Supervision

Senior scientists are expected to supervise others, but the responsibility is rarely addressed in available training offers, leaving supervisors to their own experience as a doctoral or postdoctoral researcher, and learning through trial-and-error. This approach generally works, if the communication between mentor and mentee is clear, open and goes both ways. Each doctoral and postdoctoral researcher has different coaching needs, expectations, career goals, and scientific or methodological interests. Knowing how to recognize them, while expressing your own supervisory style, is therefore essential.

At the same time, the career landscape within academic research and teaching and beyond, is shifting rapidly, in Switzerland and elsewhere. Giving career advice in such a context can be complicated.