Prosper at The University of Manchester

Prosper is an innovative online resource designed to empower researchers to explore their career aspirations and investigate diverse career pathways both within and beyond academia. This open resource is free to use and offers various ways to engage, tailored to support researchers in making informed career decisions.

What’s on offer

Prosper in person

Prosper In-Person Cohorts offer three different opportunities to join this year. This programme is aimed at researchers on fixed-term contracts or contracts of limited duration, providing them with dedicated time to think and plan their careers with peer support.

Attending this programme will give you dedicated time to think about and plan your career, supported by your peers. Without time in your diary, it’s easy to focus solely on your research and overlook your next steps. Since research contracts are temporary, it’s important to take a step back and assess whether your career is heading in the direction you want.

Programme One: Reflect, Explore and Act

Part 1: Reflect

Focus on the “Reflect” pillar of Prosper to understand your strengths, values, and career desires through four in-person sessions.

Additional group coaching sessions will be held online after Session 1, with opportunities for individual coaching at the end of the programme.

Application Information:

• Eligibility: Researchers on fixed-term or limited-duration contracts.
• Application: Apply here. Only 24 places available. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis for those who fully complete the application form and commit to attending.
  

  “A better overview of the direction I want to go in… before I was lost and unmotivated. Doing Prosper with you made me realize there was stuff I wanted to do… I am just more motivated and throw myself into things.” Prosper Participant

Participants from Part 1 will have first refusal for Part 2.

Part 2: Explore and Act

After reflecting on your career, either by attending the part 1 or used the resources on the Prosper portal, it’s time to explore opportunities and take action. This part covers the “Explore” and “Act” pillars of Prosper through four in-person sessions.

Additional individual coaching sessions will be available online at the end of the program.

Application Information

Eligibility: Participants from Part 1 have first refusal. Remaining places open for new applicants on a first-come, first-served basis for fully completed applications.

Programme Two: Reflect, Explore and Act with Action and Accountability Groups

This programme is a more intense version, integrating both parts 1 and 2 in-person sessions with action and accountability groups. It includes eight in-person sessions and four online action and accountability groups, designed for researchers on fixed-term or limited-duration contracts.

In-Person Sessions

The in-person sessions cover the Reflect, Explore, and Act pillars of Prosper. These sessions will help you understand your strengths, values, and career aspirations, explore career opportunities, and take actionable steps toward your goals.

Action and Accountability Groups

The online sessions, held after every two in-person sessions, will serve as action and accountability groups. In the in-person sessions, participants will commit to specific actions, the online session will allow the group will provide support and feedback to ensure progress. These sessions will enable a deep dive into what each person is doing and help maintain momentum.

Benefits of Attending

This programme enables you to dedicate time to think about and plan your career with the support of your peers. Without scheduled time, it’s easy to focus solely on your research and overlook your next steps.

Since research contracts are often temporary, it’s important to take a step back and assess whether your career is heading in the direction you want. The accountability groups ensure you stay on track and make continuous progress toward your career goals.

Application Process

Only 12 places available. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis for those who fully complete the application form and commit to attending.

Programme Three: Prosper Intensive

You want to move forward with your career, but you find it difficult to allocate time. This is an intensive deep dive over 2 days.

The benefit of this is that you will be putting aside dedicated time in your diary to focus on your career.

Audience

This programme is designed for researchers on fixed-term or limited-duration contracts. It is tailored to help you reflect on your career path, explore new opportunities, and take actionable steps toward your career goals with the support of your peers.

Day 1: Reflect and Explore

• My Career So Far: Review your current career status.
• Suitable Career?: Identify your values and personality traits to determine a suitable career path.
• Skills and Career Needs: Assess your skills and define what makes a satisfying career for you.
• Exploring Opportunities: Learn how to identify available career opportunities.

Day 2: Explore and Act

• Networking: Master effective networking techniques both online and offline.
• C.V. Writing: Craft a standout C.V.
• Interview Skills: Get tips and strategies for excelling in interviews.
• Overcoming Barriers and Moving Forward: Plan your next steps and identify potential obstacles.

Application Process

Apply on the Training Catalogue

Prosper online

Online Prosper Demonstrations

This innovative online resource is designed to empower researchers to explore what they want from a career and to investigate diverse career pathways beyond academia. Sign up for free at https://prosper.liverpool.ac.uk/

At this online demonstration, we will walk through the resources, help you set up an account, and provide time for questions.

Application Process

Book via the Training Catalogue

Prosper buddies

This is for you if you want to move your career forward and want some accountability but would prefer to engage with Prosper online.

There will be an initial meeting with a demonstration of Prosper and some questions to ignite your thinking about your career. You will explore the Prosper portal before joining a small breakout group. Each participant will commit to exploring an aspect of their career over the next month. The group will come back together online to discuss progress.

Audience

This programme is designed for researchers on fixed-term or limited-duration contracts. It allows you to reflect on your career path, explore new opportunities, and take actionable steps toward your career goals with the support of your peers. This format is ideal for those who prefer to meet online.

Application Process

Book via the Training Catalogue

Benefits of Attending

This programme enables you to dedicate time to think about and plan your career with the support of your peers. Without scheduled time, it’s easy to focus solely on your research and overlook your next steps.

Since research contracts are often temporary, it’s important to take a step back and assess whether your career is heading in the direction you want. The online format provides flexibility and convenience, but still ensures you can spend some time dedicated to your career goals.

Prosper at your own pace

You would like to take action in your career, but would prefer to work at your own pace with some light touch accountability.

Sign up for 8 emails prompting you to work on different aspects of your career using resources on the Prosper site. The emails will be sent to you monthly. You can choose to email me about your progress.

Prosper and PIs

As a PI, you have a significant influence on the career of your PostDocs. However, you might not have received dedicated training for this important role. That’s where Prosper can help. The portal offers numerous resources to support PostDocs in planning and developing their careers.

There are also resources to help you as a manager, hold career conversations with your Postdoc and the PI Network holds online events where you can meet PIs from other institutions for peer support.

Transforming meetings

Part of your role as a PI is to hold effective meetings. This is meetings with your research team and also individual meetings with your PostDocs. Come along and learn technique which will be useful both in chairing meeting and having career conversations with your PostDocs. You can book this via the Training Catalogue.

PI Toolkit

You can also access our University of Manchester-focused PI toolkit here. This comprehensive resource is packed with valuable information to help you support your researchers effectively.