We’ve all attended boring, seemingly useless meetings before and, yes, many meetings are a colossal waste of time, but some bosses feel more productive when they schedule meetings. Even if the meeting is circular and truly doesn’t accomplish anything, some managers still swear by them.

This can be incredibly frustrating at any stage in your career. Whether you are just starting out and have to attend a number of meetings to “learn the ropes” and “get your feet wet” or if you’re more advanced in your career in a more senior role and have to attend a number of meetings with subordinates to oversee their progress. Even as a graduate student, some meetings you have to attend can be a waste of time.

In all of these situations, we’re left feeling drained and stressed because the meetings can be mentally exhausting AND they keep you from getting your other work done during the day. Often, we feel that we’d be MORE productive if we just skipped the meeting and focused on the day’s tasks.

However, meetings should be viewed as a chance to advance your career.

Meetings are a great place to present fresh new ideas, respectfully question a broken system, suggest ways to improve efficiency or save money, volunteer for tasks and projects that give you the opportunity to showcase your talents to your higher-ups, get involved in new initiatives, and actively demonstrate that you’re a team player.

Particularly if you are new to an organization or are a lower-ranking employee in a large group of coworkers, actively participating in meetings that the boss attends is the quickest way to get noticed.

So don’t approach meetings with a “just get through it” attitude. Instead, find ways to perk up a stale or boring meeting that accomplishes nothing. This will go a long way with your bosses and higher-ups, which facilitates a chance for you to move up in the company or the ranks, and if you’re still in graduate school or your postdoctoral fellowship, active participation in meetings can improve your boss/PI’s opinion of you. This also goes a long way when other PI’s are present at these meetings, too.

Bottom line: If there are people at your meetings that you rarely get to interact with one-on-one, use these meetings to showcase your strengths and intellect to these individuals because you never know when they might be able to put in a good word for you (or write you a recommendation letter in academia), and if they ever have the opportunity to recommend someone for a promotion or an award, you definitely want to be the first person who pops into their minds.

So, how do you become more involved in meetings, especially boring meetings? You have to chime in and speak up. Figuring out what to say and when to say it can be tricky, and this can take some practice. So, to start participating more, begin by trying to speak up once or twice in a meeting – just say anything! Once you get comfortable speaking at all, then try to strategize your thoughts and inputs to accomplish a certain goal within a meeting.

As you become more comfortable participating in meetings, work to become a major influencer at a meeting, not merely a participant. After each meeting, assess your performance and identify areas in which you could improve. Start by asking yourself these 10 questions:

1) Was my attitude energizing or deflating?

2) Was my body language positive or negative? (See our previous blog post that discusses how body language can get you noticed in a meeting.)

3) Did I ask great questions?

4) Did I generate new ideas?

5) Did I use data to back up my points?

6) Did I encourage or engage others with my suggestions?

7) Did I listen to other people’s thoughts effectively and build on them?

8) Did I successfully influence the group to come to a key decision?

9) Did I successfully help the group identify action items necessary to move forward?

10) Did I truly contribute in a positive way and leave everyone in the meeting feeling good about my participation and my attitude?

These questions will help you identify specific ways in which you can become a more active meeting attendee and shift your status from mere participant to influencer. As an influencer, you will be more highly regarded and respected within your place of work, which can certainly work in your favor when it comes time for promotions and/or awards or recommendations for other opportunities.

So don’t be a passive attendee at a meeting who simply occupies a seat in the room. If you were invited to the meeting (or told to attend), be an active part of the meeting. Don’t let it be a time-waster. Use the time efficiently and use it to your advantage. Recognize that sometimes it’s the simplest of things – like speaking up in a meeting – that can make the biggest difference in your career.

** Start participating and speaking up in meetings and share your success stories with us! **

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After a while, we all get into a bit of a rut. It’s inevitable, especially when months of job searching and application submissions leave you empty-handed and jobless. Job hunting can be a draining and mentally exhausting task, and if you are about to graduate or about to run out of funding for your fellowship, it can be stressful to have nothing to show for months of work and searching while the clock is quickly ticking down.

But it’s a fresh new year, and with that comes resolutions. Resolve to revitalize your job search by taking on a completely new strategy this year!

When most people begin a job search, they start by searching databases of job postings – i.e., Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn, Nature Jobs, Science Careers, etc. Once they find a few listings that seem applicable or interesting, they write a cover letter and submit a resume or CV. And then they wait…. And wait…. And wait…. And probably NEVER hear back.

This can be demoralizing, and sometimes very intelligent people can internalize this rejection and feel as though they aren’t good enough or aren’t skilled enough to get a job. Then more panic and desperation ensues…

Recognize that the problem isn’t you – It’s the system.

Although this sounds like the classic “it’s not you, it’s me” excuse that people use to end dating relationships without hurting the other person, in this case, it’s true. It’s really NOT you, it’s the system – it’s broken, and arguably unfixable at the moment.

The black hole that is the online hiring funnel is intense and only about 25 people out of every 1,000 people who see the job posting will ever get connected to a hiring manager. The remaining 975 people will hear nothing but silence in return.

A report by Talent Function Group and Ere Media shows that out of every 1,000 individuals who see a job post, 200 will begin the application process, 100 will complete the application, 75 of those 100 resumes will be screened out by either Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) or a recruiter so only 25 resumes will be seen by the hiring manager, 4-6 will be invited for an interview, 1-3 of them will be invited back for a final interview, and 1 will be offered the job.

And also note that there are hundreds of applications submitted for each job posting.

With these numbers, you might have better luck winning the lottery than getting a job by submitting online applications, especially when you consider that ATS – a computer program that looks for specific keywords in your resume – throws out a number of well qualified candidates simply because of the way their skills are worded on their application materials.

Thus, if you want to get a job, you have to beat the system. You have to get around it because playing the numbers game is a shot in the dark in most cases.

So, how do you do this? How do you get around this ineffective system?

Instead of playing the numbers game, you need to play the people game.

With so many applications that are merely words and names on paper, no one stands out and it’s mostly an even playing field. So how is a recruiter supposed to sift through hundreds, if not thousands, of seemingly identical applications to pick the best candidate? Plain and simple, they can’t. It’s an impossible task, and because it’s an impossible task, anything or anyone that stands out automatically gets the upperhand.

So how do you stand out? You meet them. You talk to them. You make sure that you’re more than just words and a name on paper. In other words… you network.

If a recruiter or a hiring manager can meet the person on the piece of paper and get to know their personality and interests, they are better able to make an informed assessment of whether or not that candidate would be a good fit for the team. This is the most critical part of the application process, but this is never stated in the job listing.

ATS will automatically screen out resumes that don’t fit the job description (and also some that do fit unfortunately) based on whether or not the words found in the application materials match the words found in the job posting. Although this software eliminates a large number of applications, the recruiters still have hundreds to sift through, but the ones they must sift through are all equally skilled as per the job criteria. Once that playing field is equal, it comes down to personality and who will be a good fit for the team, but you can’t gauge personality from a resume. This is why networking is so important.

