Post written by Sharon Milgram, Director of The Office of Intramural Training & Education.
One of the fun things I get to do as part of my job directing the Office of Intramural Training & Education, is to give talks on the NIH campus and at universities across the United States. Students ask me all types of questions about my career; how a physical therapist became a cell biologist, what I like about my previous faculty job and my current administrative job, what I don’t like, what I look for when I hire new employees, etc. One question always gets asked– what I would do differently if I could do it all over again. I always give the same response – “I would have learned more about leadership and management earlier in my career”.
Yes, I got my faculty job based on my science — the papers I published, the grants I wrote, and the way I communicated enthusiasm for protein trafficking. But, I was successful in that job because of the hard work and dedication of the many students and staff who worked with me. When I communicated my expectations clearly and dealt with issues calmly and up-front, my lab ran more smoothly and I got more work done. Therefore, my success depended on my science skills AND my management/leadership skills. The same is true now in a completely different setting. My success in the OITE depends on others doing their best work. It is critical that I work continuously on my management and leadership skills.
There is broad agreement that scientists must develop strong interpersonal skills to do effective team science and to transition from training to management positions (at and away from the bench). Yet, we don’t always find the time to be trained in these areas. Many students, postdocs and mentors find little value in “soft skills” training. They believe that a successful career in science is determined predominantly by publications, patents, funding, etc. However, the book Lab Dynamics (Cohen and Cohen)* surveyed scientists and found that nearly two-thirds reported that interpersonal conflict had hampered progress on a scientific project between 1-5 times in their career. Furthermore, many of our alumni share that managing and leading a team is one of the earliest challenges they face.
To help you start developing your management and leadership skills, the OITE has developed the “Workplace Dynamics” series. The workshops focus on: 1) increased awareness of self and others using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®; 2) communication styles and influencing others; 3) conflict dynamics; 4) team theory; and 5) diversity training. Our goal is to help you gain greater self-awareness and an appreciation that others may approach conflict and group work differently. We hope that by providing a language to discuss these differences, you will be better able to manage yourself and work across differences in the workplace. We use examples that resonate with scientists and combine didactic material with interactive group work. We know that trainees appreciate the interactive group work, but that they also like helpful resources they can access from home. I have listed some of these resources at the bottom of this post in the hopes that readers not currently at NIH can benefit from the reading the material as they seek similar programs on their campuses. Those of you currently at NIH – summer interns, postbacs, grad students, postdocs, clinical and research fellows – take advantage of these workshops now. The Summer/Fall Workplace Dynamics series starts in June. Find our more and register here.
References:
Lab Dynamics: Management Skills for Scientists, Cohen and Cohen (2005) New York: Cold Spring Harbor Press
Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition by Maurianne Adams, Warren Blumenfeld, Carmelita Castaneda and Heather W. Hackman (2013) Routledge
Do you need to find a job in a geographically limited area far from your current location? Maybe your significant other just found a dream job, or maybe you just always wanted to live in Seattle, WA – whatever the reason, a remote and geographically limited job search poses a distinct set of challenges that require some strategizing to overcome. Here are a few thoughts that may help from a person who recently was searching for a job in Dallas, TX, while living in Bethesda, MD. These tips are useful in any job search, but particularly for conducting a remote search.
Begin the search early. Job options tend to be reduced when they are limited by geography. Imposing boundaries on the location means relying on fewer potential employers. The more time you allow for finding a job, the better.
Use your network. Your network should be your first resource in a remote job search. Know the histories of the people in your network, and keep up with their current locations. Ask people currently or historically linked to the area for suggested companies or connections. Some of your contacts may work for a company with an office in that location and may be willing to send out feelers on your behalf. Always ask permission before using a contact’s name or, even better, ask them to provide an introduction.
Do not limit yourself to professional contacts. Talk to friends, alumni associations, volunteer organizations, members of your religious institute, or anywhere else you may find an unexpected lead. If you are a member of a professional or volunteer organization, contact the local chapters to make some connections. Seek local people at conferences. Make your job search as widely known as possible – the more exposure the better. Conducting a secretive job search poses more of a challenge, but typically you can advertise pretty broadly without you current boss finding out.
