Choosing The Right Career Mentor

I had an amazing PhD supervisor, and I STILL CRIED in their office. Imagine what happens with the wrong one... Your PhD supervisor isn't just a name on your thesis. They will shape your research, your confidence, and even your mental health for the next 3 - 4 years. They're your mentor, advocate, critic, and sometimes, your shoulder to cry on (trust me, I know! 😅). Yet, I see eager PhD applicants jumping at the first Professor who says "yes" without asking the right questions. They assume securing a supervisor is the finish line, when in reality, it's just the beginning. They're so focused on being chosen that they forget they're choosing too. Would you commit to a long-term partnership without knowing the person? Then why do it for a PhD? 🤔 Before you say “YES” to a Professor, do your homework. 1️⃣ Have I spoken to their students?  They’ll tell you the real story! 2️⃣ Do I understand their supervision style?  Ask them directly, don’t be shy! 3️⃣ Where have their previous students ended up?  Success leaves clues. 4️⃣ How do they handle tough conversations?  Watch closely in early meetings. 5️⃣Does my gut say this is the right fit?  If something feels off, it probably is. A PhD is hard enough with the right supervisor. Don't make it harder by rushing into the wrong partnership. What would you add to this list? Have you had a supervisor who shaped your journey, for better or worse? #Academia #PhDAdvice #LearnWithSofiat

In 2013, right at the start of my PhD, I had one of those moments that quietly shape how you move through academia afterwards. I shared an exposé with a senior researcher at a public research institute in Berlin. I was genuinely excited about the idea: use a longitudinal dataset available at their institute and analyze it with Bayesian methods. They gave feedback. It felt collegial. It felt like ...science. Eight or nine months later, I was sitting with a friend, coding in R, when ResearchGate recommended a new paper. I clicked, and had that sinking feeling. The design. The flow of the argument. The logic of the study. It was my concept, almost beat for beat… just run with frequentist analysis instead. And the first author? The same person who had “helped” with feedback. That was my entry to academia. What I remember most is not just the anger. It was the disorientation. The feeling of having to prove something that felt obvious in my bones: that I had developed it first. And the question that lingered for years: should I stop talking about my science until it is published? That is why I really appreciated a recent Nature Careers feature by Bianca Nogrady. It is framed around a similar situation: an early-career researcher shares an idea at a poster session, then later sees it appear in someone else’s preprint with no attribution. The piece makes a point that I wish someone had told me early: idea plagiarism is messy. Unlike text plagiarism, it is harder to prove, often happens in informal conversations, and can hide behind plausible stories of “independent inspiration”. But it also offers something practical: you can protect yourself without closing off the exchange of ideas that science needs. The core suggestion is simple and powerful: create a time-stamped public record early. If your poster/abstract is ready, put the idea online in some form (preprint, archived abstract, OSF) so there is a clear trail. And if someone publishes first, the advice is to keep going, publish your work, and rely on the paper trail rather than letting the experience derail your research direction. If I add one more thing, it would be this: make contribution norms explicit while things still feel friendly. If you give or receive substantial conceptual input, discuss authorship or acknowledgement early. Awkward once is cheaper than months of resentment. And after important conversations, send a short follow-up message - specific about what you discussed, and clear on next steps. Not to police anyone, but because it quietly creates clarity. A simple record can make a big difference later. I wish I had received this kind of advice in 2013. It would not have erased the experience, but it would have given me a map. If you have been through something similar: what would you tell your early-career self now? Here is the link to the feature: https://lnkd.in/dcCNJkQQ #Academia #EarlyCareerScientist #AcademicCareers

