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Blogging about your own research and science could help set you apart from others when applying for a job.
Contributor James Hadfield
The impact of social media on our lives is undeniable, most people have heard of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Blogging even if they do not actively participate. And although the impact of these media on science is still a matter of debate, their increasing use, i.e. blog commentary of journals, and non-traditional metrics (altmetrics) to assess scientific impact, does appear to be changing the way we work. Blogging about your science can be part of this non-traditional commentary and can also add something to differentiate your CV from the pile.
A scientific blog does not have to be anything more than a way for you to organise your thoughts. One of the most interesting examples (at least I think so) of how a blog can be used in a research group is by the Redfield lab. The group blogs about its projects and plans, as well as presenting experimental results and is a very open-access operation.
Like many other researchers, I started my blog (core-genomics.blogspot.co.uk) as a way to get more writing experience. I manage a genomics core facility lab at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and wanted to do more technical writing, a blog seemed an easy way in. I set myself the challenge of writing two or three posts a month and I hoped a few people would find it interesting. Three years on and my technical writing probably hasn’t improved as much as I’d hoped, but then again my Blog is not a technical one. I’ve managed to keep up the pace but have suffered from writers block and having too much else to do. However it has been incredibly rewarding to see large numbers of people reading what I have to say. And even more so are the comments I get on the blog, at meetings or conferences, although no-one’s bought me a beer because of my blog – yet! Continue reading →
January is almost over and spring is almost upon us (or at least for some of us it might be…).
Whilst you’re waiting, why not catch up on the most popular reads of January 2015, as judged by you, our readers??
How to procrastinate effectively (if you cannot stop) is a great piece by Daisy Hessenberger. She has been spending a lot of time writing up her PhD thesis… but this also means she’s spent a lot of time procrastinating. In this article she explains how she used that time effectively, and how you might too!
Going from academia to industry is a big transition, and to make sure that you get off to a good start, having an industry-ready CV will help. Carol Spenceley, a careers advisor at Surrey University, shares her top tips for academics on preparing an industry CV in Don’t panic! How to make your CV look its best.
We wanted to know what you, our readers, thought of the proposals that Theresa May put forward to the UK parliament towards the end of last year. Here’s some more info: Train ’em up and kick ’em out
We’re celebrating all transitional things this year: whether you’ve got a new postdoc position or a new job. If you’ve moved jobs down the corridor or are crossing an ocean for a new opportunity, we want to hear about it! We’re celebrating Scientists on the move!
Take control of your own career by doing some self-reflection and going to informational interviews.
At the end of 2014, we set our Naturejobs podcast listeners, especially the PhD students, a challenge: Take control of your own careers.
Earlier this month I attended a one day careers conference in Edinburgh called Beyond the Ivory Towers, where 7 speakers took to the stage to share their transitions from academia into “other”. The “other” included law, entrepreneurship, research in industry, tech transfer, public engagement, clinical science, publishing, and more. What struck me about each of these speakers is that from the outside, it looked as though their careers had been perfectly planned from the day they started at a university. This was definitely not the case. Each speaker had their own challenges to face, from the expected (no more funding) to the unexpected (becoming allergic to rubber gloves).
Transitions are never easy, but there are things you can do to make them smoother. In this podcast I’m joined by two of the speakers, each one taking a different approach to tackling their transitions from academia into “other”
Elizabeth Fairley from EFB Services took an outward approach: find out what she needed to do to become successful in her chosen career in industry. This included going out and speaking to industry professionals who could give her insight into what her future career might look like and what she would need to do to make it.
Phill Jones from Digital Science took the inward approach: determine what skills I learned by self-reflection so that I can market them and sell them to industry. This included analysing what he had done whilst in academia, not just the technical stuff, and learning to convey it in an appropriate way.
Alaina Levine{credit}Image credit: Steven R. McCaw, Image Associates, Inc.{/credit}
Meet Alaina Levine, founder of Quantum Success Solutions and author of Networking for Nerds, this months’ Naturejobs expert. Vote for the question you would like her to answer below!
What is your scientific background?
I studied astronomy and physics before I was seduced by the dark side and got a bachelors degree in mathematics. I also have a bachelors degree in anthropology, both of which I received from the University of Arizona (UA). As an undergraduate, I conducted cosmology research under a NASA Space Grant Internship and self-directed a project on Ancient Egyptian number theory, cryptography, and religion.
Why did you decide to leave academia?
Although I love science, I realised as an undergrad that I do not enjoy conducting scientific research. My true passions lie in science communication, writing, and speaking, comedy, and helping scientists and engineers advance in their careers. So when I graduated, I applied for and got my first job as Director of Communications for the UA Physics Department. It was a dream position that combined all of my loves and put me on the path I am on now. Continue reading →
A treatment plan for academic researchers on how to create a fabulous CV.
Contributor Carol Spencely
In my roles in researcher support and development at the University of Surrey and Imperial College London, I have seen hundreds of CVs. I have met amazing researchers with brains the size of planets working on fabulous projects, but when it comes to preparing a CV, all brain activity seems to freeze and panic sets in. From working with researchers at the Naturejobs Careers Expo and from other institutions, this condition is not confined to Surrey and Imperial; so, here are my suggestions for a treatment plan:
1- “Don’t panic!” As per Douglas Adams’ words from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
2- Communicate clearly.There is no big secret; to produce an effective CV you need to communicate clearly and concisely (with evidence) about your skills, achievements, qualifications and experience. This means that your CV is not just about the details of your research project. Continue reading →
Lauren Celano offers advice on how to identify and research smaller companies that can offer growth opportunities and a variety of skills.
