Hello 🙂

I am back today with another blog-post related to my previous one. In the last blog post, you could read about how to find a practical project at LiU and what you should take into consideration when applying for your project. In today’s post, I will be writing about something which is often neglected at the very beginning but later down the road it can represent a huge obstacle. Yes – I am talking about our supervisors (or mentors in the best case scenario).
Let’s first define what a supervisor is 🙂 I am sure defining this term is very individualistic and there are many definitions of what a supervisor is and what he/she needs to possess (qualities) in order to be one. For me personally, a supervisor can be anyone who is diligently willing to help you, assist you, motivate you, support you, teach you, inspire you, critique you, learn with you and from you, etc. As for me the terms supervisor and mentor go hand in hand together and I was always looking for both of them in one person.

These are the most important qualities I was looking for when I was searching for my potential supervisor.

  1. willingness to work with me + dedication to me and my project
    This is very self-explanatory. Why would you join a group or be a part of a project where you are neglected, not appreciated, or even avoided? I would personally never work in such an environment. I actually did work during my bachelor and it was overall a very tough and challenging experience. You can’t tell immediately if someone is willing to work with you on a level you desire but there are some small things I pay attention to; first, how well the person is prepared for our meeting, and second I always ask how much I can learn during my time and what exactly – which techniques, methods, what is the idea behind the project, why this and not that, etc.
    Probably this is the part where I question the most and I always let other person talk 🙂
  2.  support
    This quality can not be predicted or seen in somebody at the very beginning but give people enough time and it will show up. Or it won’t. And you will know.
    You can ask at the beginning how much support and guidance you can expect at the beginning and how much during the project. If this is your first experience in the lab – I would be honest and tell that I don’t know much and that I expect/need full guidance and support during the e.g first one or two months. I don’t think anyone would judge you – contrary to that I would appreciate honesty and probably your supervisor will too!
    In this way, your supervisor can decide if he/she has time for something like this or not. Good for them – even better for you if the answer is either positive or negative. If it’s negative – they spare you a lot of time and stress and you can focus on other groups which would be more than happy to accept you and support your development.
  3. good communication from the very beginning
    I don’t think I should elaborate on this one. This one must click from the first minute (at least for me). I can’t emphasize how this one is important. Clear, honest, straight to the point communication is a must!
    If your supervisor can not sit down and clearly communicate with you about project ideas, expectations from you and your work, constructive criticism that comes with the time, your future in his/her group, etc. – you are at the wrong place. Yes – the art of communication is a tough one, but worth learning.
  4. still curious and still working on his/her learning curve (even after all those years)
    This is huge. I wasn’t even aware of how this one is big and crucial. My biggest working inspiration is my current mentor. She is +70 and woman with the youngest soul and biggest desire to learn, to try new things, to experiment, to expand already made things. She comes first in the morning and leaves among the last. Always ready to bounce ideas, give you suggestions, try to improve your work. That’s the mentor I was dreaming about and the one I have and embrace every single day.
  5.  same/similar working ethic
    Just remember all those group related tasks, where one person is doing everything and the rest of the group is simply uninterested because yes, someone else will do it. And even if you had the motivation and a desire to give your maximum, the rest of the group reduced your desire to participate to a minimum. That’s why it is important to be surrounded by like-minded people who are equally interested, motivated, and keen to take a step further even when there is no clear path in front of you.

If this all is a new experience for you the next thing can feel very counterintuitive, but it’s not – it’s completely normal and even desirable in my opinion. Question your potential supervisor during your first meeting as much as possible. Ask him/her all possible types of questions. Don’t be silent and just agree on everything. This is probably your only chance to see/feel if your supervisor and you are on the same page and if both of you have a common goal to achieve but from different directions. And one more thing before wrapping this blog post – don’t come from the position of lack, don’t be scared, and don’t accept less than you think you deserve! They are choosing you but you are choosing them as well!

Stay safe and until the next blog post!

 

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