent of all microchips around the world are produced with lithography optics from the ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SMT) segment. As a technology leader in the field of semiconductor technology, our innovations enable ever smaller, more powerful and more energy-efficient microchips – and so it is that we play a decisive role in shaping the age of digitalization.”
Room 4: d-fine (Consulting)
with Dr. Jan-Niclas Gruse (Senior Consultant) and Nicola Gully (HR, Recruiting)

Imagine the power of more than 1,500 physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists working as part of a European company with over 20 years of service excellence focused on data science, technology and mathematical modelling. That’s ▶ d-fine.
Room 5: Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) (Technical Safety Organisation for Nuclear Safety)
with Dr. Jan Peter Schupsky

The ▶ Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) is an independent company specialized in the safety of nuclear facilities. GRS offers comprehensive consulting services as well as research and development projects in the field of nuclear safety. Their aim is to contribute to the safe use of nuclear energy through expertise and innovation.
Room 6: Globalfoundries (Seminconductor Development)
with Dr. Georg Talut (Director, Head of Quality Europe) and Hans-Jürgen Neufing (Talent Acquisition)

▶ Globalfoundries is a US semiconductor manufacturer conducting contract manufacturing. The company operates production facilities on three continents - in Dresden, Singapore, Malta, Saratoga County (New York) and Burlington (Vermont) in the USA. GF in Dresden is one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in Europe with about 3700 employees from 47 nations, 52,000 m² of clean room space and a wafer throughput (300 mm) of about 850,000 wafers per year.
Room 7: Grünenthal (Pharmaceutical Company)
with Dr. Verena Arndt and N.N.

As a family-owned research-based pharmaceutical company, ▶ Grünenthal employs around 4,500 people in research, administration and production as well as in the sales force in 28 countries. They are a medium-sized company that covers the entire value chain and provides medicines for patients in around 100 countries. Their goal is to improve the lives of patients with our medicines and therapeutic solutions to bring the vision of a world without pain one step closer.
Room 8: Novartis & Bayer (Pharmaceutical Company)
with Dr. Peter Nacke (Novartis) and Markus Leffin (Bayer)

▶ Novartis and ▶ Bayer, global leaders in healthcare and life sciences, pioneer innovation to improve lives worldwide. Bayer's legacy of over 150 years drives advancements in healthcare and agriculture. Novartis focuses on innovative medicines and eye care, reimagining healthcare to meet unmet medical needs and extend lives.

11:20 - 12:00 a.m.  I  Subpanel Session 2
with all of the panelists listed above.

12:00 - 12:15 p.m.  I  Wrap up

12:15 - 12:45 p.m.  I Meet a career counselor
Use the last 30 minutes of the event to clarify final remaining questions in open group consultation sessions on the following topics:

  • Know your strengths (Subpanel 1)
  • Spruce up your resume (Subpanel 2)
  • Upgrade your professional online profile (Subpanel 3)

12:45 - 14:00 p.m.  I  Lunch break

14:00 - 18:00 p.m.  I  Workshops
on career specific topics such as presentation of values and skills, career orientation, career decisions, CV check, effective self-presentation in interviews, use of social media in job applications, and much more. A comprehensive list of all eight workshops and their specific criteria to register can be found below.

Workshops
Workshop 1: How to successfully market yourself when applying for a job
Time: 2-5 p.m., 3h
Max. participants: 15
Registration: ▶ online

Successful self-marketing and one's own public image are key factors for success in companies and at the same time change one's own self-image for the better. In order to be able to present yourself confidently in the application process, the first step is to become aware of your own strengths and abilities, as well as your wishes and goals. Objectives of the Workshop: Participants in this short workshop will reflect on their attitudes towards self-marketing, discuss self-marketing and networking opportunities, learn methods to become aware of their own strengths, develop examples and evidence in the form of short stories and work on their persuasive skills by preparing and presenting a first elevator pitch.

This workshop will be held by  ▶ Katrin Busch-Holfelder and is hosted by ▶ HZDR.

Workshop 2: Career Planning and Job Seeking Strategies (FULLY BOOKED)
Time: 1.30-4.30 p.m., 3h
Max. participants: 20
Registration: ▶ online

This workshop aims to help researchers to improve their employment prospects, using recognised tools and techniques to assist in assessing skills and interests. With a career planing overview and information about what influences career decisions, they will understand how to apply this knowledge to make informed career decisions, they willunderstand how to apply this knowledge to make informed career decisions, as well as identifying career sectors and roles of interest. The workshop will demonstrate creative ways to use social media and AI to identify potential roles, companies and vacancies. By the end of the session, participants should be more knowledgeable about their own strengths and the opportunities available so that they can start to formulate a strategy for a successful career transition.

