Applying for a reasearch job (not in a uni)

dory

Hello

I know I should go to my careers service with this but it's a Friday evening and I'm just after finding out the closing day for the job of my dreams is less than a week away!

So here's my position; I want to apply for a field work/research internship. I thought I'd post here in the postgraduate forum because it states that the referee should say why I'm suitable for research work and my referee is stumped. What would one say? She's good with numbers? Is patient? What are they looking for in a researcher?

Also, one last question. As it's a job per se and not an academic research position I've chosen professional referees who've worked with me in child welfare. I've worked in the area, just not researched the area before. Do you think I'm making a mistake and should get academic referees?

Thanks in advance for your time.

2Scoops

This a bit of a generalization, but qualities in researchers that are sought-after are:

1. Interest/passion/curiosity in the subject area and documented evidence of that. On a related point, a desire to pursue research as your primary career and not just a means-to-an-end or a stop-gap.
   
2. Direct experience and research skills, or at least detailed knowledge of current research conducted by others. E.g. any example of data collection, analysis etc. you may have performed in college or anywhere.
   
3. General intelligence and good command of the English language. Hard to prove on paper, and very arrogant to state in a letter [don't do it!] - they normally pick up on this naturally at the interview.

Your referee should talk about these points and back them up with specific examples from his or her dealings with you. It's totally fine to suggest to your referee examples of the above that he/she may not be aware of yet.

A good referee should be a respected professional in the specific research area, or at least a broadly comparable field, who also knows you relatively well. It can't hurt to get two referees, one academic, one not, especially if their recommendations of you complement each other nicely.

dory

Ah that is perfect. Thank you! I'm only in my course since September though so not sure anyone would write me a reference this early. I'll see anyway. Thanks!

Esmereldina

Just a thought - why not use one professional and one academic reference?

dory wrote: »

Hello

I know I should go to my careers service with this but it's a Friday evening and I'm just after finding out the closing day for the job of my dreams is less than a week away!

So here's my position; I want to apply for a field work/research internship. I thought I'd post here in the postgraduate forum because it states that the referee should say why I'm suitable for research work and my referee is stumped. What would one say? She's good with numbers? Is patient? What are they looking for in a researcher?

Also, one last question. As it's a job per se and not an academic research position I've chosen professional referees who've worked with me in child welfare. I've worked in the area, just not researched the area before. Do you think I'm making a mistake and should get academic referees?

Thanks in advance for your time.