Informational interviews- Discover what they are and their value.

No idea what an informational interview is? Ever wondered what it might be like to work in a particular sector, organisation or role?

This is the session for you. Heard of an ‘informational interview’ but too nervous to arrange one? Come along! We’ll go from the basics of what an informational interview is (and isn’t), go step by step through how you’d arrange one and possible questions you may ask.

Hear from real postdoc(s) who’ve held numerous informational interviews how they found the process and their top tips. There will also be time for a Q&A.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Know what an informational interview is
• Be clear on how to arrange an informational interview
• Hear the benefits and value of informational interviews that postdocs have experienced
• Practical tips on how to overcome barriers to arranging an informational interview/s

Presenter: Elizabeth Adams and Eamon Dubaissi

Elizabeth Adams, Scafell Coaching

Elizabeth is one of the Prosper career coaches. She has worked in researcher development for 14 years, firstly with the University of Glasgow and later running her own coaching business and consultancy. Her particular passion is working with organisations and individuals on actions to support a more positive research culture. With a PhD in chemistry, she has also worked with the Royal Society of Chemistry and in the pharma and nuclear industries, most recently supporting small businesses, academics and start-ups to bring technical innovations to address complex challenges in nuclear decommissioning.

Prosper staff chairing the session: Eamon Dubaissi, Research Staff Developer (Prosper).

Prosper is an approach to career development that aims to unlock opportunities for postdocs to thrive in multiple career pathways. By interacting directly with employers and focusing on developing in-demand transferable skills, Prosper aims to put postdocs in control of their own career development and equip them with the tools needed for success, in whichever career path they choose.

As a Research Staff Developer, Eamon designs and facilitates development sessions and hosts direct interactions between postdocs and employers. Eamon was a postdoc for ten years at the University of Manchester and has a good understanding of academic life and the challenges that faced by researchers.

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF) attributes developed during this session are relevant to the following sub-domains:

Domain A: Knowledge and Intellectual Abilities

A1: Knowledge base

Domain B: Personal Effectiveness

B3: Professional and Career Development

Domain C: Research Governance and Organisation        

C1: Professional Conduct

Domain D: Engagement, Influence and Impact

D1: Working with Others            

Accessibility Adjustments and Alternative Format requests

If you require any accessibility reasonable adjustments or have any questions about this session, please contact the RSA at ResearchStaffAssociation@liverpool.ac.uk at least 7 days before the session date so that your requirements can be referred to the facilitator(s) who will make every effort to address them where possible.

Academy Researcher Development Inclusivity Statement

The Academy is committed to providing an environment which recognises and values people's differences, capitalises on the strengths that those differences bring to the institution and supports all staff and students in maximising their potential to succeed. In line with the Academy's firm commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, we offer all postdoctoral and research-related opportunities to develop and network irrespective of a researcher’s gender, ethnicity, age, self-identification, disability, religious affiliation, or any other criteria used to separate and define.

Academy Code of Conduct

All events organised or facilitated by The Academy follow a Conduct of Conduct irrespective of the number of participants or session format. The Academy thanks all participants in advance for your cooperation to help ensure a safe and constructive environment for everybody. The Code of Conduct is available here.

Important: We take your privacy very seriously and will only use your email address to send you information about this session and evaluating this session (unless you opt out during registration). After that, you can opt-out at any time of receiving our communication by simply sending an email to researcher@liverpool.ac.uk

Stay in Touch: For the latest news and information about research staff development opportunities and resources follow @LivResearcher & @LivUniAcademy on Twitter. Further details about the University of Liverpool's Researcher Development activities can be found here.