This workshop will be held by ▶ Sarah Blackford and is hosted by ▶ DZNE.

Workshop 3: Strategic Career Planing: Finding My Profile (FULLY BOOKED)
Time: 1.30-3.30 p.m., 2h
Max. participants: 20
Registration: ▶ online

It can be hard as an early career researcher to find time to plan your next career move but the more informed you are about yourself and your ‘profile’, the more you can (begin to) identify your options and the possible routes you might take...and possibly save yourself time later on. In this short online session specially designed for international researchers we will focus on

  • Personal aspects of your “profile” – what skills do I bring, what can I do, what motivates me, what matters to me and how and when do I work best?
  • Situational aspects of your “profile” – where am I able/willing to go, do I have what I need to get there, which factors constrain my current choices?

With this in place, you will have a basis on which to define your next career steps.

This workshop will be held by ▶  Dr. Philippa Cook and is hosted by ▶ GEOMAR.

Workshop 4: Green Competencies and Sustainability Skills – Success factors in your application process
Time: 2-5 p.m., 3h
Max. participants: 25
Registration: ▶ online

The climate crisis and biodiversity loss among other ecological challenges are in greater awareness in organisations. Private and public organisations undergo transformation processes to a more sustainable management. Employees in all positions and responsibilities are needed to support and drive forward the sustainable transformation. Additionally, organisations search for new employees who bring the needed competencies and skills. What green competencies do you bring? How can you convey these green competencies in your application process and use them as a success factor? We will look at the great array of Green competencies and reflect about the Inner Development Goals (IDG). The framework of skills needed for the inner development for the sustainable transformation. You will be aware about your individual Green competencies and how to convey them successfully in e.g. job interviews.

This workshop will be held by  ▶ Inga Dankert and is hosted by ▶ DESY.

Workshop 5: Essential Skills for a Career in Industry (FULLY BOOKED)
Time: 2-5.30 p.m., 3,5h
Max. participants: 25
Registration: ▶ online

The idea that the ‘traditional career path’ for a scientist is to become a professor and build a research program is outdated. The reality is that only a small percentage of scientists stay in academia, and the majority build exciting careers in industry. However, most scientists don’t learn anything about the private sector, so making the transition is often very challenging. This workshop will teach you how working in industry is different than academic research, what skills are useful in the private sector, and how to communicate your value to an industry manager.

The contents of the course are:

  • How is working in industry different than academia?
  • Work habits that successful scientists learn quickly
  • What scientist skills are useful in industry?
  • Review: What are my unique strengths that are valuable in industry?
  • How to describe your academic experience so you impress an industry manager
  • Stories from many scientists who have built successful industry careers

The course is highly interactive, mostly based on lectures, discussions and interactive exercises. We aim to bring together the skills and experiences the trainer has gathered in academic and industrial settings.

This workshop will be held by ▶ David M. Giltner and is hosted by ▶ KIT.

Workshop 6: Next Level Productivity using AI Assistants
Time: 4-6 p.m., 2h
Max. participants: 100
Registration: ▶ online

AI-based tools have the potential to revolutionize scientific writing and enable researchers to work more efficiently and effectively. An example is AI-powered literature search tools that substantially help researchers identify relevant articles and assess their quality, streamlining the research process.

This workshop will be held by ▶ Daniel Mertens and is hosted by ▶ IPP.

Workshop 7: Skillful Transitions: Postdoc Proficiency in the Corporate Landscape (FULLY BOOKED)
Time: 2-4 p.m., 2h
Max. participants: 30
Registration: ▶ online

One major question that arises when mapping out your career is “Do I have what it takes to pursue this way?”. In this workshop we will take a deep dive into your competences and skills.
What is considered a competence? Which skills are required when following a career in industry? How can you reflect upon the current level of your skills? And of course, how can you improve your fields of development? The workshop will take up these questions and give you the opportunity to map out the next steps of your personal development.

This workshop will be held by ▶ Svenja Klinkenberg and is hosted by ▶ Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Workshop 8: Analysis of Industry Job Advertisements – What is in there and How can I respond to it? (FULLY BOOKED)
Time: 2-4 p.m., 2h
Max. participants: 30
Registration: ▶ online

We will look into actual job advertisements online, check what the focus is, what options (and opportunities) are mentioned and how you can / should / or have to respond.

This workshop will be held by ▶ Dr. Peter Nacke and is hosted by ▶ MDC Berlin.

 

 

The Virtual Career Day 2024 is sponsored by