In addition to personality, recruiters also want to gauge your commitment to the team. Are you specifically looking to join THEIR team or do you just want a job – any job for that matter? But again, you can’t gauge commitment and desire in a resume, so once again networking is key because interacting and communicating with recruiters is how you become a person, instead of just an applicant on paper.

So take an (inter)active approach to online job searching so that your application gets pulled to the top of the pile of hundreds of equally skilled applicants. Here’s how to do this in 10 steps:

1) First, define a list of employers you want to work for.

Instead of using the “spray and pray” method in which you submit your resume to as many job applications as possible and just hope for the best, do your homework and identify a list of companies that you genuinely want to work for. Then focus your energy on these companies only. A deeper investment in a few companies will go a lot further than a surface-level investment in numerous companies.

2) Research the company and identify what impresses you about the products/services/business model they have.

Continue to do more homework and dig deeper. Find out as much as you can about your selected companies and identify exactly WHY you want to work for them. Is it because you like their products? Is it because you like their mission? Perhaps you like their goals but think there is a better way to achieve those goals – make a note of this and be ready to discuss it (respectfully!) when you finally meet a recruiter in the firm. Whatever the reason, know exactly WHY you want to work for these companies. This will be very important during your interactions with those who currently work for the company.

3) Determine why you think their product/service/business model is worthy of respect.

After you identify what you like about the company, reflect on why you believe it has a worthy mission or business plan. In other words, now that you know why YOU like the company, identify why you think OTHERS (i.e., customers, clients, etc.) would like the company. Sometimes this aspect of “why people like something” seems obvious, but often, it’s hard to verbalize and articulate this part of the ‘why,’ so take a moment and really think about it to come up with an intelligent answer that shows you did your homework.

For example, if you want to work for the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) for Parkinson’s Research because you have a relative who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and the mission of the MJFF is important to you, it may seem obvious that others might feel similarly, so why should you have to think about this so much?

Well, every company, foundation, and institution has a different philosophy. If they didn’t, there’d be no need for different groups. They could all just work as one giant conglomerate if that were the case. Thus, what this point is really getting at is why the APPROACH is appealing. Why would others choose this company over its competitors.

In the MJFF example, benefactors may choose to donate to MJFF because their granting awards business model doesn’t merely give a research group the full amount of the award up front. Instead, after earning a $1,000,000 award, MJFF only gives the group $250,000 (let’s say) and withholds the rest until the group reaches certain research milestones. If the group doesn’t reach those milestones, the rest of the funds are funneled back into the grants budget and awarded to another, possibly more productive research group. With this business model, donors may feel that there is greater accountability and that their donations will be spent more wisely. This is a key distinction that sets this foundation apart from others, which may encourage donors to donate to MJFF over other Parkinson’s Research non-profit organizations.

Explaining to a recruiter that you think this is a wise and respectable approach will go a long way in your pursuit of securing a job with MJFF. Giving this type of rationale, instead of saying that the mission is close to your heart, shows a much greater commitment to and investment in the particular company in question.

4) Reach out and connect with people who work at these companies and start a discussion around their products/services/business model (NOT a discussion about job opportunities!).

After you’ve done a sufficient amount of homework, start talking to those who work at your target company. Importantly, DO NOT talk about job opportunities!!!! Instead, start showcasing your investment and dedication to the company by asking about their products, mission, business model, etc. Ask for clarification about the way they operate or how they acquire new clients. Talk about the direction of the company: where it came from and where it’s going in the future. Be genuinely interested in the company, not a job opening at the company. Showing interest in the company first will encourage current employees to begin a dialogue with you. If you simply start by asking for or about a job at the company, the employee may feel as though they are merely being used to get a foot in the door – which in most cases would be true. But before you do that, ask about the company first to earn their trust… see point #5.

5) Earn their trust first so you can seek their insights later on what it takes to get hired by this company.

With every dialogue you begin, the goal should be to earn the employee’s trust, not ask about a job opening. As mentioned in the previous point, if you start out with questions about employment, they may feel as though they are just being used (which they are!). Instead, if you build a rapport with them and get to know them and their company better, it is much easier to segue into a conversation about future employment with the company, and in some cases, they may even start that conversation for you! It’s not uncommon for someone at a company to mention that, “you know, if you’re interested, there may be an opportunity for you,” if they feel that you have the right skills and personality fit for the team. However, they won’t know this without first getting to know you.

So earn their trust first. Begin a dialogue about the company, ask intelligent questions, showcase your interest and your personality, and THEN move the conversation towards possible job openings. And note that this last step won’t be accomplished in a matter of minutes – it could take weeks or more after your initial contact. Be patient and don’t rush it, or you might ruin your chances. Nurturing a relationship takes time.

6) Get referred into the company directly by someone who works there or is connected to someone who works there.

As mentioned in point #5, you may get to a point in your discussion where the current employee brings up job opportunities. This is great! In fact, this would be the ideal situation because it means that they are basically recommending you for a certain position, and 80% of jobs are filled via referrals. After they get to know you, having them refer their hiring manager to you and your application is a much better way to get noticed by a company. As stated earlier, this gives you an edge over other candidates because you are not merely a name and some words on a piece of paper. You are a person with genuine interest in the company and a great personality. In essence you are the package deal, so work those initial conversations such that the person with whom you’re speaking ultimately refers you for a position.

7) Get fast-tracked to an interview.

After getting recommended for a position, speak to the recruiter or hiring manager and work the conversation so that you land yourself an interview. Keep in mind that you don’t have to play hardball or be overly aggressive here because you have already gotten around the online application system and ATS. You are one of the golden 25 out of 1,000 who is in contact with a hiring manager, so your chances of getting the job have skyrocketed! Since you haven’t yet met this person and all they are going off of is the recommendation from their colleague, be sure to showcase your personality and your interest in the company for the reasons stated above. This will demonstrate to yet another person at the company – and one with hiring power! – that you are a great candidate for the position.

8) Nail the interview because you can share how you feel connected to the company’s products/services/business model (see how important point #2 above is?).

Next, you want to nail the interview, but because you have done so much homework on the company, both on your own and by talking to current employees, the interview should be a breeze. It should merely be a confirmation to the higher-ups that you are a true reflection of the recommendations they’ve heard about you from their colleagues. Just be yourself, be engaging, ask great questions, show genuine interest, and smile throughout the day, and you should do amazingly well. For more on mastering your job interview, see our previous blog post series on Interviewing: Post 1, Post 2, and Post 3.

9) Follow-up and say your “Thank You’s.”

THE most important thing about the interview is the follow-up. After you’ve spent the day with potential future coworkers, thank them for their time, appreciate them for the insights they gave you, and wish them well for the rest of the week, weekend, or at their next big event – yes, reference something specific if it came up! This could be a meeting they’re about to attend, a son’s weekend football game, or a family trip coming up. Mention it and give your follow-up email a personalized touch.

Additionally, make sure you follow-up with EVERYONE: the people you met that day, the recruiter who set up the day, and the employees with whom you initially began your dialogue way back when you were just “asking questions” about the company. (This aspect of following up is also discussed in the Interviewing series, Post 2).

10) Get the job offer and start a new, better job with a company you essentially CHOSE to work for!

