How do I deal with multiple agency recruiters? How do I find out what realistic salary expectations are? What do I do if I receive two job offers?

The recruitment process can throw up challenging, time-sensitive scenarios like these - which many candidates find hard to respond in the moment. 

On December 3rd Prosper hosted an online webinar aimed at demystifying recruitment processes and practices for researchers.

We had three expert recruiters as guest panelists - Kadeem Houson (CEO at Kea Consultants – a boutique search firm operating in the alternative investment space), Sarah Hodgkinson (Account Director for Recruitment Outsourcing at Robert Walters – a global talent solutions business), and Prosper's own Kerry McElroy. The audience was invited to ask questions.

Below are some of the top tips that emerged during the discussion:

Shift your mindset

When applying for positions beyond academia, shift your mindset.

It's not about what you've done in the past, but rather what your transferable skills are now, and how you can apply these skills to problems relevant in the organisation/sector in question.

Don't just say 'I studied physics', say 'I'm experienced in applying advanced mathematical techniques to problem-solving'.

Don't apologise for being an academic!

Don't be apologetic about the fact that you've spent time in academia!

It's not a flaw, it's very interesting to people on the outside, shows passion and commitment, and signals that you have some great skills.

The challenge is to translate/communicate those skills clearly and relevantly to a non-academic context.

Be open to entry-level roles

There are no absolute rules regarding whether you should aim for entry-level positions or higher - it very much depends on the sector and organisation.

BUT, be open and receptive to entry-level positions - if it's truly a sector/organisation you want to work in, that still represents an opportunity. 

On the flipside, should you go in at entry level, be confident and deliberate in discussing/negotiating a career trajectory with your prospective employers - your skills and background could enable you to rise faster than otherwise.

The internet is your friend!

LinkedIN, Glassdoor and other public sites are a great trove of information when it comes to questions about what roles someone with your experience you could go for, what salary you should expect, and so on - use them! 

And network - there's no harm in speaking to people and asking them questions about their career journey - people generally like to be asked.

Tailor your CV and cover letter to the role

This cannot be overstated. It may seem like a lot of work, but it makes all the difference.

Look for keywords and skills that the employer might be looking for - ensure your application reflects these.

Again it all comes back to research. Research roles and employers so you know what they're looking for (and apart from anything else, this knowledge will demonstrate aptitude and give you extra confidence!).

Don't overlook presentation

Expanding on the above point - don't overlook the presentation element.

Use a clean simple layout. Avoid excessive jargon and abbreviations. Phrase things in a bullet-pointed way, highlighting key facts and achievements in bold. Be concise and to the point. 

Just listing your technical qualifications and history in order wont cut it. You need to tell a story, and quickly give the employer a sense of who you are as a person, beyond just (to quote one of Prosper's pilot postdocs) "a repository of technical ability".

Understand the employer's POV

Remember that the employer might be quickly sifting through hundreds of applications - think of it from their point of view. You need to stand out and be quick in conveying information.

Be open with recruiters

If you're working with recruiters - be honest and open with them! Give them all the info they need to place you. They're on your side, your incentives align. You're not applying to *them* for a job!

Salary negotiations are normal

The idea of salary negotiation is something a lot of people struggle with, both within and beyond academia.

The trick is to be confident and professional, and remember that in many roles it's an expected conversation (especially where the job description lists the salary as 'flexible' or something similar).

Say something like "based on my experience and research, I was expecting a salary more in line with X, is there room in the budget for this?'

Again, it comes back to research - knowing the norm gives you leverage/confidence in this scenario, and strengthens your hand. Recruiters can also help with this, if you use them.

And when it comes to salary negotiation - let the employer open the bidding. You don't want to be bidding against yourself! And the offer might surprise you on the upside.

Many thanks to our guest panelists for a great session, and to our audience who came prepared with such a fantastic array of questions. We'll be uploading the full session to the Portal in due course, so keep an eye out! In the meantime, our Explore and Act sections have plenty of related materials.