Contributor Lauren Celano
It’s easy to identify large companies in an area of interest, as they work hard to build strong brand recognition and awareness. But how do you identify the small and stealth-mode companies working in your field? Since these companies can provide tremendous growth opportunities and a chance for you to develop a variety of skills, it is important to include them in your target list during your career search. Below are a few suggestions on how to identify these companies and jump-start your search.
Scientific Conferences & meetings
Scientific conferences and meetings provide a wealth of information regarding research in a particular field and the organizations working in and/or supporting the area. Often, conferences and meetings have a website to profile the meeting and highlight the speakers, poster presenters, exhibitors and sponsors. Continue reading →
Five tips on completing a post graduate degree from a mother who took on a PhD after staying at home for 6 years.
Contributor Anne Priestly
To be honest, I wasn’t 100% sure getting a PhD was the right choice for me. I still wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do for a career. But then the opportunity came along that gave me the chance to pursue a postgraduate degree in biology and I couldn’t pass it up.
I was 30 years old and I already held a master’s degree in environmental science. I also had two wonderful kids and was fully involved in raising them.
My youngest child had started primary school a few weeks before and there I was at an induction session for new postgraduates. That’s right, starting a PhD when I was already busy (and sometimes overwhelmed) raising a family. I had been an at-home mom for almost six years and it felt strange to be standing there with a bunch of students fresh out of university. But it also felt like it was the right time for me to take some steps to reach my own career goals. Continue reading →
It’s not the “be-all-and-end-all”, but it can be useful in terms of building a network and getting work experience.
The career paths in science communication panel at the 2014 London Naturejobs Career Expo was chaired by the Naturejobs editor, Julie Gould, who was joined by Greg Foot (Freelance), Jonathan Sanderson (StoryCog), Steven Palmer (Cancer Research UK) and Celeste Biever (Chief editor for online Nature news & comment).
I did the Imperial College Science Communication masters degree and found it extremely beneficial in terms of developing a network. Greg Foot (one of the panelists and a fellow alumnus of the Imperial course) was one of the speakers that came to speak on the course to give an insight into what it’s like to be a science communicator.
Foot found the course useful with respect to finding work experience: “My first job, after the presenting bit, was straight off the back of that.” It also gives you skills that you might not have acquired in the past, “but whether you need to go and spend a lot of money on a masters course to do that, is a debatable thing.”
“Science communication is so open, you can just go and do it. Start now. Blog some bits. Make some little films – it’s so easy to do with your phone…. Just give it a go, chuck it out there, see how it lands, see what people think.”
Jonathan Sanderson makes the case that there are many masters courses and some will fit some people better than others. “I didn’t do any of them and I have no regrets.” He suggests some UK-based courses and why they might be useful:
Imperial College Science Communication MSc: offers a good grounding in the history and philosophy of science, and communication theory and practice. It focuses quite heavily on journalism and the media.
Celeste Biever didn’t do a science-specific communication course, something she considers a benefit. “I think of myself as a journalist. Science is interesting, and it’s a part of human endeavour, but you don’t have political communicators or entertainment communicators. It’s just things people do, and science is one of those things.” In general, a course isn’t necessary, she says, but it helps.
From an employer’s perspective, Steve Palmer says having a science communication masters degree isn’t the be-all-and-end-all. Cancer Research UK offers internships during the summer break when students can get their hands on some media experience “and get a feel of what it’s like working in that kind of environment.” When looking at CVs, he doesn’t just pick out the ones with a science communication masters degree. “We’ve hired people who have been theatre directors, we’ve hired people who have been journalists on the Express for 22 years. You have to be able to tell the story. And if you can show me that, I’m happy.”
Sanderson suggests that any one looking at a science communication course might also want to look at a teaching qualification, depending on the audience you are looking to serve.
Plans for non-EU graduate students to leave the UK, once their courses and visas have expired, have been halted.
In December 2014, Theresa May, the UK home secretary, proposed plans for “zero net student immigration” in the UK, arguing that this would be part of a fair immigration policy. The plans (initially set out in the Conservative Party Manifesto of 2010) stated that any non-EU student at a UK university would be required to leave the UK, immediately upon completion of their degree. Any universities and institutions failing to enforce this policy would be penalised.
The current rules stipulate that students have 4 months after graduation to apply for a graduate job that pays £24,000 per year. This looks set to remain the case for the time being, but it is unclear whether May’s plans have been buried completely or if they’ve just been delayed. Clearly this is a complex set of issues at a time when governments, on one hand, are being forced to control immigration to control public spending, and on the other hand recognise the need to import talent that not only supports the higher education “industry”, whose research-based innovation could drive economic growth.
We’re interested to hear from the Naturejobs readers about the potential impacts of this policy. So, please vote in our poll to let us know if you think this policy should go through and in the comments, please provide your reasons and answers to the questions below:
Are you a non-EU student in the UK? What was your experience of applying for a job here? Would a proposal like this make you think twice?
Are you a non-EU student thinking of coming to study in the UK? How would this proposal affect you?
Are you an existing UK or EU student studying in the UK? What do you think about this proposal?
Building bridges between the clinic and the lab has been Paul-Peter Tak’s main mission throughout his career.
{credit}Image credit: GSK{/credit}
What is your academic, research background?
My background is a mix of clinical medicine and research: two subjects that I think go hand-in-hand. Having a medical degree and a PhD gave me a strong position from which to build a career that spans these two fields.
During my medical training, I got more interested in research, and how to bridge that gap between clinical medicine and basic science. That gave me a springboard from which to get involved in translational science in immunology, rheumatology and geriatrics.
This translational approach has been the basis of my career ever since, which involved a spell doing research in the US and more than a decade at the Academic Medical Centre/University of Amsterdam – where I became Professor of Medicine and Chair of the Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology; and was proud to be elected ‘Toparts’, the best rheumatologist in the Netherlands according to my peers. Continue reading →