With this approach to job searching, your chances of the securing the job are immensely improved. In fact, this type of targeted approach is proven to decrease the amount of time it takes to find a job according to a report by the Career Advisory Board of DeVry University. So once you get that job offer, CELEBRATE!! Great work!! Now go enjoy the beginning of your new career. 🙂

The Take-Home Message: Stop applying blindly to online job postings. Revitalize your job search by actively seeking out employers and getting to know their employees. Then get yourself referred for a job at your target company! 🙂

** Approach your job search with this new, targeted strategy and let us know how it goes! **

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One thing that academics have a hard time doing is converting their multi-page CVs into one-page resumes. Not only can it be upsetting to delete years of hard work from your impressive list of accomplishments, but it can also be very difficult to figure out which ones to keep and which ones to cut in the CV-to-Resume transition.

To help you create this shortened version of your accomplishments, ask yourself the following questions:

1) Does this experience/task/responsibility relate to the job description?

The cardinal rule when it comes to writing resumes is to ‘tailor your resume to a particular job.’ So, naturally, one question you should ask yourself is “does this item/experience/bullet point relate to the job description?”

Start by comparing your CV to the job description itself. Highlight everything on your CV that is directly relevant to the skills and requirements listed in the job posting. Then, take everything you just highlighted and add it to your resume, leaving the other items and bullet points behind.

It’s possible that this exercise will leave you with a multi-page resume. Even if it’s still shorter than your CV, you’ll need to cut it down further. Sorry :-/

Once you’ve transferred everything that’s relevant, start going through the list again and this time prioritize the activities that made the first cut. List the MOST relevant items and experiences at the top of your resume and continue to prioritize your way down the list to the least relevant (of the relevant) items. Whatever doesn’t fit on the page should ultimately get cut.

2) Could I potentially do something similar in this next role?

After you’ve identified the experiences you will include in your resume, you should then apply the same logic as before to the bullet points within a given role. Ask yourself if a certain task is – or is similar to – something that you could do in the role you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a position as a teacher, you should certainly keep the bullet points that highlight any guest lectures for undergraduate or graduate courses that you’ve given.

What may be less obvious is that, if you are applying for a position as a Safety and Compliance Officer at an institution, you should also list this teaching experience. Why? Because demonstrating that you can effectively teach something to a group a people – whether it’s an organic chemistry lesson to undergraduate students or a laboratory safety-training program to a group of new employees – is vital for this job application.

3) Was this a big responsibility within the role?

The other thing to consider when debating whether or not to keep a particular bullet point is the importance of a specific task within a role.

For example, if you’re applying for a position in Science Communications, you may opt to keep your role as the President of a student organization on your resume, but between the following two bullet points, one is obviously less important than the other:

~ Planned and produced monthly podcasts broadcasted to over 5000+ members of the Yale community

~ Organized and ran weekly board meetings

Clearly, the first bullet point is a big deal and certainly worth mentioning, especially on an application for a position in Science Communications, but the second bullet point really adds little to no value (for this job application). If you can plan and execute successful podcasts delivered to an entire campus, it’s pretty much understood that you can organize and run a weekly meeting with approximately 10 people. This second bullet point is merely a waste of space on your resume – cut it.

4) Do I state this elsewhere on my resume?

Speaking of how precious resume real estate is, the next thing you should ask yourself is whether or not things are duplicated on your resume. Since you only get one page, do not waste any space with redundancy.

This can be tricky to manage because perhaps you have two experiences that are very relevant to the job you’re applying for, but for the most part, your duties in those two experiences are essentially exactly the same. You certainly don’t want to eliminate an entire experience/previous employment from your resume if it’s relevant, but if all the bullet points beneath that experience would be the same as those stated elsewhere on your resume, those bullets are a waste of space. So what do you do?

A general rule of thumb is to include the most relevant tasks and responsibilities under the most recent experience. The thought here is that if you are currently doing (or have very recently done) that task, it is fresh in your mind and you are likely aware of any new trends and technologies associated with that task.

So then the question is what do you do about your other experience? Leave it blank with zero bullet points? No, certainly not. Instead, list other skills that are not duplicated in your most recent experience to demonstrate that you have a variety of skills. Here’s an example:

Let’s say you are a postdoc applying for a position in Industry R&D, and one of the criteria listed on the job posting is project management skills. Clearly, you’ll want to list your graduate career and your current postdoctoral work on your resume for this application, and as the ‘manager’ of your research project(s), you could potentially list this skill in both places, but you shouldn’t take up precious resume space with redundancy.

What you should do is list the project management skills under your postdoctoral experience because A) it’s the most recent, and B) the connotation is that postdocs have more independence than graduate students so listing project management skills under your graduate experience doesn’t carry as much weight as it would if it were listed under your postdoctoral experience. Then, for your graduate experience section, find and list another relevant skill that would not only be relevant for the job application, but also highlight a skill that would be desired in that new workplace. See below:

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Yale University School of Medicine

~ Successfully managed a highly collaborative inter/national team of scientists, clinicians, statisticians, and students to identify genes mutated in specific cancers; pivotal findings will be/are published in top-tier journals, including Nature.

Graduate Research Assistant

The University of Amazing Students

~ Developed novel methods of permeabilizing embryos to facilitate high-throughout screens of small molecules to identify potential therapeutic candidates for the treatment of XYZ disease.

In this example, the applicant maximized the space on his/her resume by not repeating similar accomplishments, even though there was most certainly a degree of project management that occurred during his/her graduate experience. Additionally, considering that the applicant is applying for a position in R&D, the bullet point included in the graduate career section is HIGHLY relevant and will likely make the candidate stand out amongst the competition.

Sometimes it can be difficult to figure out what to include or discuss when the obvious choices would be redundant or irrelevant. This exercise can take some brainstorming, but as a scientist, there are plenty of transferrable skills that you already have that would be perfect for this section as long as those tasks and responsibilities are phrased strategically. For more on this topic, see our previous blog post on how to Rethink and Reshape Your Skills.

5) Is this just really amazingly impressive?

The last thing you should ask yourself about something you’d like to include on your resume that may not be directly relevant to the job posting is whether or not something is just downright impressive. If it is, then it should be included; however, if you are the only person who finds it impressive (yes, take a poll!), then it should not be included.

This is clearly a very subjective question, which is why it’s important to make sure that other people find the accomplishment in question impressive. Unfortunately, as amazing as it is, publishing three Nature papers in three years and getting selected for an invite-only talk at the International Conference of Awesome Scientists isn’t going to cut it. Yes, those are impressive, but they are not what this question is getting at.

What this question refers to are the unique, impressive awards and accomplishments that VERY few people ever accomplish. For example, if a method you developed received a patent, or if you were named one of Forbes’ “30 under 30” (30 amazing people under 30 years old), then regardless of what the application is for, these items belong on your resume because very, Very, VERY few people ever achieve these honors.

These five questions will help guide you as you convert your CV into a resume. Of course, keep in mind that every person and every situation is different, so what works for someone else may not apply to you. Additionally, you will likely have to repeat this exercise for each job application because, again, we want to tailor the resume to a specific job listing – a resume submitted to an application for a position at a biotech company should obviously contain different content than one submitted for a position as a high school science teacher.

