Heather McNeill’s Post

Struggling to secure an academic position? Check out this article to understand what recruiters are after!

This article is a must read if you’re looking for a research position in academia or industry! Navigating the job market in research can be daunting. I recently delved into Nature's 2024 global hiring survey, where 1,134 research leaders from 77 countries shared insights into what it takes to land a scientific role. What stood out? Industry hirers are optimistic—44% believe candidate quality has improved compared to previous years. Yet, in academia, 43% see a decline. This contrast highlights the shifting landscape of scientific careers. Candidates often falter by submitting generic applications. According to the survey, personalising your approach is key: thoroughly research the lab and connect with hiring managers and academics. I’ve been in many interviews where it was evident that the candidates were after any job and haven’t shown interest in the research in the PIs lab. I strongly advise you present yourself as a part of the PIs team during the interview - talk about what you can do together and how your work is aligned with the labs direction. Additionally, demonstrating soft skills, like communicatio, adaptability, and commitment to open science can help you stand out in tight hiring decisions. What do you think is the most critical skill for a scientist today? #Research #Scientist #Postdoc #PhD #Career

In a world where the titans of industry are declaring that formal education isn’t a prerequisite for employment, I’m witnessing a paradox within my own network. PhDs in theoretical computing struggling to land software development roles that match their caliber, Masters in cognitive neuroscience and PhDs in structural biology unable to secure corporate positions that leverage their expertise. This isn’t a local phenomenon, it’s a global trend cutting across skill sets and experience levels. Why can’t we see beyond the linear narrative of a person’s education and work history? If a resume is the sole determinant for selection or rejection, why bother with endless rounds of interviews and assignments? I’ve been designing competency-based selection models, successfully hiring individuals who may seem “underqualified” or “overqualified” on paper, but are in fact, the perfect fit for the role. If you’re interested in making your hiring process mindful and effective, let’s connect. Imagine the competitive edge your company would gain by hiring someone who, after a reasonable training period, not only excels at their job but also brings a wealth of adjacent skills, offering fresh perspectives to problem-solving. Also, if you want to connect with any of the three super talented individuals that I talked about for career conversations, please DM me. #CompetencyOverCredentials #MindfulHiring

While strong technical expertise is often prioritized in hiring for roles within the life sciences industry, the importance of soft skills may sometimes be overlooked in the recruitment process. Yet, for technical positions, why are soft skills valuable? Exceptional soft skills can elevate a researcher from being merely competent to becoming a standout scientist capable of seamlessly adapting to various business needs. How can organizations in the life sciences sector harness the potential of these skills? Discover how: https://lnkd.in/eURe4wBa #SkillAlliance #SoftSkills #LifeSciences #WorkforcePlanning

📢 LAST CALL: extended to October 27th! 📢 🤨 Are you still considering your participation in the PhD Pitching Event? Take a look at some of the benefits and opportunities you can't miss! 🙌 ➡️ Open to every PhD candidate, from any year and any scientific study field; ➡️ Audience of representatives from employers, interested in getting to know you and finding opportunities to collaborate with you; ➡️ If you haven't thought about your value proposition yet, you'll have practical training so that you can convey it to the jury and the audience clearly and appealingly; ➡️ Customised training tailored to the needs of each participant (constructive feedback on each simulated pitch - preparation for the final event); ➡️ Opportunity to record your final pitch in the studio to use as a complement to your applications. 💡 Take advantage of the resources the University of Porto has for you to build your personal and professional path!

PhDs - In 20 years of hiring and building teams, the strongest people I ever hired had 3 things in common: 1. Growth mindset 2. Empathy 3. Work ethic It wasn't their skills that made them great. It was their attitude and approach. Many recruiters and hiring managers have experienced the same: great candidates aren't always those with the most skills. So, if you're beginning your job search: 👉Look beyond technical skills - what unique strengths do you bring to the table? 👉Take some time to reflect about what you want and need from a company 👉What are some companies that embody your values (and who are their look-alikes)? Answering these questions can help you build a focused roadmap for your search. Your personal roadmap can help guide your application towards company's and roles that will value what you uniquely bring to the table. 🔁Pass it along - repost to help a friend :) _________________________ Are you a PhD, PostDoc, or Mid-Career Researcher struggling to land an industry job? Check out my website or DM me, I can help. #phd #jobsearch #careers #humanresources

While strong technical expertise is often prioritized in hiring for roles within the life sciences industry, the importance of soft skills may sometimes be overlooked in the recruitment process. Yet, for technical positions, why are soft skills valuable? Exceptional soft skills can elevate a researcher from being merely competent to becoming a standout scientist capable of seamlessly adapting to various business needs. How can organizations in the life sciences sector harness the potential of these skills? Discover how: https://lnkd.in/eDmW7gic #SkillAlliance #SoftSkills #LifeSciences #WorkforcePlanning

𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿: 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Are you a highly specialized scientist seeking a position that aligns precisely with your expertise and aspirations? Look no further! I offer a complimentary service designed to connect distinguished scientists like yourself with leading employers actively recruiting top STEM talent. My network spans a vast array of scientific disciplines, ensuring a targeted approach to your job search. Here's how I can empower your career advancement: Strategic Job Matching: Through a comprehensive understanding of your background and goals, I leverage my extensive network to identify ideal opportunities that perfectly align with your scientific specialization. Application Optimization: We work collaboratively to refine your resume and cover letter, ensuring they effectively showcase your qualifications and leave a lasting impression on hiring managers. Interview Preparation: I provide tailored coaching to hone your interviewing skills, enabling you to confidently present your scientific expertise and career aspirations during critical conversations. Direct Access to Decision-Makers: I strategically connect your profile directly with hiring managers and recruiters actively seeking exceptional scientific talent. Proven Success in Diverse Scientific Fields: My track record of success includes connecting exceptional scientists with coveted positions in a broad spectrum of disciplines, including: -𝖭𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖲𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗒 -𝖭𝗎𝖼𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗋 & 𝖯𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗅𝖾 𝖯𝗁𝗒𝗌𝗂𝖼𝗌 -𝖱𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗐𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝖤𝗇𝖾𝗋𝗀𝗒 -𝖠𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗂𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝖨𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗀𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 -𝖢𝗋𝗒𝗈𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗂𝖼𝗌 -𝖬𝗈𝗅𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗅𝖺𝗋 𝖲𝖼𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 -𝖤𝗇𝗀𝗂𝗇𝖾𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 -𝖮𝗆𝗂𝖼𝗌 𝖳𝖾𝖼𝗁𝗇𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗂𝖾𝗌 -𝖡𝗂𝗈𝗀𝖾𝗈𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗒 -𝖰𝗎𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗎𝗆 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝗎𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 -Machine Learning And many more! Ready to propel your scientific career to the next level? Contact me today for a free consultation! I'm eager to discuss your unique needs and guide you on your path to a fulfilling scientific career. #STEMCareers #TargetedJobSearch #ScientificExpertise #FreeService #ScienceCareers

“Isaiah, I applied to ThermoFisher 2 weeks ago and a hiring manager got in touch with me and I had my first interview…. But then a 2nd hiring manager reached out about another job I applied to. I started talking to this 2nd manager and they asked if I applied to any other positions there. I told them about the other job and the other hiring manager. Now, neither of the hiring managers will get back to me. What do I do?” This is what a PhD told me last week. I hear stories like this all the time. I heard a similar story from another PhD last month who applied to 5 jobs at Intel and after 2 different hiring managers found out about the competing roles, they both ghosted. This is why I recommend only applying to one job posting at a company at a time. Choose the best fit job and apply to it. Unless, of course, you’re talking to a hiring manager directly and they tell you to apply to multiple jobs. Applying to one job at a time at a company shows a clear and focused interest in a specific role. It tells the hiring manager that you've done your homework, understand where you can contribute, and are truly interested in that particular position. This can set you apart from candidates who appear to be indiscriminately applying to multiple roles, which can come off as lacking direction. It can also help you get hired faster in a competitive job market where others are shotgunning resumes and applying to everything they find online. In larger organizations, different departments or teams may handle hiring independently. If you apply to multiple jobs simultaneously, and hiring managers from different departments express interest, discovering that another team is also considering the same candidate can lead to confusion. This might prompt both parties to step back, concerned about internal competition or the impression that the candidate is not genuinely interested in their specific role but just any job. Have you applied to more than one job at a company only to be met with silence? Tell me in a comment. Share this post to help inspire another job seeker. - Isaiah #jobsearch #jobtips #careerdevelopment #careercoach #phd #phdlife #postdoc #phdstudent #cheekyscientist

“Isaiah, help - I got rejected because I applied to 2 positions at the same company… I applied to ThermoFisher two weeks ago and a hiring manager got in touch with me and I had my first interview…. But then a second hiring manager reached out about another job I applied to. I started talking to this second manager and they asked if I applied to any other positions there. I told them about the other job and the other hiring manager. Now, neither of the hiring managers will get back to me. What do I do?” This is what a PhD told me last week. I hear stories like this all the time. I heard a similar story from another PhD last month who applied to 5 jobs at Intel and after 2 different hiring managers found out about the competing roles, they both ghosted. This is why I recommend only applying to one job posting at a company at a time. Choose the best fit job and apply to it. Unless, of course, you’re talking to a hiring manager directly and they tell you to apply to multiple jobs. Applying to one job at a time at a company shows a clear and focused interest in a specific role. It tells the hiring manager that you've done your homework, understand where you can contribute, and are truly interested in that particular position. This can set you apart from candidates who appear to be indiscriminately applying to multiple roles, which can come off as lacking direction. It can also help you get hired faster in a competitive job market where others are shotgunning resumes and applying to everything they find online. In larger organizations, different departments or teams may handle hiring independently. If you apply to multiple jobs simultaneously, and hiring managers from different departments express interest, discovering that another team is also considering the same candidate can lead to confusion. This might prompt both parties to step back, concerned about internal competition or the impression that the candidate is not genuinely interested in their specific role but just any job. Have you applied to more than one job at a company only to be met with silence? Tell me in a comment. Share this post to help inspire another job seeker. #jobsearch #jobtips #careerdevelopment #careercoach #phd #phdlife #postdoc #phdstudent #cheekyscientist