Finding and Landing the Job
Strategies for Taking The Next Step in Your Career
You’re ready to pursue your career pathway – great! This module will provide an overview of important strategies for taking that next step. You’ll learn how to align your experiences with job descriptions, communicate strengths with key stakeholders, and create an action plan for job negotiation. You’ll also review the components of an application process, such as resume/CV and cover letter, and how to prepare for an interview.
Course Module Introduction
Learning Objectives
- Align your experiences and strengths with job descriptions;
- Communicate your strengths to key stakeholders (search committees, references, etc.);
- Create an action plan for how to approach job negotiation;
- Reflect on how to use the skills you’ve built to be successful in your job.
Activities
- The Postdoc Academy has begun!Read more about the creation of the Postdoc Academy here.
- A New Podcast Featuring the Postdoc AcademyListen to an episode of the podcast, “When Science Speaks”, and hear Multi-PI Sarah Hokanson talk about the Postdoc Academy and her advice for postdocs.
- Follow the Postdoc Academy on Social Media
- Join the Postdoc Academy Feedback Sessions!Are you a postdoc looking for an opportunity to be involved with the Postdoc Academy before it launches? We want to hear from you and would like to postdocs of all stages and disciplines to join our online feedback group. We have three sessions scheduled over the next month! Each feedback session will be held on Zoom, and postdocs will review content of the first course. You will provide feedback in response to a few short prompts. You’ll receive swag and a gift card for participating! Sign Up: www.tinyurl.com/PostdocAcademyApril
- NIH BEST Blog featuring the Postdoc AcademyAdriana Bankston highlighted our project, why it’s needed, and the ways for postdocs to get involved. Check it out: http://www.nihbest.org/news/the-postdoc-academy-a-national-project-for-postdocs/
- Postdoc Academy: Weaving a Professional Development Community into your Pathway to Success
June 2019
Organization
Event Type
Creative Session
Session Description: Engaging with the postdoctoral community within their institution can be a struggle for postdocs. Many find it difficult to take time away from their professional and personal responsibilities to attend in-person professional development events or other opportunities that extend beyond their role. The Postdoc Academy addresses this gap by bringing community right to the postdocs’ desktops and smartphones, through massive open online courses (MOOCs) and open educational materials focused on the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) core competencies. The content within the Postdoc Academy is complementary to existing professional development resources at local institutions and will provide institutions with the opportunity to develop their own local learning communities.
This short performance will depict two postdocs working late in the lab, again. A fellow postdoc returns from a workshop and asks why their labmates never go. One of the two postdocs at the bench reply, “we have so much on our plate….” The other postdoc at the bench says, “Well, I heard you can do professional development online. Let’s check it out.” Fast forward a couple weeks, and the postdocs are again working late in the lab. This time, while doing their experiments, they’re discussing peer feedback around career planning they received from a national community of colleagues in the Postdoc Academy.
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Rique Campa Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Robin Greenler Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Jessica Maher Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Rick McGee Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Antonio Nunez Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- New Article on the Preliminary Work that Led to the Postdoc AcademyPublished online on May 31, 2019, a new article by multi-PI Hokanson et al. in Innovative Higher Education shares the preliminary work that led to the Postdoc Academy. Interested in learning more about why we value reflection and community? Check out the article: rdcu.be/bFj5Q
- Meet the team at GCC!Are you attending the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) conference next week? Want to hear a little more about the Postdoc Academy? Members of our team will be a part of the creative session on Thursday, June 27th at 2:30PM in the Royal Salon! More info here: https://www.gradcareerconsortium.org/conference_agenda.php
- Building the Postdoc Academy: A Digital Professional Development Program for Postdocs
July 2019
Organization
NIGMS TWD
Event Type
Poster
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Rique Campa Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Noah Green Course Builder
- Robin Greenler Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Jessica Maher Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Rick McGee Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Antonio Nunez Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Postdoc Training: Great Expectations
August 2019
Organization
ASM Careers and Education
Event Type
Blog
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Check out the Postdoc Academy Poster from NIGMS TWD Meeting!Members of our team presented a poster, titled “The Postdoc Academy: A Digital Professional Development Program for Postdocs“, at the NIGMS TWD meeting last week. We enjoyed connecting with other IPERT programs and look forward to collaborating!
- Building the Postdoc Academy: A Digital Professional Development Program for Postdocs
September 2019
Organization
Event Type
Poster
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Rique Campa Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Noah Green Course Builder
- Robin Greenler Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Jessica Maher Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Rick McGee Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Antonio Nunez Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Integrating Professional Development into Postdoc Onboarding
September 2019
Organization
Event Type
Workshop
Session Description: Professional development is critical for postdocs to develop skills beyond the technical focus of their research. Integrating professional development for postdocs into existing onboarding processes can be an effective strategy to support them throughout their career development, from orientation to next career step. This workshop will (1) provide resources which can be integrated into existing programming and (2) provide support and feedback for attendees to build an action plan for implementation at their institution. In this interactive session, attendees will have early access to the open educational materials developed by the Postdoc Academy team.
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Rick McGee Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- First Data from Virtual Focus Groups Presented at AAMC GREATSome of our team members attended the AAMC GREAT meeting last week, and we are excited to share the first data from our virtual focus groups! A big thank you to all of the postdocs who participated in these sessions and shared their feedback with our team. Poster: AAMC GREAT September 2019
- Creating the Postdoc Academy: A Digital Professional Development Program for Postdocs
November 2019
Organization
Event Type
Poster
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Rique Campa Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Noah Green Course Builder
- Robin Greenler Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Jessica Maher Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Rick McGee Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Antonio Nunez Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Building and Evaluating Community: Before, During, and After Online Learning
November 2019
Organization
Event Type
Workshop
Session Description: One challenge of online learning is creating and sustaining a sense of community for participants. Utilizing peer feedback is a successful model to overcome this barrier. In this workshop, attendees will (1) discuss strategies to encourage peer-to-peer interaction and build a social presence throughout online learning; (2) share practices that promote inclusion; and (3) identify action steps for implementation. In this interactive session, attendees will examine the strategies employed by the Postdoc Academy, who is building an online professional development program through a Massive Open Online Course series. The team will share successes and failures around building and sustaining an inclusive community.
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Robin Greenler Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Program and Evaluation Design Rooted in Iterative FeedbackCheck out the poster presented by Olivia Chesniak at the POD Network Conference in Pittsburgh, PA.
- The Postdoc Academy: A New Digital Professional Development Program for Postdocs
December 2019
Organization
POSTDOCket
Event Type
Blog
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Leveraging Your Resilience During Career Planning
January 2020
Organization
Big Ten PAI
Event Type
Workshop
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate the career planning process and reflections into day-to-day practice
- Explore an evidence-based model to managing stress and developing resilience (deteriorating, adapting, recovery, and growing)
- Identify opportunities for recovery from work and life stresses
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Rique Campa Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Being Resilience while Job Searching
January 2020
Organization
myPostdoc Webinar
Event Type
Workshop
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate the career planning process and reflections into day-to-day practice
- Explore an evidence-based model to managing stress and developing resilience (deteriorating, adapting, recovery, and growing)
- Identify opportunities for recovery from work and life stresses (especially while job searching!)
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Putting your Career Plan into Action; Developing Resilience
January 2020
Organization
University of Minnesota
Event Type
Workshop
Learning Objectives:
- Explore different types of career planning tools and recognize strategies to use them effectively
- Describe and prioritize your goals for your postdoc position
- Draft a career plan, mapping goals onto a timeline and the milestones you need to achieve in order to be successful
- Integrate the career planning process and reflections into day-to-day practice
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Early Data from the First Online Course RunThe numbers are in… the Postdoc Academy is excited to share some of the early data from the first running of “The Postdoc Academy: Succeeding as a Postdoc”.
- This 5-week course began on January 13, 2020.
- 1,276 registered for the course
- 50 countries were represented by registrants
- 22 postdocs were on camera throughout the course
- 106 will receive a Certificate of Completion (meaning they completed more than 75% of the course activities!)
- Facilitating Postdoc Academy Learning Sessions: Resources, Facilitator Training, and Community Building
March 2020
Organization
Event Type
Facilitator Training
Description of the sessions: In addition to a Facilitator training and a poster, two professional development workshops were offered to postdocs:
- Building and Sustaining Resilience during Career Transitions
- Integrating Systems Evaluation into Professional Development Program Design
- Robert Brown Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Outreach at Northwestern University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Postdoc Academy Facilitator Training PostponedThank you to those who registered for the Postdoc Academy Facilitator Training, which was scheduled as part of the National Postdoc Association Annual Conference. We are working closely with the NPA staff to identify how to move forward and provide other forms of training. More information will be shared in the coming weeks! If you registered for Facilitator Training, please check your email next week for a short survey to indicate your interest in virtual Facilitator Training!
- Maintaining your Resilience while Career Planning
May 2020
Organization
Chicago Women in STEM
Event Type
Workshop
Learning Objectives:
- Integrate the career planning process and reflections into day-to-day practice
- Explore an evidence-based model to managing stress and developing resilience (deteriorating, adapting, recovery, and growing)
- Identify opportunities for recovery from work and life stresses (especially while job searching!)
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Evaluating throughout your Program: An Example from the Postdoc Academy
May 2020
Organization
Graduate Career Consortium Graduate Education Group
Event Type
Workshop
Session Objectives:
- Describe methods to incorporate evaluation throughout program development (integration of theory, methods for evaluating)
- Engage Participants – program evaluation design
- Share initial Evaluation results (evidence of impact of an emerging initiative)
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Postdoc Academy Brochure Now Available
- Integrating Evaluation for Learning Throughout Your Program
June 2020
Organization
Event Type
Workshop
Abstract: Incorporating evaluation theory and embedded evaluation practices has created continuous learning for the Postdoc Academy program. Embedded evaluation incorporates the voices of faculty, staff, researchers, and participants throughout the program. This approach allows the Postdoc Academy team to continually integrate learning from preliminary, formative, and summative evaluation. During this interactive session, participants will explore and learn how to apply 1) choosing evaluation frameworks, 2) embedding evaluation within a program structure and 3) integrating evaluation learning in the context of their own programs.