Finally, once you have restructured your accomplishments into resume format, have others read it and provide feedback. Sometimes, what we view as impressive or relevant may not be perceived that way by outsiders. This could be because of the way it’s worded or perhaps it’s really not relevant at all. So, importantly, ask your proofreaders why they would cut something that you deemed essential for your resume. Based on their responses, either reword an experience or responsibility to make it fit the job description more closely or revisit these questions to further evaluate whether or not something should be included in your resume to make the next draft even better.

** Ask yourself these questions and share your job application success stories with us! **

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Scientists have an unfortunate reputation of sometimes being socially awkward. While this doesn’t apply to all of us, everyone has some insecurities that can hinder our ability to make crucial contacts at networking events. But when 50% of all job hires are made via referrals, we can’t afford to miss out on making new connections at these events.

We’ve previously discussed many things you SHOULD do at networking events to increase your probability of success, but here, we’ll discuss the things you definitely SHOULDN’T do at networking events.

These “what not to do” behaviors are almost more important than what you should do because the damage that these behaviors can cause sometimes can’t be undone no matter how hard you try to overcompensate later with better behaviors.

Why? Because first impressions usually last forever.

First impressions are hard to change and even harder to reverse. So avoid giving someone a negative first impression of yourself by avoiding these five behaviors at networking events:

1) Don’t hold negative conversations.

Scientists who feel “stuck” in academia often have a negative attitude about almost everything, however, don’t let this come through in your conversations at networking events, ESPECIALLY with people you are meeting for the first time.

Don’t complain about your work, downplay or belittle your own accomplishments, or criticize the event itself. It’s easy to focus on the negative when you are frustrated with your current situation, but view the networking event as a lifeline, as a way out of academia – this should make you excited! Finally, A WAY OUT!!!

This should serve as a positive ray of light for you, so hold positive conversations. Instead of lamenting about all the problems you’re having (in the lab, with your advisor, etc.), shift your attitude and focus on problem-solving and finding solutions.

For example, if you love research, but hate academia, and you find yourself speaking to an Industry R&D representative at the event, talk about how you’ve recently learned a few new techniques and expanded your skillset. Then mention that you’re now hopeful you can find a position that utilizes these new talents to develop therapeutics for XYZ disease outside of academia. This is a much more positive spin on what could potentially be a frustrating situation back in the lab.

Always be looking forward and talking positively about what you want to do in the future instead of dwelling negatively on your past or current situation.

2) Don’t be glued to your smart phone the whole time. 

In today’s technology era, many of us use our smartphones as a crutch. If we find ourselves standing somewhere alone, we don’t want to be perceived as unimportant or clueless, so we immediately pull out our phones and try to look busy… however, most of us are merely checking Facebook or Instagram. Oh yes, we’re very busy indeed…

It may feel less scary to stare intently at our phones instead of trying to hold conversations with complete strangers, but looking at your phone isn’t going to get you a referral to your dream job. People are. So go talk to people.

Instead of using your phone as a safety net, put it away, and don’t look at it during the event.

If you find yourself suddenly standing alone, see this as an opportunity to go start a fresh conversation with someone new. Often times, you can get stuck talking to the same people for far too long because the conversation never seems to hit a natural stopping point, and speaking to one person all night who may not be a great contact for you is as equally ineffective as not speaking to anyone at the event.

So if you find yourself standing alone, don’t retreat to your pocket to find your phone. Instead, go find someone new to speak to and maximize the number of contacts you make at the event. The more connections you make, the higher the probability that you’ll succeed at sustaining a professional relationship that results in a job offer.

3) Don’t socialize with only your labmates or people you know. 

Another crutch that many of us lean on at networking events is spending time with people we already know, but this defeats the purpose of attending the networking event. If you spent the entire night only talking to people you know and likely see everyday, why did you bother going to the event in the first place?

Do not spend a lot of time talking to people you know at networking events. Instead, specifically seek out those you don’t know and get to know them. Make it a point to meet at least 3-5 people you don’t already know, including those with and without PhDs, at every event you attend.

Sure, you and buddy can jointly introduce yourselves to someone if you are uncomfortable approaching someone on your own, but huddling in a group 5 or more people from your own lab creates a circle that very few other people will attempt to infiltrate, leaving you with zero opportunities to meet someone new.

4) Don’t ignore the person standing alone.

Sometimes people have a tendency to ignore the people standing alone, assuming that they must be alone because they aren’t very important. Alternatively, some may think that these people would simply prefer to just be off on their own.

Ironically, think about point #2 above… When you were suddenly left alone, what did you do? Whip out your phone to avoid looking lonely or unimportant, right? But “looking busy” is usually a façade, because what are you really doing there? Checking Facebook and Instagram…

Consider the feelings you get when you’re standing alone and realize that when others are alone, they’re probably feeling the same way. The easiest way to help both of you is for you to approach the loner and strike up a conversation. Nervous that they don’t want to engage in conversation? Don’t be. They came to the networking event with the same goals as you – to meet people. Hence, they are expecting conversation with strangers. That’s your green light, so go for it!

Besides, people standing alone are the best people to approach because it’s far easier to make meaningful conversation in a one-on-one situation than it is in a circle of 3-4 (or more) people.

And although it may be less scary to sidle up to a group (almost unnoticeably in some cases), consider that it can be pretty hard to join the conversation in a circle of people because you’re often coming into it in the middle of the conversation. Then you’re left trying to figure out what they’re talking about first before you can add to the banter, AND it may take a while before you can even introduce yourself to the group.

All of these nuances are avoided when YOU begin the conversation, so target those loners and own the conversation (and the introduction) from the very beginning!

5) Don’t leave immediately after the last talk is over.

This is the worst thing you can do at a networking event because when the presentations are over, that’s when the magic begins.

Don’t convince yourself that just because the speakers provided their email addresses in their concluding slides that you’ve got everything you need to make a connection. True connections are made during face-to-face interactions and interactive conversation, not via digital back-and-forth email threads.

It will be much easier for someone to get to know you (read this as: “and want to refer you for a position”) when they can talk to you and interact with you. People are much less likely to recommend someone for a position who they have only “met” via email. Being able to see you, engage with you, get a sense of your personality, and maybe share a drink with you will go a long way in making connections that are more likely to pan out into potential employment opportunities.

So, after the last talk, plan on staying for the breakout mingling sessions. That western blot can wait another hour – it’s not going anywhere – but the connection to your dream job might be leaving in an hour, so capitalize on the time you have at the event! If you are truly “too busy” to stay for the whole event, skip the talks (although we do NOT recommend this!) and arrive at the start of the breakout sessions. This will be more worth your time. Again, you need to meet people, not just sit quietly and listen to presentations. Prioritize appropriately.

In sum, your time is valuable, so when you attend a networking event, take advantage of the opportunity and maximize your time with those in attendance. After all, you may not get a chance to meet them again (ever!), so don’t spend that time clinging to your smartphone or hanging out with your friends and labmates. Stay for the mingling sessions so that you can specifically meet new people, and in doing so, don’t be afraid to approach the loners – they’re the easiest targets! – and always keep your conversations on a positive note.

