Making the best of your senior year research experiences
This message is to senior students or post-bac scholars. You are so close to completing each of these respective experiences, so how to make the best of them, especially when you are about to apply to graduatee school?
Network: You have done a lot of work for some time now. However, your colleagues or mentors may not be aware of your future goals and aspirations. Start networking with people pursuing the roles you are interested in, get to know more about what it takes to be in that role, and be at the top of your game.
Clear communication: As you network, be clear about what your goals are, request professional and personal feedback, share what is relevant to you, and, more importantly, talk about your fears and concerns. Such conversations are important and will give you more perspective as you approach the application process or while navigating new fields.
Know yourself: Getting feedback is one way to learn about how others perceive you, but also take your time to reflect about who you are, what types of environment you feel the most supported and and what are your needs as a scholar and as a person. I know is not easy but “practice talking about yourself”.
Believe it or not, if you start being aware of these areas, you will have an easier time going through the process of identifying the next steps in your career.
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