Career Development
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Programming and Services |
Planning Your Postdoc
The relationship between the adviser and the postdoc is of prime importance if the postdoctoral experience is to be beneficial to both parties. Postdoctoral training is of utmost importance in the preparation of scientists for careers as scientific professionals. This training is typically conducted in an apprenticeship mode where the postdoctoral appointee undertakes scholarship, research, service, and/or teaching activities that, taken together, provide a training experience for career advancement.
Roles
and Responsibilities of the Postdoc and the Adviser 
A number of organizations, recognizing the importance of this relationship, have prepared reports and weighed-in on the respective roles of the adviser and the postdoc:
The Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPUP) of the National Academy of Sciences has prepared a report that addresses five primary populations, all of whom participate in the postdoctoral experience: the postdoctoral officers themselves, their advisers, their host institutions, the agencies and organizations that support them and professional disciplinary societies. It is also intended for senior-level graduate students who may be contemplating postdoctoral work. The report states that the postdoc “has a quid pro quo relationship with the research community”.
In order to enhance this relationship we are also providing, a “Roles and Responsibilities” document for both postdocs and their advisers.
Potential
Questions to Ask before Choosing a Mentor or Adviser
According to the above study conducted by the Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy of the National Academy of Sciences (“Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers”, National Academy Press, ©2000), the best time for a postdoc to evaluate a potential postdoctoral position is before signing on. It may be difficult to adjust the major conditions of an appointment once it is underway.
You may want to ask the following questions of a potential mentor/adviser:
- What are the adviser’s expectations of the postdoc?
- Will the adviser or the postdocs determine the research program?
- How many postdocs has this adviser had? Where did they go afterwards?
- What do current and past lab members think about their experience?
- Will the adviser have time for mentoring? Or should I seek out other mentors?
- How many others (graduate students, staff, postdocs) now work for this adviser?
- How many papers are being published? Where?
- What is the adviser’s policy on travel to meetings? Authorship? Ownership of ideas?
- Will I have practice in grant writing? Teaching/mentoring? Oral presentations? Review of manuscripts?
- Can I expect to take part of the project away after the postdoc?
- How long is financial support guaranteed? On what does renewal depend?
- Can I count on help in finding a position?
- Will the adviser have adequate research funds to support the proposed research?
Compact
Between Postdoctoral Appointees and their Mentors
The Compact was drafted by the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Group on Graduate, Research, Education, and Training and its Postdoctorate Committee. Its intent is to “initiate discussions at the local and national levels about the postdoctoral appointee-mentor relationship and the commitments necessary for a high quality postdoctoral training experience.”
According to this Compact, core tenets of postdoctoral training include:
- Institutional Commitment
- Quality Postdoctoral Training
- Importance of Mentoring in Postdoctoral Training
- Foster Breadth and Flexibility in Career Choices
The Compact Between Postdoctoral Appointees and their Mentors details necessary commitments of both postdoctoral appointees and mentors.
Career Development Programming and Services
OPA is dedicated to the professional and career development of our Postdoctoral Trainees and delivers a variety of workshops and programming throughout the year. Our programming is three parts. Past programming have included:
1) Academia / Research
- Funding and Grantsmanship Workshops
- K99/R00 Award Panel with Grant Recipients
- Dr. Kathy Barker, author of At the Bench and At the Helm
- Writing for Research Publication Workshops
- Conflict of Interest / Research Misconduct / Data Management Workshops
- Monthly Research Lunch Presentation Hour
2) Overall Professional Development
- Presentation Skills Workshops
- Networking for Scientists with Dr. Lori Conlan, Director, NIH Intramural Training & Ed
- Communications Skills for Non-Native English Speakers Workshops
- Essentials of Career Planning for Postdocs with Dr. Monica Kerr, Director, NYAS Science Alliance
- Managing Professional Relationships to Advance Ones Career in Academia
3) Careers Outside of Academia
- Preparing Academic Scientists for Careers in Industry Workshops
- Career Panel: Science Writing, Publishing, and Medical Communications
- Career Panel: The Interception of Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship
- Industry Info Sessions
Announcements about upcoming programming are sent to Postdocs through the mailing list, the bi-monthly e-newsletter, and posted on the OPA events calendar. We also post events that are happening within the university and around the city that are open to Postdocs on our events calendar.