Use job Sites. Job sites will be your friend. Most career sites filter searches to a specific area or radius around an area. Check out the state labor department for local search engines. The City of Dallas website had links to six local search engines.
Know your business. If you are looking for an academic job, search all the universities. For me, looking for a job in science policy in Dallas meant searching anywhere that might have a policy/government relations office, like non-profit organizations and universities. After finding some leads, go back to your network and look for the connections. Cold e-mails to directors or assistant directors (managers) located in offices of interest can end up in future leads or even a job. So don’t be afraid to write them a note. None of the offices I contacted were hiring at the time, but I continued to receive several leads from the people I contacted with in those initial cold e-mails.
Be flexible. Compromising a little on the job you are seeking may go a long way towards finding a position. As a person recently preparing for a science policy career in Washington, DC, where policy jobs are plentiful, now moving to Dallas, TX, where science policy jobs are next to non-existent, I had to broaden my search to jobs with similar skills requirements and career goals. After some considerable research, I found a job in the communications office of a local university requiring many of the same skills and tasks that I enjoyed in science policy.
To recap: start early, use your network heavily, use search engines wisely, cold call companies of interest, and use your network even more.
What are your suggestions or experiences for a remote job search?
Research is your top priority as a graduate student or postdoc. That, coupled with your passion for science, may drive you to devote every waking moment to your research. You love discovery. You need to publish. However, regardless of your career aspirations, your regular routine may benefit from a slight change of pace. Maybe there is a certain career you’ve always wanted to explore or skill set you’ve wanted to develop. Participating in activities outside of lab can help you learn a lot about yourself, forge meaningful networks, and potentially guide your future career path.
Earlier, we discussed serving on the career symposium committee and how to make the most out of such opportunities. Other activities may range from writing an article for a newsletter, organizing a monthly seminar series or social event, teaching a course or leading a journal club, taking the initiative to start a new interest group, or serving as a co-chair of a postdoc or graduate student association (such as FelCom or the Graduate Student Council). There is a variety of opportunities with a range of time commitments to explore.
Choose the right moment, but make the time: Develop a comfortable balance between your research and activities, and never overextend yourself. For both graduate students and postdocs, the “middle-years” of your fellowships are generally good times to participate. Don’t get heavily involved when just starting your fellowship or when your lab is in the midst of preparing for a sensitive event like a grant deadline or a BSC review. For grad students, avoid periods of time when you have a high level of academic responsibilities. Perhaps it feels like there is no perfect time or personal/family commitments make it difficult to participate in events that extend into the evening. Though, let’s say you devote 5% of the “standard” 40 hour work to such career-enhancing activities. That’s 2 hours a week! Look at your schedule from that perspective and determine how you can find the time.
Do the job right or don’t do it at all: Don’t participate in an activity if you are just looking to add a line to your CV, and don’t agree to take a role if you are not truly enthusiastic about it. That line on your CV alone won’t do or say anything if you can’t support it by explaining the transferrable skills that you may have acquired. Make sure you clearly understand what is expected for each one before you volunteer. If you don’t fulfill your responsibilities, it could irreparably damage your reputation with colleagues and staff. Give plenty of warning if you have to respectfully miss a meeting or withdraw from an activity. Again, research is your top priority and everyone understands if extenuating circumstances arise.
Taking the next step: Talk to your mentor about your participation in any activities during normal working hours. If your mentor isn’t too enthusiastic about your participating in a certain activity, start with an event that doesn’t take up much time. Explain to your mentor how these activities can be important for your future career path and show, specifically, how small the time commitment really is for many cases. Show through experience that these activities are not interfering with your ability to get new data or proceed with your research.
The NIH (or your university) is a great place to explore your skills and interests both in and out of the lab. If you choose the right activity, plan ahead and manage your time efficiently, you can significantly enrich your experience here.
You have a new job! (or hope to soon). Here are some tips to make the transition to your new position successful and as easy as possible.
First, remember that transitions are always tough. While you are likely very excited about a new position, the transition can be overwhelming, especially if you are moving to a new location. You are closing out a chapter in your life that has likely lasted between two and five years (or more). You are saying goodbye to friends and colleagues and disrupting an established routine—so some anxiety is totally normal.
Finish strong and leave your current job on a positive note. Finish those last minute experiments, organize those freezer boxes, clean your personal spaces (bench, desk, etc), train other people in the group on what you do, and organize/clean/save important computer files and emails. This always seems to take longer than you think it should, and many of us have put this off to the last minute and then scrambled to finish everything before we walk out the door. Also, decide how many of those last minute experiments can honestly be done before you leave. Someone else in the lab can likely perform the rest after you leave.
Make sure you take time to say goodbye to people. Things can be chaotic as you transition, and sometimes we forget the people. Schedule enough time to say goodbye (without over-scheduling so that you are going crazy trying to keep your social calendar in check).
If your new job requires you to move, ask the organization you are moving to for relocation help. Even if this will just be a colleague that will point you in the right direction for good neighborhoods, childcare, restaurants, etc. Finding a good place to live will make the transition much easier. You can even search the alumni databases or Linkedin to find other people who are in that location to get guidance.
Make a plan for your arrival at your new job. Some recommend a 90 day plan of what you would like to get done. A good book on is The First 90 Days, by Michael Watkins. Also, if you are heading to an academic appointment, you may want to read Making the Right Moves (published by HHMI), and At the Helm by Kathy Barker. Create a summary and overview of your position, as you see it. Then make a list of goals that you should (and can) complete in your first 30, 60, and 90 days. In this, also mention the assumptions that you have and any required resources needed in order to make this happen. This gives you some good guidelines and goals as you move into a new position with many other unknowns.
Build a good reputation with both your new boss and your new coworkers. Be part of the team. Volunteer to tackle doable projects. Ask your co-workers on the best places for lunch and coffee (and even invite them to share in a cup of coffee with you). Don’t try to integrate too quickly into every conversation. Remember, these people have built a bond and you will need time to really understand all of the nuances of the relationships.
Finally, make sure to take some time for your own work-life balance. Finding new places in the community is a great way to find a new support system, to gain friends and to make this transition less lonely.
So good luck!!! And keep in touch…..your transition now makes a terrific success story for those coming through the ranks behind you!
The OITE starts preparing for the large events (like the NIH Career Symposium) about 9-12 months in advance. When we can, we like to form committees of NIH fellows eager to help plan, organize and execute these events. It helps us to get fresh ideas from the fellows’ perspective, and it gives fellows the chance to build valuable skills to highlight on their resumes. Here are three ways to take full advantage of committee membership.
Leadership – Being on a committee gives you a chance to be a leader. However, you have to take the initiative make that happen. Vocalize your ideas by making suggestions for speakers, session topics, themes, etc. Volunteer for tasks (especially if an organizer is needed), host speakers or moderate a session.
Administration –There is quite a bit of administrative work that goes into large events at the NIH. Determining the number of rooms you need and how many chairs you need in each room; Deciding what sessions or speakers to put in what rooms; setting schedules and agendas for the whole event and the people participating in the event are only just a few examples. Actively engage with the OITE advisor to make sure you can understand this process.
Networking –Networking is about laying the foundation for a relationship with someone. Participate fully in all committee work and find common ground with your fellow teammates. Make sure to greet and host speakers. After the event find ways to cultivate networking connections with your fellow committee members, other event attendees, and speakers.
We have had a lot of people who serve on a committee later ask the OITE advisors for a letter of recommendation. We love to write strong letters for our committee members, so make sure that we see all the work that you are doing and how you pulled your weight in the team.
These are only a few of the skills you can establish while working on a committee. There are others like writing, editing, advertising, analyzing and evaluating the event, and many more. However, you won’t get the ones you want by just signing up to be on the planning committee. Work with your OITE advisor to talk about your career goals and to identify which jobs on the committee will set you up for success.
