Navigating the Postdoc's Hidden Curriculum (opinion)

Postdoc roles should expand knowledge and skills while enabling career exploration, networking, and successful transitions to next positions. Early planning begins with self-reflection on values, expertise development, and growth in communication, collaboration, research, teaching, and leadership or mentorship. An individual development plan created with tools such as Imagine PhD or myIDP supports this process by prompting reflection on what the postdoc hopes to accomplish, what is needed to reach those goals, and what the next career step could be. Articulating possible career paths, even during exploration, helps narrow job options and guides the experiences and networks needed for future roles. Postdoc experiences vary widely based on faculty mentor support, even when institutional resources exist.

"A postdoc role should enable you to not only gain further knowledge and skills but to explore career options, build your network and enhance your ability to transition into your next role successfully. It is essential to start with self-reflection on skills, experiences and values to craft goals for your postdoc and career exploration. Creating an individual development plan using tools like Imagine PhD or myIDP is an effective strategy (and not just for postdocs!)."

"Such tools invite you to reflect: What values are important to you? How have you developed your expertise? How have you developed skills in communication, collaboration, research, teaching and leadership/mentorship? What do you hope to accomplish during your postdoc? What would you need to accomplish those goals? What ideas do you have for your next career step?"

"This last prompt on career discernment is important. Even if you are at an exploratory stage (perhaps you're even doing a postdoc in order to explore), starting to articulate the kinds of career paths you are aware of is imperative. This, paired with reflecting on your priorities and preferences, will help you focus your potential job options and cultivate the experiences, networks and ski"

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