A PI Researcher Realities event on effective careers conversations saw a panel of postdoctoral researchers and a principal investigator (PI) share their experiences of having careers conversations and their insights into what makes them successful. This blog highlights the key messages from the panel on how to have effective careers conversations between PIs and researchers and provides further resources to achieve effective careers conversations.
The event used a storytelling approach to sharing experiences of having careers conversations, both from the point of view of the researcher and the PI. The key messages from the panelists are included below.
Dr. Emma Hall, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer
I am a senior postdoctoral researcher, working in the same lab for more than a decade, recently successfully re-grading in my role. Although I love science, doing science, communicating science, representing the lab at international conferences, I have no desire to become a Principal Investigator/lab head. I have always been honest with my PI about my career ambitions, and they have supported me in branching out of research allowing me to take part in secondments alongside my role, including communicating science in industry as a Medical Writer and promoting open science with the journal eLife. I think when having career conversations all parties need to be as clear and honest as possible, and I think it is important to have both formal and informal career conversations with a range of people, including your PI, and to plan well for the formal conversations. Preparation is key on both sides of the conversation. From a PI’s perspective I think they need to help their staff/students identify their career goals and facilitate them in achieving this. Be aware that goals and priorities change, and be open and encouraging even if it doesn’t fit your career goals. Continue to have these conversations with regular 1:1s, to open up space for such discussions.
This was the first time I have attended an event using a storytelling approach and I really enjoyed the conversations we had.
Dr. Joseph La Hausse de Lalouvière, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, School of History, Classics and Archaeology.
Careers conversations in the humanities and social sciences range from the sharing of information and experience between peers, to chats or email exchanges with mentors, to more structured discussions with the same. More formal discussions tend to consist of tailored feedback on job applications, in the context of a highly competitive job market. We rarely discuss our longer-term aspirations in a formal way. But senior academics are getting better at helping PhD students and postdocs navigate the adverse job landscape and consider alternatives to academia. ECRs in history are expected to seek career development guidance from many different people within and beyond their core circle of advisors. There is not the same ready-made structure of mentorship available as you have in a lab. This might be changing as PhDs and postdocs in the UK and Europe increasingly take the form of group projects.
The most effective careers development guidance I have received as a postdoc has come off the back of senior academics’ engagement with the intellectual substance of my research, coupled with their offer of concrete support (such as offering written feedback on work in progress or extending introductions to other scholars) and advice tailored to my career stage. It’s important for mentors in the humanities and social sciences to be proactive in initiating dedicated careers conversations with PhDs and postdocs. ECRs value such conversations and they aren’t always easy to come by. It’s important, also, to build intellectual solidarity with mentees, that is, to validate them in their research enterprise, engage with their ideas, and offer material support in pursuit of their goals.
Prof. Timm Krueger, Personal Chair of Fluid and Suspension Dynamics, Co-Chair of the University’s Research Cultures Forum, School of Engineering
Managing researchers comes with the tension between the need to deliver the research project and the expectation (and wish!) to develop the researchers. Researcher development is crucial since most researchers have short-term positions and must get ready to move on to their next job eventually. I found values-based discussions with researchers in my group particularly powerful: only the researchers know what they want from their career and what excites them; PIs should not make assumptions about what a good career is. It can be difficult for the PI to hear that a researcher does not want to stay in academia! PIs, however, play an important role in helping researchers identify their career goals, the corresponding skills required, and the best training to move in the right direction. The researcher should be proactive and seek these discussions with their PI and be honest about what they want. While the PI needs to be ready to have the occasional difficult conversation and directly address possible gaps between a researcher’s goals and performance or ability, the researcher should be prepared to receive constructive feedback even if it is sometimes painful.
Summary
After an open discussion with attendees on key challenges for careers conversation, the event culminated in summarising the key ingredients required for effective careers conversations. The key ingredients were:
The PI should:
- Be compassionate, empathetic and curious (see the person)
- Have intellectual solidarity
- Give feedback and insights
- Make no assumptions about what a good career looks like
- Have values-based discussions
- Create opportunities
Researchers should:
- Be honest
- Be prepared and have goals for conversations
- Take on board and act on feedback
- Consider skills needed
- Take forward actions and implement these
Both should be honest, led by curiosity, and commit to regular career conversations, not just during the annual development review.
Further resources
To help you to achieve effective conversations with the key ingredients above, check out these further resources.
- IAD guides for careers conversations: includes a guide to prepare for a career conversation with your PI, and guidance for PIs and key questions to ask.
- Prosper portals guidance on successful career conversations
- Imperial’s guidance on supporting the skills and career development of your team