My biggest advice to students: AVOID TOXIC LABS. They can EASILY break your research career. ❗ Your advisor is your biggest asset during PhD. NOT the degree itself. NOT 'being called Dr." NOT the courses. But your ADVISOR. Below is a list of what I consider important when choosing an advisor. ❗ The lab may be toxic if: 1. You were denied a personal meeting with other PhD students during or after the interview. 2. You receive negative feedback from the lab alumni (DO privately contact them before accepting an offer). 3. Students/postdocs are hesitant to speak in private when you ask them about things they wish could be different in the lab. 4. Students are rarely first authors on research papers. It means the priorities do not center on students. 5. The advisor cannot explain how he/she provides successful mentorship (with examples!). 6. The advisor is NOT interested in your vision for your own PhD. This is a big downside. 7. Postdocs and senior PhDs are bossy and authoritative. This is another red flag. It implies the group is hierarchal and hard to work with. 8. Students in the group are not that enthusiastic about their work. Lack of interest means lack of mentorship and leadership from their advisor. 9. The advisor doesn’t trust students and doesn’t believe in them. This means MICROMANAGEMENT is a very likely scenario. 10. The advisor avoids discussing topics related to “personal/professional development” such as attending conferences, doing side projects, getting access to facilities, etc, which are crucial for a successful PhD. 11. The advisor dominates the conversation during interview and doesn’t listen to you. (This means you should expect similar conversations during your entire PhD) 12. The advisor makes sarcastic or inappropriate comments about students, other labs or colleagues, or even you. This is absolutely unacceptable and clearly a red flag. 13. The advisor is the first author on research papers where students did the work. To me, it would be a big red flag. (Remember that if a professor writes the manuscript, it does NOT automatically entitle him/her to be the first author) 14. The lab space looks dangerous / unsafe. 15. The advisor EXPECTS to receive responses during off-hours. 📍 My opinion is: Getting a PhD in toxic labs is often not worth it. Bad PhD experience haunts people for many years. Your career may be jeopardized.  Your passion will fade away. Your trauma can persist for decade(s). So, waiting for another PhD offer is often better than accepting it in a toxic lab. Working in a company is better than in a toxic lab. You can leave a company anytime. But leaving PhD, especially abroad, is VERY hard. Please DO share it with other students. Make sure they don’t get into trouble. p.s. Red flags do not mean the lab is necessarily toxic. But the more red flags you see, the more careful you should be. Stay safe. #PhD #students #science #research #education

If you want to pursue a Ph.D., the topic you will choose is irrelevant. ⚠️ Your success is mainly driven by another parameter! ⚠️ Don’t get me wrong, you should work on something of interest for you. But, in each field, there is a vast amount of possibilities for you to have fun with, if you love science and are curious enough 🕵. For instance, if you’re into fluid mechanics, you’ll have a great time whether you work on aerodynamics, combustion, acoustics, turbulence, etc. Similarly, you should know if you would rather work in a lab doing experiments 🧪, or if you’re more a “modeling and simulation” type of person 💻, and choose your project accordingly. But, besides that, the most important parameter, the one that influences the most your chance of success, is your Ph.D. advisor. You should not underestimate this human factor ! People usually assume that a Ph.D. is just about science and that if you’re good enough, you’ll make it 💪. However, it’s not all about research, it is also a human adventure, and you will be working with that person for 3-6 years, so you should be sure to get along 🤝. Professors have different ways of running their labs. Some will keep a very small team and meet every week with all of their students for several hours. Other have much bigger labs and rely extensively on Post-Docs and senior Ph.D. students to guide the newcomers and will give you a lot of freedom. There is no good or bad solution. These are just different ways of running labs and supervising students. And you should choose the one that best fits you: do you want to meet regularly with your advisor? or you would rather have much more autonomy? That being said, it is a formidable adventure. Pursuing a Ph.D. is in the top 5 of the best decisions I took in my life. I was very lucky to have an amazing supervision (Wolfgang Polifke, Camilo F. Silva, Max Meindl). If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change anything. So, if you’re hesitating, choose your supervisor, someone with that vibe that makes you want to work with him, and the topic will come afterwards. Good luck !

The best mentors won't find you, You have to find them. My core values for career development: • Ownership - Taking responsibility for your growth • Courage - Moving through discomfort for what matters • Reciprocity - Creating value, not just taking it What I can't stand is seeing people wait for career opportunities while mistaking passivity for patience. Here's how to ask potential mentors (without feeling awkward): 1/ Be direct about your goals Don't beat around the bush. Tell them exactly what you need. "I was promoted to senior engineer and want to level up my systems architecture skills. Would you be willing to mentor me?" 2/ Tell them why you chose them People appreciate knowing what drew you to them specifically, showing you’ve done your homework. "I'm reaching out because of your experience leading engineering teams at high-growth startups." 3/ Start with a small ask Don't request a long-term commitment right away. "Would you be open to a 30-minute video call to connect?" 4/ Be gracious if rejected Sometimes people don't have bandwidth. That's okay. "I understand you have significant demands on your time." 5/ Ask for alternatives If they decline, their network might be your next opportunity. "Is there anyone you'd recommend I connect with instead?" 6/ Approach with the right mindset Confidence in your goals. Respect for their time. Gratitude for their expertise. I've seen too many careers stall because of fear of rejection. But I promise: The temporary discomfort of reaching out is nothing compared to the permanent pain of career stagnation. Stop waiting for the perfect mentor to appear. Make the first move today. What strategies have worked for you when finding mentors? Image Credit: GraciousQuotes --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

