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Job Posting: Freelance Commentary Editor
Jul. 2, 2014—Freelance Commentary Editor mBio® has a position available for a Freelance Commentary Editor to help us grow feature commentary content in the area of microbiology. mBio®, ASM’s first broad-scope, online-only, open access journal, offers streamlined review and publication of the best research in microbiology and allied fields. mBio® publishes high-quality papers in all areas of...
View 2014 Annual Career Symposium presentations again!
Jul. 1, 2014—Did you miss the 2014 Career Symposium? You can still watch the presentations! Please follow the School of Medicine Media Site link to watch the presentations of the 2014 Annual Career Symposium. Watch the following speaker presentations: Dr. Shari Barkin, M.D., William K. Warren Foundation Chair in Medicine, Marian Wright Edelman Professor of Pediatrics, and Director of Pediatric Obesity Research...
NIH Strategic Plan for Biomedical and Behavioral Training
Jul. 1, 2014—In 2011, The National Institute for General Medical Sciences published their Strategic Plan for Biomedical and Behavioral Research Training. A sampling of action items: Strongly encourage the use of individual development plans (IDPs) on all NIGMS-sponsored training and research awards. Require that all postdoctoral positions supported by NIGMS funds have IDPs that include a well-considered end-of-training target. Promote the importance of...
Virtual Student Foreign Service
Jun. 30, 2014—To see the original information on the US Department of State site, please follow this link. The Virtual Student Foreign Service is part of a growing effort by the State Department to harness technology and a commitment to global service among young people to facilitate new forms of diplomatic engagement. Working from college and university...
Web Presentations about McKinsey & Company consulting firm
Jun. 30, 2014—A recruiter from the management consultant firm McKinsey & Company shared this information with us. Even if you are not specifically interested in McKinsey as a future employer, these web presentations are a good way to learn more about consulting as a career field. Please find all the information below. When reviewing their website, note...
Use Spreadsheets to Keep Your Job Search Organized
Jun. 30, 2014—Spreadsheets are great for analyzing data, making lists, and sorting large amounts of information. But spreadsheets are also a wonderful resource for your job search. Excel — or even a Google shared spreadsheet — offers a multi-tabbed document option where you can store all aspects of your job search. Use one tab to gather deadlines and other applications of interest....
How to Make Your Resume Look More Attractive to Employers
Jun. 27, 2014—Your resume is a bit like your wardrobe… it is what makes your first impression! Depending on where you may be going, you change it to fit the occasion. Would you wear pajamas to a wedding? Or a tuxedo to a football game? Of course not. Nor should you submit a full academic CV to an industry...
How Stereotypes Can Drive Women to Quit Science
Jun. 27, 2014—National Public Radio examined the gender gap in STEM fields in their recent All Things Considered story, How Stereotypes Can Drive Women to Quit Science.
Preparing for a Job Interview
Jun. 26, 2014—Preparing for job interviews can be tough. Researching the company and the job, writing out possible interview questions and answers, and practicing with a friend are all great ways to prepare for the interview(s). The Chronicle of Higher Education has two great recent articles to read through before jumping into the interview process. The...
6 Mistakes to Avoid Making With Your LinkedIn Profile
Jun. 26, 2014—LinkedIn is not just another social media time waster… it is the online, go-to place to represent your professional profile. Recruiters, hiring managers, and career service professionals are all using LinkedIn in a serious way. Here is a great article on 6 Mistakes to Avoid Making With Your LinkedIn Profile. The BRET Office of Career Development...
gradLEAF
Jun. 26, 2014—Developed by the Vanderbilt University Graduate School, gradLEAF was created by pooling together all available professional development resources for graduate students at Vanderbilt University. This project is run out of the Peabody Office of Professional and Graduate Education (POPGE) and led by Dr. Craig Anne Heflinger, Associate Dean for Graduate Students. gradLEAF is designed to be a...
Landing Your First Academic Job
Jun. 26, 2014—Follow the series at Inside Higher Ed about landing “Your First Academic Job” by William Helmreich. The first article in the series gives helpful insights on 14 ways to get the interview, and the second article highlights how to excel in the interview. Be sure to follow the article for more advice on your academic job search.
What’s the Secret to Getting Grants?
Jun. 25, 2014—What is the secret to getting grants? Cutting edge science and collaborative projects both play a role, not to mention luck. This article from The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights more.
Tips on How to Improve Email Communication
Jun. 24, 2014—For goodness sake, please stop with the subject line of “Question.” A majority of our communication is done over email, but surprisingly, we’re not that great at it! The GradHacker blog through Inside Higher Ed gives, “7 Tips for Writing Better Emails.” The tips are good reminders as well as new insights on how to make email communication concise,...
Polite Persistence
Jun. 24, 2014—At a recent CV/Resume Drop-In Clinic, a postdoc asked us about the correct procedure for following up with an alumnus who had agreed to look at his resume. The postdoc felt the in-person interaction was worthwhile, but the alumnus had not responded to the email. Should he email again if he doesn’t hear anything? “Polite...
How to Get the Most out of a Scientific Conference
Jun. 24, 2014—During your scientific conference or the BRET Career Symposium you wrote a bunch of notes in the program, heard some interesting advice, and maybe even made some connections. But now what? This is a great time to make some plans! Write out four different goals that you hope to achieve and when you hope to achieve...
Teaching at a Community College
Jun. 24, 2014—One career option that many trainees may not think about includes teaching at a community college. In fact, it is a viable career path, and the The Chronicle of Higher Education explains why in the following article. Here is a snippet from the article: “It’s a different career path from that of a researcher. But it...
Time Management Skills
Jun. 23, 2014—It seems, especially in the fall semester of the academic year, there are numerous new seminars, classes, and opportunities that are just too good to pass up. The programs usually have a lot to offer in terms of learning, self-assessment, and – let’s be honest – free snacks! While taking advantage of all the awesome...
Journal Editors Get Twitter-Savy
Jun. 21, 2014—Journal editors… on Twitter? Check out this interesting article onScienceCareers that discusses the challenges and changing roles of science journal editors aligning with social media, specifically an unlikely source: Twitter.
“Essential Steps to Conducting an Informational Interview”
Jun. 20, 2014—Our career development colleagues at the Georgia Tech Center for Career Discovery and Development have a great online resource on the “essential steps to conducting an informational interview.” Their list is very informative, including how to locate contacts, the steps to make an appointment, examples of what to say during an initial contact, the actual...