We want you to have a great experience on a committee. Do the best job you can, but make sure not to over-commit yourself. Together we make the events that make training at the NIH special.
This is the twenty first in a series of profiles about recent NIH postdocs who have found an array of jobs, from academia to industry to communications and beyond, in the U.S. and abroad. What do they do now, and how did they get there? What challenges did they face, and what advice do they have? Read on to find out.
Name: Dr Brenda Diane Kostelecky
Job title and company: Health Science Policy Analyst, NCI
Location: Bethesda, MD
How long you’ve been in your current job: 10 months
Postdoc subject, advisor and IC: NICHD, Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, morphology changes in mitochondria and their effects on proliferation, authophagy
What are you doing now?
I am a health science policy analyst at the NCI in the Office of Science Planning and Assessment. I did a 3-month detail there at the end of my postdoc and stayed on as a contractor.
How did you decide that you didn’t want to continue doing bench science?
I didn’t want to leave science but I couldn’t see myself at the bench for the long-term. I started to look for other options by joining the NIH Fellows Committee (FelCom) Career Development Sub-Committee. Read the rest of this entry »
This is the twentieth in a series of profiles about recent NIH postdocs who have found an array of jobs, from academia to industry to communications and beyond, in the U.S. and abroad. What do they do now, and how did they get there? What challenges did they face, and what advice do they have? Read on to find out.
Name: Erika L. Barr
Job title and company: Co-director for NIH Community College Program & Coordinator of Special Projects, OITE, NIH
Location: Bethesda, MD
How long you’ve been in your current job: 2.5 years
Postdoc subject, advisor and IC: Laboratory of Immunology, Dennis Taub, NIA
How did you get to where you are now?
(Chuckling.) A lot of prayer. I was a biology major in undergrad. I went to a historically black college in North Carolina. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do after that so I taught sixth grade science for 2 years. I found that I enjoyed education, but wanted to teach older kids.
I talked to a former professor and mentor of mine and she encouraged me to get a Master’s in biology. That was huge because that was the first time I was exposed to real research.
I still wanted to have a small job while I went to school so I worked as an assistant coordinator with a math and science program for kids from underrepresented backgrounds.
Then, I decided to complete my PhD at Clark Atlanta University.
What did you find helpful along the way?
Networking and having awesome mentors both played major roles in my journey.
For example, towards the end of graduate school, I went to an international conference. During one of the activities, I met a PI on the bus and we began to talk. He asked me about my research and career goals, and I gave him my little elevator speech. He asked me, “Well, what do you want to do next?” I told him that attending that meeting had really made me want to do research abroad. By the end of the conversation, he had asked me if I would be interested in going to West Africa to do trachoma vaccine research. So, I did a short postdoc for him through the Medical Research Council/London School of Hygiene and Tropical Disease before coming to the NIH for my postdoc here.
This is the Nineteenth in a series of profiles about recent NIH postdocs who have found an array of jobs, from academia to industry to communications and beyond, in the U.S. and abroad. What do they do now, and how did they get there? What challenges did they face, and what advice do they have? Read on to find out.
Name: Jan Gutermuth
Current position: Group leader (Arbeitsgruppenleiter) of the Experimental Allergy Group, Center for Allergy and Environment (ZAUM), Technische Universität München and Helmholtz Center Munich
Location: Munich, Germany
Time in current position: 1 year
Postdoc: Mechanisms of immunological tolerance and their therapeutic modulation with Stephen I. Katz at NCI
My story: I’m a dermatologist.By the time I came to the NIH, I was in a pretty lucky situation. I had taken a step away from the clinic and had done a Ph.D. equivalent, which at that time was not well-regulated in Germany. Often, our medical doctors are sent outside their institutes for some time because our mentors want us to gain some experience and then come back. This was offered to me. Of course, there’s no guarantee there will be a position for you when you go back. For me, I was not 100% sure if I would go back to the same department or somewhere else.
