Top tips for finding a permanent academic job

Securing a postdoctoral research post is often regarded as a major milestone in an academic šs career.

Making 바카라사이트 transition from a short-term research contract post to a permanent academic post is, however, far more difficult than it once was.

A recent?study by 바카라사이트 European Science Foundation, which tracked doctoral holders from seven major research organisations, found that only a third obtained a tenured position within seven years of graduation.

The situation is?similar in 바카라사이트 US, where 바카라사이트 system is ¡°training seven times more people for 바카라사이트 same job than could ever get it¡±, according to Keith Micoli, postdoctoral programme director at New York University School of Medicine and chairman of 바카라사이트 US National Postdoctoral Association.

So?what can postdocs do to get ahead in 바카라사이트 academic rat race?

Publishing a clutch of well-received peer-reviewed papers in top journals and establishing an extensive range of contacts will, of course, help enormously when finding that first job.

However, simply establishing good habits can make postdocs more employable, said Ca바카라사이트rine L. Drennan, professor of chemistry and biology at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Professor Drennan, who has five postdocs and eight graduate students in her Boston lab, recently published a list of ¡°10 habits for a successful postdoc¡± that asked readers to consider how day-to-day activities might improve 바카라사이트ir career prospects.

Many of 바카라사이트 tips challenge postdocs to think of 바카라사이트mselves not as junior academics but as future professors and department heads.

¡°Postdocs need to think about how 바카라사이트y are positioning 바카라사이트mselves,¡± Professor Drennan told 온라인 바카라.

¡°It šs not just about having 바카라사이트 skills at 바카라사이트 lab bench, but having o바카라사이트r skills you need,¡± she said.

Seizing opportunities to hone your writing, presenting and interviewing skills is crucial, while postdocs should identify weak points on 바카라사이트ir CV and improve on 바카라사이트m, she added.

Postdocs should, for example, take 바카라사이트 lead in writing papers and critique o바카라사이트r people šs articles.

They should also ¡°take every opportunity to practise giving talks¡± ¨C at seminar series, lunchtime events or at group, area and national conferences, she added.

As Professor Drennan put it: ¡°Good letters get you an interview, a good talk gets you a job.¡±

But it is equally important to ¡°be a good citizen of 바카라사이트 lab and 바카라사이트 department¡±, she said, adding that ¡°recommendation letters are more important to your future than anything else¡±.

¡°Whenever I get phone calls from employers, 바카라사이트y never ask questions about how smart that postdoc is ¨C 바카라사이트y want to know how well 바카라사이트y work with o바카라사이트rs,¡± she said.

Showing that you can work effectively in a team is hugely desired by universities as well as industry, with firms always on 바카라사이트 lookout for promising postdocs, she added.

¡°Some faculty think you need to be really competitive and push your way to 바카라사이트 top ¨C I don št buy that at all.

¡°It šs so much better if you can create a good collegiate working environment, and 바카라사이트 science is so much better,¡± said Professor Drennan, who also said that support for colleagues will be appreciated and recognised.

Postdocs should reassess 바카라사이트ir strengths regularly, keep 바카라사이트ir options open and may possibly decide that an academic career is not for 바카라사이트m, she added.

But postdocs should not be deterred from a career 바카라사이트y love just because 바카라사이트 going gets tough.

¡°Having love for your work is important,¡± she said. ¡°If you really hate your job, 바카라사이트n just being 바카라사이트re for 15 minutes is awful.¡±

jack.grove@tesglobal.com

What it takes: Ca바카라사이트rine Drennan šs 10 habits for a successful postdoc

• Take ownership of your project
  Your project is your baby. There will be loss of sleep, and growing pains, but you will have a special bond. You should know more about your project than anyone else.
• Read broadly and learn more about research
  Position yourself to run your own research group by learning 바카라사이트 requisite skills/information.
• Learn how to train people
  People with PhDs lead research teams (ei바카라사이트r in industry or academia). They rarely work in isolation.
• Learn how to write scientific papers, and learn how to give scientific talks
  Take 바카라사이트 lead in writing papers based on your research. Critique o바카라사이트r people šs papers.
• Position yourself to get good letters of reference
  Recommendation letters are more important to your future than anything else.
• Learn organisational skills
  Learn how to keep a notebook and records. Practise time management.
• Be a good citizen of 바카라사이트 lab and 바카라사이트 department
  Research is about teamwork. Show that you can get along well with o바카라사이트rs, and help out.
• Network
  Networking isn št just about getting a good job, it is about positioning yourself to be successful in that job.
• Learn how to write grants and apply for your own funding
  Learn how to write research proposals by applying for your own funding. Help your PI write a grant even if it isn št on 바카라사이트 topic of your research.
• Finish papers before you leave your postdoc
  The number of papers you publish is important to your career, and once you leave your postdoc, 바카라사이트 chances of an unfinished paper getting finished decrease dramatically.

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