career building: where do you want to go and how will you get there

© 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists

“Career building: Where do you want to go and how will

you get there?”

Mary Williams

The Plant Cell

American Society of Plant Biologists

[email protected]@PlantTeaching


Graduate Survey: Uncertain Futures. Nature Jobs (2015)

Most PhD students expect to pursue an academic career

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7574-597a


15% of US postdocs get tenure-track faculty job within 6 years post PhD

20% get non-tenure track academic jobs

Nature 472, 276-279 (2011)

Others get jobs;•In industry•In government (policy, forestry etc) •In non-research, science related jobs•Or move into non-science related jobs

30% of US biology PhD graduates do not do a postdoc


Chance favors the prepared

mind.

Louis Pasteur(1822 – 1895)

Dans les champs de l'observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés


Don’t rely on luck: Plan and prepare to maximize your career options

• Broadening your experience and expertise (including transferrable skills)

• Broadening your footprint (getting your name known)

• Preparing for academic jobs• Preparing for non-academic

jobs


http://www.biosciencecareers.org/

@BiosciCareer

https://twitter.com/BiosciCareer


Vitae Researcher Development Framework (2011)

Full access requires organizational membership

https://www.vitae.ac.uk/vitae-publications/rdf-related/introducing-the-vitae-researcher-development-framework-rdf-to-employers-2011.pdf


Broaden your transferable skills

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=936

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=936


FOPD Glasgow


Mentor an iGEM team


Mentor primary school students- PlantingScience.org


http://www.cur.org/publications/publication_listings/

How-to guides for undergraduate research mentors

Mentor an undergraduate researcher


ASPB outreach opportunities

Volunteer by emailing [email protected]

2016 National Conference in Nashville, TennesseeMarch 31–April 3, 2016

November 3-6, 2016Denver, Colorado


Blogging can help you get a job in science communication


If you'd like to take to the soapbox and contribute a guest post, please email [email protected].

Agricultural Biodiversity WeblogAll under one leaf (UK Plant Science Federation)Annals of Botany BlogBiology FortifiedGARNet (UK Arabidopsis Research network)Global Plant CouncilIn defense of plantsJohn Innes Student Voice CommitteeKew Science blogMorsels for the Mind (Within each post, scroll down to Beautiful Botanicals)Phytogen (Australian Society of Plant Scientists)Roots and Shoots (Plant science summaries from eLIFE)Roots and Shoots blog (Danforth Plant Science Center)The Botanist in the KitchenDr. M Goes Wild (Jonathan Mitchley, University of Reading)Awkward Botany (Daniel Murphy)Plant Scientist (Sarah Shailes)PhD and the Single Mom (Jen Ro)New Under The Sun (Johnna Roose)The Quiet Branches (Ian Street)

Create or contribute to a blog

http://agro.biodiver.se/

http://blog.plantsci.org.uk/

http://aobblog.com/

http://www.biofortified.org/blog/

http://www.garnetcommunity.org.uk/

http://blog.globalplantcouncil.org/

http://www.indefenseofplants.com/

https://johninnessvc.wordpress.com/

http://www.kew.org/discover/blogs/kew-science


Develop your visual communication skills

Create images / graphics / videos

Andy BrunningChemistry Teacher>150,000 followers on facebook>14,000 followers on twitter

Alex WildCurator of Entomology at the University of Texas/Austin


Sun 10 July•Relationship building in science communication•Publishing in and reviewing for The Plant Cell•PUI networking workshop: Funding research at PUIs•Bioinformatics resources for plant biology research

Mon 11 July•Ethics, writing, and social media: Communication pre- and post-publication•Membership committee workshop: Job offer? Negotiating for success before you sign

Sun 3 JulyCareers Day: Creative communication – getting startedMon 4 JulyEnhancing biology education

2017 - Gothenburg

2017 - Honolulu


Broaden your Network


Build a mentoring network

© 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists© 2013 American Society of Plant Biologists

I’m looking for a postdoc to work in my lab – do you have any good graduate students?

Yes – I’ll have her get in touch with you

We’ve got a job opening in my department – do you know any good candidates?

Yes – send me the ad and I’ll pass it on

Once upon a time, it was all about who you knew and who knew you. To some extent, it still is.

How do you ensure that you

learn about “word-of-mouth” opportunities?


How do you extend your reach? Social networks can help


Social media is not only about pop stars, selfies, cats and lunch snaps


Social media is like biology!

