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No time to be an Emerging Leader?
How was I going to convince my mentor that spending 25+ hours on my professional development would be a good idea–especially considering that it would take away from time in the lab? The email from Graduate Student Affairs promised that the opportunity would “develop participants’ leadership, professional adaptability, communication, self-awareness, and interdisciplinary teamwork skills, preparing them to become successful employees after graduation.” But how could I sell that to my mentor, who was likely more concerned about my success prior to graduation? (more…)
Summer suggestions for professional development, part 3
No matter what plans you have for the fall – from starting your first semester of graduate school to starting a postdoc or full-time job, and everything in between – you should think about taking a little time this summer to get your virtual house in order. You can bet that potential employers, colleagues and other professional contacts will be searching for you online. Do you know what they’ll find? Are you happy with how it represents you? (more…)
Professional development doesn’t always have to feel like work
Sometimes it’s a relaxed, engaging conversation over a meal with interesting folks.
Sometimes it means getting together with a group of peers to share experiences and support.
Sometimes it will have you tapping into your creative side for improvisational fun and games. (more…)
Self-assessments are not just about you
Earlier this month, I attended the “Enhancing Your Leadership by Understanding Your Personality Type” workshop offered as part of the Graduate School’s Professional Development Series. During the workshop, career consultant Shelly Hoover-Plonk discussed the characteristics of the sixteen Myers-Briggs Types and the implications of these personality preferences in the workplace. Career counselors, schools, and employers have been using the Myers-Briggs assessment for decades, so you may already know your type and what this identifier says about you. But what does your type mean for those around you?
The power of first person
Perhaps you caught the piece “The Magic Word” by Duke’s own David Jarmul on Inside Higher Ed this week. Contrary to what your mother may have told you, Mr. Jarmul asserts that the magic word for academics is the first-person pronoun I. Leveraging the power of personal experience, combined with disciplinary expertise, is, he argues, a compelling formula for engaging the public in op-ed articles.
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Reflections of an undeveloped careerist
Professional development isn’t why I came to Duke. I came here to be formed as a scholar, a researcher; to become a better writer, which also means to become a better reader, which means that my eyeglasses prescription strength is proportional to the federal debt.
The questions soon follow, though. “When are you going to get a real job?” I can ameliorate the interrogation by explaining that I’m living fine, that I’m getting paid to do something I absolutely love, that I have health insurance and that I’ve been putting money away for the future. Of course, the “life of the mind” doesn’t seem so appealing to those outside my mind. (more…)