Of course, there are many other strategies that will help you be a better networker, but following these rules and avoiding these simple “don’ts” will increase your chances of being successful at networking events. Think about how you tend to approach networking events and consider incorporating some of these tactics!

** Give these tips a try at the next event you go to and let us know how it goes! **

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The “Permission Paradox” is the biggest career Catch-22 there is….

You can’t get the job without the experience, but you can’t get the experience without the job.

Everyone is bound to experience this issue at least once in their careers, but many people will experience it over and over again… whether you’re trying to land your first job after graduation or you’re being considered for a promotion to CEO after 20 years with the company, you’ve never held these respective roles before, so you inherently lack the experience necessary for these positions.

So what on earth do you do?

You have to find ways to get around the Permission Paradox by finding and gaining experience without the job.

This can seem like an insurmountable challenge, but here a few simple suggestions to help you gain the experience you need to demonstrate that you are, in fact, well suited for the position despite that you’ve never had those responsibilities before.

1) Get Credentials.

The easiest way to “gain permission” and be genuinely considered for a position is to obtain the proper credentials, which clearly state that you are qualified for the job.

For example, consider the mentality that an employer has when debating over hiring someone with a Ph.D. vs. a graduate student. Most of the time, the employer will automatically consider the Ph.D.-holding candidate to be smarter, better, and more qualified than the graduate student, even if the graduate student is nearing their defense date. The Ph.D. is a credential that tells the world that you have reached a certain level of achievement and are thus capable of performing at certain level.

This is just one example of a credential. In its most basic form, credentials are indeed degrees, however, credentials can also take slightly less formal forms as well.

For example, if you take a course on Business Management, that would be an incredibly helpful boost for you if you were applying for a position at a start-up company. Between two applicants – a Ph.D.-holder and a Ph.D.-holder who has some sort of training in business management – it is far more likely that the CEO or hiring manager of the start-up company will choose the candidate who has the business management background.

So, in addition to your degree, set yourself apart from your competition by finding a course or a program that you can take or participate in that will give you additional credentials to support the claim that you are a great – and possibly the greatest – candidate for a given job. This tactic is particularly key for transitioning from academic to non-academic positions.

2) Volunteer.

The best way to gain experience is to actually do it – well isn’t that the paradox itself? Yes, but you don’t actually need the JOB to get the experience in some cases.

You can volunteer in similar positions to get the experience you’ll need in order to get the job (wherein you’d actually get paid to do the same activity).

If you wish to stay in academia, you’ll need teaching experience, but as a postdoc, your job is to perform research, not teach. However, if you volunteer to give a guest lecture in an undergraduate or graduate course, you’ll gain some teaching experience. At some institutions, including Yale, there are even part-time paid positions for postdocs who ‘volunteer’ to teach these courses. This is obviously a win-win situation because you’d gain plenty of experience designing lectures and preparing lesson plans and you would also be compensated for some of your time.

Even if there is no compensation though, it’s important to forego instant financial gratification in order to secure the relevant experience necessary for your target job. Sometimes you have to put in the work before the true benefits come back to you ten-fold.

Either way, paid or not, these types of opportunities must be sought out on your own. No one will force you to teach a course (or even take a course to gain credentials) to make sure you are better prepared for your job interview.

3) Re-Envision your Existing Experience.

Many times, we have skills that employers are seeking, but they are disguised as discreet tasks or accomplishments that are irrelevant for the job in question.

For example, if you are applying to a job that lists project management skills as a critical requirement for the position, don’t merely skip over that application submission button. Realize that, as scientists, we do indeed have project management skills.

For your research project, you asked questions and consulted advice (i.e, did your market research), you designed and implemented experiments (i.e., drafted and executed a plan), collaborated with other postdocs and graduate students to get the job done (i.e., organized and led a team), assessed and reassessed the plan along the way as new data were acquired (i.e., performed reviews and assessments and redirected the plans/team accordingly), and eventually put the report together and published it (i.e., compiled a summary and completed the project).

Thus, even if your target employer isn’t interested in your research at all, what they will appreciate is the fact that, by doing that research, you have the desired project management skills they seek. However, they won’t view your experience this way unless you re-envision it for them in this manner. It’s about learning how to strategically sell yourself and your skillset.

For more examples of how you can Rethink and Reshape Your Skills, see our previous blog post dedicated to this topic.

4) Be Willing to Start at the Bottom.

Although it may not be exciting to think about, especially with an advanced degree, sometimes it pays (big time!) to swallow your pride and literally start at the bottom.

In many cases, postdocs and graduate students are overqualified for entry-level jobs, however, without directly relevant experience, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to break your way into a company at the level you desire or deserve.

In this case, simply getting your foot in the door is the best strategy… and that may mean you have to start at the bottom. But once you’re in, it is much easier to prove yourself worthy of a promotion.

If you’re at least present – at any level – in the company, you can volunteer to take on more projects and responsibilities with which you can demonstrate your true capabilities and highlight your potential. Often times this catches the attention of the higher-ups and allows you to climb the ranks to the position or pay-level that you actually deserve.

So don’t be afraid to start at the bottom, keeping in mind that a number of hires for senior positions actually occur internally from within companies!

Collectively, these strategies will help you overcome the Permission Paradox because, for any job application, despite that you couldn’t possibly know how to perform a role that you’ve never had before, you’ll undoubtedly be evaluated on two fronts: your track record (past experience) and your potential (future experience), and the strategies listed above address both of those critical evaluation criteria.

Your track record – i.e., experience and success rate – must be established before you even apply. This can be difficult to do without the job that gives you the experience you need to GET the job. However, if you can get credentials that prove your worth based on a somewhat standardized scale (whether it be a degree or specific course/program training), volunteer for positions that will give you similar enough experience to speak to in your interview and reference on your resume, and re-imagine your current skillset to format it in a way that applies to the job at hand, you will be able to establish a rather successful track record that should help you land the job.

Initially, your potential for success will shine through in your established track record, but using the last strategy – i.e., taking a lower-ranking job and working your way up to where you want to be – can also be a great way for you to demonstrate your potential once again after you’ve gotten a foot in the door. Once you’re there – regardless of how you got there – you are free to thrive in your position and create opportunities for yourself internally.

Thus, these approaches will undoubtedly help you navigate the ultimate career Catch-22 and allow you to break into your desired career track and achieve the status or position that you deserve.

** Give these strategies a try and let us know how you overcame the Permission Paradox! **

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Academic researchers who wish to leave academia often look for their ideal jobs. However, when you’ve only known one thing (i.e., academia) for so long, it’s hard to know what your ideal job is, let alone how to find it. Thus, trying to find your “dream job” straight out of academia is somewhat of a futile effort.

Instead, look for a great stepping-stone that can serve as a platform or foundation that will ultimately lead you to your dream career. And keep in mind that your “dream job” may change and evolve as you gain experience in the non-academic field.

