Your College to Career Journey

One of the cool (and best kept secrets from undergraduates) things you can take advantage of when you are in college is research opportunities! Research opportunities give you a chance to test out your passions, and stay abreast of the most cutting edge work in the field. Also, it will give you a glimpse of what grad school in a certain subject may feel like. So, why not invest the time, get the experience, and maybe even publish a paper or two while you are at it?

Now, don't run out and look for applications from your favorite department...most of the time, these positions are advertised as being "for Graduate Students Only", and more often than that, they are just plain unadvertised. In this post, I want to show you how you can safely ignore that and still walk away with an awesome research opportunity.

1. RESEARCH - ironic, but seriously, do it. Go through subjects you like, and shortlist a few professors whose work you find naturally interesting. Then read some of the papers they have written; afterall, you need to understand their specific interest in a field (this is where Google Scholar comes in handy)

2.CONTACT THEM - Email them or better yet, attend their lecture and speak with them after! Dont explain everything right then and there. Just ask your professor for a time when you can learn more about their work.

3. C-Wat? - People in academia often use only CVs and dont find that resumes share all the big picture ideas. So, prepare a CV - which is a detailed account of your coursework, interest, and background. (More about CVs on my Examiner page- link will be up later tonight)

4. MEET THEM - Send a confirmation the night before, Be on time (should I even say that anymore?), and bring your resume, CV and if you are a good student, a transcript. Instead of telling them you want to join their team, tell them about your background, the relevant papers you have read, and what was interesting to you about those papers. As the discussion progresses, and if the work still interests you, you should mention that you are interested in pursuing this field, and ask for advise on how to get started on learning more.

5. LEARN MORE - If they didn't offer you a way to work on their team right away, don't fret. Go back to those resources he/she gave you and go through it all. Then meet them again, and elevate your discussion with intelligent and relevant questions. Now, if they don't offer it to you, you may ask them if there would be any way to join his/her research team. Offer them suggestions of ways you can help and what your background will add to the table.

6. THANK THEM - Whether you get a position or not, thank him/her for their time (they are busy people!). If you don't have luck with one person, keep trying! If you try hard enough and in the right direction, some one could use your background and help. So, keep emailing and meeting professors and instructors!

And because I know I am going to get asked - If a professor is able to provide you with money for your work, then of course, take it. Otherwise, once a position is offered, ask if it is a paid position (NOTHING wrong in asking). If its clearly not a paid position, depending on your time and your passion for this work, consider taking this opportunity. For me, the experience alone was worth it! Hopefully, some of you will feel the same way.