Goal:

• Open your mind to a new set of skills that you may have not considered before. (Try with these or others)

Soft skills suggested:

• Gender considerations for STEM professionals.

  • Previous thinking:

    • Watch “Understanding unconscious bias” via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVp9Z5k0dEE

    • Watch “Gendered innovations: Harnessing the Creative Power of Gender Analysis to Create New Knowledge” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sktr6vbW1P8

    • Watch “Understanding gender dimension for MSCA projects” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq4eWo30RfY

    • Have you faced any professional situations in which gender has had a clear influence?

  • Some topics to deal with during the session:

    • Gender dimension in research; gender balance in decision making, equal opportunities for men and women.

    • Maternity and paternity leaves, are they a problem towards professional development?

    • Gender related barriers in STEM professions.

    • Do you perceive any gender trends within your professional environment?

    • Is gender an issue in any way in your professional life?

    • Do you lead or participate in any activity within your organization aimed at

      supporting gender equality?

    • This topic has been especially relevant for you. Who else can you talk/what

      information can you check to look into it?

• How to network.

  • Previous thinking:

    • Are you good at networking?

    • Is it any different beyond academia?

  • Some topics to deal with during the session:

    • What are some good avenues for academia-business networking?

       

    • How can I stay connected to key influencers who do not work in same office or

      geographical area

    •  Are social and digital media any helpful?
    • How many emails/calls are too much?
    • How to behave at networking events?
    • Where to network?
    • Spontaneous self-introduction vs introduction through a shared contact
    • Who are the people you need to align to within a new organization to succeed?
    • What is best way to suggest/better communicate new ideas?

• Conflict management

  • Previous thinking:

    •  

      Think of potential uneasy situations. Do you need/wish have had any special training about how to deal with them?

  •  

    Some topics to deal with during the session:

    •  

      Was there ever a role you applied for and landed, but weren't 100% qualified to do?
    • How to deal with new responsibilities or minions?
    • Have you ever had a difficult boss or colleague?
    • Re-energizing overloaded, unsatisfied or frustrated employees (or yourself)

• Time management.

  • Previous thinking:
    • Can you help creating your own balance or does your employer define it?
    • How to better organise your working time.
  • Some topics to deal with during the session:
    • Personal /work-life balance
    • How to avoid wasting time.
    • Task prioritisation: a waste of time or a time saver.

       

    • How to find balance between focusing in current job and looking for promotions or

      preparing for new jobs.

    • How to deal with extracurricular activities or additional formation?
    • How can you get involved in different initiatives without seeming unfocused?