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 This is a fantastic opportunity to join the team at the Royal Society of Chemistry on an 18 month fixed term graduate contract to gain experience through a rotational programme in a number of different areas. You will get involved in high impact projects that will affect the Chemical Sciences community both here and internationally, spending approximately 6 months working in three teams across the RSC, in departments such as Membership, Publishing, Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Policy and Campaigns.  
      
The role involves working on a wide variety of projects to promote the chemical sciences ranging from national events like Chemistry Week and the public lecture series at the Chemistry Centre, to organising seminars aimed at Government and key policy makers, running networking events for members, to outreach in schools.You will be supported through a development programme consisting of core and elective modules to help you develop your full potential. No two days will be the same! Find more details of the scheme and how to apply here
Posted by Julie Franklin on Dec 18, 2013 3:59 PM GMT
It's the run up to Christmas and here we are again, finding members contacting us as they are being, or are preparing to made redundant. It always seems to me a horrible time to find yourself under the threat of losing your job, but really, is there ever a good time? Probably not.

We see this process happen all year round, some years have more than others but it certainly seems to occur cyclically, about every two years or so, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. It is certainly a reason that people tell me they don't want a job in pharma - 'there's no security' (whether there is security in any job is a whole other blog topic!) - but is it as bad as all that?

Being made redundant is a traumatic time in anyone's career; even if they are secretly hoping for it to happen. You go through feelings of elation to despair; from a blur of applying for new jobs to the complete lack of motivation to even turn on the computer to search, let along actually sit down and write an application.

You may feel anger towards your (ex-) employer, your family, friends and colleagues. You may feel a sense of betrayal, denial or disbelief. You may feel all of this very quickly or it may happen over many months. You will feel that you are turning a corner and then may find you slip back into a moment ( or longer) of frustration and self-doubt.

It will pass and you will come out the other side.

How long will it take? That is a personal question and depends on you and your circumstances, for some the cycle of emotions pass very quickly, for others it takes longer. Before you think to yourself that I am descending into a rather negative blog, I can tell  you that probably 95% of people we speak to a year after being made redundant are happy in their new role and generally say to us how happy they are that it happened - 'it was the kick I needed to do something different' is a common phrase I hear when all the dust has settled.

So what can you do, especially at this time of year, if you are experiencing redundancy? First, don't panic. There is plenty of support through the RSC, your HR team and the outplacement service if you have one. Many people are tempted to start applying for jobs, any jobs, even if it means a £20k paycut. I would advise against that for a moment or two. Spend a week or more if you can thinking about what you would like to do: something similar, completely different? What is it you have enjoyed in your career so far? Will you need to leave the company? Who else do you know who has been made redundant? What did they do and were they successful?

A significant number of questions before 'what job can I get?'

Secondly, I would urge you to remember that redundancy is very common, it is not the black mark against you that people think it is and employers are very used to gaps on CVs - it's what you do in that gap which counts! Think about how you will use any time off you have - finishing that DIY you have been meaning to do, spending time with the family, volunteering etc.

Finally I would suggest getting some advice on your CV (once you know the area of work you are looking for) because a good CV sent to a few job adverts yields more results than a generic CV sent to hundreds of job adverts.

If you want to talk to us about your situation, get in contact at careers@rsc.org. Whether it is to change your job completely and go in a new direction or to try and get something similar; to bounce ideas or to build confidence, we are happy to help.
Posted by Charlotte Ashley-Roberts on Dec 4, 2013 6:47 PM GMT
Posted by Charlotte Ashley-Roberts on Dec 4, 2013 6:47 PM GMT
It's nearly here!  Less than 2 weeks to go until ChemCareers and I wanted to let you know that you can sign up for webinars here.

You can sign up for as many as you are interested in and with topics including 'Alternatives to University,' 'A year in industry - what is the benefit,' 'Returning to work after a career break,' and 'Dealing with Redundancy,' hopefully there is something for everyone.  This is your chance to ask panel members your questions.