One of the best moves I made early on in my career was finding mentors. Not just one but three; if you’re going to learn, you might as well get a full panel of judges. I believe in a 360° approach to everything. One with way less experience than me; because fresh eyes see what veterans overlook. One a few years ahead; because they just fought the same battles I was facing. One who was an executive board member; because why not get advice from someone who is where you hope to get to, and who makes the big decisions? Now, I didn’t just slide into their DMs and say, “Hi, can I pick your brain?” (Please, don’t do this. Ever.) I earned my mentors. Earned. They saw my diligence, my hard work, my intelligence, and my commitment. They saw that I actually listened, applied their advice, and took action. I wasn’t just looking for a free roadmap. I was willing to do the work. And I gave back, too. I shared insights from my own experiences. Yes, everyone can learn from anyone. I connected them with people and resources they found valuable. I helped with projects, research, or anything that made their lives easier. I showed up prepared, engaged, and ready to execute on their advice. Moral of the story? Find mentors at different levels. You need wisdom from above, below, and right next to you. Don’t just slide into their inbox with a generic ask. Stand out. Be specific. Show initiative. Offer something in return. Mentorship is a two-way street, not a charity. Be consistent. Real mentorship isn’t a one-off convo; it’s a relationship. Follow up. Show growth. Actually do the work. A mentor’s advice is useless if it just sits in your notes app. And then there are the silent mentors, the ones who don’t even know they’re mentoring. I call this Ghost Mentoring. Have you had any experience with mentors, officially or in ghost mode? #CareerMentor #TalentManagement #PersonalDevelopment

A cold email started my journey to a PhD at Oxford. A few years ago, I cold emailed a professor who would eventually become my supervisor for a PhD at the University of Oxford. That single leap of faith has changed the trajectory of my life in many ways. I share my lessons in this post, because it’s cold email season again and there’s someone out there wondering whether they should click send on a draft email Short answer is yes. I have crafted a few things to consider when cold emailing a potential PhD supervisor. 🎾First step is to put yourself out there and be ready to embrace rejection. During my time, I emailed at least 6 potential supervisors. A few did not respond. Some others gave helpful suggestions. The important thing is the one that mattered responded. If I never put myself in that space. The sequence of events that followed would never have happened. So my advice is embrace rejection. There’s so much potential upside to one answered message. 🎾Quality over quantity I mentioned I emailed 6 potential supervisors. This was after researching them and the work they did. I was looking for alignment: how their body of work related to work I intended to do or previous work I had done. I have received emails or messages with the wrong name or with tangential research interests to mine. As much as you can avoid being a click bait applicant who sends scores of messages hoping one potential supervisor accepts the bait. Often, it easy to spot such requests. 🎾How you present yourself matters. When I wrote my email, I presented a short bio of myself and spoke briefly about my interests. I attached my CV and I was clear about what I wanted to do and I was specific about my need. I also briefly summarised my strengths. II have received lengthy emails where I struggled to determine what the person who messaged needed. I have also received non-specific requests. One important thing to bear in mind is that the easier and more specific your request is, the more likely you are to get a response. 🎾avoid rigidity and listen Often, potential PhDs are rigid about their topic or research. It’s very difficult to dictate your topic if you do not come with funding. When I messaged my would be supervisor, I did so with a topic. In the end, I did something else tied to their own funding because I listened to their counsel. Often your specific topic is not the most important criteria for a PhD. The important thing is your interest in the proposed topic and the transferable skills you can get from the project. What was one thing that resonated with you in this message? Do you have any advice for prospective PhDs this application season? Picture - A few years after my cold email ☺️

Having earned my PhD from a US university as an international student, if you are a new graduate student in the U.S. this semester, here are some pieces of advice from me to you based on my personal experience. 1. Please check your emails with diligence. I understand that emails can feel overwhelming, with so many updates, announcements, and newsletters coming at you at once, but therein lie a lot of opportunities. Some people get free money, fellowships, job openings, and event invitations simply by staying on top of their emails. This was a game-changer for me. I can trace some of my most impactful opportunities to checking my emails consistently and not skipping the ones that seemed too long or irrelevant. You can choose a day, maybe weekends or quiet weekday nights, to catch up and go through those emails intentionally. Don’t underestimate them. I found out about awards, grants, leadership roles, paid research participant opportunities and programs simply because I made it a habit to read all my emails. 2. Take advantage of campus resources early. I realized too late that I didn’t fully explore or utilize many of the support systems my campus had to offer. From writing centers and career services to mentorship programs and professional development workshops on insightful topics, there are so many things available that students often don’t know about until their final year. Don’t let that be you. Visit those offices, ask questions, and plug in early. 3. Document your journey. Keep a record of your achievements, involvement, awards, and impact. This will make things easier when you are applying for grants, fellowships, or even jobs. You don’t want to forget your milestones or scramble for evidence at the last minute. This helped me win a lot of awards, particularly the Chegg Global Student Prize, which required 4,000 words. Celebrate your journey. No win is too small. Surviving your first semester, getting published, winning an award, or simply staying sane, each one is worth acknowledging. You are doing your best, and that matters. 4. Apply even when you don’t feel “fully ready.” So many people disqualify themselves from awards, conferences, or positions because they think they are not good enough yet. I have learned that growth comes from trying even when you are unsure. Let the committee be the one to decide, not your fear. I sat on some school award committees and realized that sometimes only three people apply for certain awards, so please apply. 5. Please do not hoard information. I have heard cases where people hoard opportunities from others. All the awards I own, I shared them with others even when I myself was applying. It fulfills me to share opportunities with others. Those you share with will always remember you when they harness them. Kindly check the comment section for more. Kindly add to this if you know more tips or advice that could help incoming students succeed.

I've been having some interesting convos lately with folks about designing and developing your own sample projects for your portfolios. One of the interesting trends / misconceptions I've heard a lot is the pressure to pick a topic that's "interesting," "unique," "niche," "fun," or related to something you're "passionate about." The truth is, I think a lot of ya'll are way overcomplicating the whole thing. Here's the thing: Picking or designing a topic for the basis of your portfolio isn't like a creative writing assignment—and hiring managers in this industry aren't evaluating you on how interesting, unique, niche, or fun the subjects of your portfolio projects are. And it really doesn't matter how passionate you are about the topic either. So, what do hiring managers care about, and what makes a good topic for your portfolio projects? It's simple: Hiring managers want to see how the thing you created solves a performance issue. Hiring managers want to see the instructional design decisions you made to solve the performance issue, not how you designed the topic or how creative it is. And they care less about WHAT you created or WHAT tool you used, but HOW and WHY you created it the way that you did. And you don't have to take my word for it—I have data to back this up from our 2025 State of the L&D Industry report, which we'll be publishing in a couple of weeks. So, a good project topic is one that has constraints, focuses on a workplace performance issue, and is fit for function for the problem you're trying to solve. It doesn't matter how not fun, not unique, and not creative it is...what matters is that it's realistic. Because, let's be honest: most of the stuff you'll be working on as an ID will be all of those things too. Class is dismissed. Let me know your thoughts / question in the comments. Have a great week! 👋 Tim #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment

Over the years of building Outreach, I have had great advisors and others that were a waste of time - and money. It’s hard to pick an advisor, so you need to be careful. There are two types of advisors: One - those who are still in the game and bring you a fresh “I’ve tried this myself” perspective. Unfortunately, they don’t have a ton of time to coach you. Two - those who left the game and now advise full-time. Their advice will get stale over time and less relevant. Beware of the professional advisors who have been advising startups for a long time. They make their business by making you part with your hard-earned equity or cash with no accountability on their end. They will tell you how selective they are etc. - not true. They take almost anyone, and they will try to convince you right away to sign. Don’t fall for it.   Now with that out of the way, here is how to pick effective advisors. First, on your first meeting with a potential advisor, make it clear that you are advisor dating. That you would like to have a regular conversation over a few months to see if you have chemistry before taking it to the next level. Chemistry is essential to an effective working relationship, and you want to test this (chemistry needs its own post!). This tactic has the added benefit of washing out the second kind of advisers above that you want to avoid. Second, make sure that for each advisor date, you come prepared with your hardest question. Test them. Watch them struggle with the question. At this point watch out for know-it-alls. Great advisors should engage you in the problem resolution process. Most times you just need to process with someone smart and experienced. Your advisor-to-be will recognize this pattern and engage you. Third, observe how you feel in between the advisor dates. If you miss this person and look forward to the next date, then you are on the right track. Now, don’t rush into things. Let this play out for at least full three months before you pull the trigger on an advisor agreement. Keep the bar high and you will find a true partner.