Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Networking
Sometimes I think I'm really not that cut out to be a scientist and stuff as I see my attitude to work seems so different to most other people around me. Sometimes I don't know whether it's an age, gender, cultural or discipline thing, or if it's just me. I went along to a cross faculty networking event which I thought it was great. It was great to practise talking about what I do briefly and in very general terms to people with very little biology or chemistry background. I think I managed to put myself and my project across pretty well as a couple of people were interested in talking to me longer about my work and general ideas. Despite this small personal sucess it was pretty sad to see such a low turnout to the event. Judging by the number of namebadges left on the registration table less than half the people who registered actually bothered to turn up, and that didn't seem to be many people to start with.
However, it was really good for me as I met a really nice newish postdoc in the department who is keen to start up/be involved with more postdoc networking, socialising, training in the department and we had a really good chat with the person in charge of training and skills for staff in the faculty. Unfortunately I'm now stuck in a department where the head of school doesn't believe in training (and also doesn't believe people like me can be successful - but that's a whole other kettle of fish for a post in the future) but hopefully if people like me and this other postdoc can put the word about and provide positive feedback from training and networking events hopefully things should keep on getting better.
However, it was really good for me as I met a really nice newish postdoc in the department who is keen to start up/be involved with more postdoc networking, socialising, training in the department and we had a really good chat with the person in charge of training and skills for staff in the faculty. Unfortunately I'm now stuck in a department where the head of school doesn't believe in training (and also doesn't believe people like me can be successful - but that's a whole other kettle of fish for a post in the future) but hopefully if people like me and this other postdoc can put the word about and provide positive feedback from training and networking events hopefully things should keep on getting better.
Labels: different attitudes, networking, training
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