Career Counseling Service (Spring 2012 Schedule)
OPA is offering one-on-one career counseling to postdocs in spring 2012.
Career Service
Self assessment and career exploration
How to initiate a job search in academia
How to initiate a job search in industry
CV, resume, cover letter review
Mock interviews
Hours
Mondays, 11am - 1pm (Morningside)
Fridays, 9am - 12pm (Medical Center)
To make an appointment
Fill out an appointment questionnaire
Email questionnaire to rss30@columbia.edu
Other Columbia Resources
Funding and Grantsmanship Course at CUMC - Postdoctoral Trainees are invited to audit: Funding and Grantsmanship for Research and Career Development Activities
Responsible Conduct of Research Course at CUMC - Postdoctoral Trainees are invited to audit: Responsible Conduct of Research and Related Policy Issues
GSAS - All professional development training sessions hosted through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are open to postdocs. The schedule of relevant classes and workshops can be found on the OPA event calendar. A full listing of events can be found on the GSAS events calendar.
Skills @ Columbia – Free online courses from Columbia Human Resource Learning and Development. Take advantage of more than 1,000 online courses through Skills @ Columbia at no charge, anytime, anywhere. Choose from a wide range of management, communication, and personal development courses. To log in to Skills @ Columbia, all you need is your UNI and password. Visit:
http://hr.columbia.edu/learn-dev/e-learning
CTV – Columbia Technology Ventures facilitate the translation of academic research into practical applications and support research, education and teaching at Columbia by generating funding for the University and facilitating partnerships with industry where appropriate. They also educate and serve as a resource for the Columbia community on matters relating to entrepreneurship, intellectual property, and technology commercialization. Events hosted by CTV are open to the Columbia community http://www.techventures.columbia.edu/
IvyLife-Columbia - IvyLife-Columbia is a LinkedIn group, which is also part of the parent group, IvyLife. The group hosts networking breakfasts and evening events each Month. Both groups hold various networking events in NYC as well as around the world. For more information, visit the group on LinkedIn or http://www.ivylife-columbia.net.
Bio Careers
As a sponsoring member of Bio Careers, OPA provides free membership to Columbia Postdocs to Bio Careers. Bio Careers is a career service dedicated to expanding professional options for life sciences PhDs and MDs and provides online career resources and job postings to post-graduate trainees and alumni candidates, and recruitment services to employers. Starting in 2011, Bio Careers will be providing monthly webinars on such topics as:
How to Stand Out in a Sea of Resumes
How to Improve Your Grant Writing
Tips and Tricks for a Career in Management Consulting
As well as monthly webinars on such career paths as:
Consulting Finance and VC Biopharma Research
Biopharma Business Medical Devices Government Research
Entrepreneurship Non Profit Law and Tech Management
National Postdoctoral Association
As a sponsoring member of the National Postdoctoral Association, OPA provides free affiliate membership to Columbia Postdocs to the NPA. This section on the National Postdoctoral Association website describes various career paths a PhD scientist may choose to follow, and provides links to various sources of information related to those careers. Be sure to take a self-evaluation or self-assessment as this is an important first step in planning the opportunities that may lie ahead.
Professional Societies
National Postdoctoral Association
American Association for the Advancement of Science
NY Academy of Sciences
Minority Postdoc
Job Boards
Chronicle of Higher Education
Metro-New York/Southern Connecticut Higher Education Recruitment Consortium
Jobs for PhDs
Nature Jobs
New Jersey HERC
New England HERC
Postdoc Jobs
Propel Careers
Science Careers
Top Higher-Education Jobs
Job Opportunities
Whenever OPA receives notifications about academic and industry career opportunities we post those opportunities on our LinkedIn group. To join our Linkedin group please go to Columbia University Postdocs and Postdoc Alumni.
If you are an academic institution or industry employer and would like to submit a career opportunity to our Postdoctoral Trainees or would like to hold an info session on campus, please contact postdocaffairs@columbia.edu.