Smart Thinking

Today we hosted a fantastic webinar with Khyati Sundaram talking about all things AI and recruitment. This is such an important topic for those working in think tanks and policy for two main reasons: 1) The volume of applicants has gone up as ChatGPT makes it quicker and easier for candidates to apply to *all* the jobs - a particular challenge for smaller think tank teams who then have to sift hundreds of applications 2) It is much harder to decide which candidates to take forward because how can you sort who might be the right person for the job when their application is likely AI-generated and all applications now sound the same? Khyati took us through the wider implications of AI in recruitment and how we should be thinking about it in a broad sense, as a sector and as a society, but then went onto the practicalities of how to structure application questions to get the most useful and siftable answers - h/t use a skills map... and what tech there is, at the moment, to help. Members can head to our webinar archive and find the recording and further resources: https://stmembers.co.uk/ #stmembers #smartthinking #thinktanks

Yesterday Smart Thinking hosted it's second Early-Mid Think Tank Careers Network (working on a catchier name...) This is our newest and biggest membership network and is aimed at those in the first 5 years of a think tank career. We had 30+ think tankers in the room from 13 different think tanks and it was really great to see lots of mixing and mingling and much appreciation of Green Alliance's view and the food! The next get together will be in the spring but if you have lots of researchers or other early-stage think tankers then have a think about whether they might like to join a regular get-together with those in similar roles in this unique little sector of ours. Please feel free to get in touch here or on [email protected] if you want to find out more! #stmembership #smartthinking #thinktanks

Are you experienced and interested in a comms role in a think tank? The Health Foundation have three new openings in comms - in Media, Editorial and DataViz. If you have experience in any of these areas then read on! Media Manager - looking for an experienced media manager to help them continue to secure high-profile media coverage by proactively contacting journalists to pitch stories, managing media bids, and working closely with colleagues focusing on key policy issues to ensure press activity. Senior Editorial and Planning Manager - developing and driving forward delivery of HF's publishing and editorial output, working closely with colleagues at all levels to ensure all publications and editorial output are produced at the highest standard. Data Visualization and Design Manager - Do you have experience of leading on the delivery of high-quality dataviz and design content that meets audience needs and engages them effectively?This role will lead on developing HF's approach to dataviz, helping them meet their ambition of becoming a sector leader in this type of content. Find all the roles listed here: https://bit.ly/3O8CAH7 #commsjobs #thinktankjobs #smartthinking

One of the main ideas behind Smart Thinking's conception was to bring together, in one place, all the latest thinking on different policy areas. So starting this week we are going to get in the habit of highlighting one of the many policy areas on our site and pulling out a handful of interesting reports from a wide range of UK think tanks to give you a sense on what the policy thinking is on this particular area - and hopefully some will catch your eye! This week we are looking at *BUSINESS POLICY* and here is your reports round up: - First up is Capital Issues from Onward and how we could reform the UK’s capital markets to boost science and tech: https://bit.ly/4ecc4Y3 - Budgeting better: How the UK could start to improve its fiscal framework and boost growth is from think tank @IPPR https://bit.ly/3UBDnnJ - Next in the spotlight is SME Manufacturers: Meeting the Challenges of affordable energy and a skilled workforce from think tank @Civitas: https://bit.ly/3Az4wAL - And last but no means least - Financing the future economy from Power to Change and a look at how community businesses can access the right finance to acheive their ambitions: https://bit.ly/40ykhCG Head to our business policy pages to discover these and many many more: https://bit.ly/3CcM6q4 #thinktanks #businesspolicy #smartthinking

Are you looking to grow in your think tank career? Already do a bit of presenting but want to be more confident? Know you will need to do a lot more public speaking in the future but unsure how to get good at it? Our training this month will help you! We are hosting an all-day public speaking training workshop on 26 November that focuses on: - Speaking confidently and controlling nerves - Building your message to have real impact on your audience - Developing presence and being present We also look specifically at appearing on panels and chairing events as well as some practical tips on how to prepare yourself for any public speaking event. Join people from various think tanks to share best practice and build your professional network alongside the training. To find out more head to our training page here: https://bit.ly/3NU2bDI #stmembers #thinktanktraining #policytraining #publicspeaking

Discover the Institute of Economic Affairs - London's analysis of UK foreign aid distribution, challenging the support to wealthier regions abroad compared to poorer UK regions, with suggestions for policy adjustments. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eiMUdJG9

OCTOBER MOST READ! The results are in and in a month that started with party conference and ended with the Budget we have a good mix of think tanks whose reports were the most popular with our audience. Congratulations go to IPPR Resolution Foundation Royal United Services Institute The Centre for Social Justice Localis (think tank) Onward Centre for Policy Studies Adam Smith Institute Education Policy Institute who all had a report featured in the most read top 10 (and hats off to IPPR who managed to get two reports in there!). The most popular report for the month was Royal United Services Institute for 'Ore to ordinances: Disrupting Russia's artillery supply chains'. Read it again here: bit.ly/3NNLnhx But who did our audience search for the most? It was an interesting mix! 🥇 Centre for Social Justice 🥈 Work Foundation 🥉 RUSI 4️⃣ Chatham House 5️⃣ Education Policy Institute We also took a look at the most popular jobs currently available and Power to Change's External Affairs Officer heads the leaderboard. If you are looking for a new role at a think-and-do tank then find out more details here: bit.ly/4f91Itc You have until Tuesday to apply! #thinktanks #smartthinking #mostread #policyjobs

Explore The Centre for Social Justice's comprehensive study on ending loneliness among older adults in the UK, with strategies to enhance their social interactions and address underlying issues. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ezwqMmAM

Discover the David Hume Institute's analysis of the Great Risk Transfer, examining how shifts in employer-employee dynamics are affecting individuals' financial stability and societal well-being. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ejb4gFSe

Discover the Institute of Economic Affairs - London's evaluation of rent control policies, highlighting their effects on the rental market's dynamics and suggesting a thorough cost-benefit analysis before implementation. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e-HNhZwR