Great career-building programs ahead at Congress and ACFAS

This May, academics who can get to Ottawa will find the best career development programs yet at Canada’s major English- and French- language academic conferences.

The Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences’s Congress, University Affairs and Carleton University are presenting the third edition of Career Corner, a five-day program of career development presentations and events including a CV clinic and a networking barbecue. This year’s career sessions are drilling into new topics like managing your research career, getting funding, talking to the media and academic blogging, alongside sessions on how to prepare your CV or resumé and how to get published. Congress takes place at Carleton University and runs May 23 to 31. Career Corner runs May 25 to 29.

Meanwhile, the Association francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS) will present two career development sessions as part of its Les journées relève de recherche, one on how to communicate scientific research and the other on how to best plan for a successful academic career. ACFAS takes place at the University of Ottawa and runs May 11 to 15. Les journées relève de recherche take place May 14 and 15.

If you are going to be at Congress, do stop by the book fair where University Affairs will have a booth and where our Career Sense blogger Carolyn Steele will be giving a drop-in CV clinic on May 26 and May 27 between 1:30 and 2:30pm. University Affairs will also be twittering at Congress: you can find Carolyn Steele (@careersense), deputy editor Léo Charbonneau (@margin_notes) and web editor Phillip Todd (@philliptodd) by searching for them at Twitter.com. Don’t forget to use the #congress09 hashtag in your tweets about the conference.

If you can’t make it to Career Corner this year, don’t fret, stay tuned in September when we begin posting video clips from this year’s career development presentations at universityaffairs.ca.

Here, then, is the schedule of the various presentations and events at these two conferences.

ACFAS – Les journées relève de recherche

THURSDAY, MAY 14 & FRIDAY, MAY 15

Atelier de communication scientifique
09:00 – 10:00, local: FTX-359

Atelier carrière – Jacques Barrette, Centre de leadership scolaire de l’Université d’Ottawa

10:30-12:00, local: FTX-359

Congress 2009 – Career Corner

MONDAY, MAY 25

Publishing your Journal Article

10:30 TO 12:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

In disciplines right across the humanities and social sciences, the publication of journal articles is an important component of research dissemination. Join a panel of scholars experienced in the writing, editing and publication of articles to learn about the processes and practices with which you should be familiar as you seek to publish articles in your field.

Get your Application to Stand Out: Teaching portfolio and hiring committee tips

13:00 TO 15:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

In the current economic climate, it is important to have an application that makes an immediate impact on hiring committees. This session offers helpful tips on how to create teaching portfolios/dossiers and survive the academic interview. This presentation will be followed by observations from John Osborne, Congress 2009 Academic Convenor and Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Carleton University.

Managing your Research Career

15:00 TO 16:30, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Research brings us into academe and is crucial to our advancement within it. And yet research seems to be the cause of much stress and worry, particularly amongst new faculty. Where do I find the time? How much do I need to publish? How do I get a grant? Do I need to get a grant? Should I collaborate with this senior scholar? This workshop will address these issues and more.

TUESDAY, MAY 26

Academic Blogs: Connecting people and ideas

10:30 TO 12:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

This session will introduce participants to blogs and discuss some of the academic applications of blogging. Panelists will share their blogging experiences and discuss how they’ve reached out with this medium to connect with a variety of audiences.

Publishing and Marketing your Scholarly Book

13:00 TO 15:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Publishing a book-length work remains the yardstick for tenure and promotion, and, increasingly, even for appointment within the academy. Come and speak with editors from Canada’s top scholarly publishing houses as they offer their best advice for getting your book in print. You’ll also learn how your book is marketed after it’s published and what you can do to help the sales of your own work.

Non-academic careers – Masters and PhDs in the GoC

15:00 TO 16:30, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Attend this session to learn more about career options with the Federal Government of Canada and the recruitment of candidates that hold Masters and PhD degrees. Panelists from various government departments with post graduate degrees will discuss their government recruitment process stories and explain how they have successfully applied their grad student experience to their respective positions.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27

Grads Go Global: Using your graduate degree for a career with the United Nations (UN)

9:00 TO 10:30, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Use your thesis or dissertation to gain access and experience with the United Nations. Learn about how to present your graduate work and experiences when networking and applying for jobs with the UN.

CV or Resumé: Making an impression in any context

10:30 TO 12:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

This session with Carolyn Steele, will help you gain a deeper understanding of how to construct either a resumé or a CV, and the role these documents play in both academic and non-academic job searches.

Visit the University Affairs book fair booth to help you build the best CV possible. The CV clinic will be open for drop-in visitors on May 26 and 27 from 13:30 to 14:30.

Knowledge Mobilization: Maximizing your career options – Inside, outside, and beside the Academy

13:00 TO 15:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Knowledge Mobilization may be a career goal in itself, but may also lead to other career opportunities with academic and non-academic employers. Did you want to be a knowledge broker when you grew up? This session will explore a day in the life of a knowledge broker, and tell some stories of how people find themselves in this role. Learn about how knowledge mobilization can be a connector between your graduate experience now, and your future employers.

Getting Money: Applying for SSHRC Scholarships and Fellowships and other awards

15:00 TO 16:30, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Interested in pursuing your studies at the Master’s, Doctoral or Post-Doctoral level? The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is the federal agency that promotes and supports university-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. Our fellowship and scholarship programs are helping to train Canada’s leaders of tomorrow. Join us to find out how, when and where to apply as well as valuable tips for writing a successful application.

THURSDAY, MAY 28

Media Matters

9:00 TO 10:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

A journalist is calling enquiring about your research. Are you ready to talk about it? In this session, learn how to take calls from the media, prepare for the interview, and stay on message. Find out how the media works and get tips on communicating effectively with journalists.

Surviving the Transition from Graduate Student to New Faculty Member

10:00 TO 12:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

This session will explore the challenges faced by new academics moving into the role of new faculty member. Time management, work-life balance, prioritization of teaching and research responsibilities, and what to expect in today’s classroom will be addressed.

Classroom Management in the Electronic Age

13:00 TO 15:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Learn about strategies to overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities that result from the broad availability of electronic and wireless devices in today’s classroom.

FRIDAY, MAY 29

Managing your Research Career

10:30 TO 12:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Research brings us into academe and is crucial to our advancement within it. And yet research seems to be the cause of much stress and worry, particularly amongst new faculty. Where do I find the time? How much do I need to publish? How do I get a grant? Do I need to get a grant? Should I collaborate with this senior scholar? This workshop will address these issues.

Publishing and Marketing your Scholarly Book
13:00 TO 15:00, UNIVERSITY CENTRE, ROOM 279

Publishing a book-length work remains the yardstick for tenure and promotion, and, increasingly, even for appointment within the academy. Come and speak with editors from Canada’s top scholarly publishing houses as they offer their best advice for getting your book in print. You’ll also learn how your book is marketed after it’s published and what you can do to help the sales of your own work.