In our Tooling Up columns, Dave Jensen and I have both stressed the importance of informational interviewing, networking, and researching your job opportunities.
Whatever you want to call it--informational interviewing, networking, or just asking questions--you need to start talking to people if you want to learn about the huge variety of positions that are available to scientists.
Hundreds of articles are available about informational interviewing and networking as ways to learn about jobs and uncover insider information about hiring processes and available positions.
For Karen, the issue was having enough time to pursue informational interviews and networking.
There is plenty of advice about informational interviewing and networking on Next Wave and the GRAD Web site.
But without carrying out additional research, networking, informational interviewing, and deliberate investigation, you could end up making a major career decision with very little background information.
You, for whatever reason, will not have the time to engage in a rigorous battery of self-assessment tests, career exploration, networking, informational interviewing, etc.
In reality, the job search in academia involves the same techniques as in any other field, including Networking, Informational Interviewing, and The Truth Behind Teaching and Research Statements.
The rapid technological advancement over the past decade has fueled an enormous demand for the integration of modern networking, informational and computational tools with classical pedagogical instruments.
But if you keep up with a regular series of career planning activities, such as networking, informational interviewing, and exploring your options you will be better prepared to make career moves on your timetable and with YOU in control.
