For many NIH PhDs and post-docs in the sciences, the formula that you learned to use to find a successful academic career has been straight -forward: Graduate Degrees + Research +Publications + Academic Job Talks + Academic Achievements (BS through PhD) = Successful Careers You may not know that after the Post-Doc, there are some additional skills that can be added to the job search equation. Here they are: Eight Skills Developed During Scientific Training that are Useful for the Job Search Persistence ability to persevere towards a career goal without immediate results Analysis ability to research careers, create job-search criteria, and evaluate fit Networking ability to…
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Scientists as Parents: A Balancing Act
In recognition of Take Your Child to Work Day on April 27, 2017, we are re-posting an informative three-part series from the Careers Blog archives related to starting a family while in scientific training. We asked graduate students, postdocs and clinical fellows three questions related to parenting as scientists. These interviews provide helpful advice to trainees who are considering starting families while attempting to manage the various work and family priorities. Question #1: Why was this a good time for you to start a family? https://oitecareersblog.od.nih.gov/2011/08/18/families-and-science-can-they-mix/ Question # 2: What were the challenges you faced? https://oitecareersblog.od.nih.gov/2011/08/29/families-and-training-part-2/ Question # 3: Do you have any advice for NIH trainees thinking about starting…
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Behavioral Interviewing for Scientists
Behavior based interviewing is an effective tool used by many science industry recruiters and graduate/professional school admissions officers. They differ from technical or scientific interviews because they are designed to give a glimpse into how you will perform in the future on “soft skills” by having you reflect and talk aloud about behaviors that you have done in the past. The answers that you provide will inform the interviewer about your potential for succeeding in their organization or school based on your experience in such areas as being an effective team player, ethical and professional, and using your critical thinking , leadership, communication, and problem solving skills. Often interspersed with…
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Applying to PhD Programs
It is that time of year when many of you are preparing to apply to doctoral programs in the sciences. You may be asking yourself: Where do I apply? What strategies will I use to decide between programs? What are the best programs for me? Here are several suggestions to simplify the process provided by Dr. Bill Higgins, Pre-Professional Consultant in NIH’s Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE). Define Your Research Interests Defining your research interests is the first step in identifying Ph.D. graduate programs. Your definition may be relatively broad or quite narrow, but you should spend time thinking about the types of research questions that interest you. …