April 27, 2023, 9 - 17 h
Virtual Career Day "Transition Possible - Recruiting Postdocs in Industry"
At the Virtual Career Day 2023 "Transition Possible" organized by various Helmholtz institutes, more than 350 postdocs came together to learn and exchange information about recruitment processes for postdocs in industry. In panel discussions and subsequent smaller discussion groups, the postdocs had the opportunity to get to know companies, their recruiters and former postdocs working there and to explore their career options.
In the afternoons, various workshops were offered to help postdocs transition into industry (e.g., interview preparation, self-presentation, assessment center training).
The bottom line:
Postdocs are desperately needed in the job market! Be honest! Be authentic! Be proud of your accomplishments and experiences! The application process is an exchange where both companies and applicants introduce themselves.
Graphic recording by Anna Lena Schiller.
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February 7, 2023, 13 – 15 h
Connect:ting: Academia meets Companies
At the first "Connect:ting: Academia meets Companies" event, about 40 GEOMAR scientists met nine companies from northern Germany. Representatives of the companies Phi-Stone, OceanBASIS, TrueOcean, north.io, Bornhöft Industriegeräte, Sea & Sun Technology, Fugro, osteolabs and DSN Connecting Knowledge presented their fields of work and their personnel needs in the GEOMAR lecture hall. Afterwards, the GEOMAR scientists had the opportunity for a personal exchange with the representatives in a speed-dating format in the foyer. In 5 rounds à 10 minutes there were questions and answers about working conditions and requirements as well as information about hospitations.
The great demand for workers with a (marine) science background in various sectors of the economy became clear. The company Fugro alone advertised with currently 600 unfilled positions worldwide. Within the framework of the CONNECT - Hospitation Program, GEOMAR postdocs and associated scientists now have the opportunity to get to know interesting companies during a three-month working stay, to establish further contacts and cooperation, and to try out working in the non-academic job market.
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April 28, 2022, 9 - 16 h
Virtual Career Day "Transition Possible - Career Perspectives for Postdocs"
At the first joint career day "Transition Possible - Career Perspectives for Postdocs" of the postdoc career centers of the Helmholtz institutes DESY, DZNE, GEOMAR, HZDR, IPP and KIT, 216 participants came together to inform themselves about career paths outside academia.
After an inspiring talk by Tina Persson, representatives from BASF, BOSCH, Ginkgo Analytics, NaWik and the German Scholars Organization discussed possible career paths for postdocs outside of science in a panel discussion. Afterwards, the participants had the opportunity to talk to representatives of individual companies, science management and science communication, as well as former postdocs employed there, and to gain insights into their working lives and companies. In the afternoon, eight workshops were offered, in which the participants could inform themselves in detail about various topics of career planning, job search and the application process.
The career day was characterized by an atmosphere of optimism, which gave the participating postdocs the feeling of being sought after on the job market and highlighted the special skills they had acquired during their scientific careers. The focus was also on the motivation to actively plan and pursue career paths outside of academia.
