Professional developemnt#
Professional Development Mentorship Program#
Our personalized professional development mentorship program pairs mentors and mentees based on their preferences.
The program covers a wide range of topics, including:
PhD Applications
Academic Job Applications
Industry Job Applications
Transition from Academia to Industry
Networking in Academia and Industry
Research Concepts and Project Execution
Technical Skills Development
Professional Communication
Time Management and Work-Life Balance
Experienced professionals in the field meet with student groups for one hour each week in live sessions.
These mentor meetings are designed to provide comprehensive support to mentees across various aspects of their academic and career journeys. By participating, mentees can make more informed decisions about their paths, receive targeted guidance on PhD and job applications, and learn how to enhance their applications to stand out in competitive environments.
Additionally, the sessions help expand professional connections, which could lead to collaborative projects, further learning opportunities, or even job offers. Mentees also develop crucial competencies for success in both academic and industry settings and gain insights into effectively managing their professional and personal lives. By sharing real-life experiences, mentors offer practical perspectives on the daily challenges and strategies relevant to both academia and industry.
Useful tips for Students#
I’m a student, how can I make the most out of my mentoring experience?
Enthusiasm to the max: mentoring is a learning and networking opportunity. You may find someone to look up to, to collaborate with, or just from which to draw off more passion to follow your path in academia or industry.
Program the meeting and work agile: you might want to have a rough drawing of what you’ll be discussing during the meeting, i.e., how to apply to grad school, lab experience, and networking. This will enable you to have a program, leaving less space for improvisation. Be also prepared to adapt to change, because you’ll not be alone in the room and discussion may evolve based on other people’s inputs.
Self-knowledge: you are not expected to know everything about your professional interests, but you should have a clear picture of where you are at the moment. This will help you get the best advice possible from your mentor. During the first meeting, introduce yourself, and reflect on your current career and your plans. Define realistic targets and implement a program to achieve them, with the help of your mentor and your peers.
Take notes and work hard: take notes during or after the meeting to save what has been said. Try to elaborate and work on the suggestions you received so that when you meet up again, you can provide some advances to your mentor and peers.
Own your actions: a mentor is there to guide you, but not to solve your problems. Help might come just as verbal advice. In other cases, they might give you resources like books, papers or institutes to contact. Don’t be afraid to ask, but in the end, you must take action based on this advice, your interests, and your capabilities.
Keep a respectful conversation: mentoring is a social interaction. You may construct a long-lasting relationship with your mentor and your peers. Thus, be kind and have fun, as you’ll be discussing your dreams and career goals, as well as the efforts you’ve made so far to follow them.