Earlier relevant jobs

Several internships in different fields all throughout my education. It's highly recommendable to try out different internships to figure out what you like the most.

What do you do at work?

I carry out behavioral and electrophysiological experiments, analyse data in Matlab, read papers, collaborate with my colleagues and present my findings to them.

What is the best thing about your job?

That I love it and that I am passionate about it. I am always intrigued about coming to work; who knows what we might figure out today that was unknown yesterday.

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

During a gap year where I tried something different away from science, I saw the advertisement in FENS Neuroscience. I applied to some PhD positions in Europe and had around 5-6 interviews that were not successful. I have to say I felt disappointed and emotionally exhausted after not being accepted for those positions. In these cases it was helpful to know that most PhD students don't get accepted on their first application, because there are so many applicants per position. It's important to be constant and stay positive.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

The base of my knowledge in neuroscience was aquired during my Master's in Trondheim. Also, I learned the basics of the main software that I use for my current analysis (Matlab). Learning how to code is probably one of the most useful skills to have in such a data-driven world.

Did you work during your studies with something that is relevant for your job today?

Yes, I joined student organizations where I learned to use some open access illustrating apps that I now use to generate my figures.

What is your best career advice for our current students?

First and most important: Enjoy your time as a student. It is a magical combination of factors that allow for multidimensional realization while you learn. 

Do not hesitate about asking questions. It's always positive, shows knowledge and - more importantly - interest in a topic. 

Appreciate feedback and do not take it personally. The fact that somebody takes time to evaluate you or something you created is highly valuable for you. Try not to get emotions mixed, and learn from it.