Career planning for scientists is a crucial undertaking that empowers individuals to navigate the dynamic landscape of scientific endeavors effectively. In an age of rapid technological advancement and interdisciplinary collaboration, scientists must proactively chart their professional trajectories to harness their skills and passions optimally. Firstly, self-assessment is paramount. Scientists should evaluate their strengths, interests, and aspirations. This introspection aids in aligning career choices with personal goals. Whether pursuing academia, industry, government, or nonprofit sectors, understanding one's unique attributes is fundamental. Networking plays a pivotal role. Establishing connections within the scientific community fosters exposure to diverse opportunities, collaborations, and mentorship. Attending conferences, workshops, and seminars provides platforms to exchange ideas and forge relationships that can shape a scientist's trajectory. Diversification of skills is increasingly important. Scientists should engage in continuous learning to stay abreast of emerging technologies and methodologies. Acquiring skills in communication, project management, and entrepreneurship equips scientists to thrive in varied roles, from leading research teams to engaging with policymakers. Planning for long-term growth is crucial. Scientists should set both short-term and long-term goals that encompass research ambitions, career milestones, and personal aspirations. Regularly reassessing and adapting these goals ensures alignment with evolving circumstances. Incorporating interdisciplinary experiences enhances versatility. Collaborating with experts from different fields fosters creativity and widens perspectives, enriching problem-solving capabilities. This adaptability is particularly relevant in an era where scientific challenges often transcend traditional boundaries. Lastly, a proactive mindset is key. Scientists should actively seek out opportunities, whether in academia, industry projects, or entrepreneurial ventures. Taking calculated risks and embracing challenges can lead to breakthroughs in both research and career development. Career planning is a dynamic process that empowers scientists to steer their professional journeys deliberately. By embracing self-awareness, networking, skill diversification, goal-setting, interdisciplinary engagement, and proactive attitudes, scientists can navigate the intricate paths of the scientific landscape with confidence, contributing meaningfully to their field and society as a whole.

1. CAREER
PLANNING IN
STEM
FOR RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTISTS
Leneka Rhoden, MPhil Candidate
The University of the West Indies, Mona
PRESENTED BY

2. 1 What does a Career look like?
2 Career Planning: The Process
3 Step 1: Self-Assessment
4 Step 2: Career Exploration
5 Step 3: Targeting
6 Step 4: Career Preparation
7 Step 5 & 6: Career Management
AGENDA

3. Back to Agenda 03
• A career is more than just a job, or working, or your
occupation. It also includes your progress through life,
your growth, and development in vocational and
avocational areas of life.
• These skills, along with effective career planning
techniques, and the ability to cope with ambiguity in a
changing environment, will enable you to overcome
obstacles throughout your work life.
CAREER VS. JOB

4. THE CAREER PLANNING PROCESS
CHOOSING A CAREER
Back to Agenda 04

5. Back to Agenda 05
STEP 1: SELF-ASSESSMENT
Skills
Skills are sometimes thought of as general talents/strengths or specific knowledge/abilities acquired
through training. Your skills, however, also include a variety of attributes and personal characteristics
that give you your greatest potency.
Values
A value is a vague, global concept, sometimes difficult to understand. Essentially, a value is something
that is important to you or that you feel has worth, such as marriage, family, religion, or education. What
has little value for one person may be of great value to another. Values tend to permeate and influence
all aspects of our lives. As values are acted on repeatedly, they become the basis for our lives.
Interests
The meaning of interests is straightforward. What kind of activities do you like? What types of work do
you enjoy? What subjects do you enjoy studying? What kind of people do you enjoy being around?

6. Typical on-the-job duties, qualifications, outlook, salary, methods of entry, etc.
How do your skills, values and interests correspond to the types of work you are
considering?
Talking to People: People can be excellent sources of career information. Interviewing
for information is a nonthreatening means of learning about careers.
Internships or Applied Learning: The best method of exploring careers is to actually
perform work related to the occupation you have in mind
STEP 2: CAREER EXPLORATION
06
Career information gathering is an integral step in the process of career planning.
Initially, you will need to generate a list of careers which you may want to consider.

7. Learn the technique of systematic career decision-making
STEP 3: TARGETING
Back to Agenda
Define the decision
to be made
Identify all choices
to be considered in
the decision
Gather information
on each option
Evaluate the
potential outcome
of each option
considered
07

8. CAREER
PREPARATION
How will you
best obtain
the
qualifications
: additional
education,
internships,
special
courses or
training?
Should I stay in
research? Should I
work in academia or
industry?
What are the
specific
educational and
experiential
requirements?
Of the qualifications
required by that career,
which ones do you
currently possess, and
which ones do you need
to acquire?
STEP 4: CAREER
PREPARATION

9. LINKEDIN YOUTUBE
FACEBOOK SLIDESHARE
INSTAGRAM TIKTOK
TWITTER EVENTBRITE
There is a great deal to be learned
regarding obtaining employment,
even after you have prepared for a
career field. Finding the job you
want, at an attractive salary and in
the desired geographic location, is
the result of using effective job
search techniques. Each requires
the same conscientiousness,
discipline, consistency, and
commitment.
STEP 5:
MARKETING
YOURSELF
The job search process
is analogous to
conducting a
marketing campaign.

10. 09
STEP 4:
CAREER
MANAGEMENT
Upskilling and
Advancing
Opportunities and
Affiliations
Performance
Network

11. lenekarhoden@gmail.com
EMAIL
@lenekarhoden
SOCIAL MEDIA

12. Springer Nature advances discovery by publishing trusted research, supporting the
development of new ideas, and championing open science. They are committed to
playing their part in accelerating solutions to address the world’s urgent challenges.
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alicia.perez@springernature.com