Many undergrad students are tasked with research work as part of their degree program. They need to write a thesis or research paper to accompany their research project at school. Many of them question the relevance of this intensive writing exercise for those students who don’t plan on working in academia. How will writing a research paper help their career? Why do they need to complete this mundane paper to get their degree?
Research paper publication is a strenuous task that must be accomplished with care and effort. If you aren’t careful, you can end up basing your research on a premise that isn’t sound or factual. Then, you need to collect research evidence and supporting information while upholding high standards of integrity and unbiasedness.
Why should those students who only want practical experience will take all the pain? This blog post discusses the advantages of publishing your research paper for potential job-seekers as well as would-be scholars.
Keeps Doors to Academia Open
No doubt, writing and publishing research papers is the work of scholars. So, it creates opportunities in the same area. As a grad student, you might want to get done with your research quickly and half-heartedly, but give it some thought. You don’t know what the future holds for you and many people grow old to shift their passion from job to academia.
Sometimes, people are compelled by changes in industry and the job market to explore other options. At other times, they simply get an opportunity to work on a sponsored project that pays off better than their job and career in the corporate world. Life can surprise us in unexpected ways.
A strong published and peer-reviewed research paper keeps these doors open for you. So, after a decade or two, when you plan to go back to school or want to pursue a study that’s close to your heart, you can fall back on this research to prove your dedication to academic and research work.
Invites Collaboration Requests from Professionals
If you encounter an opportunity to be a part of a research project in your field, you shouldn’t pass up on that just because you are not a big fan of research and development. Note that these studies often act as magnets to attract employers, peers, and other professionals from your field. You rarely get work or job opportunities from these people, but the possibility of receiving invites for further research collaborations from them is high.
Sometimes, by getting your name published with quality research, you only attract those people who are interested in research work. However, building a network with these people doesn’t harm your career. More often than not, these people help decision-makers in the industry allowing you to connect with them when the time arises. You can also tap into your network when you want to proceed to the next level of your career or want a job change, and these professionals will come in handy when you need their networking help.
Builds Your Brand
You cannot count on your author’s credibility much if your research work is mediocre. However, if you have put in effort and worked on a promising project – either alone or with your professors or mentors, this work can set you up for career success early on.
Decision-makers in the corporate world want to connect with people who look at problems scientifically and have a versatile attitude. Those graduates who have practical experience in the form of paid or unpaid internships or volunteering together with a published paper to their name are more likely to get in the good books for these decision-makers than those students who only pursued practical experience.
Gives Weight to Your CV
In the end, your published papers are a commendable asset for your CV. You can highlight them under other achievements or keep them as part of your academic qualifications and prompt interesting responses from the interviewers.
Note that most students try to stay clear of research work because of how boring this process can get. As such, you wouldn’t find many CVs that boast a published research paper in most fields. Mentioning your research paper publication details will make your CV stand out from the crowd. This way, your CV’s chances of converting into an interview opportunity will grow.
Exhibit Your Dedication to Your Profession
Only a handful of grad students choose to take their research paper publication seriously. If you are one of them, you have shown a rare level of dedication, hard work, and time management that seldom exists in university students.
On your CV, this qualification will present your case of strong work ethic with rigor. In short, you will benefit from earning the credential of a published author in your professional life.
Take Away
Research paper publication doesn’t seem to be a relevant task for many grad students. However, it can be a fruitful endeavor that can help you further your career meaningfully. Many students prefer to do projects related to their studies to complete their academic qualifications and earn their degrees. Only a few students go for the research work. While leaving a university project in favor of research work isn’t a feasible choice for many students, you can benefit from taking part in other studies going on at your university to boost your CV as well as your career. This blog post talks about the benefits of taking up and completing your research paper publication while you are at university.