The Postdoc Academy is a new digital and in-person professional development program that incorporates evidence-based content with the voices of postdocs and professionals to support individuals throughout their postdoctoral position.
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Innovations in the Age of COVID-19
- Postdoc Academy Fall Workshop Series
Save the Date!
The Postdoc Academy will host a Fall Workshop Series for all postdocs! Build your skills, connect with other postdocs, and preview our second course. Registration will open in early August. - Improving the Design of an Online Course with Virtual Focus Group Feedback
August 2020
Organization
F1000 Research
Event Type
Journal
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Rique Campa Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Noah Green Course Builder
- Robin Greenler Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Jessica Maher Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Rick McGee Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Antonio Nunez Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Grant writing strategies: Specific aims for NIH awards
August 2020
Organization
Marine Biological Laboratories, Woods Hole
Event Type
Workshop
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Insights from the Postdoc Academy: The First Online Course for Postdocs
September 2020
Organization
Event Type
Poster
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Noah Green Course Builder
- Rique Campa Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Robin Greenler Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Jessica Maher Co-Investigator, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- Rick McGee Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Antonio Nunez Co-Investigator, Michigan State University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Theory of Change Models Deepen Online Learning
Fall 2020
Organization
Evaluation and Program Planning
Event Type
Journal
- Olivia Chesniak Postdoc, Northwestern University
- Denise Drane Co-Investigator, Northwestern University
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Developing Leadership Skills
September 2020
Organization
Keynote Webinar for NPAW 2020 – Hosted by NPA
Event Type
Workshop
Learning Objectives:
- Reflect on your perceptions of and experiences with leadership
- Describe the key attributes and structures of evidence-based leadership frameworks
- Explore how opportunities/styles/… for leadership vary in professional, cultural, career stage contexts.
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Building an Actionable Career Plan
September 2020
Organization
Canadian Career Conference
Event Type
Workshop
Learning Objectives:
- Explore different types of career planning tools and recognize strategies to use them effectively
- Describe and prioritize your goals for your postdoc position
- Draft a career plan, mapping goals onto a timeline and the milestones you need to achieve in order to be successful
- Integrate the career planning process and reflections into day-to-day practice
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Career Transitions: Applying Four Universal Transferable Skills to Diverse Career Experiences
September 2020
Organization
Event Type
Workshop
Session Description: During career transitions biomedical science trainees often struggle with translating their skills outside of their traditional research environment. Trainees typically have only experienced an academic environment and might not recognize the universal skills they are already using that can be applied elsewhere. In this interactive workshop, we present a set of universal transferable skills – self-reflection, knowing your audience, goal alignment, and plan implementation. These skills can be applied to a number of different career-related activities, such as mentoring, pitching an idea, managing a collaboration, and organizing a meeting. Created in partnership with iBiology.
- Celine Young Program Director, Boston University
- Sarah Chobot Hokanson Principal Investigator, Boston University
- Bennett Goldberg Principal Investigator, Northwestern University
- Setting Expectations
open activity window
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Aligning Expectations Table from the Postdoc Academy.
- Masters KS, Kreeger PK (2017) Ten simple rules for developing a mentor–mentee expectations document. PLoS Comput Biol 13(9): e1005709.
Discussion Framework
- How do I define success in this postdoc position?
- What do I think are efficient ways to communicate expectations?
- For newcomers: on a scale of 1 to 10, how acclimatized am I to my new community of practice? What could my advisor do to ease this process?
- Feel free to use the questions listed in this Finding Alignment on Expectations checklist to initiate a conversation with your advisor on mutual expectations and what will make this postdoc a success for you and for them.
Additional Resources
Read
- Snapp, E., 9 Tips for a successful Postdoc experience, Addgene Blog, 2018.
- Bottomley, L., What can you expect from your mentoring relationship?, Michigan State University Extension, 2015.
- Landry, A., and Lewiss, R.E., What Efficient Mentorship Looks Like, Harvard Business Review, 2020.
- Wengert, E., Mentor as you’d want to be mentored, Science, 2021.
- Rock, D., SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others, Neuroleadership Journal, 2008.
Watch
- Preparing for your first mentoring meeting, The Academy of Medical Sciences.
- Refresh your Mentoring Skills – Webinar, The Academy of Medical Sciences.
Listen
Act
- Setting Boundaries in Mentoring Relationships, NIH-HHS Mentoring Program.
- Worksheet to set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals, Tracy Costello, Coach for postdocs.
- Conceptualizing and Writing a Statement of Mentoring Philosophy, The University of Pittsburgh, Department of Communications.
- Creating a Mentoring Philosophy Statement, How-To worksheet, OHSU Mentoring Academy.
- Building an Actionable Career Plan
open activity window
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Vincent et al, Individualized Development Plans aren’t just more paperwork, Molecular Cell 58, 2015.
- T. W. H. Ng et al, Predictors of objective and subjective career success: A meta-analysis, Pers. Psychol. 58, 367–408; 2005.
- Langin, K., In a first, U.S. private sector employs nearly as many PhDs as schools do, Science, 2019.
- Moore, M., The Changing Landscape of tenure-Track Positions, HigherEd Jobs, 2019.
- myIDP tool, https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/, Science Careers (career exploration and planning tool for STEM PhD students and postdocs).
- ImaginePhD tool, https://www.imaginephd.com/, (career exploration and planning tool for Humanities & Social Sciences PhD students and postdocs).
Discussion Framework
- What are two potential career paths I wish to pursue after this postdoc? How could this postdoc experience be tailored to ease my transition into either of these paths?
- Do I have a written career plan? If yes, have I shared it with your mentor? If not, am I considering sharing it with my mentor?
- Where do I feel equipped to set goals and move forward?
- Where do I need more support from this mentor I am about to chat with? From someone else?
Additional Resources
Read
- Haak, L., A career-development plan for postdocs, Science, 2022.
- Gould, J., Career development: a plan for action, Nature, 2017.
- Sinche, M., et al, An evidence-based evaluation of transferable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs, PLoS One, 2017.
- The Salmon Leap for PhDs: Swimming upstream: A transition from Academia to Industry, Matteo Tardelli (book).
Watch
- The Fantasy, the Ideal, and the Reality of Career Exploration, UCSF MIND.
- PhD Career Change | My Roadmap for success, Andy Stapleton.
Listen
- How to check your readiness to leap out of academia, from the Postdoc Transformation Podcast.
- Career and Time Management Advice, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- Career plan templates and instructions to build a career plan, The Postdoc Academy.
- Worksheet to set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals, Tracy Costello, Coach for postdocs.
- Join PALS this January 2022!Looking to connect with other postdocs while take the first online course? Interested in being a part of a community that prioritizes professional development? Join PALS today! Postdoc Academy Learning Sessions (PALS) are virtual learning communities of postdocs that connect based on discipline or institution. We have several PALS groups available in both categories. To join, follow these three simple steps:
- Developing Resilience
open activity window
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Lashuel, The busy lives of academics have hidden costs – and universities must take better care of their faculty members, Nature, 2020.
- Grinstein & Treister, The unhappy postdoc: a survey based study, F1000 Research, 2018.
- Alves, Oliveira, da Silva Paro, Quality of life and burnout among faculty members: How much does the field of knowledge matter?, PLoS One, 2019.
- Langin, As professors struggle to recruit postdocs, calls for structural change in academia intensify, Science, 2019.
- Wanelik et al., Breaking barriers? Ethnicity and socioeconomic background impact on early career progression in the fields of ecology and evolution, 2020, Ecology & Evolution.
- LaMonaca Wisdom, M. Faculty Job Dissatisfaction Isn’t About ‘Burnout’, 2023, The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- London & Noe, London’s Career Motivation Theory: An Update on Measurement and Research, Journal of Career assessment, 1997.
- Boice, R. “Quick Starters: New Faculty Who Succeed.” New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no. 48. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991, 111-121.
- JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out) Cartoon: https://www.leunig.com.au/works/recent-cartoons/769-jomo.
- Cravens, Nelson, Siders, Ulibarri, Why four scientists spent a year saying no, Nature, 2022.
- Woolston, Full time is full enough, Nature, 2017.
- Rest as Resistance, The Nap Ministry, Tricia Hersey.
Discussion Framework
- How am I doing? Physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, environmentally, intellectually, financially…?
- How do I define productivity? Does this definition include elements pertaining to work-life integration? Does my behavior mirror this definition?
- Are there elements of Belonging, Equity & Inclusion (or lack thereof) in my team, department, institution, etc. that take a toll on my productivity? Is my advisor aware of it?
- To what extent can I become more productive? Why? Where can I implement change (e.g., fend off distractions) vs where can my advisor be of support (e.g., adjust the workload)?
Additional Resources
Read
- Cao & Ngetich, The need to normalize failure, Nature Reviews Chemistry, 2023.
- Work-Life Balance for Postdocs, National Postdoc Association.
- Heidt, Heeding the happiness call: why academia needs to take faculty mental health more seriously, Nature, 2023.
Watch
- Public Webinars on Mental Health in Academia (recordings available on that same webpage), Lashuel Lab, EPFL.
Listen
- Unraveling Faculty Burnout, Rebecca Pope-Ruark, from Teaching in Higher Ed.
- Professor-ing when life happens, and The Other R&R (Recreation & Rest) from the PROFESSOR-ING Podcast.
- Ten Things Early-Career Professional Can Do to Promote Better Work-Life Balance, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- Take the HealthyWork Survey, as an individual or employer, see what you learn from it, and explore resources to reduce workplace stressors on the HealthyWork website.
- Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education, if not already offered at your institution.
- Setting Expectations
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Aligning Expectations Table from the Postdoc Academy.
- Masters KS, Kreeger PK (2017) Ten simple rules for developing a mentor–mentee expectations document. PLoS Comput Biol 13(9): e1005709.
Reflection Prompts
- What do you expect from your postdocs?
- How do you help new postdocs acclimatize to your team/new projects?
- How have you efficiently communicated these expectations in the past?
- How do you focus on self-efficacy and support? What are key things to say?
- We suggest that you assess these expectations in a conversation with your postdoc, using this Finding Alignment on Expectations checklist.
Additional Resources
Read
- Snapp, E., 9 Tips for a successful Postdoc experience, Addgene Blog, 2018.
- Bottomley, L., What can you expect from your mentoring relationship?, Michigan State University Extension, 2015.
- Landry, A., and Lewiss, R.E., What Efficient Mentorship Looks Like, Harvard Business Review, 2020.
- Wengert, E., Mentor as you’d want to be mentored, Science, 2021.
- Rock, D., SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others, Neuroleadership Journal, 2008.
Watch
- Preparing for your first mentoring meeting, The Academy of Medical Sciences.
- Refresh your Mentoring Skills – Webinar, The Academy of Medical Sciences.
Listen
Act
- Setting Boundaries in Mentoring Relationships, NIH-HHS Mentoring Program.
- Worksheet to set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals, Tracy Costello, Coach for postdocs.
- Conceptualizing and Writing a Statement of Mentoring Philosophy, The University of Pittsburgh, Department of Communications.
- Creating a Mentoring Philosophy Statement, How-To worksheet, OHSU Mentoring Academy.
- Building an Actionable Career Plan
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Vincent et al, Individualized Development Plans aren’t just more paperwork, Molecular Cell 58, 2015.
- T. W. H. Ng et al, Predictors of objective and subjective career success: A meta-analysis, Pers. Psychol. 58, 367–408; 2005.
- Langin, K., In a first, U.S. private sector employs nearly as many PhDs as schools do, Science, 2019.
- Moore, M., The Changing Landscape of tenure-Track Positions, HigherEd Jobs, 2019.
- myIDP tool, https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/, Science Careers (career exploration and planning tool for STEM PhD students and postdocs).
- ImaginePhD tool, https://www.imaginephd.com/, (career exploration and planning tool for Humanities & Social Sciences PhD students and postdocs).
Reflection Prompts
- In what areas (career, personal development) do you feel most equipped to support your mentees?
- How can you still support them in areas where you feel less equipped to do so?
- Are there areas that the mentee did not mention in their plan that you think are important for them to include? How could you support them?
Additional Resources
Read
- Haak, L., A career-development plan for postdocs, Science, 2022.
- Gould, J., Career development: a plan for action, Nature, 2017.
- Sinche, M., et al, An evidence-based evaluation of transferable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs, PLoS One, 2017.
- The Salmon Leap for PhDs: Swimming upstream: A transition from Academia to Industry, Matteo Tardelli (book).
Watch
- The Fantasy, the Ideal, and the Reality of Career Exploration, UCSF MIND.
- PhD Career Change | My Roadmap for success, Andy Stapleton.
Listen
- How to check your readiness to leap out of academia, from the Postdoc Transformation Podcast.
- Career and Time Management Advice, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- Career plan templates and instructions to build a career plan, The Postdoc Academy.
- Worksheet to set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals, Tracy Costello, Coach for postdocs.
- Setting & Revising Goals & Expectations
Optional Preliminary Readings
San C McConnell, Erica L Westerman, Joseph F Pierre, Erin J Heckler, Nancy B Schwartz (2018), “Research: United States National Postdoc Survey results and the interaction of gender, career choice and mentor impact”, eLife 7:e40189. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.40189
Synopsis: This eLife paper reports data collected through a national survey of postdoctoral scholars (7,603 postdoctoral respondents from 351 US institutions), conducted to collect demographic data, factors impacting their satisfaction with the mentoring received, and key factors influencing their career decisions. Among the survey respondents, 53% were female and 47% male, 54.5% were 30-34 years old, 51% were non-US citizens, and 71% had male mentors. Male respondents were more likely than female respondents to be married/partnered and have children. Male respondents were also likely to be paid more than female respondents, on average, and the salary received varied from a field/state to another – a detailed map of the cost-of-living-adjusted postdoctoral income is provided in Figure 2. Interestingly and beside access to specific professional development opportunities (e.g., training in pedagogy or mentoring), two factors were found to significantly impact postdoctoral scholars’ career decisions and satisfaction with the mentoring received: the perceived mentor support of their career plan and feelings of career preparedness.
Introduction Video
References
- Wood CV, Jones RF, Remich RG, Caliendo AE, Langford NC, Keller JL, et al. (2020) “The National Longitudinal Study of Young Life Scientists: Career differentiation among a diverse group of biomedical PhD students.”, PLoS ONE 15(6): e0234259. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234259
- Ben J. Vincent, Clarissa Scholes, Max V. Staller, Zeba Wunderlich, Javier Estrada, Jeehae Park, Meghan D.J. Bragdon, Francheska Lopez Rivera, Kelly M. Biette, Angela H. DePace, (2015) “Yearly Planning Meetings: Individualized Development Plans Aren’t Just More Paperwork”, Molecular Cell, 58(5), pp.718-721, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2015.04.025.
- Masters KS, Kreeger PK (2017) Ten simple rules for developing a mentor–mentee expectations document. PLoS Comput Biol 13(9): e1005709. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005709
Discussion Questions
- How does your definition of a successful postdoc position align with your postdoc mentees’? How do you know?
- What tools do you use to set and (re)align expectations with postdocs’ vision of success/career prospects? Why do you find them helpful?
- How does the department or the institution support postdocs and their mentors accordingly?
- How do you orient or onboard new postdocs to your team right after they join?
- How do you and your postdocs characterize productivity, healthy work/life integration and boundaries?
- How do you evaluate the effectiveness of your mentoring practices? What data/information do you use to decide whether you need to change something in your mentoring approach?
- Is there a strategy that you heard today, either during pre-session or from your colleagues, that you think our program or department should implement?
- How can we iterate on this work over time?
- Supporting Postdoc Wellness & Resilience
Optional Preliminary Readings
Firzly, N., Chamandy, M., Pelletier, L., & Lagacé, M. (2022). An Examination of Mentors’ Interpersonal Behaviors and Mentees’ Motivation, Turnover Intentions, Engagement, and Well-Being. Journal of Career Development, 49(6), 1317–1336. doi: 10.1177/08948453211039286.
Synopsis: the authors present the results of a study conducted with 358 undergraduate student employees, to collect empirical evidence of the impact of mentors’ interpersonal behaviors on mentees’ motivation, well-being, engagement, and work outcomes. The approach used in the study is based on the Self-Determination Theory, which proposes that individual motivation (partly autonomous and partly controlled) derives from the satisfaction and frustration of psychological needs. The authors then propose two models to link interpersonal rapport with colleagues and the work environment on the one hand, and with mentors on the other hand, with mentees’ turnover intention, work engagement and well-being. Using 9 different questionnaires and scales, they collect data to (1) understand how mentees perceive their relationships with their mentors and work environment, (2) characterize the motivation in the mentoring relationship, (3) evaluate mentees’ turnover intention, work engagement and well-being. After statistical analysis of the data collected, the authors adjusted their models with standardized regression coefficients. The findings of this study support the fact that “mentors’ need-supportive interpersonal behaviors [are] associated with greater autonomous motivation at work and in the mentoring relationship and, in turn, to greater well-being and work engagement, and to lower turnover intentions. In contrast, need-thwarting interpersonal behaviors [are] associated with greater controlled motivation at work and in the mentoring relationship and, in turn, to lower well-being and work engagement, and to greater turnover intentions.”
Introduction Video
References
- Brent D. Rosso, Kathryn H. Dekas, Amy Wrzesniewski, On the meaning of work: A theoretical integration and review, Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 30, 2010, pp. 91-127, ISSN 0191-3085, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2010.09.001.
- Book chapter: Keyes & Waterman, 2003, Dimensions of Well-Being & Mental Health in Adulthood in Bornstein, MH, Davidson, L, Keyes, CLM, & Moore, KA (eds) 2003, Well-Being : Positive Development Across the Life Course, Taylor & Francis Group, Mahwah. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central.
- London, Manuel & Noe, Raymond. (1997). London’s Career Motivation Theory: An Update on Measurement and Research. Journal of Career Assessment. 5. 61-80. 10.1177/106907279700500105.
- Martin MY, Stanfill AG. On the road to achieving work-life balance in academia. Clin Transl Sci. 2023 Apr;16(4):553-556. doi: 10.1111/cts.13485. Epub 2023 Feb 15. PMID: 36789892; PMCID: PMC10087064.
- American Psychological Association. (2020, February 1). Building your resilience. https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience/building-your-resilience.
Discussion Questions
- Describe what effects, if any, reflecting on the job stressor evaluation prompts or completing the healthywork survey helped you characterize aspects of your relationship to work or your definition of work/life integration?
- Would you consider asking your mentees to do a similar assessment, and discussing the results of the assessment with them afterward? Why or why not?
- How do you intentionally support your mentees in being productive while being resilient?
- Do you have a favorite resource (podcast, article, campus resource, playlist, manifesto) on the topic of resilience or wellness? How did you discover it and why do you like it?
- How does your department or institution support your resilience and wellbeing? How about for postdocs?
- How do you support postdocs when they have a need (e.g., mental health challenge, feeling singled out) that you may not be able to help answer on your own?
- Is there a strategy that you heard today, either during pre-session or from your colleagues, that you think our program or department should implement?
- How can we iterate on this work over time?
- Cultivating Inclusive Research Teams
Optional Preliminary Readings
Adams, Meyers, M., & Sekaja, L., (2020), “Positive Leadership: Relationships with Employee Inclusion, Discrimination, and Well-Being.”, Applied Psychology, 69(4), 1145–1173, https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12230.
Abstract: The diverse nature of 21st-century organizations has compelled leaders to minimize discrimination and bring about inclusion amongst their employees. One of the ways this can be achieved is through authentic, respectful, and inclusive leadership. The aim of the present paper was to (1) explore whether the three leadership styles can promote inclusion and curtail discrimination in the South African context and (2) ascertain whether this relationship has any bearing on well-being across Dutch, German, Icelandic, Indonesian, and South African contexts. To reach these aims, two cross-sectional studies have been conducted. In Study 1, 569 employees were surveyed, and results indicated that all three leadership styles loaded on a common latent factor (positive leadership) that was positively associated with both inclusion and discrimination. In Study 2, 1,926 employees were surveyed across the five countries. Results indicated that once again, the latent, positive leadership factor was positively associated with both inclusion and discrimination. Furthermore, inclusion, when compared to discrimination seemed to be a stronger mediator in the relationship between positive leadership and well-being. We propose leadership development that will cultivate positive leadership behaviors for the benefit of employee well-being and collaboration in increasingly diverse teams.
Angela Glover Blackwell, (2017), “The Curb-cut effect”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_curb_cut_effect.
Synopsis: This piece tells the story of the curb-cut effect, i.e., how Michael Pachovas and friends in wheelchairs poured cement into the form of a crude ramp by a curbside to allow people in wheelchairs to move more freely from and to the curbside. That act of political activism led to more changes that improved accessibility as a whole for persons with disabilities to buildings and public means of transportation. It also allowed many more curbside users, e.g., people pushing carts or strollers, wheeling suitcases, or skateboarding, to move more freely. The author of the piece then uses the curb-cut effect story as an image to define equality and equity, and to make the point that making some changes that help include specific groups of people or increase equity across different identity groups can benefit the entire community.
Introduction Video
References
- Pilot study evaluating this mentoring program based on the CARES model: Lewis, V. Martina, C. A., McDermott, M. P., Trief, P. M., Goodman, S. R., Morse, G. D.,LaGuardia, J. G., Sharp, D., Ryan, R. M, “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mentoring Interventions for Underrepresented Minorities”, Academic Medicine 91(7):p 994-1001, July 2016. | DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000001056.
- Angela Byars-Winston et al., “A randomized controlled trial of an intervention to increase cultural diversity awareness of research mentors of undergraduate students”, Sci. Adv.9, (2023). DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adf9705.
- Rose, B. S., PhD. 2022, “Inclusive Leaders Create And Sustain A Winning Culture”, Leadership Excellence, vol. 39, no. 6, pp. 10-12.
Discussion Questions
- How confident do you feel that you are an inclusive mentor? How do you know?
- How do you and your team value the contributions of each team member?
- What intentional strategies exist among faculty in this department or program to mentor inclusively?
- What conversations do you have with your postdocs that foster inclusion?
- What are your barriers to mentoring inclusively?
- Is there a strategy that you heard today, either during pre-session or from your colleagues, that you think our program or department should implement?
- What ways can we assess mentees’ feedback? Do we have existing ways of knowing about their experiences that we could build on?
- How will we iterate on this work over time?
- Supporting Postdoc Career & Professional Development
Optional Preliminary Readings
Montgomery, B. L. (2017). Mapping a Mentoring Roadmap and Developing a Supportive Network for Strategic Career Advancement. SAGE Open, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244017710288
Abstract: This article presents a proactive, individual-centered mentoring model which meets a recognized need for defined, practical methods for supporting comprehensive career planning and strategic development grounded in personal career aspirations. The developed model consists of a mentoring roadmap charting process and construction of a developmental mentoring network based on an integrative literature review of successful mentoring practices and adaptation of tested methods for retrospective analyses of effective mentoring. The mentoring roadmap concept encompasses the following steps: (a) self-reflection, (b) establishment of mentor–mentee relationship(s), (c) maintenance of mentoring relationships, and (d) advancing in mentoring relationship(s). To support strategic advancement along a defined mentoring roadmap and toward attainment of individual goals, the identification and cultivation of a broad collection of mentoring resources or mentors (i.e., nodes) and the relationships (i.e., edges) which connect these nodes in an effective mentoring network topology are discussed. The mentoring roadmap and network model is proposed as complementary to top-down or formal organizational mentoring interventions and as effective for short- and long-term career development planning as a self-guided assessment or mentor-engaged tool to support individuals seeking mentoring.
Introduction Video
References
- Sinche M, Layton RL, Brandt PD, O’Connell AB, Hall JD, Freeman AM, et al. (2017) “An evidence-based evaluation of transferrable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs”, PLoS ONE 12(9): e0185023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185023
- Vincent et al, Individualized Development Plans aren’t just more paperwork, Molecular Cell 58, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2015.04.025.
- Langin, K., In a first, U.S. private sector employs nearly as many PhDs as schools do, Science, 2019. doi: 10.1126/science.caredit.aax3138.
- Mapping and Building your Developmental Network, ©Kram & Higgins 2013, Boston University Medical Campus – Faculty Development (Worksheet).
Tools for Career Planning
- myIDP tool, https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/, Science Careers (career exploration and planning tool for STEM PhD students and postdocs).
- ChemIDP tool, https://chemidp.acs.org/, American Chemical Society’s Career Planning Tool – designed by chemists for chemists.
- PHaSS-IDP tool, https://www.careersinpublichealth.org/about, Public Health and Social Sciences Career Planning Tool.
- ImaginePhD tool, https://www.imaginephd.com/, (career exploration and planning tool for Humanities & Social Sciences PhD students and postdocs).
Discussion Questions
- What has been helpful for you to make career decisions and navigate career transitions? How can some of these tools and approaches be helpful for current mentees?
- What have previous mentees of yours been grateful for as you supported them in their professional development and career transitions?
- What intentional strategies exist among faculty in this department or program to support new postdoctoral scholars after they join the institution? How about for postdocs transitioning to a different job?
- What resources/offices/tools are available to support the professional development of postdoctoral mentees and mentors in your department or at your institution?
- What are barriers to supporting newcomers and people who transition to a different career in our department? Our institution? What do you think could help better support them?
- What would you like to do to learn more about the career trajectories of PhDs who have transitioned to a range of career paths?
- Is there a strategy that you heard today, either during pre-session or from your colleagues, that you think our program or department should implement?
- How can we iterate on this work over time?
- Working Effectively in an Intercultural Environment
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Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Source of the identity wheel: https://ukrio.org/resources/research-integrity-resources/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/
- Powell, K., Academia’s ableist culture laid bare, Nature, 2021.
- Boustani, K. and Taylor, K.A., Navigating LGBTQ+ discrimination in academia: where do we go from there?, The Biochemist, 2020.
- Hardeman, K., I’m a Black scientist, tired of facing racism and exclusion from academia, Science Careers, 2023.
- Eaton, A.A., et al, How Gender and Race Stereotypes Impact the Advancement of Scholars in STEM: Professors’ Biased Evaluations of Physics and Biology Post-Doctoral Candidates, Sex Roles, 2020.
- Stansbury, A., Economics Needs More Socioeconomic Diversity, Harvard Business review, 2022.
- Cornwall, A.,Mentoring Underrepresented Minority Students (when you are white), Inside Higher Ed, 2020.
- SEARLE CENTER for advancing learning and teaching, Defining DEIJ.
Discussion Framework
- What did I learn from the identity grid exercise? Anything I would like to share with my mentor?
- Do I feel like I am treated fairly/equitably in my current role? If not, what could be done to improve that (access/resources, clarity on the work culture and expectations)? Where specifically could my mentor help?
- Do I feel welcome in my research team/department? To what extent does this impact my sense of competency and productivity? Is there any feedback, positive or negative about the team culture that I want to share with my mentor?
- If I am doing well from an Equity & Inclusion perspective, are there colleagues within my team that would need my support or my mentor’s support?
Additional Resources
Read
- Implicit Bias: What it means and How It Affects Behavior, ThoughtCo., 2019.
- Social Identities and Systems of Oppression, National Museum of African American History and Culture.
- Wanelik, K.M., et al, Breaking barriers? Ethnicity and socioeconomic background impact on early career progression in the fields of ecology and evolution, Ecology & Evolution, 2020.
- Kumagai, Arno K. MD; Lypson, Monica L. MD. Beyond Cultural Competence: Critical Consciousness, Social Justice, and Multicultural Education. Academic Medicine 84(6):p 782-787, June 2009.
- On Diversity: Access Ain’t Inclusion, Anthony Jack, TED Talk.
- Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, Luvvie Ajayi, TED Talk.
- Mentoring URM Faculty for Academic Excellence, STFM, YouTube video.
- How Does Mentoring Impact Diversity in the Biomedical and Behavioral Research Workforce?, NIH Scientific Workforce Diversity Seminar (recording).
Listen
- Podcast episodes on mentoring, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- CARES Mentoring Online Training Program – for a mentee-centered mentoring approach that acknowledges and addresses the psychological needs of mentees – by the University of Minnesota, the Center for Self-Determination Theory, and the National Research Mentoring Network.
- Register for the CARES training program as a guest following these instructions.
- Note: the system needs a few minutes to acknowledge your profile, before you can access UMinnesota’s Canvas and take the course.
- Unconscious Bias Online Course, National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN). This course will help you address your personal unconscious bias, teach you about microaggressions, provide a solutions toolkit, develop your self-awareness, and discuss bias and disparities in medicine and healthcare.
- Exploring Leadership
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Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Whitehead, J., Directing, Coaching, Supporting & Delegating Are What?, Situational Leadership.
- Schmid, S., Optimizing Post-Doc Training: Getting the Post Doc Training You Need, iBiology.
Discussion Framework
- How do I characterize my leadership style? Have I used specific evidence or an assessment like High5 or StrengthFinders to help identify these characteristics?
- How do I leverage my leadership drivers/strengths in different situations? What situations or projects are easy for me to handle? Which are challenging?
- In what ways would I like to further increase my leadership opportunities? Why is it important for me and my professional development? How can my mentor(s) support me?
Additional Resources
Read
- Kotter, J.P., What Leaders Really Do, Harvard Business Review.
- Denny’s Relationship Table, Northwestern University.
- How do I choose a mentor? A postdoc’s guide, The Nerd Coach.
Watch
- Exploring Leadership Frameworks, Adam Goodman, Postdoc Academy.
Listen
- EmpowerED to Lead, Podcast from Wayne State University.
- What’s missing in Academic Leadership, Your Unapologetic Career Podcast.
Act
- Leadership & Management Foundations for Academic Medicine & Science, AAMC.
- Building Academic Leaders in the Humanities, Five College Consortium.
- Giving & Receiving Feedback
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Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Buckingham & Goodall, The Feedback Fallacy, Harvard Business Review, 2019.
- Sheila Heen & Douglas Stone, Finding Coaching in Criticism, Harvard Business Review, 2014.
Discussion Framework
- What concept in the Postdoc Academy module or the introduction video did I find most interesting? How about with my advisor?
- How important is it for me to refine my feedback giving or receiving process? What would I like to do to get there? How can my mentor help?
- How comfortable do I feel about doing the Rewind the Tape activity with my mentor? Are they ready/open to try it too and receive feedback? (If yes, feel free to prepare the table as explained in this video. What could you have done differently? What does your advisor think they could have done differently? How can you both move forward?).
Additional Resources
Read
- How to start your lab, 8 PIs share what they wish they knew, eBook, NanoTemperTech.
- The Feedback Fallacy: How to make feedback work in the workplace, Forbes.
Watch
- Why feedback fails, Marcus Buckingham, YouTube video.
Listen
- Optimizing Performance through Preparation and Feedback with Mark Guadagnoli, Faculty Factory Podcast.
- How to give and receive feedback painlessly with Andrew Wilner, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- The Engaged Feedback Checklist, Dare to Lead, Brené Brown.
- The new feedback giving approach, from the Feedback Fallacy table
- Time Management
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Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Bartlett, Arsan, Bankston, Sarabipour, Ten Simple Rules to Improve Work-Life Balance, PLoS Computational Biology, 2021.
- Susi, Shalvi, & Srinivas, “I’ll work on it over the weekend”: high workload and other pressures faced by young researchers, Nature, 2019.
- Flaherty C., So Much to Do, So Little Time, Inside Higher Ed, 2014.
Discussion Framework
- How do I manage and protect my time? How satisfied am I with my current time management practices?
- What am I struggling the most with when it comes to time management (setting priorities, saying no, setting boundaries, fending off distractions)? Where can my mentor help?
- What do I plan to do to improve my time management practices?
Additional Resources
Read
- Time Management: Seize the moment, J. M. Perkel, 2015, Nature
- The Awesomest 7-Year Postdoc or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Tenure-Track Faculty Life, R. Nagpal, 2013, Scientific American Blog Network
- The Art of ‘No’, Robin Bernstein, 2017 The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Time Management, Chapter 6 in Making the Right Moves, A Practical Guide to Scientifıc Management for Postdocs and New Faculty, BWF, HHMI.
Watch
- Time Management in Academia, M. Rillig, 2021, YouTube video
- The Philosophy of Time Management, Brad Aeon, TEDx, YouTube video
Listen
- Using Time Productively, Faculty Factory Podcast
- Time Management & Efficiency, Faculty Factory Podcast
- Professor-ing when life happens, from the PROFESSOR-ING Podcast
- Transferable Skills
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Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Langin, K., In a first, U.S. private sector employs nearly as many PhDs as schools do, Science, 2019.
- Moore, M., The Changing Landscape of tenure-Track Positions, HigherEd Jobs, 2019.
- Sinche M, Layton RL, Brandt PD, O’Connell AB, Hall JD, Freeman AM, et al. (2017) An evidence-based evaluation of transferable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0185023.
Discussion Framework
- What are two or more jobs that I would be interested in transitioning into after my postdoc? How did I learn about/collect data on these jobs? How am I planning to further explore these jobs and how could my mentor help?
- What transferable skills can I leverage to transition into any of these jobs?
- What are skills that I would like to gain to increase my marketability and ease the transition into my next career step?
Additional Resources
Read
- Langin, K., Amid pandemic, U.S. faculty job openings plummet, Science, 2020.
- Woolston, C., Seeking an ‘exit plan’ for leaving academia amid coronavirus worries, Nature, 2020.
- Kruger, P., Why it is not a ‘failure’ to leave academia, Nature, 2018.
- The Transferable Postdoc, Kendall Powell, Science, 2014.
- Transferable skills for industry, Courtney Chandler, 2021, ASBMB Magazine.
- 11 Reasons to ignore the haters and major in the Humanities, Max Nisen, 2013, INSIDER.
Watch
- Invest in your strengths, Marcus Buckingham, YouTube video.
- 3 Steps to Identify and Articulate Transferable Skills, UC Davis Internship & Career Center, YouTube video.
- Identifying and Articulating Transferable Skills, PHutures, John Hopkins University, YouTube video.
Listen
- How to uncover your unique strengths, Let’s Fix Monday Podcast.
- Relationship Building, Transferable Skills, and Professional Growth with Penny S. Edwards, Faculty Factory Podcast.
- Coaching and Strength-based approaches to keep us progressing with Rachel Salas, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- A Simple Matrix to Self-Assess Career Planning Preparedness, Sarah Blackford, BioScience Careers.
- Clement, L., Dorman, J.B., and McGee, R., The Academic Career Readiness Assessment: Clarifying Hiring and Training Expectations for Future Biomedical Life Sciences Faculty, Life Sciences Education, 2020. The ACRA tool is available on UCSF’s website.
- How to talk about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview, Tim Hodges and Bailey Nelson, Gallup, 2022.
- Strategic Networking
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Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Nowell, L., Ovie, G., Kenny, N. et al. Postdoctoral scholars’ perspectives about professional learning and development: a concurrent mixed-methods study. Palgrave Commun 6, 95 (2020).
- Medha Raj, Nathanael J. Fast, and Oliver Fisher, Identity and Professional Networking, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 2017 43:6, 772-784.
- Mapping and Building your Developmental Network, ©Kram & Higgins 2013, Boston University Medical Campus – Faculty Development (Worksheet).
Discussion Framework
- Who do I have in my network? Am I well-networked for the career goals that I currently have?
- What could I do to strategically expand my network? How can my mentor support me?
- Consider presenting the big picture of your network to your mentor. In what areas are you satisfied with the number of connections you have? In what areas would you like to have more connections?
Additional Resources
Read
- Francesca Gino, Maryam Kouchaki, and Tiziana Casciaro, Learn to Love Networking, Harvard Business Review, 2016.
- Beronda Montgomery, Evolving from a focus on mentee to cultivating a mentoring ecosystem, 2019.
- Robin Bernstein, How to talk to famous professors, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2017.
Watch
- How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work, Carla Harris, TED Talk.
- Networking effectively from the start of your doctorate to the end of your postdoc, Penn Career Services, YouTube video.
Listen
- Podcast Episodes on Networking, Faculty Factory Podcast.
- Ten steps to transition your career into business, Postdoc Transformation Podcast.
Act
- Mapping and Building your Developmental Network, ©Kram & Higgins 2013, Boston University Medical Campus – Faculty Development (Worksheet).
- Managing Career Transitions
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Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Aziz, E. E. (2015). Project closing: the small process group with big impact. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2015—EMEA, London, England. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute (PMI).
- Haberthur, K., Leaving Lab: How to Best Transition from the Lab, Bitesize Bio, 2016.
Discussion Framework
- For people currently in the interview process,
- What are the key steps of the interview process I am currently through? How could my mentor support me/share their own expertise about this process?
- What key tasks do I need to complete to transition outside of the postdoc (project closure, project handover, anticipating the evolution of the mentoring relationship, etc.)?
- For people who are not yet at the interview stage:
- What aspects of my personal, career, and professional development would I like to further invest in the short-, middle-, and long-term? Why are these important to me?
- How can I integrate them in my Individual Development Plan? How often would I like to revisit these goals?
Additional Resources
Read
- Nogrady, B., Exiting gracefully: how to leave a job behind, Nature Careers, 2021.
- Phases of the mentoring relationship, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
- Vick, J.M., and Furlong, J.S., Dealing with a difficult adviser, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2010.
- Darling, Lu Ann W. EdD. What To Do About Toxic Mentors. Nurse Educator 11(2):p 29-30, March 1986.
- Talk It Out: Dealing with a Tough Situation, Duke Faculty Advancement, 2021.
- Alle-Hardisty, L, Dealing with a difficult team member? Five tips to help you make better decisions, Forbes, 2021.
Watch
- Stages of the Mentoring Relationship (excerpt of the video Preparing your first mentoring meeting, A webinar with Dr Amy Iversen, The Academy of Medical Sciences), YouTube video.
Listen
- Breaking Up is Hard To Do, Professor-ing Podcast.
- Developing Resilience
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Lashuel, The busy lives of academics have hidden costs – and universities must take better care of their faculty members, Nature, 2020.
- Grinstein & Treister, The unhappy postdoc: a survey based study, F1000 Research, 2018.
- Alves, Oliveira, da Silva Paro, Quality of life and burnout among faculty members: How much does the field of knowledge matter?, PLoS One, 2019.
- Langin, As professors struggle to recruit postdocs, calls for structural change in academia intensify, Science, 2019.
- Wanelik et al., Breaking barriers? Ethnicity and socioeconomic background impact on early career progression in the fields of ecology and evolution, 2020, Ecology & Evolution.
- LaMonaca Wisdom, M. Faculty Job Dissatisfaction Isn’t About ‘Burnout’, 2023, The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- London & Noe, London’s Career Motivation Theory: An Update on Measurement and Research, Journal of Career assessment, 1997.
- Boice, R. “Quick Starters: New Faculty Who Succeed.” New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no. 48. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991, 111-121.
- JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out) Cartoon: https://www.leunig.com.au/works/recent-cartoons/769-jomo.
- Cravens, Nelson, Siders, Ulibarri, Why four scientists spent a year saying no, Nature, 2022.
- Woolston, Full time is full enough, Nature, 2017.
- Rest as Resistance, The Nap Ministry, Tricia Hersey.
Reflection Prompts
- How are you doing? Physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, environmentally, intellectually, financially…?
- How do you ask your mentees about their resilience?
- How do you define vs demonstrate productivity and work/life integration?
Additional Resources
Read
- Cao & Ngetich, The need to normalize failure, Nature Reviews Chemistry, 2023.
- Work-Life Balance for Postdocs, National Postdoc Association.
- Heidt, Heeding the happiness call: why academia needs to take faculty mental health more seriously, Nature, 2023.
Watch
- Resources on Resilience, The Postdoc Academy
- Public Webinars on Mental Health in Academia (recordings available on that same webpage), Lashuel Lab, EPFL.
Listen
- Unraveling Faculty Burnout, Rebecca Pope-Ruark, from Teaching in Higher Ed.
- Professor-ing when life happens, and The Other R&R (Recreation & Rest) from the PROFESSOR-ING Podcast.
- Ten Things Early-Career Professional Can Do to Promote Better Work-Life Balance, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- Take the HealthyWork Survey, as an individual or employer, see what you learn from it, and explore resources to reduce workplace stressors on the HealthyWork website.
- Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education, if not already offered at your institution.
- Working Effectively in an Intercultural Environment
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Source of the identity wheel: https://ukrio.org/resources/research-integrity-resources/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/
- Powell, K., Academia’s ableist culture laid bare, Nature, 2021.
- Boustani, K. and Taylor, K.A., Navigating LGBTQ+ discrimination in academia: where do we go from there?, The Biochemist, 2020.
- Hardeman, K., I’m a Black scientist, tired of facing racism and exclusion from academia, Science Careers, 2023.
- Eaton, A.A., et al, How Gender and Race Stereotypes Impact the Advancement of Scholars in STEM: Professors’ Biased Evaluations of Physics and Biology Post-Doctoral Candidates, Sex Roles, 2020.
- Stansbury, A., Economics Needs More Socioeconomic Diversity, Harvard Business review, 2022.
- Cornwall, A.,Mentoring Underrepresented Minority Students (when you are white), Inside Higher Ed, 2020.
- SEARLE CENTER for advancing learning and teaching, Defining DEIJ.
Reflection Prompts
- How do you help all mentees feel welcome to your team?
- Sense of belonging is critical to a mentee’s success. How might you determine it for your mentees?
- Your mentees likely need different kinds of academic, career and psychosocial support. How do you provide differentiated and equitable support?
- Would you like a more diverse team? How might you go about achieving greater diversity?
Additional Resources
Read
- Implicit Bias: What it means and How It Affects Behavior, ThoughtCo., 2019.
- Social Identities and Systems of Oppression, National Museum of African American History and Culture.
- Wanelik, K.M., et al, Breaking barriers? Ethnicity and socioeconomic background impact on early career progression in the fields of ecology and evolution, Ecology & Evolution, 2020.
- Kumagai, Arno K. MD; Lypson, Monica L. MD. Beyond Cultural Competence: Critical Consciousness, Social Justice, and Multicultural Education. Academic Medicine 84(6):p 782-787, June 2009.
Watch
- On Diversity: Access Ain’t Inclusion, Anthony Jack, TED Talk.
- Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, Luvvie Ajayi, TED Talk.
- Mentoring URM Faculty for Academic Excellence, STFM, YouTube video.
- How Does Mentoring Impact Diversity in the Biomedical and Behavioral Research Workforce?, NIH Scientific Workforce Diversity Seminar (recording).
Listen
- Podcast episodes on mentoring, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- CARES Mentoring Online Training Program – for a mentee-centered mentoring approach that acknowledges and addresses the psychological needs of mentees – by the University of Minnesota, the Center for Self-Determination Theory, and the National Research Mentoring Network.
- Register for the CARES training program as a guest following these instructions.
- Note: the system needs a few minutes to acknowledge your profile, before you can access UMinnesota’s Canvas and take the course.
- Unconscious Bias Online Course, National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN). This course will help you address your personal unconscious bias, teach you about microaggressions, provide a solutions toolkit, develop your self-awareness, and discuss bias and disparities in medicine and healthcare.
- Exploring Leadership
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Whitehead, J., Directing, Coaching, Supporting & Delegating Are What?, Situational Leadership.
- Schmid, S., Optimizing Post-Doc Training: Getting the Post Doc Training You Need, iBiology.
Reflection Prompts
- What attributes/adjectives would you use to define your mentee’s leadership style?
- How do they demonstrate these characteristics? What evidence would you use to illustrate your description?
- In what areas would you advise that your postdoc mentee further develop their leadership skills, and why? What opportunities would they have to practice or hone their skills?
Additional Resources
Read
- Kotter, J.P., What Leaders Really Do, Harvard Business Review.
- Denny’s Relationship Table, Northwestern University.
- How do I choose a mentor? A postdoc’s guide, The Nerd Coach.
Watch
- Exploring Leadership Frameworks, Adam Goodman, Postdoc Academy.
Listen
- EmpowerED to Lead, Podcast from Wayne State University.
- What’s missing in Academic Leadership, Your Unapologetic Career Podcast.
Act
- Leadership & Management Foundations for Academic Medicine & Science, AAMC.
- Building Academic Leaders in the Humanities, Five College Consortium.
- Giving & Receiving Feedback
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Buckingham & Goodall, The Feedback Fallacy, Harvard Business Review, 2019.
- Sheila Heen & Douglas Stone, Finding Coaching in Criticism, Harvard Business Review, 2014.
Reflection Prompts
- What makes feedback giving effective, in your opinion?
- What makes feedback giving efficient, in your opinion?
- How do you like receiving feedback?
- How do you think the mentee you will soon chat with likes receiving feedback?
- What has been (or what do you think could be) helpful for mentees to gain feedback giving experience? How can you support them?
Additional Resources
Read
- How to start your lab, 8 PIs share what they wish they knew, eBook, NanoTemperTech.
- The Feedback Fallacy: How to make feedback work in the workplace, Forbes.
Watch
- Why feedback fails, Marcus Buckingham, YouTube video.
Listen
- Optimizing Performance through Preparation and Feedback with Mark Guadagnoli, Faculty Factory Podcast.
- How to give and receive feedback painlessly with Andrew Wilner, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- The Engaged Feedback Checklist, Dare to Lead, Brené Brown.
- The new feedback giving approach, from the Feedback Fallacy table
- Time Management
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Bartlett, Arsan, Bankston, Sarabipour, Ten Simple Rules to Improve Work-Life Balance, PLoS Computational Biology, 2021.
- Susi, Shalvi, & Srinivas, “I’ll work on it over the weekend”: high workload and other pressures faced by young researchers, Nature, 2019.
- Flaherty C., So Much to Do, So Little Time, Inside Higher Ed, 2014.
Reflection Prompts
- How do you manage and protect your time?
- What advice do you provide your mentees regarding time management?
- How do you exemplify time management?
- Are there opportunities for you to re-define work expectations within your department or discipline?
- What do you think your mentee struggles the most with, given your prior conversations, when it comes to time management? How can you support them?
Additional Resources
Read
- Time Management: Seize the moment, J. M. Perkel, 2015, Nature
- The Awesomest 7-Year Postdoc or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Tenure-Track Faculty Life, R. Nagpal, 2013, Scientific American Blog Network
- The Art of ‘No’, Robin Bernstein, 2017 The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Time Management, Chapter 6 in Making the Right Moves, A Practical Guide to Scientifıc Management for Postdocs and New Faculty, BWF, HHMI.
Watch
- Time Management in Academia, M. Rillig, 2021, YouTube video
- The Philosophy of Time Management, Brad Aeon, TEDx, YouTube video
Listen
- Using Time Productively, Faculty Factory Podcast
- Time Management & Efficiency, Faculty Factory Podcast
- Professor-ing when life happens, from the PROFESSOR-ING Podcast
- Transferable Skills
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Langin, K., In a first, U.S. private sector employs nearly as many PhDs as schools do, Science, 2019.
- Moore, M., The Changing Landscape of tenure-Track Positions, HigherEd Jobs, 2019.
- Sinche M, Layton RL, Brandt PD, O’Connell AB, Hall JD, Freeman AM, et al. (2017) An evidence-based evaluation of transferable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0185023.
Reflection Prompts
- How could you approach this conversation with curiosity?
- What are some transferable skills/aptitudes of your mentee? How could you help them see these abilities as transferable skills?
- How could your mentee practice these skills in other settings, beyond academic research?
Additional Resources
Read
- Langin, K., Amid pandemic, U.S. faculty job openings plummet, Science, 2020.
- Woolston, C., Seeking an ‘exit plan’ for leaving academia amid coronavirus worries, Nature, 2020.
- Kruger, P., Why it is not a ‘failure’ to leave academia, Nature, 2018.
- The Transferable Postdoc, Kendall Powell, Science, 2014.
- Transferable skills for industry, Courtney Chandler, 2021, ASBMB Magazine.
- 11 Reasons to ignore the haters and major in the Humanities, Max Nisen, 2013, INSIDER.
Watch
- Invest in your strengths, Marcus Buckingham, YouTube video.
- 3 Steps to Identify and Articulate Transferable Skills, UC Davis Internship & Career Center, YouTube video.
- Identifying and Articulating Transferable Skills, PHutures, John Hopkins University, YouTube video.
Listen
- How to uncover your unique strengths, Let’s Fix Monday Podcast.
- Relationship Building, Transferable Skills, and Professional Growth with Penny S. Edwards, Faculty Factory Podcast.
- Coaching and Strength-based approaches to keep us progressing with Rachel Salas, Faculty Factory Podcast.
Act
- A Simple Matrix to Self-Assess Career Planning Preparedness, Sarah Blackford, BioScience Careers.
- Clement, L., Dorman, J.B., and McGee, R., The Academic Career Readiness Assessment: Clarifying Hiring and Training Expectations for Future Biomedical Life Sciences Faculty, Life Sciences Education, 2020. The ACRA tool is available on UCSF’s website.
- How to talk about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview, Tim Hodges and Bailey Nelson, Gallup, 2022.
- Strategic Networking
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Nowell, L., Ovie, G., Kenny, N. et al. Postdoctoral scholars’ perspectives about professional learning and development: a concurrent mixed-methods study. Palgrave Commun 6, 95 (2020).
- Medha Raj, Nathanael J. Fast, and Oliver Fisher, Identity and Professional Networking, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 2017 43:6, 772-784.
- Mapping and Building your Developmental Network, ©Kram & Higgins 2013, Boston University Medical Campus – Faculty Development (Worksheet).
Reflection Prompts
- Who (categories/groups of people) do you have in your professional network? Why?
- How do you maintain networking relationships with your connections?
- How do you answer connection/informational interview requests? What about those requests made you want to provide support? How could your mentee structure requests accordingly?
- How could you support your mentee to access connections inside and outside of your network, depending on their career objectives?
Additional Resources
Read
- Francesca Gino, Maryam Kouchaki, and Tiziana Casciaro, Learn to Love Networking, Harvard Business Review, 2016.
- Beronda Montgomery, Evolving from a focus on mentee to cultivating a mentoring ecosystem, 2019.
- Robin Bernstein, How to talk to famous professors, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2017.
Watch
- How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work, Carla Harris, TED Talk.
- Networking effectively from the start of your doctorate to the end of your postdoc, Penn Career Services, YouTube video.
Listen
- Podcast Episodes on Networking, Faculty Factory Podcast.
- Ten steps to transition your career into business, Postdoc Transformation Podcast.
Act
- Mapping and Building your Developmental Network, ©Kram & Higgins 2013, Boston University Medical Campus – Faculty Development (Worksheet).
- Managing Career Transitions
open toolkit
Introduction
Mentor Interviews
Introduction Video References
- Aziz, E. E. (2015). Project closing: the small process group with big impact. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2015—EMEA, London, England. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute (PMI).
- Haberthur, K., Leaving Lab: How to Best Transition from the Lab, Bitesize Bio, 2016.
Reflection Prompts
- How knowledgeable are you of the specific interview process your mentee is (likely to be) going through to transition into their next career step?
- How can you support them even if you do not know where to start?
- What process do you want your mentees to follow to close their projects or transfer them to other mentees?
Additional Resources
Read
- Nogrady, B., Exiting gracefully: how to leave a job behind, Nature Careers, 2021.
- Phases of the mentoring relationship, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
- Vick, J.M., and Furlong, J.S., Dealing with a difficult adviser, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2010.
- Darling, Lu Ann W. EdD. What To Do About Toxic Mentors. Nurse Educator 11(2):p 29-30, March 1986.
- Talk It Out: Dealing with a Tough Situation, Duke Faculty Advancement, 2021.
- Alle-Hardisty, L, Dealing with a difficult team member? Five tips to help you make better decisions, Forbes, 2021.
Watch
- Stages of the Mentoring Relationship (excerpt of the video “Preparing your first mentoring meeting”, A webinar with Dr Amy Iversen, The Academy of Medical Sciences), YouTube video.
Listen
- Breaking Up is Hard To Do, Professor-ing Podcast.
- Share how you are using our toolkits!
Willing to share how you are using the Productive Postdoc Conversation toolkits to illustrate how you deepen your mentoring practices in grant proposals or promotion dossiers? Here is a list of mentoring statements to get you started!
Share your feedback and ways we can improve these toolkits with us!
Toolkit Usage
Enjoyed using the toolkits? Tag us on social media using our handle @postdocacademy to let us know!
Do you have any questions? Reach out to us at postdocacademy@gmail.com!
- What brought you here?Willing to share more feedback? Please take this post-material use survey!
- What brought you here?Willing to share more feedback? Please take this post-material use survey!
- Identity and Role as a Postdoc
open activity
To begin, you will reflect on what elements of your professional and personal identities are important to your current position.
Awareness of Multiple Identities
Identity Grid Activity
Discussion Prompts
- What came up for you when you filled out the grid with your most important identities?
- What was easy to choose, what was less easy, and why?
Listen to our colleagues reflect on the differences between the roles of graduate students and postdocs from their perspective. Then our colleagues share how their own transition from graduate student to postdoc was and what parts were particularly difficult. Next, you’ll reflect on the roles that you held as a graduate student and how those compare to your roles as a postdoc.
Postdocs and Career Professionals Reflecting on Roles
Postdocs and Career Professionals Reflecting on Graduate School to Postdoc Transition
Roles Grid Activity
- Adapting to a New Community of Practice
open activity
Reflecting on Your Research Environments
Reflection Prompts
- How did you learn to act in research settings?
- Which environments have shaped you, particularly as a scientist? (e.g. undergrad, grad school, postdoc, etc.) Which ones have been the most important or have had the most impact?
- Were any of the environments particularly welcoming? Were any of the environments not inviting?
Defining a Community of Practice
Defining Cultural Capital
Awareness of Community of Practice Activity
Self-Reflection Prompts
- Within your own project, describe how you interact with each group member and your goals for those relationships.
- How can you ensure that your ways of working align with the existing community?
- How can you as a postdoc shape the group dynamic?
Becoming an Active Member of a Community of Practice
- Identifying, Aligning, and Evolving Expectations
open activity
Aligning Expectations with Your Mentor
Self-Reflection Prompts
The table below provides sample self-reflection questions, as well as sample questions that you can ask your PI and/or members of the research group. This table is adapted from Proactive Postdoc Mentoring (Hokanson and Goldberg, 2018). Before you begin the next section, read through the table and begin to reflect on which expectations you prioritize and how those expectations align with those of your PI and/or research group.
Identifying your Goals and Expectations
Self-Reflection Prompts
The following self-reflection prompts will help you identify the goals and expectations you have for your current position.
- What are your expectations and aspirations as a postdoc?
- How long do you anticipate being in this postdoc position?
- Does the length of time on your current appointment differ from how long you expect to be a postdoc?
- What are your goals for your postdoc?
- What are your expectations of your mentor?
- What are your mentor’s expectations of the mentoring relationship?
- What do you think are your mentor’s expectations of you?
- How do these things align with your expectations and goals? How are they different? If you aren’t sure, how will you find out?
Mapping Your Goals
- Jovana Milosavljevic-Ardeljan, PhD Testimony
Postdoc Academy is an invaluable resource for postdocs from any field, at any stage of their postdoctoral work. It provides a critical structure that enabled me to envision what my postdoc journey could look like and gave me the tools, language and framework for reaching my postdoc and long-term career goals.
Jovana Milosavljevic-Ardeljan, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of New Hampshire
- Sharon Elaine D’Souza Testimony
I had a really great learning experience after I had enrolled in this course. This course is a treasure trove of knowledge for scientists from different career and academic backgrounds. I gained a lot of clarity and new perspectives from my past experiences and am looking forward to applying my newly developed skills in my professional environment. The time spent during this course was a worthwhile investment for the future.
Sharon Elaine D’Souza
M.Phil Student of Molecular Medicine
Junior Research Fellow at Computational Biology Lab
International Center For Chemical and Biological Sciences
Karachi, Pakistan
- Georgios Stratis, PhD Testimony
Taking this MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) provided me with the resources I needed to start planning for my career. Going through these modules was important, because it gave me a slew of tools to deal with parts of postdoc life unrelated to the research part, which nonetheless have an impact on my research performance.
Georgios Stratis, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Roux Institute for Experiential AI
Northeastern University
- Rachel Renbarger, PhD Testimony
The Postdoc Academy encouraged me to think about a wide array of skills and opportunities. I learned tangible takeaways that helped me expand my ideas of teaching and leading projects plus connect what I currently do as a postdoc to my future career. The course was accessible because we could do it on our own schedule, but it also included synchronous activities that helped me feel like a part of a larger community. I highly recommend this for all postdocs!
Rachel Renbarger, PhD
Research Director
Accelerating Systemic Change Network (ASCN)
- Ana Moraes, PhD Testimony
During PALS sessions, we could discuss the themes in more depth while connecting to peers on different areas – this closer connection made me feel that I am not alone as a postdoc, it gave me sense of community and value to my professional development.
Ana Moraes, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Northwestern University
- Radost Stanimirova, PhD Testimony
I recommend the Postdoc Academy course because it provided me with an opportunity to step away from my day-to-day postdoc tasks and reflect on my career goals and long term professional aspirations. I loved the diverse set of perspectives and expertise that was featured in the course. It gave me a lot of opportunity for self reflection and practical tips on how to help my workplace and lab be a more inclusive and welcoming place.
Radost Stanimirova, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Boston University
- Exploring Career Planning Resources
open activity
Before we jump into career planning, let’s take a step back and reflect on the differences between a job and a career. Listen to some of our colleagues reflect on what a job and a career mean to them.
Career? Job?
Optional Reading Activity
If you’re interested in learning about the evidence-based research on career choices for PhDs, below are four optional readings you can explore.
Introducing Choose Your Own Adventure
Self-Reflection Prompts
Now it’s your turn to choose your own adventure! Choose one of the two options below. Feel free to explore both.
- Do you have a well-defined career goal? Is there one “X” on your map that stands out? You’re navigating towards a career goal.
- Are you exploring how you would define your career goal? Are there multiple “X”s on your map that you’re interested in? You are strategically exploring career goals.
Navigating Towards a Career Goal
Strategically Exploring Career Goals
Activity
Download a Guide to Career Planning Resources
Discussion Prompts: Reflecting on Career Planning Resources
After exploring career planning resources, here are a few discussion prompts:
- Where are you at in the process of choosing a career path?
- Which resources have you explored and which do you plan to explore?
- What challenged you in career planning? If you notice someone is struggling with an obstacle that you’ve now overcome, share how you overcame it.
Preparing for an Informational Interview
Activity
Looking for more resources on informational interviews? Check out the InterSECT Job Simulations Guide.
- Building Your Career Plan
open activity
Introducing the Career Plan
Building Your Career Plan
Activity
- Download one of the career plan templates:
- Directions for Building Your Career Plan
- Here are three career plan examples:
Giving Valuable Feedback
Peer Feedback on Your Career Plan
The rubric below will help you evaluate the goals your peer has outlined in their career plan. Consider if the objectives are aligned with your peer’s overall career goal, and if they are measurable and attainable, in other words, are they SMART? Before you’re done, try to summarize your feedback into two main points.
Self-Reflection Prompts
After you receive peer feedback, take some time to reflect.
- How will you revise your plan?
- How did the peer review process help you clarify or improve your career plan?
- Putting Your Career Plan into Action
open activity
Now that you’ve explored some career planning resources and drafted a career plan, let’s talk about how you can implement that plan. How can you put your career plan into action?
Putting Your Plan into Action
Overcoming Obstacles on your Pathway to Success
Reflection Prompts
- Are there strategies that you’ve used successfully in the past and could suggest to others who might face a similar barrier?
- Are there strategies that others came up that would be beneficial for you?
How to Put Your Career Plan into Action
- Icebreakers
open activity
Icebreakers
Activity
- What comes to mind when you think of the word “resilience”?
- What are the characteristics of people when they are resilient?
- Failure: Unlocking Our Potential for Success
open activity
Before you explore resilience, spend a few minutes to consider the concept of failure. There’s a lot of research consideration and re-consideration of the role of failure in achievement. We want to explore how failure can be used as a powerful part of our growth process so that when we encounter those inevitable failures, we can demonstrate resilience and move through them.
Failure: Unlocking our Potential for Success
Discussion Prompts
- How do you define failure in your professional life?
- Have there been events in your life that you initially perceived as a failure that eventually ended up leading to future successes? How did you make that realization/cognitive shift?
- Have you ever let the fear of failure prevent you from doing something that you wanted to? Thinking back on those decisions, how could you have shifted your mindset to re-frame that fear into motivation.
- Digging into Resilience
open activity
What is Resilience?
Models of Resilience
Activity
There are multiple frameworks researchers use when studying resilience that look at different parts of recovering from stress including how to decrease the impact of the stressor, how to improve adaptation from the stress, and how to support the whole process. These frameworks complement one another and provide a fresh look at how to thrive with the multiple stresses that we all experience. If you’re interested in learning more about these frameworks, we’ve included a few references and readings you may want to check out.
- Reflecting on Stress and Deterioration
open activity
Acknowledging Barriers to Resilience
Resilience Case Studies
Below you will find three cases about different barriers to resilience that postdocs might face. Read through the case studies and reflect on the discussion prompts.
Self-Reflection Prompts
- Reflect on a barrier that you have encountered or are currently encountering that feels out of your control.
- What are the current steps you have considered or have already tried to address the situation?
Time Management Strategies
When It’s Not Manageable
Resources
Resources for When It’s Not Manageable
- Reflecting on Bouncing Back
open activity
What is Adaptation?
What is Recovery?
Discussion Prompts
- What is the difference in behavior that leads to different recovery periods?
- What’s driving those differences?
Imagine a time when you felt doubtful, unsure of your progress, or burnt out related to something important to you. It might be from a rejected manuscript, but it could also be from an unproductive meeting with your PI or a failed job search.
- How did you recover from that stressor?
- What steps did you take to recover?
- Were these constructive (did they enhance your recovery) or destructive (did they deter your recovery)?
Strategies for Bouncing Back
Discussion Prompts
What strategies for bouncing back have worked for you?
- Reflecting on Growth: Building an Action Plan
open activity
Introducing the Action Plan
Building Your Action Plan
- Checking In
open activity
This section is meant to take place at least 2 weeks after the completion of the above materials.
Checking In on Your Resilience
Discussion Prompts
- Describe one accomplishment you’ve made in developing or implementing your plan to support a personal or professional goal.
- Describe one barrier you’ve encountered in developing or implementing your plan to support a personal or professional goal.
- Do you need to adjust your plan to make it more practical?
- What will your actions be in the next month to overcome this barrier?
- Introducing the Ground Rules
open activity
Introducing the Ground Rules
Reflecting on Ground Rules
Respecting Confidentiality
Activity
- Thinking About Yourself
open activity
The Practice of Self-Reflection
Introducing the Social Identity Grid
Social Identity Grid Activity
Post-Activity Reflection
- What was your lightbulb moment during this activity?
- How did this activity land on you?
- Consider how this activity landed similarly or differently for you compared to others in the course based on different identities we carry.
Using the Identity Grid
- Exploring the Literature
open activity
For this section, please read these two articles regarding microaggressions and implicit bias in science. If you’re interested in learning more, we’ve provided a few additional readings. Below you will watch a virtual journal club discussing these two articles.
Synthesizing the Literature
Develop Evidence-Based Strategies
Self-Reflection Prompts
- How did the articles resonate with your own experience?
- Can you describe a time when you experienced, perpetuated, and/or observed a microaggression similar to those described in the articles?
- Can you describe a time when you have been part of an incident when the impact perceived may have been different from the intent?
- Thinking About How You Interact with Others
open activity
Reflecting on Social Interactions as Postdocs
Framing the Case Studies
Activity
Download the case studies and reflection prompts:
Unpacking Case Study #1
Unpacking Case Study #2
- Putting it All Together
open activity
Putting it All Together
Reflection Activity
Self-Reflection Prompts
- After seeing the responses from the activity, what other questions or reflections arise for you?
- Having reflected on the identity grid, microaggressions, and how you interact with others, what is one key takeaway for you from this content?
- What might you do differently based on that takeaway?
- Learning to Lead
open activity
What does leadership look like?
Activity
Word cloud activity on leadership qualities:
- In a single word, express a positive characteristic of a leader.
- In a single word, express a negative characteristic of a leader.
- Using a last name, identify a leader that embodies the leadership qualities you most admire from the past or present day.
- What comes up for you when you reflect on these word clouds around leadership?
- What are you seeing that’s different or similar?
- How might cultural perspectives inform your thinking?
Self-Reflection Prompts
- Think of one positive leadership experience that you had (either as a leader or as a member of a team, group, or community). What leadership behaviors made that experience positive or negative for you?
- Think of one negative leadership experience that you had (either as a leader or as a member of a team, group, or community). What leadership behaviors made that experience positive or negative for you?
- Self-Assessment
open activity
Introducing Self-Assessment
Self-Reflection Prompts
In my own words, what does this information tell me about my leadership?
Activity
This optional reading may help participants understand bias in leadership assessments: 3 Strategies to Reduce Bias in Leadership Assessments
The following self-assessment tools are discussed in the video above.
- DISC Personality Test
- DISC Personality Example Report
- High 5 Test (the free alternative to StrengthsFinder)
View or download examples of various self-assessment tools here:
- Exploring Leadership Frameworks
open activity
Exploring Leadership Frameworks with Adam Goodman
Adam Goodman and Postdocs Explore Leadership
- Comparing Leadership, Mentorship, and Management
open activity
Comparing Leader, Mentor and Manager
- Applying a Leadership Approach to Your Career Context
open activity
Activity tied with InterSECT Job Sims
Activity
Choose one of the selected Job Simulations that interests you (not in a classic leadership role) from the list below and complete the associated tasks.
Self-Reflection Prompts
- What are the opportunities or moments within these simulations where a person in this job could demonstrate leadership, even though the role may not be a leadership-type position?
- If you were in this job and completed the work described in the simulation, how might you pitch the outcomes toward a new leadership opportunity?
- Building a Team
open activity
Strategies for Recruiting, Welcoming, and Integrating New Members in Your Team
Self-Reflection Prompts
- Describe how you might include characteristics of being an effective team member into a person’s performance expectations for a position you are supervising. What might this look like?
- In reflecting on the types of teams you’ve been associated with and the type of team you may need in a future (or current) position, please describe one primary characteristic you’d look for in a team member and evidence that they have this characteristic (i.e., whether in their written materials and/or during an interview).
Recruiting New Members of Your Team
Activity
- Setting Expectations
open activity
Aligning Expectations and Exploring Communication Styles
The Fresh Outdoors: Strategically Setting Expectations
Self-Reflection Prompts
- What are your observations about the conversation in “The Fresh Outdoors” video?
- What were the unilateral expectations?
- Which expectations could have been set jointly?
- How likely is the outcome influenced by the power differential?
Creating an Onboarding/Orientation Checklist
Activity
- Follow the instructions in this table to create your own onboarding/orientation checklist. What do you wish you would have known when starting a new position?
- Having Productive Conversations
open activity
Interest-Based Approach for Collaboratively Setting Expectations
- Giving and Receiving Feedback
open activity
Frameworks for Giving Feedback
When does feedback happy successfully for you?
Self-Reflection Prompts
- Giving feedback happens naturally when…
- Giving feedback is hard, but it still happens anyway when…
- I avoid giving feedback when…
Activity
Download a table of these questions to complete and keep.
Reading: The Feedback Fallacy by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall in Harvard Business Review.
Frameworks for Receiving Feedback
- Putting it All Together
open activity
Practice Setting Expectations
Activity: Rewind the Tape
Using the instructions and table provided, think about a conversation with your supervisor that resulted in a conflictual outcome. How would you have approached the situation if you were the supervisor?
- Overview of Project Management
open activity
An Introduction to Project Management
Activity: Project Elements Table
Using this table, compare and contrast different elements of projects.
Choose Your Project
Activity: Choose Your Project
Choose a project to use throughout this module and fill in this table. Identifying a project will give you an opportunity to fully engage with the activities in this module.
Wrap-Up
Course Module References
- American Association for the Advancement of Science. (n.d.). How to Prepare for an Interview.
- American Association of University Women. (n.d.). Work Smart & Start Smart: Salary Negotiation.
- Boogaard, K. (2021). The STAR Method: The Secret to Acing Your Next Job Interview. Daily Muse Inc.
- Glassdoor Team. (2020, February 23). 8 Inappropriate Interview Questions and How to Tackle Them Like a Pro. Glassdoor.
- Indeed. (2021). Understanding the STAR Interview Format.
- Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). Win-Win Negotiation. MindTools.
Additional Resources
Job Search and Application Process
- How to Read a Job Description (Zippia)
- What Job Description Jargon is Actually Saying (HBR)
- Supporting Documents for a Job Application (The Balance Careers)
- Prepare Application Materials (Penn Career Services)
- LinkedIn is another great career resource. Create, complete, and consistently update your profile, network and connect with other professionals, utilize the job board, and refer to their articles.
Interviews
Negotiations
- 15 Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer (HBR)
- Negotiating a Job Offer? Here’s How to Get What You Want (HBR)
- Salary Resources: glassdoor.com | salary.com