Realise your employability

There is a career to fit everyone, and no two people are ever alike; just some clichés or a well-worn truce? When you look at the experiences of other - the mysterious ways in which people come to find their ideal vocation, a career-path that suits them like a second skin - you realise that there's no one-size-fits-all way to the top. It is important to realise what makes your clock tick.

Look at your past career for inspiration, but you should also look at other interests - hobbies, sports, extracurricular activities - to find out what you really enjoy doing. Perhaps you volunteered to help organise your sports club behind the scenes. Maybe you regularly wrote for the university newspaper. These are all valid sources of skills and experience and can help you find out about your career preferences.

Similarly, there is much you can do to develop your transferable skills, not all approaches require extra classes and a huge investment of your time:

• Taking up administrative responsibilities in the laboratory allows you to develop project and people management skills.
• Presentation and communication skills come natural to those who take every opportunity to present their research at internal meetings as well as academic conferences. Know how to sell your research, practise your elevator pitch!
  
• Universities organise workshops for postdocs to develop skills, such as scientific writing and grant applications.
  Invest in your professional development and make time to attend these courses.
  
• Teaching classes and sitting on review boards provide yet more opportunities for you to develop those skills that may be useful, interesting, or both. Express your interest to your PI, perhaps you could assist him/her and gain experience. A potential win-win situation for both of you.
  
• Communicate science. Increase your visibility. Let the general public know what smart things you do in labs and why science is important for society. Besides it is fun to do, your presentation skills will certainly benefit. Where to start? Read the EU's Scientist's Survival Kit for communicating science.
  

It is important to see an opportunity when it arises, and to identify the skills you already have. Maybe you were put in charge of a group exercise in the past, so you have shown skill in managing a team.