Progressing through the British higher education system, a student like myself will have inevitably attended numerous career development and employability talks. However, when I signed up to the life sciences careers conference, I had little idea of what to expect and simply assumed I’d get given a lot of leaflets and free pens.
Well, on top of the free pens, I never would have thought I’d have gained such valuable insight from all the fantastically experienced professionals that attended the conference! Being able to talk to the speakers and scientific society representatives face to face was of great advantage to me. After just half an hour circling the exhibition, they had me considering so many more career options and routes of gaining experience than I had never even thought of.
Ultimately I found the talks by speakers such as Stephen Cole from the University of Westminster, and Dr Simon Cutler of the BBSRC (Biotechnology & Biological Research council) most useful. To be able to absorb tips and wisdom from professionals who have been on the receiving end of applications from hopeful job applicants like myself, was truly motivating.
Glad and thankful to receive some real and practical advice, tailored to the needs of an aspiring biological scientist, I’ve come away from the event feeling a lot more confident about myself and my working future. Sure, I still might not know exactly where I want to take my future, but then again, who really does? What I do know now is that I have acquired some priceless new skills and key information that can only help me more in planning for success in my future.
by Matthew Young, Biomedical Science Student at Nottingham Trent University
For information about future life sciences careers conferences please visit the Society of Biology website, and to read tips from the London life science careers conference see our Storify.
More tips from Matthew: