Effective Career Planning
For Geographers.
Kate Amis, Manager, The Action Plan for Geography, RGS- IBG
Thinking ahead
► What
do you want in
the future?
► Do
you have any
career plans?
► What
is at the top of
your ladder?
The first rule
► Planning
► From
the future
...........backwards !
► Establish
some
long term goals.
► They
do not have
to be set in stone.
Your Career as a
Ladder
Top Job
Middle job
First job
Pre career/ Starter Job
Top jobs and middle jobs
► Competences
► Skills
► Ethos
► Attitudes
► Qualifications
► Experience
► Experiences
All to be evidenced
Getting the first job you want
Do research
Be selective
Match yourself to the
job spec
Good CV
Interview
technique
The second rule
► Target
setting
Over to you
► Activity
time !
Schools Project Officer
Organisation:
Salary:
Reference:
Location:
Position Type:
Part/Full Time:
Closing Date:
Website:
Contact Email:
Global Action Plan
£23,800
SPO1024
London based (national travel required)
Paid/Permanent
Full Time
www.globalactionplan.org.uk
paul.warner@globalactionplan.org.uk
Details:
The successful applicant will support the delivery of Global Action Plan's Schools projects. They will ensure that the
projects are effectively and successfully implemented to deadline and to a high standard. They will need to work
closely with local authorities and other local organisations.
They will perform the following tasks:
- Collect and disseminate information on sustainability issues in schools.
- Encourage schools to participate in the programmes by giving presentations, securing
media coverage and attending local events.
- Ensure that partners, funders and other stakeholders are kept fully informed of
progress in the region by inputting to the production of regular progress reports.
The successful candidate will have relevant experience working with school kids of all
ages, possess strong organisational skills and be able to show initiative working with
minimal supervision.
Global Action Plan is a flexible employer and an Investor in People. Benefits include a generous annual leave
entitlement.
Please apply by sending a covering letter/email addressing the personal specification outlined at the bottom of the
job description along with your CV.
Specific Duties
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Deliver Global Action Plan’s school education programmes.
Encourage schools to participate in the programmes by giving presentations, securing media
coverage, attending local events, etc.
Represent Global Action Plan at meetings with partner organisations to ensure that the project runs
according to schedule and meets agreed targets.
Ensure that partners, funders and other stakeholders are kept fully informed of progress in the region
by inputting to the production of regular progress reports.
Promote the successes of participating schools through the media, at meetings, conferences and
through other means as appropriate.
Collect and disseminate information on sustainability issues in schools.
Ensure compliance with any terms and conditions set by funding bodies.
In consultation with the Senior Schools Programme Manager and Schools Programme Manager,
ensure that monitoring of progress of results in participating schools is carried out in line with internal
and external requirements.
Assist in the on-going development of Global Action Plan’s programmes by providing feedback to
Global Action Plan and by attending regular staff meetings.
Regular attendance at Global Action Plan Programme Team Meetings and occasional National Team
Meetings.
To carry out any further relevant duties identified by the Line Manager.
Personal Qualities
►
Good relevant experience
► Possesses strong organisation skills
► Able to show initiative and work with minimal supervision
► Demonstrates good communication skills
► Able to deal effectively with a wide range of individuals
► Capable of responding to changes and adapting to
different requirements
► Able to cope with pressure
► Comfortable working as part of a small team
► Committed to the values, objectives and success of the
organisation
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Personal specification
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School experience: Has experience of working with schools and / or children of school age, including
secondary
Essential
Delivery: experience of delivering training in school settings
Essential
Organised: Ability to organise oneself and others – to meet deadlines and be prepared for contingencies
Essential
Self Motivated : Capacity to work alone with minimal supervision
Essential
Diplomacy: Demonstrates tact and mature judgement when dealing with competing demands and
project politics.
Essential
Interpersonal Skills: apacity to deal effectively with a range of individuals, from school children to senior
members of the local authority.
Essential
Networking
Ability to develop networks of contacts – to negotiate with and influence others
Essential
Environmental Knowledge
Understanding of sustainability issues and climate change.
Essential
The third rule
► Research
Career Areas
► Settlement
► Society
► Geographical
techniques
► Physical systems
► Travel, leisure and
tourism
► Economic world
► Development and
global issues
Settlement
► Are
you interested in
shaping the
relationship between
people and their
environments?
►
►
►
►
Regeneration officer
Landscape architect
Town planner
Environmental consultant
Kate – Surveyor
I studied geography at Cambridge and on leaving I got a job with my current
employer, Allsop Property Consultants. I did a masters degree for two years
and qualified to become a Chartered Surveyor.
Society
► Do
you want to work
with people and affect
their everyday lives?
Teacher
► Social worker
► Youth and community
officer
► Museum educator
►
Cliff – Researcher
I now work as a researcher in Black and Asian Studies.
Geographical techniques
► Are
you interested in
using cutting edge
technology and IT
systems to create and
interpret visual data?
►
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►
GIS specialist
Location analyst
Surveyor
Military analyst
George – uses GIS
Using GIS and spatial information
risk management companies supply
insurers with specialist information
regarding the likely risk of insuring
a certain area or resource.
Physical systems
► Do
you enjoy being in
the landscape and
working with the
natural environment?
►
►
►
►
Coastal engineer
Flood protection officer
Weather presenter
Environmental consultant
Lucy – Sky News weather forecaster
and presenter
I love the changing patterns of geography;
no day is ever the same and geography keeps me on my toes.
Travel, tourism and leisure
► Are
you interested in
discovering, exploring
and promoting
different places?
►
►
►
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Travel agent
Eco-tourism advisor
Heritage manager
PR and marketing manager
Tom- Documentary film maker
I produce documentaries for the
BBC, Channel Four, National
Geographic and the Discovery
Channel. Travel is a big draw
and I get to some unusual
places.
Economic world
► Do
you want to make
key decisions that
shape the commercial
world?
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Lawyer
Retailer
Accountant
Financial analyst
Antony- Retail location analyst
I am currently working
for a large retailer
doing location
planning. This involved
plotting
store locations and
customer details
onto a digital map.
Development and global issues
► Are
you interested in
world events? Do you
want to work towards
improving social
inequality across the
globe?
►
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Diplomat
Overseas volunteer
Aid worker
Charity co-ordinator
Tania – DEFRA & United Nations
I work on projects for
DEFRA with
the United Nations
Environment
Programme (UNEP) and
Sustainable Development
Programme. I help
organise meetings, write
speeches
and prepare briefings. I
often visit New York and
Nairobi.
Environment and Sustainability
► Do
you care about
the future of the
planet?
Resource manager
► Recycling officer
► Forestry manager
► Cycle route planner
►
Matt – Carbon budgets
Our project is developing
ideas for introducing a
personal carbon
allocation, which would
give each
of us an incentive to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.