I have cherry-picked five skills you need to become a researcher for those of us who are aspiring to step into the field of academic research. Each field such as arts or science has its own specialist skills. In addition, there are a handful of key skills which are crucial…>
Career Development
Top Questions To Ask Your Mentor
Why have a mentor? Wherever you are on your career journey, from starting a PhD to your first permanent academic post or to taking those initial tentative steps as a manager, other people have been there before and are often willing to share their valuable advice and insight. They understand…>
Taking a Career Break
Have you ever dreamt of taking a career break? Stepping off the treadmill of working life for a while? Of doing something completely different? We’ve all heard of sabbaticals for academics, but what about the rest of us? A planned career break could allow you to: Try out a potential…>
How To Be a Good Manager
When you first get to be a manager it can be daunting. You move from being one of the team to the leader and suddenly the buck stops with you. Numerous books have been written and courses presented on how to do it well but most managers eventually develop their…>
What You Need to Know About Widening Participation
One of the most important government initiatives of the last few years is the Widening Participation agenda. As an academic jobseeker you will have to show that you know a great deal about the job you are applying for, not only about the institution where it is based but also…>
How to Create a Professional Development Plan
What is a Professional Development Plan? Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the learning and development you undertake in order to carry out a current role or move into a new one. Many organisations have well-established CPD activities, but it’s still good to be proactive in order to: develop your current…>
Writing Meeting Minutes
So you have been asked to take the minutes of a meeting? Here are some tips and techniques to do this effectively. 1. Before the meeting If the meeting is one of a series, check the previous minutes for the format expected. Most professional minutes are now in ‘short-form’, with…>
Working in the Omani Higher Education System
From October 2012 for two years, I worked in a College of Applied Sciences (CAS) for the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). It was my first academic post, post-PhD, outside of my home country. Entering in as an Asst. Prof. my responsibilities were to develop and teach a variety of…>