Professional publications are an underrated part of career building and job searching.
The strongest possibilities I'm currently pursuing in my job search are from people who saw my publications, or saw me present to a conference. A lot of people at the lower corporate levels, or without a Ph.D., assume they can't publish their work yet. Not so. Anyone with a good, fresh idea and the needed research and writing skills can find a conference or journal to submit to. Check your organization's policies on clearance procedures, conference funding, etc. At my two major corporate consulting jobs, I moved the needle considerably on employee publishing.If you've got a great idea but need help, look for co-authors in your organization. In a large organization, it's highly likely you'll find subject matter experts to help flesh out your concept. It's often wise to invite a client or a senior leader in your organization to be part of the author team. (The latter can help considerably if you're looking for internal funds to present your topic.)
Publishing can boost your career, promote your organization in the market, and give you the opportunity to gather feedback on your ideas. At many companies, having a paper accepted to a conference gives you a much better chance to obtain funding and other resources.
Follow all the rules - no plagiarism, no use of copyrighted illustrations without permission, etc. Make sure people you interview give you permission to quote them. Find the conference's preferred format and follow it, even if it's nitpicky or dumb.
Finally, coordinate. In a company, see where you fit in a marketing strategy. Know the rules for talking to the media. And know who to contact if an attendee says, "We might want to do business around this idea."
At an AIAA conference this past January, I led an effort that produced two related papers and a panel session. Articles from a half-dozen publications followed, as did several business ideas.
Take your shot.
Matt Bille is a writer, historian, and naturalist living in Colorado Springs. He can be reached at mattsciwriter@protonmail.com. Website: www.mattbilleauthor.com.
Read Matt's book, Of Books and Beasts: A Cryptozoologist's Library. This unique reference offers a friendly skeptic's 400 reviews of books on cryptozoology, zoology, related sciences, and cryptozoological fiction.
