Vitae’s Post

The application window for our recent PhD position in the lab is closed now. Since a few people were interested in the outcome: We had 312 applications, from 43 countries. Gender of applicants: 206 male, 106 female. Since I made the point about the importance of tailoring the cover letter (the application in general) to the position: I received a total of 43 applications without any cover letter at all, 94 were generic and didn't address the lab or the position at all and 175 did tailor their application. The bar graph in blue was before I posted the first set of information to stress the importance of tailoring it, the green set shows the applications I received thereafter. Assuming that I "only" spend 3 Minutes an every application to scan through them whether basic requirements are met (most applications I read in much more detail), this equates to 2 full working days. Just to mention this part of the process and why it is difficult to give feedback on every application. Now, I'm currently trying to select the best candidate and will have some interesting conversations with some junior scientists.

This post is highly informative in highlighting the importance of customizing your application to improve your chances of success.

𝐍𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝🤞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝟏𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐲. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡. 🛎️ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐏𝐂? AUST RPC offers a bunch of advantages that can boost your academic journey and beyond. 🟠⚫ 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬: Learn the research ropes: question forming, investigation, data analysis, and conclusions. 🟠⚫𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : Collaborate on research published in journals, boosting careers. 🟠⚫𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞-𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬: Join RPC to find collaborators, mentors, and friends for your academic journey. 🟠⚫ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬: RPC membership boosts scholarship chances by showcasing initiative and research skills. 🟠⚫ 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬: RPC hones your complex idea communication skills through conference presentations. 🟠⚫ 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩: Offers workshops to guide students towards research and unite researchers through events. 🟠⚫𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬: Navigating higher study through research and publication. 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕'𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒌 : https://lnkd.in/gppg5ahS 🛎️Fill up the registration form 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝟭𝟭.𝟱𝟵 𝗣𝗠 | 𝟭𝟲 𝗠𝗮𝘆, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 - 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙁𝙚𝙚: 𝟏𝟎𝟓 𝐁𝐃𝐓 🛎️𝘿𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙗'𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮! 𝙋𝙪𝙨𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙭!!

How to 20x your chances of winning a fully funded PhD despite the cutthroat competition✈️📈👩💻💯 The answer is COLD-EMAILING 1. Cold-email profs. Unless otherwise specified on the prof's webpage, cold-emailing is a great way to stand out. It lets them read your research ideas way before they are loaded with applications. They may even invite you for an interview. Grab that opportunity! 2. Tailor your CV according to the lab you're writing to. Things that should match the profs/lab's profile. • Research interests • Research experience • Key skills in bullet points • Relevant research experience • Relevant workshops & trainings 3. Contact existing grad school students Their email address is provided on the program website under "Existing/Current students". They can provide you with golden advice on the Dos and Don'ts of applying. Don't shy away from clarifying your doubts with them. 4. Give you 200% to your statement of purpose. You can't change your grades. You can't change your research exp. You CAN change your statement of purpose & recharge your narrative. Here's how: 5. In your SoP • Clearly show the gaps/challenges you wish to address in your field. • How you will use your past experiences and knowledge to the grad program of your interest. • How you can contribute to the lab & the university. It doesn't matter what the competition is. It doesn't matter what your past was. A strong CV+ Cold-email + SoP with a convincing packaging can give you the fully funded PhD you deserve. Cold-email template by Harvard University 🏫 You can adapt it for Master’s & PhD applications:

A QUICK OVERVIEW OF COLD MAILING 1️⃣Optimal Timing: - 3-4 months before application deadlines - Avoid summer and holiday seasons (mid-January to April or September to November) - Weekdays (Tuesday to Thursday) are better than weekends - Best time of day: early morning (7-9 AM) or late afternoon (3-5 PM) local time. Convert your local time to meet that of the recipient. ✅Dos: - Research thoroughly and mention specific projects - Craft a concise subject line - Personalize your email - Be professional and attach necessary documents - Follow up with a polite email if no response within two weeks ✅Don'ts: - Avoid generic templates - Keep emails concise - Be mindful of time zones - Don't forget attachments - Don't be discouraged by no response 2️⃣Free Cold-Email Template: Subject: Prospective PhD Student Interested in [Research Area] Dear Professor [Professor's Name], I am [Your Name], a [Your current degree level] student at [Your University]. I came across your work on [Specific Project] and was impressed by its relevance to my academic goals. I am reaching out to express my interest in pursuing a PhD under your guidance. My research interests align with your work in [Research Area]. I have attached my CV and [Relevant Documents]. Would you be available for a discussion to explore potential research opportunities? Best regards, [Your Name] Remember to personalize the template and proofread your email carefully before sending it. Good luck with your PhD applications!

There is A LOT of awesome research at this year's CVPR! This year, the conference received 11,532 valid paper submissions, but only 2,719 were accepted, for an overall acceptance rate of about 23.6%. However, keeping up with the vast research presented at this year's CVPR can be challenging. But what if you could access all this knowledge in one convenient location, allowing you to identify trends and gain valuable insights easily? Well, I curated a dataset hosted on Hugging Face and built it with FiftyOne, which does just that – to help you explore this year's conference offerings. I was able to find/scrape 2,389 of the 2,719 accepted papers, and I put them into a dataset that we will explore together! The notebook link is in the description, and here's a glimpse of what you'll be able to do 👇🏼 #computervision #deeplearning

Fascinating new paper from Institute for New Economic Thinking that tracks the spread of new technologies using job postings. Check out the blog summarising the findings here: https://lnkd.in/eztu4iEb And the full paper: https://lnkd.in/e53YQYrK

Your Ph.D. discipline or dissertation topic is NOT the only area you can land or build a fulfilling career in. "My degree is in ABC, what careers would you suggest for me?" My answer: don't limit yourself. I once thought no self-respecting scientist could build a career around making videos and writing content for lay audiences. Guess what I've been doing for the last three years? So don't limit yourself. Your specialized skills and knowledge can fit in spaces beyond your specific dissertation topic. Yes, this will involve some rethinking and re-cataloging of your skills. I have never suggested it is easy. But it is possible. If you're struggling with careers you could consider, download a PDF list of 34 non-academic careers here: theboldphd.com/careerslist Happy Friday!

🚫 Avoid These 4 Common Mistakes When Applying for Fully Funded PhD Programs 🚫 Applying for a fully funded PhD can be daunting, but steering clear of these common pitfalls can greatly increase your chances of success. Here’s how: 1. Personalize Your Cold Emails ✉️ : Make a strong first impression by tailoring your emails to each professor you're contacting. A well-crafted introduction could lead to interviews, positively influence the admissions committee, and keep you top of mind during the selection process. 2. Enhance Your CV 📝: Your CV should not just list your experiences but highlight them strategically. Use tools like Word, Docs, or LaTeX to format your document neatly, emphasizing key experiences like your degree, research projects, and relevant coursework in bold. Consistency in formatting is key. 3. Strengthen Your Letters of Recommendation 📚: Engage with your recommenders well in advance. Provide them with your CV and a clear explanation of your motivations for pursuing graduate studies and how their mentorship has impacted you. This encourages them to write detailed and supportive letters. 4. Develop a Meaningful Statement of Purpose 🔖: Extend beyond the contents of your CV. Illustrate how your experiences have prepared you for graduate studies and discuss how you intend to contribute to the academic community. Your SoP should articulate your unique perspective and value to the program. Need help? DM me for assistance 🔖🔖🔖