Your Academic Profile is Your Best Career Tool!
With more fierce competition for PhD positions, scholarships and fellowships, students will not only have to rely on their grades to make a way into the world of academia. The emphasis on academic achievement has still held a prominent place, but that's no longer enough; here they are looking for something more comprehensive: proof of potential, impact and contribution for the future.
This is where an academic profile will come in handy.
Consider your school portfolio as your brand. It is a way to introduce yourself to universities, employers and funding bodies, other than by your transcript. It reflects your research interests, accomplishments, leadership, communication, technical and other skills, as well as your future goals.
The first step to a successful academic CV is to have a well-organized CV. It should emphasize educational background, research projects conducted, publications, certifications and experiences. A CV is not sufficient however. Academic interest and curiosity are becoming markers – rather than just desired qualities – for the evaluation of candidates.
The experience in research is an integral part of this assessment. Research activity, via thesis work, research assistantships, independent studies or joint research indicates advanced academic ability, either as a candidate or as part of a research team. Demonstrates critical thinking abilities, problem solving skills and is able to participate in the creation of knowledge.
It's just as important to have professional visibility. With digitalization in the world today researchers are expected to have a professional online presence. Research and academia-oriented platforms like LinkedIn, Google Scholar, ORCID and ResearchGate enable researchers to promote their research and create valuable academic networks.
It's also important to have leadership skills and communication skills. Viewed by universities and employers as someone who can work well in a team, to explain ideas clearly and positively contribute to the profession. These attributes are seen in the students' involvement in student organizations, volunteer activities and academic programs.
In the end, an academic profile is a requirement for an application and much more. It's an investment in your future! The more good your profile is, the higher the chances to secure opportunities that impact your academic career and opportunities in the profession.
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