There’s a decrease in the number of people knowing about learned societies, says Sarah Blackford at the 2015 London Naturejobs Career Expo.
Sarah Blackford is the Head of Education & Public Affairs at the Society for Experimental Biology. Here she answers a question from the 2015 London Naturejobs Career Expo on the decreasing interest in learned societies.
Simon Hazelwood-Smith reports on Sarah Blackford’s Top Tips for a job winning CV at the 2014 Naturejobs Career Expo in London.
Contributor Simon Hazelwood-Smith
What is the purpose of a curriculum vitae, or CV? One obvious answer that it is a document that helps a job applicant to get through the initial candidate-selection process and into an interview. But how do you make sure that your CV gives you the highest chance of selection by an employer? And should you change your CV when applying for different types of science-related positions?
Answering these and other questions in the final talk of the day at Naturejobs Career Expo on 19 September in London, UK, was Sarah Blackford, a careers adviser at the Society for Experimental Biology in the UK. With 15 years of experience in scientific-careers advice, Blackford is an indubitable expert in the field. She says that you can employ some simple and straightforward tactics to improve your CV.
Almost all employers look for evidence in a CV of certain candidate attributes. Communication skills are essential for effective teamwork, and enthusiasm and a good attitude are important for showing that you would easily fit in to the organization where you are applying.
Applicants must be careful to target their CV to the job advert. An excellent way to do this is to go through job adverts and highlight the skills that the employer is seeking. But it is not enough to just state that you have the skills and attributes listed in the job description. Your CV should provide evidence that your skills match the position’s requirements. Continue reading →
Sarah Blackford, academic and science career specialist, shows that bioscience researchers and PhD students have opportunities in many different roles outside of academia.
Contributor Sarah Blackford
Thanks to everyone who voted – I’m not surprised that this was the highest scoring question. I’ll also incorporate a little bit about how to prepare and where to look, since these questions came a close second and third.
Here is a list of career areas which I present in my career workshops with PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Researchers in scientific disciplines other the biosciences may also be able to see careers on this list of relevance and interest to them.The careers are ordered so that those at the top of the list are the closest and most familiar to PhD-qualified graduates and researchers.
Academic Research (universities, research institutes, government)
Research in industry/business (technology companies, bioindustry, food technology, policy think tanks, media)
Teaching (university, colleges, schools)
Scientific services (advisory, sales, data management, technical specialist)
This new series on the Naturejobs blog, called Ask the expert, is an opportunity for you, our readers, to chose what questions our experts answer. We’re still easing them in slowly, so this time they’ll still be given some questions.
{credit}Image courtesy: Sarah Blackford{/credit}
Meet our expert for this month: Sarah Blackford, Head of Education & Public Affairs at the Society for Experimental Biology.
What is your scientific background?
My scientific background is way back in the past, when I worked for three years at York University investigating calcium uptake in plants. Practical lab work was not for me; my specialities were more aligned with presenting data, designing posters, negotiating for equipment from other research groups and organising departmental socials. My communication and creative skills led me on to a 5-year career in scientific publishing as assistant editor at the Journal of Experimental Botany.
Why did you decide to take on the role you have now?
Whist working as assistant editor, I was based at Southampton University, where I took the opportunity to spend some of my spare time volunteering at the Careers Service. I enjoyed helping students and researching employers and careers information. When my job relocated to Lancaster University, I was offered a post as a Careers Adviser there and, subsequently, at Leeds University. After three years, I returned to Lancaster to set up the Society for Experimental Biology’s Education & Public Affairs office. My current role involves doing a variety of tasks such as science communication, management and supporting the career development of early career researchers and PhD students.
How do you want to help scientists in their careers?
I have had over 10 years’ experience in my role as academic and science career specialist, and have formalised this with a master’s in career education and guidance (Warwick University), as well as publishing a book entitled Career planning for research bioscientists. Therefore, I hope to be able to offer a breadth of support for scientists, encompassing most aspects of their career development and management, from personal and professional through to practical and transitional.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
Working for the Society for Experimental Biology means I’m not restricted to supporting researchers in only one institution, so mobility is a big part of my work. This year I’ve delivered workshops and one-to-one career guidance in 20 different institutions and at three international conferences in 8 countries. Being a tea lover, I always take time out to try out one or two local cafés and tea shops when I’m in town. So far, top of my list are Gottingen, Germany and Portland, Oregon!
Sarah’s got such a vast experience in bioscience careers, so here are some bioscience questions for her. Vote in the poll to decide which one she will answer in November!
