By Amy L. Kullas, Ph.D.
If you are hoping to learn a lot about a field and expand your professional network, informational interviews are a wonderful tool! Informational interviews are great ways to explore and get information about diverse career paths and opportunities. At the same time, informational interviews are a good way to make a connection, as people generally accept the invitation. You may be asking yourself, “What is an informational interview?” These are interviews set up with someone in a field you are considering for a career. You initiate the interview and frame it as an exchange of information. These interviews don’t lead to a job offer, but do expand your network and your knowledge!
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By Amy L. Kullas
A key bit of career knowledge that I wish I had realized earlier is the importance of remaining involved. As an undergraduate, I was involved in student government and scientific societies, which helped strengthen my application for graduate school. However, as both a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow, I focused solely on my bench science research and was no longer actively involved with extracurriculars. I still volunteered if opportunities presented themselves, but I no longer sought them out.
This presented a problem when I needed to find a position after only a year of being a postdoc (due to funding problems outside my control). I was able to secure interviews, but wasn’t offered any positions other than another postdoc. Although I considered myself a capable scientist, I found myself competing with scientists who had remained involved in activities in addition to their research experience. Now in my second postdoc, I’ve made a point to gain new techniques and expertise both scientifically and professionally. Scientifically, I sought a postdoc in a lab that does translational research to complement my basic research training. I’ve honed my technical writing by submitting a grant and my mentoring skills by advising a summer student. Additionally, I am involved with my local postdoc association and society chapters – two opportunities to network and gain experience in areas that I may pursue as a career. These opportunities would have been available during my first postdoc, had I spent the time to remain a ‘well-rounded’ individual and scientist. A few easy ways to get started with your Scientista extracurriculars: |
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