CanalizationSignal amplificationSignal relay


Social media can help you keep up with the literature and “buzz”


Social media can help you find job industry (and other) opportunities

@KWS_Group @MonsantoEurope@MonsantoCo

@Bayer4Crops @Syngenta@SyngentaCropUK


Your digital profile is important

Scholar

Many journals require this

Everyone should manage their Google Scholar profile – it is very discoverable

Do you have a page on your institutional website?If not, ask!


Get involved in professional societies

Teaching

Work-life balance

Travel awards

Careers advice

Outreach opportunities

Industry contacts


Klaue, Y. (2015). Get that next job—how to break out of the postdoc trap. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 26: 3700-3703.

How do you decide what is the best career path for you?


Klaue, Y. (2015). Get that next job—how to break out of the postdoc trap. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 26: 3700-3703.


What do you want to do?Academic positions: principal investigator, research fellow

Writing-related careers: science writing, editing, science journalism, publishing, public information/communications

Education: university teacher, high school teacher, curriculum development

Policy-related careers: science policy (public sector, think tanks, etc), educational policy, management of science services or societies

Law-related careers: patent agent, patent attorney, technology transfer

Healthcare-related careers: public health, genetics counseling, bioinformatics

Careers related to the business of science: management consulting, business development in a biotech company, venture capital, market research, investment banking, technical sales, technical support

Government science careers: bench science in a government lab, public health agencies, testing and measurement (USDA, FDA), intelligence agencies

Research service careers: research management, biocuration, public funding of research, private funding of research (foundations)

*list courtesy of UCSF Office of Career and Professional Development


What do you really enjoy? Could you be happy if you weren’t a PI?How important is money?How important is job stability?Where do you want to live?Do you like to teach? Do you like to manage others?Do you like to write?What are your personal goals and values?

Research job opportunitiesTalk to everyone you meetRead NatureJobs, Science Careers, LinkedIn

What do you want to do?


http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/


Save the date for the next Naturejobs Career Expo in Düsseldorf :18 November 2016 !

Preparing for a non-academic job: Go to a careers expo


http://www.kws-uk.com/go/id/cioa/ Your profile: • MSc or Ph.D. in plant breeding or related fields like biology or genetics• Strong bases in breeding methods and particular quantitative genetics• Good bases in molecular breeding• Good bases in agronomy, especially cereals• Good understanding of population-, line- and hybrid breeding

• Skills and ability to work in multidisciplinary teams• Excellent communication skill, especially in oral and written communication• Good English language skills; German language skills would be useful for positions in Germany• Flexibility to travel

Read job ads. Identify what skills you need, what employers want


Highlight your transferrable skills in your CV

Instead, Emphasize transferrable skills:Raised funds Managed peopleComplied with health and safety regulationsAssessed risk Assessed impactReported outcomes

Don’t say “Helped out at Fascination of Plants Day”

Before you say yes, consider how you will include this activity on your CV. Get a title for your role


http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780125893763 http://sciphd.com/

www.linkedin.com

http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/

https://versatilephd.com/

https://www.vitae.ac.uk/

Resources are abundant Seek them out!


Preparing for academic jobs

What do universities / departments want?Candidates who are:

able to secure external funding (grants)able to publish high-quality researchgood colleaguesgood teachersgood “citizens” – record of service to journals, societiesgood fit (fill gaps but provide opportunities for collaboration)sensitive to the mission of the organization


http://jobs.botany.org/

http://my.aspb.org/?page=Career_Center

Where to look:•Science•Nature•Professional society websites•Chronicle for Higher Education

– (chronicle.com)


What to prepare

• CV

• Cover letter – Demonstrate your sensitivity to mission, show that you are a good fit, summarize your research accomplishments and goals, teaching experience (if relevant) etc

• Research statement – Elaborate on your research accomplishments, skills, goals, expectations, funding and plans for funding

• Teaching statement (philosophy) – Elaborate on your teaching accomplishments, skills, goals, expectations, funding and plans for funding

• (Provide these materials to your referees)


Academic positions: The interview and application process

Often the first step is a phone or skype call, which can be formal or informal

Next comes a campus visit that includes a “job talk” to the department, maybe a “teaching talk” to students, and one-on-one meetings with faculty and administrators

If you are “the one” you will negotiate salary, start-up funds, equipment, staff, time to tenure decision, teaching duties etc.

Maybe 10 – 20 people Maybe 3 – 6 people“How to negotiate” workshop

at Plant Biology 2016


Chance favors the prepared

mind.

Louis Pasteur(1822 – 1895)

Dans les champs de l'observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés