Introducing PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer

Starting Thursday, you will find a new biweekly series titled "PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer" showing up here on PhD Talk.

These posts are sponsored by AcademicTransfer, the portal for academic job positions in the Netherlands - and the contents of this series is aimed at those of you who might be toying with the idea of coming to the Netherlands for an academic position, or who are thinking of starting a career in science in the Netherlands by applying to one of the PhD programs.

Why would I do a series of sponsored posts?

In short, my 4 years in Holland were the bomb (don't tell anyone in Belgium I said that, though, especially not next summer when the soccer craze will hit). I landed a PhD program in the Netherlands by accident, and at that time it felt like a Plan B since securing funding in the USA was just not going to work out for me.

But a few months after starting in The Netherlands I realized I was in a very good place. Social security. Awesome lab. Great colleagues. Funding for traveling to conferences. No coursework. Seriously, you'd be surprised to see how much that tiny country by the North Sea has to offer.

Now allow me to introduce AcademicTransfer to you - in their own words:

Since 1997 AcademicTransfer supplies all academic job openings at non-profit research institutes, universities and university medical centers in the Netherlands. In recent years, jobs in the corporate sector have also been added in response to intense demand for talented researchers.

Our goal is to promote PhD positions, research and post-doctoral positions and job openings for assistant, associate and full professors.

Although AcademicTransfer focuses on providing access to jobs in the Netherlands, the website is published in several languages. All job openings that specifically solicit foreign applicants are also offered in English.

AcademicTransfer originated as initiative of three Dutch organisations:

• VSNU, Association of Universities in the Netherlands
• NFU, Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers
• WVOI, Employers Association of Research Institutions (Dutch)

Job-seekers can use AcademicTransfer completely free of charge. A job search field is placed prominently at the top of the home page, followed by the latest ten jobs posted on the site. Notable or unusual job openings are featured in text boxes, with a short summary of the position.

Ready for your next step in excellence? AcademicTransfer enables you to build your scientific career.

Start your search by browsing all jobs, entering a search string, or searching for employers in our employer listing, or refine your search results by adding extra criteria in an advanced search, such as academic field, salary or occupation.

Once your search results have been tailored to your preferences, you can set up an RSS feed or email alert for new jobs that match those parameters. You will be notified if new job openings are added that match your criteria.

You are always free to apply for a job that interests you, even if you are not a registered user. However, once you reach this point, it may be advisable to join us, since AcademicTransfer supports job applications by providing a user profile. Registered users can create a CV in their profile; you can choose to allow potential employers to access your CV, or send it along with a job application. When applying for a job, you can also attach up to five additional documents. In addition, you can use the ‘Match’ button to ask the system to display suitable job openings based on your profile.

Next to the job opening information most employers provide additional information. This information can be accessed by clicking the employer logo shown in job openings or via the employers section. The information provided by employers may include application procedures, tenure tracks, PhD programmes, frequently asked application questions and contact details.

AcademicTransfer also offers a number of external links to websites with career related information. These links are moderated: checked for relevancy and reliability and provided with a short description. Furthermore they are categorized to facilitate quick access to more information on topics relevant to academic career building. Topics include expat information, career counseling, post-doc programmes and job opening listings in the Netherlands and abroad.

The English section of the AcademicTransfer provides many links to information that will be specifically interesting to people from other countries who are considering coming to the Netherlands. This section includes information on visas, housing, cultural tips, taxation, social security and insurance. The information in this section is provided in part by Euraxess.nl, AcademicTransfer’s European partner in the Netherlands.

Interested in expanding your horizon beyond the Netherlands? AcademicTransfer to the rescue! In 2008, AcademicTransfer acquired Career|edu, a job board for the international academic and research community. Originally American, Career|edu now operates in 38 countries. AcademicTransfer is also the preferred supplier of job openings in Dutch research organisations for Euraxess, a European initiative. The European Euraxess website offers an overview of all the research jobs in Europe.

Always and everywhere informed about the newest job openings on AcademicTransfer or Career|edu? The AcademicTransfer iPhone app might be of help: supplying all the latest job openings in Dutch and English on AcademicTransfer and Career|edu on your mobile.

Do you have a job opening and are you considering a posting on AcademicTransfer or Career|edu? Please let us inform you about the benefits and post your job on AcademicTransfer and/or Career|edu.