海角黑料

By Yasaman Hashtrodylar, UoN graduate

Hello everyone, my name is Yasaman. I’m a pharmacist with a strong interest in health data science.

I recently completed a Master’s by Research in Medicine at the 海角黑料, which led me to secure a graduate research assistant position at the University of Exeter.

I'd like to share my experience and the things I've learned along the way.

Take your time

My first piece of advice would be not to rush straight into applying for jobs. Give yourself time to make the most of your research experience first.

Try to learn as much as you can from your project, your team, and the wider university environment.

I would definitely recommend taking advantage of and any training opportunities that are relevant to the areas you may want to work in later.

Build your skills and explore your options

It is also helpful to think early about the kinds of roles that interest you after graduation.

You do not need to have everything figured out, but having a few options in mind helps you focus on the skills and experiences that matter most.

During your degree, try to build those skills actively. Collaborate with your team, attend seminars, present your work when possible, and apply for conferences.

These experiences not only strengthen your CV but also give you valuable examples to use in interviews.

Find out more about a role

When I got closer to applying, I mainly used , which is a great platform for research roles.

One of the most valuable things I did was contacting the person listed in the job advertisement before applying. I would strongly recommend this.

Before reaching out, I carefully read the job description and person specification to understand what the role involved and how my background aligned with it. I also thought about specific questions I genuinely had, for example, about the project, the team, or training opportunities.

Why reaching out can be helpful

Then I wrote a short email introducing myself, briefly explaining my background and how it relates to the role, and asking whether they might be available for a short informal conversation.

Trying to arrange this as early as possible is very helpful. These informal conversations can make a big difference. They:

• help you decide whether the role is truly a good fit for you
• give you more insight into the project, which allows you to tailor your application much more effectively
• give you a sense of the team and the working environment

Personally, I also felt that if someone does not respond or is not open to a short discussion, it can be useful information when considering whether you would want to work in that environment.

Importantly, reaching out shows that you are genuinely interested in the role, rather than applying at random.

Remember, it's not an interview

In competitive research positions, this can help you stand out and, in my experience, may increase your chances of being shortlisted. Just remember that this is an informal meeting, not an interview.

You don’t need to sell yourself - be curious, ask thoughtful questions, and engage in the conversation. Where appropriate, you can subtly highlight relevant experience.

Prepare thoroughly for interviews

Once you are shortlisted, interview preparation becomes very important. In my experience, getting shortlisted can be the hardest part because research roles are highly competitive.

So, if you reach the interview stage, make sure you prepare thoroughly.

A key part of interview preparation is being clear about your motivation.

• Why do you want this role?
• How does your background connect to it?
• How does it fit into your future goals?

I think it is very important to have a story that brings everything together, including your degree, experience, skills, and career direction. It does not need to sound dramatic. It just needs to make sense.

You should also be ready for technical questions related to the role and for competency-based questions. It helps to prepare a few examples in advance that show your strengths.

Make use of the Careers team

Finally, I would really encourage students to make use of the Careers and Employability Service. Their webinars, appointments, and resources can be extremely helpful for applications and interview preparation.

And finally...

My biggest advice is to be targeted and persistent. Research positions are competitive, and setbacks are part of the process.

But with preparation, reflection, and practice, interviews become a chance to show not only what you have done, but who you are and where you want to go.

Visit our postgraduate researcher website to explore your options, build your skills, gain experience, develop your job-hunting skills and talk to an adviser.