Analysis and news


Oxford, London or Cambridge. This meant if I had to go for interviews it would mean a long car ride or train journey. Car journeys can be infuriating; either if you get stuck in traffic, or if you arrive too early and have to sit in your car for ages, or go to a pub (eeek, no wine!) for revision. This results in more anxiety and potentially forgetting things I definitely know! The best thing about the virtual


experience of interviews was that I was in my comfort zone; I was in my house with my favourite cup, my own computer, my own space and no technical glitches due to hardware/software not being compatible. My feet were not aching from wearing heels running from platform to platform. Nor was I drenched from the ‘short walk’ from the station to the offices if it was raining. I didn’t have the dreaded wait in the reception area, or fear of being too late or too early. No need for last-


“I had three virtual interviews before the job was offered to me”


minute bathroom visits where I may forget my way back to the reception waiting area. Nothing that could lead to more anxiety for my interview with my dream employer. Digital Science uses Zoom – brilliant!


I don’t have to download any new weird software, and I was using my own computer. I also didn’t have to worry about having a USB stick with me, back-ups on a cloud or on my phone, just in case I had a technology meltdown. The truth is, I felt at ease. I didn’t have people physically looking at me, it actually felt more like my day job – which at the moment is Zoom meetings with web


demos. Sure, I was still nervous as I met the C-level management at Digital Science but I didn’t have all the other worries on my mind, I could just focus on the interview. So would I go back to in-person


interviews? Never say never. There is something about noticing body language, and the ‘chit-chat’ pre- and post-interview, which I think is rather nice. A day out to London is always a treat, especially when you can roll in a lunch or drink with a friend. I know for some, interviews at home can be hard with so many distractions – kids and pets making an appearance, or Amazon coming to deliver at an awkward time. But I would encourage people to embrace the Zoom interview and enjoy how much control you have, because it can work in your favour. I’d like to think I would still have the job even if I had the in-person interview, but I definitely performed better without it. That’s my two-pence worth.


industry. (Don’t email 100 people all at once, as you won’t be able to schedule those calls in a timely manner.) Setting up catch-up calls can provide structure to your day. Take notes on folks your contacts suggest you reach out to, and follow them up. One benefit from the impact of Covid


Heather: when you find yourself out of a job


Changing jobs in the middle of an already scary time certainly adds additional complexity. The good news is that companies are continuing to hire, and I’m noticing an additional willingness to consider employees who live too far away to be always on site. Like Manisha, I don’t live in a publishing hub, and I’ve done the commute into New York city (spoiler: It wasn’t fun).


Some job changes can be planned, but


others can’t. Reorgs, pivots and economic crises can be unwelcome surprises. The lesson I take from this is that you always need to be working on your network, so it will be there when you need to rely on it. It’s possible to play catch-up, but networks are valuable for so many things, not just a job search. Make a list of the folks you want to talk


to first, then contact people in groups. Let them know that you’d like to have a chat about trends they are seeing in the


www.researchinformation.info | @researchinfo


was conferences moving online. I took advantage of this shift to attend my usual meetings (many of which had free registration or reduced prices for those unemployed due to the pandemic) and try some new ones. While it’s harder to network given the restrictions of many platforms, it is still possible. I continued to submit proposals for panels and accept speaking engagements to remain visible. I also kept up writing articles and blog posts for the same reason. One thing that really helped me was a Job Council group started by my friend Tommy Doyle, who was also looking for a new gig. The weekly meetings included about a half dozen folks from scholarly communications and adjacent industries. We shared leads, asked for intros and talked through options. It was so useful to bounce ideas of folks and even practice presentations. I always knew there was a core group I could turn to for feedback. I highly recommend this process! I was fortunate to pick up some


consulting during my search – nearly all of which resulted via leads from my network. It’s a great way to showcase your strengths and build skills in new areas; in my case around data. Not finding something permanent right away gave me


time to think about what I wanted to do and, most importantly, what I didn’t want to do. Did I want to stay in the non-profit space or return to commercial ventures? Did I want to remain in scholcomm or take a detour to another industry? I wouldn’t have predicted how much I would like the variety of the projects I was able to work on. From research interviews to writing to business development, I enjoyed meeting people and reconnecting with old friends. I ultimately decided to stay in


the consulting space, but to join an established consultancy, Delta Think. It’s great to be part of a team again, and working with the Open Access Data


“You always need to be working on your network, so it will be there when you need it”


Analytics Tool ticked the ‘open’ box and let me start to flex my data skills! Just a few weeks in, I’m already learning a lot. Some projects go on indefinitely, and other jobs are always on the horizon. Every day can bring something new. I wouldn’t have chosen to do a pandemic


job search, but I’m thrilled with how it turned out. Our industry has always been fluid, and the impact of Covid-19 has changed us in unexpected ways. I hope that virtual interviews and more openness to remote work are here to stay.


June/July 2021 Research Information 25


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38