If you plan to start a #PhD or #postdoc, don’t forget to interview your potential advisor before joining the group and talk to their group members and alumni!

Many people asked me how to find the lab where mentorship is prioritized. THIS would be my main advise:

When you are being interviewed for a position, you are often focused on receiving the offer. However, it is important to remember that it is only the FIRST step. 

The SECOND step is to avoid potential problems during your PhD/postdoc. The recent attention to the horrible issues faced by some PhD students and postdocs is only the tip of the iceberg. 

But I constantly see that students hardly make any attempts to understand the personal views and approaches of their potential advisor and what sort of interaction is expected. Moreover, students rarely talk to the group members of their potential advisor and learn about their experience. 

It is important to ask your potential advisor about their approaches to and opinion on: 

1. Research advising (how he/she understands it and how it i’s normally done in the group).
2. #Mentoring and personal development during PhD/postdoc.
3. Collaboration – how it’s done and what the role of students/postdocs is.
4. Development of your independence and confidence in research.
5. Your participation in conferences and workshops (how often and which types of conferences are preferred).
6. The way that research publications are prepared – from authorship to quality and typical timelines.

Also, make sure to ask your potential advisor if you can talk to his/her #students one on one (online or in person). It is very important if you want to understand the group culture and your own fit within it. Ask their group members the same questions as their advisor.

And don’t forget:
The mentorship you receive during PhD/postdoc will be playing the key role in your success. Often it is the advisor who shapes your professional skills, motivation and your perception of science! 

(This is crucial not only for #academia but also for R&D and entrepreneurship.)
Credit- Andrew Akbashev