Moreover, looking for a transitional position takes some of the pressure off of your job search. You don’t have to find the “perfect” job right away, and, in fact, it’s highly unlikely that you’d find your dream job right after graduate school or your postdoctoral fellowship anyways.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the average person changes job 11.7 times in their life, so while you may get close to your “dream job,” you probably won’t find your “forever position” right after your training period.

In some ways, it’s actually better to accept a transitional position, especially at the start, because each new job should be a learning experience that accomplishes two goals:

1. Diversify your skillset.
2. Expand your professional network.

First, with each new position, you should learn a new skill that will teach you something about the field that will better prepare you for your ultimate career.

Additionally, this new skill may teach you something about yourself and your aspirations – i.e., do I like this skill? Is this this skill necessary for my desired career? If so, do I still want to pursue that career path based on what I know now about this skill? These types of questions can help guide your career search.

Second, with each new position, you will inherently gain a larger professional network as well as the opportunity to exponentially increase the size of that new professional network using your new contacts.

As with the first goal, you should use your new network to learn more about the field you’re currently in, related fields, opportunities within these fields, etc., and see where conversations with these connections take you… because they might just take you to your next position.

By combining your new skill(s) and your newly expanded professional network, you will undoubtedly be in a better position to secure your next job, which may be closer to your ideal “dream job” than your current position.

Use your new network to not only help you find the next (possibly also transitional) position, but also to recommend you for this next job based on their ability to see and attest to your growth (i.e., those new skills you’ve developed) in this first position.

Then, after accepting the next new job, repeat the cycle. Apply the same rules as before – learn a new skill and expand your network – to get even closer to your ideal position and/or “dream job” because a career path/search is a constantly evolving journey.

So if you’re looking to leave academia, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to find the perfect job right away. Be willing to accept a position that will afford you plenty of opportunities to learn something new and meet a lot of people. Even if those jobs are slightly outside of what your current vision of your “dream job” is, accepting these roles can eventually lead you to the perfect career.

Additionally, given that you have only known academia, consider the fact that your view of a particular career path may not be accurate. As a result, you may secure your “dream job” and later realize that it is completely unsatisfying.

So keep an open mind when performing your first non-academic job search following your training period. Apply to variety of types of jobs within a given field of interest, and after being offered a position, ask yourself if you could learn something useful and meet a large amount of new people in that role. If the answers to both questions are ‘yes,’ then that position, even if it’s not your “dream job,” is worth accepting.

The bottom line: At every transition in your career, take the opportunity that provides you with the most potential for professional development and career growth. It may take you 11.7 tries, but eventually, this tactic will lead you to your dream career.

** Share how these tactics affect your non-academic career search! **

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The struggles that plague academics – i.e., the pressure to publish (and publish high), the current funding crisis, and the meager salaries that barely cover the monthly bills – can wear on academic researchers very quickly, driving us to seek alternative careers.

While these are valid reasons to leave academia, these struggles can leave us misguided in our career searches.

For example, publications give us prestige and notoriety. As academics, we are trained to strive for these abstract work goals, but these things won’t pay the monthly bills, and, in fact, incredibly successful students and postdocs get the same paycheck as unsuccessful trainees!

Additionally, feeling trapped in position with long hours and little pay may drive us to seek higher salaries. Larger paychecks will certainly make paying the bills easier, but does that mean we give up something important in exchange for the paycheck? Possibly. Probably.

For the average researcher looking to leave academia, the innate tendency is to look for a prestigious non-academic position with a high salary.

Most scientists leave academia because they are unhappy, but seeking prestige and money in your next position often lands you in an equally unsatisfying position.

So, how do we ensure that our alternative career searches yield fulfilling jobs?

We look for Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

1. Autonomy

Most people don’t like to be micromanaged, and scientists take this to the extreme.

Researchers generally manage their own days – they plan and conduct experiments on their own time, decide when they arrive and leave each day, take breaks when they want, etc. There isn’t anyone hovering over them telling them exactly what to do and when. As long as they meet their deadlines, they are free to accomplish those goals however they can.

Because scientists are very independent, transitioning to a job that doesn’t provide autonomy will be just as frustrating as your current position but for different reasons.

So, in your non-academic job search, look for autonomy. Of course, a little teamwork is always expected, but for the most part, your new job shouldn’t deviate too far from the independence you’ve grown accustomed to.

2. Mastery

People thrive when they feel important and needed. One way to ensure that you will be an important and necessary addition to your team is to seek a position for which you can use skills that you have mastered. If you are the resident expert, the team undoubtedly needs your expertise.

Furthermore, when you can use skills that you’ve mastered, you generally perform well, and, as with any positive feedback loop, you thrive when you’re already doing a good job.

Additionally, using your strengths and performing well affects your confidence, too. Despite a need for change, it can be scary to trade something comfortable and familiar (i.e., academia) for something foreign and unknown. However, choosing a position that allows you to use your expertise will make this jump a little less dramatic and increase your chances of success in that new position… which in turn boosts your confidence, which helps you perform better, which further boosts your confidence, etc (positive feedback loop!).

So look for a role that plays to your strengths. Don’t accept a position that pays well but is a struggle. This will only provide daily frustrations that are not easily fixable without a huge time investment to learn a completely new skill.

3. Purpose

Lastly, look for purpose in your new position. Feeling as though your work makes a difference is supremely critical for maintaining motivation and job satisfaction.

If it didn’t matter whether or not you went to work and if the world wouldn’t notice if that job was never completed, then you won’t be happy in that position. Regardless of how well it pays or how great the hours are, without purpose, you won’t be happy.

So look for a position that gives your work meaning, and keep in mind that what’s important to someone else may not be important to you, so find a position that gives you the opportunity to do something that is important to YOU.

In sum, when scientists are dragged down by the pitfalls of academia, they can be enticed to seek prestige and salary in a new position, but these things likely won’t lead to a fulfilling job/career.

Instead, look for positions that afford you autonomy, mastery, and purpose. These aspects are associated with greater job satisfaction, and with better job satisfaction comes a happier work life. Thus, if you wish to leave academia because you’re unhappy, make sure you avoid non-academic positions that will leave you feeling equally unhappy. Find a position that gives you independence, plays to your strengths, and gives you a reason to get up and go to work every morning.

With autonomy, mastery, and purpose at the top of your priority list, your alternative career search is bound to find you a wonderfully satisfying non-academic position!

** Reprioritize your alternative career search and share how looking for autonomy, mastery, and purpose affects your search! **

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For those transitioning from academia to non-academic jobs, the fear of not getting hired due to a lack of skills or experience can be very real. However, scientists have many transferrable skills that are highly sought after by various companies.

For example, postdocs are essentially mini project managers – they design and implement experiments, manage students and collaborators, set timelines and schedules, keep projects within budget, organize data in presentable formats, and routinely meet deadlines.

Although we may not view these mundane tasks as “skills” per se, in the broader picture, they ARE skills. Specifically, they are project management skills, and numerous companies higher project managers every day.

Thus, to be successful applicants in non-academic job searches, we must step back, critically analyze our skillsets, and identify how our skills could be applied in different scenarios.

