My Role
In April 2017, I was hired by the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) at McGill University to research and implement a funding project that would allow Doctoral students to explore career paths outside of academia.
- Hired as an information professional to create a database of internship opportunities for PhD students
- Liaised with faculty, offices, and departments to understand the professional needs of doctoral students after graduation and how they were currently finding internships
- Harnessed this information to research and gathering over 120 internship opportunities uniquely aimed at students with advanced degrees
- Created a SQL database of these opportunities for ease of access by students
As the project progressed, my contract was extended so I could continue to build the other aspects of the funding program.
- Designed and wrote the website content for the program
- Created external communications to advertise the opportunity
- Crafted internal processes and documents to administer the program
- Acted as the point of contact for students and faculty and aided in the approval process for applicants
Key Skills
User Needs Evaluation – Before anything, I worked hard to understand the full purpose of creating this program and to see what current climate was like at McGill in view of PhD internships. Through student groups and reports, I researched PhD career paths, goals, and the current ways in which they sought experience outside of academia. I spoke with program directors, internship offices, and career advisors to gain further knowledge on how they prepared PhDs for life after school.
Research – I used my research skills to find out what types of companies were hiring PhD students, who was already recruiting on campus, and what types of companies would appreciate interns with advanced knowledge. I then used this information to research organizations online, and reach out to them through telephone and email. I was able to create criteria to limit which organizations I spoke to, making my success rate for partnership very high.
Information Management – I created a database from scratch for students to easily search and retrieve internship opportunities that aligned with their career interests and location. I used search filters inspired by other popular job sites to create a familiar user interface. I also implemented a backend entry form that would be easy for my predecessors to use and understand if I ever left the job. This included internal information on the companies, how long their hiring period was, and if they provided compensation to interns.
Learning Objectives Achieved
- Assess, organize, and manage information and knowledge resources.
- Apply information and communication technology (ICT) concepts to designing, managing, and evaluating information systems.
- Apply the principles and practices of information literacy.
- Apply management principles and techniques, including those related to project management.
- Analyze information needs and user requirements at individual, organizational, and community levels to provide effective information services.
- Demonstrate communication, problem solving, and decision-making skills in collaborative environment.
- Explain and appreciate the diverse roles and responsibilities of information professionals in various organizational and societal contexts.
Anna Haywood 