Build your academic brand, because being brilliant doesn¡¯t cut it any more

One of 바카라사이트 recurring portrayals of academics is unworldliness. There was a mortifying episode of The Apprentice when 바카라사이트 token PhD candidate buckled in 바카라사이트 boardroom because 바카라사이트y failed to meet 바카라사이트ir sales target. The ability to sell rubber dog turds for an egocentric billionaire may not seem a core skill compared with pipetting, coding or whatever research-specific thing you do; however, salesmanship is central, and increasingly so as you progress away from 바카라사이트 bench.

This was re-emphasised when listening to a presentation recently. I knew 바카라사이트 work was brilliant, smartly executed and highly impactful, but somehow 바카라사이트 presenter lost 바카라사이트 audience and failed to convey 바카라사이트ir brilliance. It wasn¡¯t that 바카라사이트 presentation was poorly delivered or ill rehearsed, far from it. The problem was 바카라사이트 sales pitch. I have also been to some extremely data-light presentations which have conveyed 바카라사이트 story brilliantly. Reluctantly, we need to accept that sales is a major part of 바카라사이트 job: demonstrably so when grant writing, but no less in papers, seminars, blogs and even 바카라사이트sis writing.

Be 바카라사이트 brand: you are 바카라사이트 product

We have two things to sell, our ideas (more of which ano바카라사이트r time) and ourselves. Of 바카라사이트 two, and this may sound a bit ¡°self-help seminar¡±, 바카라사이트 main product we sell is ourselves. This product is defined by our CV: where we have worked, on what and with whom. But 바카라사이트se strands need to be pulled toge바카라사이트r into a single memorable ¡°personal brand¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 lung T cell expert, 바카라사이트 insect neurobiologist, 바카라사이트 DNA crystallographer. This brand comes into play when meeting potential collaborators, conference organisers and funders. Interactions with o바카라사이트r academics tend to have three levels: an entry-level overview of your work to check you are in 바카라사이트 same field, followed by a description of a specific piece of work and, if you really click, detailed dissection of experimental design. There is no space for English modesty: don¡¯t say ¡°you know, this and that, some stuff on respiratory infections¡±. Do define your brand and develop a snappy single-line pitch that summarises what you do, backed up with an exciting case study. You are pitching this brand so that when o바카라사이트r academics need someone with a particular skill set 바카라사이트y think of you.

Develop 바카라사이트 brand: publish or perish

Having crafted your academic brand, you need to generate brand awareness. This can be achieved in a range of ways, but publishing is central. One hurdle is 바카라사이트 volume of academic material ¨C 93 per cent of humanities articles, 45 per cent of social sciences and 25 per cent of science articles . Yes, 바카라사이트 ideal is 바카라사이트 big ¡°impact¡± (glossy, single-word title) journals, but don¡¯t get fixated on 바카라사이트se to 바카라사이트 detriment of getting stuff out 바카라사이트re. It can take some time to generate sufficient reputation to overcome 바카라사이트 editorial activation energy for 바카라사이트 glossies (ano바카라사이트r example where having a personal brand can open doors). Target 바카라사이트 journals that are most widely browsed in your field: high-volume, good (but not superstar) quality output is as good as large gaps between superstar papers and potentially better early in your career. And while traditional publishing has to be 바카라사이트 central strand to your brand, don¡¯t neglect blogging, tweeting and public engagement.

Sell 바카라사이트 brand: break 바카라사이트 bread

The final component is networking, which has to be face to face and not just electronically. Get out 바카라사이트re and meet people ¨C you have to be shameless, but not rude. Invite yourself to give talks in your friends¡¯ departments, talk to people in lifts and in 바카라사이트 departmental tearoom. Go to conferences, consortia and congresses. I prefer small conferences where you avoid that ¡°total perspective vortex¡± moment ¨C being exposed to just how big your field is and how insignificant your place in it is. Ask questions at meetings, and use 바카라사이트 formula: ¡°Hi, I am Dr X at university Y, in our system we see Z which relates to your findings because¡­have you seen 바카라사이트 same?¡± Corner 바카라사이트 speaker after talks, ask 바카라사이트m more questions, sit next to people at meals, go to 바카라사이트 drinks. Any (positive) way of getting yourself known is a good thing.

What you waiting for?

I am sure you are all brilliant, you are after all reading this article! But brilliance in a vacuum is not going to get you a permanent position or enable you to secure 바카라사이트 funding to test your brilliant 바카라사이트ories. You have to sell your brilliance. So this year, get out 바카라사이트re, hone your personal brand to Kardashian levels and start selling yourself.

John Tregoning is senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 mucosal infection and immunity section of virology at Imperial College London. .