‘“Path to Career” Resources’
Use VersatilePhD to learn more about careers
Nov. 19, 2014—Thanksgiving weekend, why not dedicate a couple hours to learn about nonacademic careers and open your mind to some new possibilities? The PhD Career Finder is an excellent tool for that. Everyone can read about a wide variety of good careers for PhDs. Those at subscribing institutions get to read the “How to Break In”...
Sample NRSA Fellowship application now available from NIAID
Sep. 23, 2014—The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) now has a sample NRSA fellowship application and accompanying summary statement available on their website. If you’re writing an individual F30, F31, or F32 pre- or postdoctoral NRSA application, it’s helpful to see examples of successful applications. Ideally, you would read a specific example of the...
PhD Jobs: How To Transition From Academia Into Business
Sep. 17, 2014—“I sent resumes to over 200 companies during my last year of graduate school and heard back from exactly zero of them. It was embarrassing. And confusing. I guess I just assumed that big corporations would fall all over themselves trying to hire me once I had a PhD. Not so much. Getting my PhD turned...
Financial Wellness highlighted in recent GradLEAF newsletter
Sep. 14, 2014—Thanks to the most recent GradLEAF newsletter, the following resources contain tips on enhancing your knowledge about financial management and wellness. Borrowing Money Grad School Debt is Said to Rise Rapidly and Deserve More Policy Attention (Chronicle of Higher Education): A summary of findings from the New America Foundation Financial Planning Tools: The following...
5 Most Promising Biotech Jobs By 2022
Jul. 10, 2014—In this recent article from BioSpace, Angelina Rose explains the 5 most promising biotech positions by 2022: Biomedical Engineer, Biostatistician, Biochemists and Biophysicists, Nuclear Technicians, and Medical Scientist. “Foretelling the future of the American workforce is difficult—unless you’re a psychic with a crystal ball. The rest of us must rely on an array of data if we want to predict where the best...
Two Part Series on Industry Interviews
Jul. 7, 2014—In this recent article for ScienceCareers, recruiter Dave Jensen presents Views on an Interview, a two-part summary of a “typical” job interview for a biotech company. In Part 1, the job candidate tackles HR interviews, a job talk, lunch, and unanticipated interview questions. In Part 2, an individual interview turns into a panel interview and the day ends with a surprise...
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...