Skill Building

Ex Lab
Junkie

My ‘Team-Building’ Rant

Let me start by saying I love my job. I really do, but I have been at my current job for less than four years, and I already cringe at the mere mention of team building exercises. Those in management, or rather consultants, advise us that team building exercises will foster and encourage a team ...


Virginie
Adam

Feed my mind!

As a goodbye present after my PhD defense, a friend of mine gave me a very interesting book: Science, a history. It’s a fascinating account of the birth of the scientific method, with a portrayal of the charismatic protagonists who made scientific discoveries that advanced human knowledge.


Marina
Enachi

New Webinars on Transitioning from Academia and others, Coming Soon!

We would like to let you know about the next free webinars coming soon on Bio Careers: 1. Presenter: Jennifer Reineke Pohlhaus, PhD Topic: Career Path: "Science Policy: Making the Switch" Wed, 7/25/12, 1-2PM EST  Register to this webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register...


Kate
Sleeth

You are your own worst critic

How often is there an opportunity which becomes available and you talk yourself out of it?  I know if you are like me that has certainly happened before, but hopefully we can prevent it from happening in the future.  It is natural that you are going to judge yourself more harshly than othe...


Thomas Patrick
Chuna

You have to stay engaged.

Hi everyone!When I’m asked, “what’s the hardest part of a job search”? I always say the same thing – “making sure that the jobseeker doesn’t mentally and emotionally ‘check out’ of the process” Here is an example of “checking out”… let’s say you find a pertinent (or ...


Kate
Sleeth

Do you dread giving presentations?

I know that I do.  Unfortunately, as scientists the medium through which we often present our findings is through either a poster or seminar presentation.  Either way, it involves standing in front of a group of people and telling them the story of your research.  Easy, right?  W...


Thomas Patrick
Chuna

The Humble Assessment Exercise – Further Thoughts

In “coach speak,” an assessment exercise is a term we use to describe having the job seeker think about themselves, and then write about themselves, and then analyze what they have thought and written, for the purposes of illumination and guidance. The reason they are called “exercises”...


Sarah
Owen

Finding My Way Out of the Lab

I was post-qualifying exam and officially a third-year.  Allegedly the “third year” status means that you have more time to focus on your research projects and that you’re almost done teaching.  It also seemed to mean that you were in this “gap” period in grad school: post-qualif...


Thomas Patrick
Chuna

Time Management as a Life Skill

Today’s blog is inspired (as usual) by a conversation I recently had... the actual quote that got my wheels turning was this:“Gosh Tom, everything you ask me to do really takes up a lot of my time” This was after my third email asking for his finished assessment exercises. Yes, I said THI...