Job search in a nutshell: I started to look for jobs once I saw my project at the NIH was running well and I was starting to write a paper. I considered staying in the U.S. But I didn’t have a board exam in dermatology that was recognized in the U.S. and I didn’t want to do my residency again. I always maintained contact with my home department in Germany, but I was also invited by other departments to give talks based on scientific presentations. Normally that means they want to interview you. Prior to coming to the NIH, I was active in the German dermatology and allergy scene, so they knew me already. I could have joined at least three or four departments.
Network, network, network: Mostly my conversations came out of real interest. If I’m interested, I will talk to that person. It has led me to the people I need to know. I’m a little bit hurt if someone networks with me but isn’t really interested. Of course, if you’re really good at networking, you’ll do more than I do. For me, it’s like a key and lock: it should fit.
The book How To Work a Room was very helpful for me.
Also regarding networking, I became friends with the Austrian embassy attaché and representatives from the European Union in D.C. They tried to recruit me. Washington has a lot to offer. You shouldn’t only stay in your lab at the NIH. It is such a rich scene with many scientists and politicians traveling to the area.
This is the Seventeenth (and Eighteenth) in a series of profiles about recent NIH postdocs who have found an array of jobs, from academia to industry to communications and beyond, in the U.S. and abroad. What do they do now, and how did they get there? What challenges did they face, and what advice do they have? Read on to find out.
Names: Mollie and Travis Jewett
Current positions: Assistant professors of medicine, University of Central Florida
Location: Orlando, FL
Time in current positions: 2 years
Postdocs: Mollie: zoonotic pathogens of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) with Patti Rosa; Travis: intracellular parasites (Rickettsia rickettsii and Chlamydiatrachomatis) with Ted Hackstadt; both at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories
Our story: We met when we were undergrads in Vermont. We moved to St. Louis together for grad school, then we moved to the NIH together for our postdocs, and now we’re at UCF. We’ve been doing the two-person thing for a while!
Application strategy: Our strategy the whole time has been to end up at the same place. We each applied to opportunities as individuals without mentioning the other person. We wanted to feel we were selected based on our own merits. In 2008-2009 when we were applying for faculty positions, we cast a wide net with the hope of getting multiple interviews. We applied separately and kept separate binders. In the end, it turned out we’d applied to many of the same places. We sent about 50 applications and had about 7 interviews each. Six of those were at the same places, though sometimes in different departments. We both had at least one interview at a place the other didn’t. At that point, we did mention the other spouse. They only had one position available, so we didn’t move forward with that process. It was a deal-breaker if we did not both get positions in at least the same city.Read the rest of this entry »
You know seminars are important, but honestly when is the last time you went? We know the excuses on why attendance is not a priority. There are only so many hours to get so many experiments done, and the seminar room is all the way of the other side of campus (and it is raining/sunny/cold/hot), there are no free cookies, it is not a topic you are interested in, etc.
Here are some reasons on why attending seminars is key to your career success, both for now and in the future:
Solving scientific puzzles- you never know when a seminar may lead to an Aha! Moment to solve your challenges
New techniques and procedures- technologies are being developed at a rapid pace. No one can keep up with them all simply by reading the literature
Collaborations- could you and the speaker have a common goal that would benefit from a scientific exchange?
Network- make contacts and build relationships, both within the institution and with the speaker. This helps you to build your networking map (which we will blog about in early March)
Exposure- many faculty attend seminars regularly, this gives you a chance to be seen by them and to engage in intellectual conversations. This could be a bonus when you need another letter of recommendation, science advice, and more.
Communication- you can improve your communication skills by asking questions and participating in the discussion
Regardless of your career aspirations, you need to be successful doing what you are doing now. So make seminar attendance a priority. Who knows where this one hour a week can lead you, both scientifically and career-wise.
In fact, we will make it a priority too. See one of the OITE staff at WALS the next two weeks (February 22, 2012 or THURSDAY March 1, 2012). We would love to have you say “hello” and let us know you are reading the blog.
Posted by Phil Ryan 
