We are a few short weeks away from the start of the academic year. For those of you who are new to the iJOBS program, here is a brief summary of the types of events offered that you should test the waters with. I’ve added links to related posts in each category in case you want to learn more about a specific talk. Don't hesitate to contact Dr. Janet Alder or the iJOBS bloggers via comments or e-mail if you have any questions - we are always glad to answer them! With that, here are my 5 top categories of events to attend:
I. Career Panels
Career panels focus on specific positions or sectors, are usually 90 minutes, and include 2-3 panelists representing a variety of career paths leading to the same place. These panelists are always ready to share and answer your questions. A career panel is a great place to get your own specific questions answered. I recommend you attend these by the masses, as they are short, easy to fit into your schedule and can be extremely informative. For example, I had no idea Not For Profit Organization hired PhDs. Others had never heard of a position called Medical Science Liaison or the opportunities offered by the NIH and other government organizations. Attending in person is great, but if you cannot make it to an interesting panel, check to see if it was podcasted and/or summarized in this blog.
II. Seminars
These are a little more unique than career panels and address a large variety of topics. Seminars essentially cover what doesn’t fit into the rest of the iJOBS categories. So far, an amazing example is the Scientific Storytelling seminar, by Rafael E. Luna from Harvard Medical School and Luna Scientific Storytelling, LLC, covered here. The next seminar, scheduled for October 7, 2015, is specifically geared towards international students. This upcoming seminar will hopefully be able to address many of the concerns raised by the international contingent of iJOBS participants during Career Panels.
III. Site visits
Site visits are lengthy, but will give you an inside look into whatever destination you have selected to visit. While you do not need to attend every single one, you definitely should not miss visits to sites you are specifically interested in or that represent a group of industries you want to learn more about. Such visits tend to include a solid variety of panelists from all corners of the organization. For an insider look into the Merck site visit, take a look at Chris Lowe’s blog post that can be found here.
IV. Workshops
Workshops are exactly what you would expect them to be – opportunities to learn more and improve upon skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and networking. Some are done in conjunction with Rutgers Career Services. I’m going to go ahead and include SciPhD in this category. While it is in a class of its own in terms of duration and exercises, the program places a lot of emphasis on mock interviews, project management, answering job ads, salary negotiations,etc. The resume writing and interview workshops fill up fast, so when you get that e-mail that registration is open, sign up!
V. Networking Opportunities
iJOBS offers several events a year that allow for networking on a grander scale. Yes, career panels are a good time to speak to a representative or two from a field you’re interested in, but career fairs and symposia are a much more intense type of event. As Itzamarie explains, a career fair requires some serious preparation, including business attire, background research on the companies present, and a stack of resumes printed and ready to go. Last March we also had the opportunity to attend a talk by BioNJ representative and director at Life Sciences Talent Network Matthew Alcade on how exactly to network at such a career fair – make sure you keep an eye out for that one if it gets scheduled again!
So what are you waiting for? Click here and start marking up your calendar!