The Little Careers Book

࢚࢚ The rewards of R&D are not monetary, but rather the satisfaction gained from solving a problem or finding out something new. ࢚࢚ If your research really interests you, you will enjoy every minute of your work, feel that time flies by, and be amazed that you get paid to do it! ࢚࢚ You are constantly learning and teaching others. ࢚࢚ Being a leading expert in something, and being able to push the boundaries of knowledge is a privilege that you don’t get in many other careers. ࢚࢚ There can be a lot of flexibility in terms of when you work and take time off. ࢚࢚ A bonus of being a scientist is that you (eventually) earn a certain amount of freedom to design your work and determine which direction it takes. ࢚࢚ If you’re interested in travelling, you can do field work and attend conferences and discuss science with intelligent, interesting people. ࢚࢚ Most researchers are continually looking to win the next grant to fund the following few years of research; this can be tedious. ࢚࢚ Increasingly, scientific research is done using short-term contracts, so there is less job security and you might need to relocate periodically. ࢚࢚ There is huge pressure to produce results – to “publish or perish”, as they say. ࢚࢚ Increasingly, scientists in academia are asked to spend more time on teaching and administrative duties versus research. TRUTHS XX Science is full of exciting discoveries, one after the other. XX Academic research is a safe career option, with tenure almost certainly guaranteed. XX Research scientists are eccentric, unemotional boffins in white coats. ࢚࢚ A curious and questioning mind is the number one prerequisite for any scientist. ࢚࢚ Science is not about being a know-it-all, but rather about questioning everything and trying to improve the answers and progress knowledge. ࢚࢚ You won’t succeed, or survive, in scientific research for long unless you truly love and are fascinated by your research area. ࢚࢚ There is a place for all personalities; research needs visionaries, organisers, technicians, project managers, quality controllers, regulators, etc. ࢚࢚ An obsessive personality is not a bad thing, as you need to have a fascination with your subject and the dedication to become an expert. ࢚࢚ In research, you get lots of negative results and failures, so you have to be resilient to set-backs and able to learn from mistakes. ࢚࢚ You need to be comfortable with networking, as many jobs are not advertised and offers are based on personal recommendations. ࢚࢚ As you progress in your career, you may manage a research group which involves lots of meetings where communication and creative thinking are key. ࢚࢚ There will always be a place in scientific research for introverted and shy people, but career progression may be more limiting, so it’s something to work on if progression matters to you. ࢚࢚ There are some charlatans in science and also some whose ethics are questionable; best to avoid these people. ࢚࢚ The best scientists are those who are honest, give credit where it is due, and genuinely try and help their fellow professionals. ࢚࢚ Good research scientists are often also good at arts and music. MYTHS MYTHS TRUTHS REWARDS AND SACRIFICES PERSONALITY TRAITS