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Professional Visibility Over the Lifespan:Musings of for a reluctant self-promoter
Debra TitoneAssociate Professor
Department of Psychology McGill University
Professional Visibility• Not natural to manage for “typical” academic
researcher… we would’ve gotten MBAs instead• “Noble” to “Shameless” Continuum– Your research gets you noticed without even trying– Your authentic interests drive your research; you occasionally
take steps to get you and your work noticed– Your authentic interests & a calculated sense of what’s “hot”
drive your research; you often take steps to be in the right place at the right time
– Your desire for visibility drives your research agenda, the professional activities in which you engage, the 1000’s of Facebook friends you have, and the car you drive
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
A baby academic is born
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Stuff happens
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of RetirementGraduate
school
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Postdoc
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Assistant Professor
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
TENURE
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Associate Professor
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS,Plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Promoted to Full Professor?
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS, plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Emeritus Status
Life-cycle of an academic
21
5
3
68
21
52
Measured in YEARS, plus or minus
Childhood - College
Graduate School
Postdoc
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Emeritus Professor
Golden Years of Retirement
Time fora vacation
Visibility-enhancing behaviors at different career stages
• Common to all career stages– Publish good work in a smallish # of domains– Network = talk enthusiastically about what you do & enthusiastically
inquire about what other people do– Network in your department, institution, at conferences– Emphasize the positive aspects of your surroundings; you are a part &
product of them• Promote your own work, the work of others in your lab, your advisor, your
department, your university… there’s no profit in being stingy– Be “present” in your department – e.g., attend colloquia & ask
questions; serve on student committees within reason– If opportunities present themselves, act on them..– Do research that you love– Be yourself – suppress “imposter syndrome”
Visibility-enhancing behaviors at different career stages
• Pre-Ph.D. – good habits start here– Good first author publications are essential– Cultivate professional relationships with your advisor, lab-mates,
other professors in your department, and other students– Cultivate a reputation as someone who upgrades life in the lab,
program, department.. Don’t be a drag…– Enthusiastically spread credit around where appropriate– Represent your lab/department well– Let your advisor(s) know that you are interested in meeting
people at conferences etc. – don’t be odd about it, but don’t be shy either
– Tell your adviser(s) that you want to get involved with journal reviewing and other professional opportunities
Visibility-enhancing behaviors at different career stages
• Postdoc – the stakes are higher bc you need a job– Same as before, but now you are cultivating a broad, inclusive
professional circle – Cultivate opportunities to give talks, and visits to meet other
researchers– Start thinking of yourself as someone who can put other people
into contact with each other– Papers still essential, but now think about external funding (if you
haven’t already); become skilled in this process; serving on grant-review panels helps immensely, it’s the only service really worth doing
– ***special note to WOMEN, you may be thinking about starting a family, which rarely enhances professional visibility – lost time, harder to attend conferences, etc.. BUT it is your life, after all..
Visibility-enhancing behaviors at different career stages
• Assistant Professor – great, but now things ramp up..– First author publications still important, but papers where your students are
first authors count as much or more– Your students’ successes are now a direct reflection on you – it’s a win-win
situation that is IDEAL for the reluctant self-promoter– Establish a publication record that is clearly independent of your mentors, with
your students– Strive to be the mentor and colleague you were lucky to have, or that you
wished you had, BUT only accept EXCELLENT students– Be visible and positive in your department; get involved with the governing
structure of your department– But don’t let your department overburden you with service – research &
teaching are top priorities that get you visibility in your field and tenure, service is not
– Make an effort to get to know likely tenure-letter writers– Aim for TALKS at conferences rather than poster presentations
Visibility-enhancing behaviors at different career stages
• Tenured Associate Professor – you did it!– Same as before, but now you’re hitting your stride in your research,
being more choosy about what research you do and publish– You’re organizing symposia, workshops, & meetings rather than just
submitting abstracts– You’re giving talks, getting papers published, semi-confident about
securing funding, sending students to good labs & positions, gaining an international reputation
– You continue to cultivate your professional circle & enjoy an extensive network of colleagues, former & current students and collaborators – Psychonomics is MUCH more fun..
– Very important, because to ever get promoted to full professor, you need important people to say you are PROVEN in the eyes of your field; non-stellar, wishy-washy letters are the kiss of death
Visibility-enhancing behaviors at different career stages
• Full Professor & beyond – Same as before, but now you are growing/maintaining your
reputation, rather than fading into obscurity– You’re among the leaders in your field but you still have to
compete for new grants; you may become a “target” for scholarly take-down
– Your research is more integrative/expansive– You’re creating scholarly and professional opportunities for
your students, colleagues, and others– You’re making the academic ecosystem a better place, both
scientifically and professionally; you’re creating organizations like Women in Cognitive Science
Professional Visibility = good work, strategy, luck
