Jobs with a fixed term contract are more common than ever before. When reading job adds, fixed term contracts almost seem to be the norm. This is especially ture for fresh graduates. During your job search, you might be asking the question: should I apply for fixed term positions or should I aim for permanent positions only? I do realize that you don’t always have the choice to opt for a permanent employment contract. However, let’s list some pros and…
Should you review scientific publications after leaving science?
Publishing in peer reviewed scientific journals is an important part of a scientific career. Maybe you published journal articles as part of your PhD or during your time as a Postdoc. Either way, once a few of your papers are out there, you might be asked to review articles from other researches in the field. But how should you react to these requests if you changed your career path in the meantime? Should you review scientific articles even though you…
How to survive the jobhunt marathon
You have been trying to land your dream job for a while now. But the search is taking much longer then you expected when you started out. By now, you have come to the realization that chasing your dream job is rather a marathon than a sprint. And yes, I agree, at times it is not only a marathon but an uphill battle. Starting out to do a sprint and finding yourself in the middle of a marathon can be…
Teach without being a schoolteacher
Teaching can be a very rewarding experience. Yet, some of us realize this only quite late in life. Others did not pursue a career as a schoolteacher for different reasons. Even so, it is still possible to incorporate teaching in your life. Here are four ways to teach without being a schoolteacher. Teach at a university Whether you are a postdoc, a lecturer, or a professor, teaching is most likely part of your job description. If you enjoy teaching, you…
Surprising qualities of creative people
There are many misconceptions about creative people or creativity. These fallacies don’t do justice to creative people. Furthermore, these attitudes might even hamper our own creativity. So let’s look at some traits of creative people that might actually surprise you. Creative people do need to work hard It is a popular but wrong impression that creative minds make up their lack of hard work with their creative genius. Their valuable ideas are so precious that they can afford to laze…
Are premium memberships worth the money?
Career networks such as Xing and LinkedIn are a great way to assist you in your job search. Subscribing to a premium membership is supposed to boost your job search. But are premium memberships worth their money? Let’s answer this question using the example of a LinkedIn premium membership for jobseekers. Pro – when a premium membership is definitely worth it A LinkedIn premium membership is worth its money if you fulfil one or more of the following prerequisites. And…
What to achieve by applying – aside from getting the job
The number one goal when applying for a vacant position is to get a job offer. We can all agree on that. However, besides getting the job, you can achieve many other objectives in an interview or by applying for a job. Doing so, it brings you one step further in your personal and professional journey. Thus, no matter if you get the job or not, you will have reached one or even more of the following goals. You gain…
Avoid these common misconceptions in work, life and uni
By sticking to some common misconceptions, we often make professional life harder on others and ourselves. Interact more effectively and smart by letting go of false believes. If you are anything like me, you have been misled be the following three misconceptions. Reflect whether you are guilty of entertaining those fallacies: Successful people don’t know failure The myth that successful people never failed is a popular one. Thankfully, it has been debunked already in many books and publications (read also…
You think you are not qualified – Think again!
When you are job hunting, you are browsing many job ads. If you are anything like me, reading through the job requirements makes your stomach turn. At first glance, you do not seem to have any of the qualifications. No point applying for the job then? Stop! Reconsider. Maybe you have the qualifications or work experience without even realizing it. The following helps you to realize that you have a lot of experience. So apply for interesting positions. Your have…
How to stay motivated when job hunting
Unfortunately, job hunting can be a lengthy process. The longer it takes the more difficult it becomes to keep your motivation up. Especially, when receiving a lot of sorry letters or, even worse, no feedback at all, everyone’s motivation can take a nosedive. This is normal and nothing to worry about. The important thing is that you keep going and that you keep your motivation up long term when job hunting. So follow these four tips to stay motivated when…