This month’s Naturejobs Expert is Barry O’Brien from PhD Career Link in Sweden. Say hello!
What is your scientific background?
I’m a marketing man. My flirtation with scientific lab work ended with GCSE Biology as a 16 year old, but I admire the dedication of the people I work with and find it frustrating that these super intelligent people are not getting enough opportunities to use their talents.
Why did you decide to leave academia?
I was presented with the opportunity of taking a job at a large UK Insurance firm, so I left before completing my undergrad studies.
Why did you decide to start PhD Career Link?
I saw that scientists in Sweden were really struggling to understand how to market themselves to recruiters, so decided to share my expertise using a range of services.
How do you want to help scientists in their careers?
We live in a digital world and that’s where the recruiters are hanging out. Many scientists are still living in an analogue world. My aim is to show them why tools such as LinkedIn and Meetup are essential for networking and marketing their uniqueness or ‘personal brand’.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I am a collector of vintage Nike sportswear – 1980s mainly!
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