Category: industry training
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How to ace a job interview (research talk tips)
The research talk I gave to ace the job interview and successfully land a postdoc offer had only about 30 slides. In a way, it was quite minimal and delivered with a lot of confidence. I gave this talk over Skype during the Michigan State University interview with the professor who would hire me. The…
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How to answer questions at a job talk for a postdoc application
Answer questions at a job talk successfully by maintaining an open, inquisitive mind and professional attitude even under pressure. Always repeat the question. Keep in mind that: Research is always on the cutting edge of knowledge which means that there will be things you don’t know and haven’t yet looked into. The answering of questions…
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How to give a successful job talk for a postdoc application
Never go overtime during a job talk for a postdoc application. That makes you look unprepared and therefore, unprofessional. So, it is super important to use exactly the time that has been allotted for your talk and transition smoothly to questions. Don’t ask for one more minute or anything like that. When time is up,…
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One-page technical resume template
If you lost your job or looking to make a career switch during the pandemic, I have a one-page technical resume template for you that might work well for roles like consulting, technical research, etc. This is my current resume and the one I use within my company to help bid on new work. I…
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How to write your resume when getting referred by a technical person
Full disclosure: I am a little frustrated but I am not judging by any means. It’s OK. My resume sucked too. Photo by Emma Matthews on Unsplash If you are using a guideline for resumes such as the ones provided by Cheeky Scientist, you need to remember the following: Customize, customize, customize for the particular occasion I know…
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How to transition from academia to consulting
A successful transition from academia to consulting is possible. However, Ph.D. students may find themselves struggling to navigate both school and career even though they are highly skilled, extremely knowledgeable, passionate, and hard-working people. I was like that – I knew my subject and my research and was highly trained, but did not know the…
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Dear smart people, logic is NOT good enough
Smart people often make the mistake of thinking that logic is the best option. In real life, logic almost never is. At least, not JUST logic. Photo by Saketh Garuda on Unsplash Don’t get me wrong. Logic is a good thing. I am just saying that it is not enough. Logic is good when you are solely focused…
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How you could become a consultant after graduate school
I recently transitioned from academia to industry. I was a Ph.D. student in particle astrophysics and now I am a senior consultant. I am really enjoying being in industry and would like to address this question that I have been asked by Ph.D. students and postdocs: What skills do I need to become a consultant?…
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How to add value when sending a LinkedIn connection request
Having the mindset to add value when sending a LinkedIn connection request will make you lots of friends. Need a job? You have probably heard that it’s all about who you know. So, let’s make you more friends on LinkedIn! The first step of networking is to switch out of “I need a job” mode…
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Why adding value is the best thing to do during your job search
Everyone who is anyone will tell you to add value first when job searching and networking. The idea is that you reach out to people and instead of asking them to do things for you, you add value to their lives. This is in Colorado! I 💜 mountains When networking or job searching, expecting that…
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Story of a terrible phone screen and the mistake on a cover letter that you cannot afford
I share the cover letter I wrote for a job where I got the phone screen, had a terrible experience, and did not get the job. Although not directly related to the terrible experience, I point out the mistake in my cover letter that I have since learned to avoid at all costs. Let me…
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Why you should ditch the paper and just be done with your PhD
Should you stay longer and make sure your paper gets published? I address this question from a Ph.D. student. Here are the details of the question: I want to transition to the industry as a research scientist. I have one protocol paper accepted, one second-author paper, and one first-author paper that is not yet submitted. I am…
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Why you should consider joining Cheeky Scientist
The moment before joining Cheeky Scientist, I was sitting in the dark in my bathroom. It was late one night in November 2017. I was worried about my future. The audio version of the post: What was my future? For a long time, I had been set on academia, but now I was not sure.…
