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PDA Pioneers Web Career Seminar: The Future of SOT Communications
With the ink barely dry on the SOT contract with WebEx, the communications platform vendor, the Postdoctoral Assembly (PDA) was the first group to initiate a Web-based seminar using the new communication tool for meetings and events. "Toxicology Career Strategies for Early Career Professionals" was presented April 30 by the PDA and is available now at this link.
Terry Leyden of the Leyden Group was the presenter and PDA Secretary/Treasurer Valerie Mitchell of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control moderated. The seminar took attendees through the entire job hunt process from determining in which sector one is interested in working, to resume preparation, interviewing, and negotiating an offer. One of the highlights of the Web seminar was a mock interview that presented both "good and bad" answers to questions commonly asked during the interview process.
The event had priority registration for postdoctoral scholars followed by a registration window for graduate students. Of those responding to the survey after the event, 56% were postdoctoral scholars and 46% were graduate students. Registrants were encouraged to host multiple attendees at their respective institutions. Almost 50 sites hosted the seminar, with approximately 150 in attendance. This is an important accomplishment for PDA. Responding to results of surveys, PDA decided, as part of their strategic efforts, to address the need to provide resources for members outside the Annual Meeting, especially as postdocs frequently do not have travel funding to attend the SOT meeting. All of the respondents to the post-event survey agreed that the seminar met the objectives. When asked how much of the content was new, 62% rated the content as 50–100% new to them.
The seminar took advantage of a number of the features available via the WebEx platform. A PowerPoint presentation was coupled with dialogue between the presenter and the moderator, and participants could direct the discussion by sending in questions. In addition, attendees were polled throughout the seminar (for example, "In which employment sector are you seeking employment?"). Participants were able to weigh in on what they thought of the responses in the mock interview via the polling function. The platform provides the mechanism for recording and accessing the seminar after the event.
The PDA is anticipating developing more Web-based seminars in the future.
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