From the 26th to the 30th of June, the BIST Career Week featured workshops, roundtables, and a job marketplace to support the career progression of BIST Community researchers. Eighty interviews for 11 job offers took place in the Job Marketplace, organized in collaboration with Barcelona Activa.
Organized by the BIST People Commission -composed of representatives from the human resources departments at the seven BIST Community Centres and the BIST core team- the 2023 BIST Career Week attracted nearly 300 participants from the BIST community and beyond. The event aimed to assist members of the scientific community in advancing their professional careers, providing them with necessary tools and insights.
Throughout the week, attendees had the opportunity to participate in online workshops focused on key topics relevant to career planning. These workshops -with approximately 35 attendees each- covered a wide range of areas, including effective interview preparation, crafting non-academic CVs, and leveraging artificial intelligence tools to enhance cover letters. Additionally, four engaging roundtable discussions were hosted, featuring professionals from diverse sectors and roles who shared their personal experiences of securing current jobs, the support they received during the process, and the significance of having role models.
A highlight of the BIST Career Week was the Job Marketplace, organized in collaboration with Barcelona Activa. Research centres, technology centres, and consulting companies offered a total of 11 open positions, resulting in over 100 scheduled interviews. On Friday, June 30th, 80 of those interviews were conducted at the Barcelona Activa headquarters, creating promising opportunities for job seekers and employers alike.
The Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), with two open positions, was among the research centres seeking new talent at the BIST Career Week. The Head of the International and Strategic Projects Unit, Laura Cabana, praised the event, stating, ‘It was a very interesting experience as it allowed us to directly interact with many potential candidates we wouldn’t normally have access to, and gain insights into their abilities and needs. Simultaneously, it provided a great opportunity to introduce research centres to job seekers and showcase the numerous opportunities available. Such exchange initiatives are incredibly valuable and necessary.’
The majority of attendees at the BIST Career Week were PhD students, followed by postdoctoral researchers, many falling within the 26-35 age range, reflecting the event’s relevance for those seeking new positions after completing a PhD or a Postdoc. Among the participants was Madhura Murar, who recently completed her PhD at IBEC. Murar expressed her gratitude for the event, highlighting that ‘It was a great initiative from BIST to not only organize a job marketplace, bringing together the companies with potential talents, but also to organize the necessary workshops and roundtable discussions around some of the most interesting roles for fresh graduates. As someone coming from academia, I found the entire experience rather enriching and ended up interviewing for four different positions, a few of which I´m currently being considered for. I would highly recommend this experience as a great point of contact for new graduates looking for career opportunities outside of academia.’
View more photos of the 2023 BIST Career Week-Market Place here.