Playing the Research Game: Bouncing back from

Rejection and Disappointment

Marie-Josée FortinEcology & Evolutionary Biology

University of Toronto

Career: An occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life and with opportunities for progress.

• Job duties• Training and educational requirements• Job outlook• Salary ranges ($,$$,$$$)

Gradual progression: Moving on to more challenging issues

Sophomore: + Mentee + Mentor (TAs)

Freshman: + Mentee + Mentor (TAs)

Senior:+ Mentee+ Mentor(TAs; Graduates)

Junior:+ Mentee+ Mentor(TAs; Graduates)

GraduateMentee: a person who is advised or trained by a mentor.

Mentor: an experienced and trusted adviser.

AssociateProfessor

Assistant Professor

Emeritus Professor

FullProfessor

Academic

AssociateProfessor:+ SME+ Chairmanetc.

Assistant Professor: SME

Emeritus Professor

FullProfessor:+ SME+ Deanetc.

Academic

SME: Small and medium-sized enterprise

Progression through a Career

Assistant Associate FullResearch

Teaching

Supervision

Administration

Professor: Researcher, Teacher, Supervisor, Reviewer Leader, Organizer, Administrator

Career Moving on to new and more challenging issues

Be Resilient• Learn to take criticism

• Like the journey Do science to make you fell better

• Persevere The difference between a lucky and

an unlucky person is that the lucky person will try again and again while the unlucky person will not try again

• Learn to be a employee • Learn to be a employer

• A happy researcher is a happy boss

Work WiselyAs Graduate Students

• Learn how to structure arguments• Learn to be critical of your own work

• Ask questions at seminars• Be able to answer questions

• Show leadership / Become a leader

• Learn to take rejection (papers)

Work WiselyAs Assistant Professor• Publish in good journals• Give talks, seminars

• Be on editorial board of journals

• Show leadership / Become a leader• Organize symposiums, working groups

• Learn to take rejection (papers, grants)

• Do not take too many graduate students;but have a critical mass so that they canhelp one another

DO NOT WRITE A BOOKDO NOT DO EDITED BOOKS or SPECIAL ISSUES

Work WiselyAs Associate Professor

• Publish in good journals• Give talks, seminars• Be on editorial board of journals• Show leadership / Become a leader• Organize symposiums, working groups• Have a critical mass of graduates

• DO WRITE A BOOK• DO EDITED BOOKS or SPECIAL ISSUES

• Ask questions at seminars• Be able to answer questions after your talks

• Show leadership / Become a leader• Show that you are engaged in scientific community (Organize symposium, Guest Editor of Special Issue, Committee Member in Scientific Association, etc.)• Understand the importance of a targeted job search• Write an engaging cover letter• Develop your interview skills

• Making Connections / Identify networks• Learn how to utilize your connections• Effectively utilize your online presence

Website; Twitter; Blog; etc.

Skills to Improve Your Career