By Sarah K.
I’ve always been so impressed by scientists. I really enjoyed science in school. It’s just so interesting, and the things you can do with scientific knowledge are amazing. But I never pursued a science career later in life. There is really only one reason why I didn’t go for it- I never knew how. Some part of my brain just thought “no, I can’t be a scientist, that’s way too complicated!”
I was thinking about this recently. If I had known how to start a science career, would I have done it? Would that have made me really happy in my career? I think the answer is yes. More importantly, I think if more people knew how to become scientists, more people would do it. So, I decided to talk to some friends of mine who work as scientists, ask them “how did you start your career?” and then share what I learned with you. Here’s what I found:
1. Explore different science career areas
The first thing you have to do if you want to start science career is figure out which area of the science world you want to get involved in. Science is a big subject, with lots of little sub-fields that different scientists concentrate on. Start by taking a look at the fundamentals of the main three areas of science – chemistry, biology, and physics – and see what interests you the most.
2. Focus in on the science career you really like
When you have figured out what interests you, or if you already know what you’re interested in, then start concentrating on that. Within each field, there are lots of interesting things to explore. The closer you look at each field, whether it’s environmental science, health science, or astronomy, the more you will know exactly what you want to do.
3. Perfect your résumé
Once you know exactly what you want to do with your science career, an internship can really help get you started before you commit to more long-term plans. Internships are a great way of getting a feel for your industry and making connections. An added bonus is that internships are often paid within the science world. To get the perfect internship, you need to start getting your résumé in shape, so take a look at some top tips for perfecting your résumé.
4. Get a great online profile
When you’re starting your science career it’s so important to stay up-to-date with your industry. It’s also important to make as many connections with important people in your field as possible. These are the people who will show you exactly how to progress your career in your field, so it’s vital that you connect with them. The best way to do this is to build a really strong online profile, so here’s a simple guide for how to do just that. Have a look, and start working on your future career today!
Following these four steps will give you a great start to your science career, helping you to figure out where you want to go and how you can get there. These are great advantages when you are just starting out. So go on, your start to a great career in science is just around the corner.
