I used the expertise I developed in Technique A during my PhD to develop a standard operating procedure and structured training program for my colleagues. Technique A was not used widely by members of my lab so I investigated potential for it to be applied to new areas. Situation: Assisted colleagues with application of novel technique For example, for those who suspect their research may be difficult to publish, what else has been learned along the way that is helpful to the field? Applications of techniques to different areas, development of standard operating procedures, mentoring or training of peers or students, strategic involvement in committees, community engagement and many other examples can all provide potential employers with surety that the person has the ability to contribute constructively to an organisation.įigure 2: Framing helpfulness as a useful asset to employers This same logic applied during a PhD can provide a multitude of career possibilities. On asking an esteemed industry professional how they had navigated a successful research career in an organisation with rapid and frequent turnover, the answer was surprising "I make sure that I'm known as someone who is helpful to my colleagues." While this can sometimes be due to the quality of the research, it is also the case that there are often many factors that can lead to an unpublishable project - unsuccessful experiments, competitors publishing first, fast paced research fields, poor journal fits and more. It is a reality that many excellent PhD candidates struggle to publish. I completed the project within the anticipated timeframe and communicated the significance of the research by publishing in journal E. I published in journal E which received F number of citations. The application of the chosen techniques showed that A was implicated. I reviewed current techniques for fit for purpose, feasibility within budget constraints and ease of training. I used techniques C and D, and proved that A was implicated. My PhD research project aimed to understand the role of A in B Situation: A research project was undertaken which resulted in a publication By contrast, for a potential industry audience the publication of a paper can be communicated as the ability to deliver an expected outcome from an investment.įigure 1: Framing publications as a useful asset to employers Each published paper represents an intellectual contribution to the collective research community's understanding of a problem. One way that PhD candidates can consider this positioning is through using the common job interview response format of Situation, Task, Action, Response (S.T.A.R).įor example, publishing as a PhD candidate is undeniably important for those wishing to pursue an academic career path. Rather than seeking yet more activities or training, we instead suggest that PhD candidates spend time considering how the fundamental design of a research project can be re-examined and re-framed to communicate its value to a potential employer. Few of these attributes relate directly to academic publishing. Doing so quickly uncovers a number of almost universally desired attributes - communication skills, problem solving, diligence, creativity and an ability to work both independently or as part of a team. This informal experience can be easily replicated through a quick scan of job postings that are suitable for a recent PhD graduate in any given area of expertise. In our experiences discussing the many career possibilities open to PhD candidates with a wide range of stakeholders at varying career levels, we found that the desired attributes that employers seek from a newly graduated PhD are largely aligned, regardless of whether the potential employer was from an academic or industry setting. Yet in realms like biomedical research where only 3% of PhD candidates can expect to reach tenure positions, a true failure would be in not considering the development of a broad skill base which enables a multitude of career choices.įrom 2012 - 2018, we were both involved with a large academic-industry consortium which had a clear biomedical research objective and an accompanying educational aim of 'bridging the gap between research and industry'. Is it possible to have a successful scientific career in which you never publish a single paper? The persistence of the 'publish or perish' narrative suggests that failing to publish, for any reason, equates to career failure.
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