If you are an RSC member you will also have the opportunity to arrange a 1 to 1 consultations, throughout the week, with one of the careers specialist, just email us at careers@rsc.org.

There is also lots of additonal careers information that you can find on the MyRSC pages.
Posted by Laura Woodward on Oct 15, 2013 9:11 PM BST
It's been awhile since I blogged mainly due to a busy summer of consultations with members.  We are also now about to start travelling around the UK for our local hubs and so we look forward to seeing you in Oxford, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester and Norwich if you've booked an appointment with us.  

On top of that we are finalising plans for ChemCareers  which is going to be a great week, covering a variety of themes, such as 'Getting into Teaching,' 'Returning to Work after a career break,' and advice on applying for jobs.  We also have a number of brand new videos from the careers team.

Over the weekend I came across this useful article about how to deal with that dreaded question at the end of an interview ............. "Have you got any questions for us?"

My advice, as in the article, is always to have something prepared, but not to ask about matters that can be dealt with outside the interview.  Remember an interview should be a conversation, so you want to demonstrate genuine interest in the role and commitment to the organisation and asking the right questions at the end of the interview can help you do this.
Posted by Laura Woodward on Sep 16, 2013 10:43 AM BST
It's been a while since I've blogged ................ the summer seems to have been busier than I'd anticipated, but it's been good, with lots of consultations with members at all stages of their careers and I'm working on getting together a great timetable for ChemCareers  2013 at the end of October.

Anyway, I just wanted to mention that tomorrow I will be involved in a live chat all about STEM careers.  If you want to ask me any questions log on between 1 and 3pm.
Posted by Laura Woodward on Aug 21, 2013 8:36 PM BST
Congratulations to everyone who's landed that dream job over the summer! You've fought your way through applications, assessment centres, interviews and presentations - and now you have a job title. You can sigh with relief and feel proud of yourself - until you realise that this is not the end; it's only the beginning. The impression you make in the first few days will shape the perception that your boss and colleagues will form of you and this impression will ultimately affect your progress in the organisation. Here's a post that will help you to plan for success in the first month of your new role. Enjoy it: be positive, make the most of every moment and sew the seeds for future success.
Posted by Julie Franklin on Aug 14, 2013 11:25 AM BST
You've landed that interview - congratulations! The RSC Careers Team wishes you luck and we hope you get that dream job. However, if you don't, always ask for feedback. Employers aren't obliged to give it but if they do it can be very useful in refining your technique for next time. Read this excellent article by John Lees for more hints and tips on getting and using feedback. We never see ourselves the way that other people see us so it's often enlightening to get some insights from the other side of the interview table.
Posted by Julie Franklin on Jul 22, 2013 9:36 AM BST
The killer question that can be so hard to answer at the end of an interview - what should you say? Even if the interview has gone well up to that point, a mumbled, half-embarassed 'No, I don't think so' can leave you feeling very deflated and as if you finished on a low note. I found this article that shows you how to turn that vexed question to your advantage. It's well worth reading and will give you some ideas of questions to ask that will demonstrate a mature attitude and a deeper interest in the job and the organisation.
This is how to leave a positive impression with your interviewers by turning your response from a damp squib to the icing on the cake!
Posted by Julie Franklin on Jul 17, 2013 1:28 PM BST
Congratulations to all of you who will be enjoying your graduation ceremonies over the coming weeks. All that hard work has paid off and you've earned your day in the sunshine. What next? Lots of you will know where you're headed, either into the world of work or on to further study. For those of you who haven't made your minds up, don't forget the RSC can offer you some help and guidance. You could start here by browsing through some career profiles and looking at alternative options for careers with a chemistry qualification, or here on Careers TV where you'll find all sorts of helpful hints, tips and videos to help you with your search for the next opportunity.
Whatever you choose to do - well done and good luck from the RSC Careers Team.
Posted by Julie Franklin on Jul 17, 2013 1:06 PM BST
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