STEMskiller: Skill Set Map for Mentors of Early Career Researchers

CAREER MANAGEMENT (also: Personal Leadership, Career Planning)

In general

Definition:

Mentors may, through the course of their careers, lose sight of the fact that many mentees have not had proper career training, and “Dr. YouTube” videos (like it or not, a source of information for many younger mentees) are very general, failing to provide specific guidance for mentees planning careers in STEM.[1] For mentees pursuing careers in academia, the quest for actual information is even more difficult—high-quality resources may exist for various topical areas (e.g., CV writing, writing letters of motivation, applying to a postdoc position), but they can be extremely difficult for mentees to locate. The resources below shine light on these well-conceived materials for mentors. 

[1] View sample results found using basic “STEM career planning” search in YouTube (16.7.2020): https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stem+career+planning

Useful general Career Management resources:

Fuhrmann, C.N, Hobin, J.A., Lindstaedt, B., & Clifford, P.S. (2020). myIDP Science Careers Individual Development Plan. https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/

Created by scientists for scientists, this four-stage career planning tool was specifically created for doctoral students and postdocs contemplating their futures—both within and beyond academia. Mentees can create a report that can be shared with others, including mentors. Mentors can ask mentees to generate and share a report, and the tool additionally allows creation of a completion certificate. Includes assessment of skills, interests, and values; career exploration (consider career fit, read about careers, attend events, talk to people, choose a career path); goal setting (career advancement, skill, and project goals); and considering and implementation plan (articulating mentoring team, creation of summary, and certificate).

The Wellbeing Thesis. (2020). Planning for the World After. https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/planning-for-the-world-after/

Self-paced reading on the topics: What Matters in Your Career, Tomorrow Isn’t Forever – A Career in Steps, The Skills and Knowledge of a Doctor, and The Importance of Planned Happenstance.

Tags: All IPS; all PSR; all IAL; CompQ

Peer Review: None

Table of contents:

3.0. In general

 

Author: Stephanie Krueger

Peer Reviewer(s): None

Last Updated: October 28, 2021

 

Editor: Stephanie Krueger Last modified: 4.1. 2024 10:01