‘“Path to Career” Resources’
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...
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...
Illegal Interview Questions – What They Are and How to Handle Them
Jun. 12, 2014—“Illegal Interview Questions – What They Are and How to Handle Them,” NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education, OITE Careers Blog “In the United States, federal and state laws prohibit prospective employers from asking certain questions that are not related to the job for which they are hiring; however, most interviewers are not deliberately trying...
Master list of federally funded R&D centers
Jun. 4, 2014—One of the speaker’s at the 2014 Annual Career Symposium, Dr. Morell-Falvey, is a scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In her Symposium presentation and the break-out sessions, Dr. Morell-Falvey highlighted the many ways that her career is similar to scientific careers in academia. She manages research projects and research facilities. Through an affiliation with...
Insider Higher Ed: Spousal Hire Realities
Jun. 4, 2014—Spousal Hire Realities, by Scott Jaschik, for Inside Higher Ed “As a grad student, I never gave a moment of thought to being a spousal hire. Like so many grad students in top-20 departments, especially pre-recession, I thought that I had somehow earned an offer of a tenure-track position somewhere with a 2-2 courseload because...
LinkedIn introduction requests: what NOT to do
May. 6, 2014—LinkedIn is a very powerful tool in your professional toolbox. One of LinkedIn’s most valuable features is that it helps you visualize who you know that knows someone you want to know. (Got that?) Let’s say you applied for a job with XYZ company, and LinkedIn shows you that one of your 1st degree connections...