subject: Tips To Getting The Perfect Scientist Role [print this page] The archetype of the mad scientist has persisted far too long in human minds. From Dr Faustus to Dr Jekyll, to a madcap Sherlock Holmes spending time at the chemistry lab, scientists have been seen as mad geniuses - unfit for life in a "normal" society. It's high time we got rid of that stereotype.
Today, scientists work in many sectors that are highly relevant to our daily lives - a fact that is even more evident if we acknowledge that the boundaries between science and engineering are extremely vague. From creating the appliances we work with to the medicines that cure us, scientists are absolutely indispensable in modern life.
Scientists are in high demand in every field, in all areas that require research and development. This means that people who grow up wanting to be "scientists" have a lot of thinking to do before placing their job applications.
First of all, subject preferences in school heavily indicate what type of science you may specialize in. Some people love the abstract intellectual delight of mathematics and physics, while others rejoice in the sheer immediacy of chemistry and biology. Again, each field - mathematics, physics, information technology, chemistry and biology - has its sub-fields, and hybrid fields today are more popular than the core areas themselves.
Secondly, what type of job would you want? A desk job, a job dominated by lab work, or one where field work is necessary every now and then? This will help you narrow down your options enormously, while staying within the broad subject area of your choice. Forensic science, for example, requires nearly constant site visits. Pharmacology, on the other hand, is dominated by lab work. Today's mathematical developments mostly take place in computer labs - whether you would call that a "desk job" or "lab work" is up to you.
Thirdly, do you feel safer in the core areas with recognized roles, or would you rather work in new, hybrid fields where research can lead you absolutely anywhere? Today, many jobs blend scientific expertise and a basic knowledge of demographics - all scientists' jobs pertaining to medicine and hands-on testing involve this conjunction. New fields have the twin advantages of growing in opportunity through the worker's lifetime, and of providing constant mental stimulus.
Fourthly, a detail which may seem insignificant at first glance. Would you rather work alone, be part of a team, or lead a team? Most of the time, new recruits cannot choose this aspect of their jobs. But with a few years of experience and consistent high-quality turnouts, they can begin to choose the type of work environment that suits them.
A career as a scientist is extremely valued by people of an academic bent, who may not want to teach at a university. Getting into the R&D sector of a noted firm allows for high-budget experiments, letting scientists push the pinnacle of their intelligence and create products that change the world for years and decades. Whether this be a new life-saving drug or a revolutionary machine, the satisfaction of a well-made project is unparalleled by anything else.