For example, those interested in technology transfer should recognize that the back-and-forth process between companies and patent examiners is very similar to the peer review process necessary for publishing articles. Highlighting your abilities to accept criticism, reassess your document, improve it, and successfully resubmit it demonstrates that you do indeed have experience – and success – in this type of banter. If worded strategically, you would be a prime candidate for the tech transfer company to interview and possibly hire.

The key is describing these skills in profession-matched language so that your potential future employer “gets it” because if you phrase your skills in the most basic and simplistic manner, the deeper meaning is lost. For your skills to truly be “transferrable,” you must highlight exactly HOW your background gives you experience in the specific areas they are looking for.

Thus, as scientists conducting a non-academic career search, we need to rethink and reshape our skills such that employers see the value in hiring someone with transferrable skills who may not have directly relevant experience.

It’s about learning to sell yourself using the right marketing tools for a given audience, but don’t let the thought of selling yourself overwhelm you. Whether you realize it or not, you’re already a salesman – as a researcher, you regularly sell your data to various audiences to convince them that your conclusions are the most logical explanations. Just apply those same abilities to your resume and cover letter to sell the argument that you would be a great fit for the job based on the data you provide, i.e., the skills you highlight, which you have reshaped to demonstrate that you possess the needed attributes listed on the job posting.

Here are some examples of how to reshape your skills:

Written Communication Skills:

Basic Skill: You’ve published a few papers – one in Nature – and an invited review.

Reshaped Skill: Excellent written communication skills with the ability to cater the language to the target audience; published four primary research articles in top-tier journals, including Nature, for experts in the field and authored a solicited review of the literature for non-experts.

Oral Communication Skills:

Fact: You’ve given talks at conferences for which your abstract was selected from a large submission pool, and you’ve won a presentation award at an on-campus function.

Reshaped Skill: Excellent oral communication skills; gave award-winning presentations at local symposia and was selected from an applicant pool of 2,500+ to present at a/n inter/national conference.

An alternative example of (written/oral) communication skills:

Fact: You enacted change in a program.

Reshaped Skill: Excellent communication skills; successfully pitched amendments for the graduate program to the Executive Curriculum Board at [Institution] that are in effect today.

Project Management Skills:

Fact: You manage your research project, and you have collaborators and students working with you.

Reshaped Skill: Successfully managed a highly collaborative inter/national team of scientists, clinicians, statisticians, and students to identify genes mutated in specific cancers; pivotal findings will be/are published in top-tier journals.

Leadership Skills:

Fact: You were the President of a University group.

Reshaped Skill: Served as the President of the Postdoctoral Association at [Institution]; implemented numerous workshops to promote career development, increased membership by 27%, and secured funding for future events and programs.

Multitasking Skills:

Fact: You simultaneously manage your research project(s), those who work with you, your presentations, writing assignments, meetings, and deadlines.

Reshaped Skill: Excellent ability to multitask; simultaneously manage 2-3 different research projects, while also mentoring students, writing papers and grants, preparing presentations, attending conferences, and meeting strict deadlines.

These examples highlight how we can rethink our skills to demonstrate that, although we may not have direct experience in a given field, we certainly possess the skills necessary to adapt to a new setting quickly.

There are many more ways to reshape your basic skills into transferrable skills that many companies are seeking in job candidates, so step back, critically analyze your skillset, and find ways to re-envision and sell yourself – and your skills – in a non-academic setting.

** Critically analyze your skillset and share with us how you’ve reshaped your skills! **

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To begin exploring alternative career paths, first consider what aspects of research you find the most – and the least – enjoyable, and let these preferences guide your career search.

For example, if you love experimentation, troubleshooting, and making discoveries but hate writing up reports and/or presenting data, a Research Associate position at a pharmaceutical company would be a good fit for you. Many companies hire researchers to brainstorm and test new ideas, but they’ll often hire science writers to ultimately compose a publication or a press release. This divides the tasks, allowing you to focus your attention on the aspects of science and research that you enjoy most.

Alternatively, if you are easily frustrated with experimentation and troubleshooting but love writing up a finished project, a career in science/medical communications would be a perfect fit for you. Numerous communications companies help larger pharmaceutical companies strategically align their new products and tell their stories in publications, PowerPoint presentations, and marketing pamphlets. In this case, you would only be responsible for the final positioning of data that someone else acquired, allowing you to avoid the parts of science and research that you find most frustrating.

Identifying the specific activities that you enjoy can be challenging, especially if you haven’t given it much thought. Fortunately, there are free services available that can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Below are two different self-guided skills assessments that will identify your current skillset and help to define the types of careers for which you would be well suited.

1) Careerealism

Careerealism is company that helps job seekers find the perfect job fit by helping them identify their professional persona from the eight that they’ve defined: 1) the Mentor, 2) the Researcher, 3) the Warrior, 4) the Superconnector, 5) the Educator, 6) the Builder, 7) the Optimizer, and 8) the Visionary.

Each of these professional personas has different strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, they are not defined in the literal sense, i.e., an “Educator” isn’t necessarily a teacher/professor, but rather someone who excels at communicating information – in emails, documents, oral presentations, etc. For more details about each professional persona, visit their webpage.

As you go through the descriptions of the different personas, you may find that you relate to more than one type of persona. This is natural, as each of us possesses a variety of skills. The key is identifying which skills are your strongest.

Careerealism provides a quiz that can easily pinpoint which ones are our strong suits. With a short series of 20 “would you rather?” questions that takes less than a few minutes to complete, we can see a breakdown of where are preferences and tendencies lie. Take the quiz here.

Once you know your strengths, it will be much easier to identify ideal careers for you. For example, after taking the quiz, you may discover that you are indeed an Educator even if you’ve never thought of yourself as one. And let’s say that you are equal parts an Educator and a Visionary. Knowing this information may help you redirect your alternative career search, focusing more on leadership roles that require effective communication to get large groups of people to work together efficiently on long-term projects.

This service can certainly open your eyes to strengths you didn’t realize you had. You can then begin researching jobs that specifically require those skills or use Careerealism’s paid services to help you leverage your persona(s) to get your dream job.

Alternatively, you can use other free services to match your specific skills, not personas, to specific jobs.

2) Oystir

Oystir is company that will ask you to identify your skills as well as the degree to which you have mastered these skills, and based on your self-declared skillset and levels of proficiency, Oystir will generate a list of jobs that are seeking candidates with your qualifications.

To use the service, first create a free account and begin by selecting a category on the left, i.e., “Biology Skills.” Within each category, you’ll find different bubbles/circles with different topics. If you have experience with a given topic, i.e., “Bacterial Culture,” select that bubble. The next view will provide you with an opportunity to define your level of expertise with this particular skill. For example, 1) I have no/very limited experience, 2) I’ve learned the basics, 3) I have experience but need help, or 4) I execute complex experiments by myself. After selecting the most appropriate statement and clicking “Complete,” you’ve added this skill and skill level to your skillset.

In addition to experiment-based skills, Oystir also includes categories such as Business, Finance, Outreach, Writing, Teaching, Engineering, and Manufacturing to help you parlay your research skills into diverse, non-academic roles for which you may already posses some basic skills.

After completing the assessment, Oystir filters out jobs that meet your qualifications. By clicking on the “Job Matches” tab, you can see the long list of jobs that are seeking candidates with your specific expertise. Then, just click on the jobs that interest you to learn more, and either go straight to the application or save the job in your “Favorites” for later.

It’s that simple.

Although both Oystir and Careerealism provide similar assistance in terms of identifying your strengths and weaknesses, there are a few key differences.

1) The main difference is that Oystir uses specific skills to identify good job fits for you, whereas Careerealism works more in the abstract to describe features of a position that you should seek out. Depending on your personality, one may be better suited for your alternative career search than the other.

2) Oystir is specifically geared towards helping PhDs and other scientists make the transition from academia to non-academic positions, whereas Careerealism is a universal service for all job seekers regardless of their background.

3) Oystir is ultimately a database of jobs; thus, after completing the skills assessment, you can be matched to specific job listings, whereas Careerealism does not provide this additional application.

Despite their differences, both Careerealism and Oystir provide excellent services that can help researchers begin to explore alternative career paths by first identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Many individuals are often met with limited success when it comes to non-academic job searches mainly because they are applying for jobs that are not a great fit for them; thus, the employer is likely to choose a different candidate. Better prepare yourself by first performing an in-depth skills assessment and letting this assessment guide your alternative career search.

** Perform your own skills assessment and share what you learn about yourself! **

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Welcome to the 2015-2016 academic year!

Hopefully, everyone had a great summer and you’re ready to get back into the academic groove. With a fresh start to a new year, it’s the perfect time to do a little self-reflection, assess your current situation, and set new goals for the upcoming year. One way to accomplish this feat is by filling out/updating your Individual Development Plan.

Recently, the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD) and many universities have implemented the use of Individual Development Plans, or IDPs, to formally assess a trainee’s progress both in the lab and in terms of career development.

At some institutions, annual IDPs are required before reappointments and additional grants or funding can be awarded or utilized. As such, many researchers find IDPs to be somewhat of a nuisance; they’re just more paperwork that simply gets in the way of doing research.

However, given that the percentage of science trainees that ultimately secure tenure-track faculty positions is less than 15-20%, IDPs should be viewed as platforms that facilitate and jumpstart alternative career searches.

However, the training that graduate students and postdocs receive in academia does not prepare them for careers outside of traditional benchwork. To be successful in non-academic careers, trainees must explore and hone additional skillsets on their own time.

But what skills should each trainee seek out and develop? That depends on their interests, but many trainees are unaware of what interests them outside of the lab because they have never spent the time to truly reflect on what aspects of science and research they enjoy most.

This is where the IDP can help.

The IDP forces students and postdocs to begin thinking about these things early in their research careers. For many trainees, the realization that they most likely will not secure a tenure-track position comes too late, possibly at the end of a 5+ year span as a trainee. As they are applying for jobs, they may realize that they only have research-specific skillsets, which may leave them jobless if they cannot land a coveted faculty position – which is no easy feat in a densely packed field of highly qualified candidates all vying for the same few positions.

These trainees could have spent those 5+ years developing other skillsets on the side, which would have ensured a viable back-up plan when it came time to apply for jobs.

Without the forced exercise of sitting and reflecting on one’s progress, current skillset, interests, and desired skillsets, these alternative opportunities will be squandered. Thus, the IDP should be viewed as a tool for career success and job security, not just more paperwork.

Every IDP update should 1) identify accomplishments over the past year, 2) set short-term and long-term goals for one’s research and career development, 3) prioritize projects and identify any barriers that may hinder their progress, 4) provide constructive criticism in both directions (mentor and trainee), and 5) clarify expectations for the upcoming year regarding both research and career/skill-building goals and discuss any disagreements about these perceived goals.

For example, one topic that could arise in an annual IDP meeting between a mentor and a trainee is that the trainee needs to develop better writing skills. These would be valuable for both academic and non-academic positions later in the trainee’s career. Writing is critical for securing grants, publishing papers, and submitting abstracts/securing speaking positions at conferences in academia. Additionally, excellent writing skills can be carried over into a career in Medical Communications, Editing and Publishing at the editorial level, and a number of other non-academic professions that require writing skills in order to compose cohesive and logical arguments on behalf of a particular company.

In this scenario, the IDP meeting may conclude by deciding that the trainee should enroll in a university-sponsored science communication and/or writing class to develop and hone these skills. Alternatively, the mentor may suggest that the trainee begin putting together an application for a grant or fellowship to get experience writing up their preliminary data in a logical and easy-to-follow manner.

Identifying gaps and making plans to develop additional skills is vital and essential for both the trainee’s current and future positions, inside and outside of academia; thus, the IDP meeting benefits both the mentor and the trainee.

Additionally, the IDP update should serve as an opportunity for the trainee to identify any interests or areas of the scientific process that they are passionate about.

Without the IDP and the forced self-reflection that accompanies the exercise of filling out an IDP, these opportunities to begin developing necessary skills early is sure to be missed, which will only lead to desperation when it comes time to apply for jobs.

Moreover, some trainees may be forced out of their current positions earlier than expected due to funding crises. Then what? If you develop additional skills early, you will always be prepared, and to develop skills early, you must first identify the gaps. That’s what the IDP helps to define, so take advantage of it!

Resources:

If your institution does not require yearly IDP updates or meetings between you and your mentor, there are still ways for you to independently take a proactive approach to assessing your skills, identifying technical gaps, and taking appropriate actions to fill these gaps.

1) Science Careers provides a free service, known as myIDP, to help students and postdocs identify their strengths and weaknesses, set training goals, and stay on track. Although some people may shy away from self-guided programs due to the discipline required to keep up with them, this free electronic service overcomes this potential setback by sending you monthly reminders to keep you accountable to your goals and help you stay on track.

2) The National Postdoctoral Association also provides a series of Core Competencies – with a checklist – that can help postdocs (and students!) identify gaps in their skillsets, seek out relevant training opportunities, and ultimately leverage their training into alternative careers.

3) Finally, if the thought of leaving academia after years of research upsets you, there are ways to advance your research-specific career now using similar IDP-like approaches to identify gaps and develop core skills that will be necessary to make you a competitive candidate in the academic job market. Vitae provides a service known as the Researcher Development Framework to help researchers improve their skills and master aspects of research that extend beyond the benchtop. There is a free trial option for the service, so if research is where you know you want to be, invest in yourself and give this service a try – it’s a competitive world out there!

In summary, if you are required to fill out and update an IDP regularly, don’t just view it as more paperwork that you merely have to get through. Take advantage of the opportunity to reflect on your accomplishments, skills, and goals to better prepare yourself for the job market, whether it be the academic or non-academic job market. The earlier you begin developing additional skills and preparing yourself for a variety of careers, the more successful you will be at the conclusion of your training period. And with a slew of resources available to you to help you accomplish these goals, there’s no reason to delay investing in yourself, so take a moment, perform a critical self-assessment, and start the new year off on the right foot!

** Take the IDP self-assessment and let us know how you plan to extend your skillset! **

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