What should you get from being a postdoc?

And what should you look for when finding a postdoc position?

By David Bogle

You are coming towards the end of your PhD – so what next? There are many options open to you; one obvious one is to apply for a postdoc position. You should think carefully about what you want to do and not just pursue this through inertia. I have supervised many engineering PhDs and some postdocs in my 32 years as an academic. As Head of University College London’s Doctoral School, I oversee the environment and policy for 6000 doctoral candidates and 3200 postdocs.

Many can find good reasons to do a postdoc. {credit} Guy H/ Flickr CC-BY-2.0 {credit}

Continue reading

The Naturejobs Career Expo – some secrets to scientific success

Naturejobs journalism competition winner Eileen Parkes

Over one thousand scientists attended the Naturejobs Career Expo last week in London. With professional CV checking, exhibitors from academic institutions and companies from around the world, and career-focused talks from Nobel Prize winner Professor Venki Ramakrishnan, science communication expert David Urry, popular blogger and senior lecturer Dr John Tregoning and many more, this was a resource-packed event for researchers.

Spending the day absorbing so much great careers advice left me feeling punch-drunk by the end.  Some themes cropped up repeatedly — distilled wisdom on scientific success.

Some of the submissions to the Naturejobs Career Expo photoboth

Some of the submissions to the Naturejobs Career Expo photoboth

Continue reading

The Naturejobs journalism competition, London, 2017

Enter for a chance to work as a Nature journalist for the day!

NJCE (London) NoDate

We’re launching our annual journalism competition, to cover our flagship career fair in London on October 4th, 2017. Continue reading

Researcher mobility in a post-Brexit world

flag-of-the-united-kingdom-smaller

Existing UK immigration rules can support foreign-born researcher movement after Brexit, but the attractiveness of the UK research environment may still keep the best and brightest away, says Erica Brockmeier

Whether you’re relocating around the block, across town, or to a completely new city, moving is not a trivial task. For many PhD students and early career researchers, moving to a new research group can play a key role in professional development. It’s a way to gain new perspectives for your research, expand your professional network, and to work in a prestigious or well-known group in your field. Sometimes the best move for your career isn’t just across towns or cities, but is one that involves moving away from your home country, either temporarily or permanently.

Continue reading

How do I get money for my academic idea?

Speakers in the funding sphere explain the best way to find funding at the Naturejobs Career Expo, London, 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaEKtx-OfaU

Continue reading

How useful is an MBA?

Speakers from industry at the Naturejobs Career Expo, London, 2016, discuss the advantages an MBA and other qualifications bring to your career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKOadartwHs

Continue reading

From start-ups to big pharma – how to get into industry

Early career researchers are increasingly faced with the prospect of leaving academia, but is industry the right career move for you?

Naturejobs journalism competition winner Rachel Harris reports.

It can become easy to believe that skills developed during a PhD are suited only to academia, so it’s always refreshing to learn about the value of doctoral training in other settings. I went to the Naturejobs Career Expo London 2016 to see what else I could use my skills for.

RachelHarris

Rachel Harris

Continue reading

Is there an age limit to moving into industry?

Pauline Williams of GSK discusses the ‘age limit’ to making a move out of academia at the Naturejobs Career Expo, London, 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqvEyCreVQA

Continue reading