You're transitioning to an R&D career. What's the best way to prepare for the change?

R&D requires a curious and creative mind, but also a resident mindset and grit. It may take years to a discovery, but that is the game changer, and one also needs to learn to be patient, read a lot and constantly learn interdisciplinary skills.

In my experience, to be successful in a career in R&D requires a positive and resilient mindset. One needs to plan creatively, take initiative, and have consistent execution. Sometimes, you need to take decisions based on limited information. These factors make R&D challenging and long, but ultimately very rewarding at having moved the needle of understanding in your field.

Be aware that this could be tricky. The "values" of your actual strengths and interest in the practitioner's world might be evaluated totally different in R&D environment. I would say that the assessment should start with mapping of required and good-to-have values in the specific R&D field and than do your comparison and matching. Even it would help to ask for external assessment as well about yourself. Usually the average of the how I see myself and how others see me gives a good approximation about where you are.

No question, this a must, but not just R&D, I think about every area. If you step into any career roadmap at least you should be aware of the fundamentals and gain a minimum step-in level of knowledge about the concerned topics or field. Never in history has it been easier to dig into any theme than now when you can use hundreds, thousands of different free sources via the educational platforms, social media and so on. Get the time for researching your direction, do your homework and it would give you a boost by the start.

Very valuable point, still one of the hardest to plan and achieve. It is like the chicken and egg problem, how should I build a portfolio and network prior that I have a portfolio to talk about and a network to talk with and expand on that base. Luckily, according to my experience R&R field is one of most open ones and offers many chances for new colleagues to step into the community, build up their reputation and network within and even helping them with co-operational advises on gaining portfolio / work experiences.

Top Hit! You can even try to do it without a small portfolio and small network, as joining to a professional community will be the most important step when building up your reputation and experiences in R&D (or any other working field...). This part is even more important than having some additional years of specialization education, academic is very important, but please do not forget R&D is also focusing on usable results!

R&D is all about developing, learning and expanding the recent knowledge into the unknown and beyond. Without a highly dedicated continuous self-development and investing the required time and resources, it would be very hard to establish and maintain a reasonable career in R&D. If you decide to step into R&D the above attitude is not an option, but a must.

1. Skill Assessment: Identify the key skills required in R&D, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, and related tools. 2. Education and Training: Pursue any necessary training to bridge the gap between current skills and those required in R&D. 3. Networking: Connect with professionals in the R&D field through industry events, conferences, and online platforms. 4. Stay Informed: Regularly read industry publications, research journals, and stay informed about the latest advancements in the chosen field. 5. Adaptability: Cultivate an adaptable mindset, as research and development often involve navigating uncertainty. 6. Seek Feedback: Request feedback from professionals in the R&D field during your transition.