Articles by Inez Ponce de Leon

Inez Ponce de Leon works in the academe as both researcher and teacher. She loves to write about anything, whether it's her experiences in dealing with students, belly dancing, sheet metal fabrication, novels, literature, movies, or sociological theories.

inezponcedeleon has written 7 awesome articles for us at FT Careers

Twitter @inezpdl

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It’s Not “Just” a Paper: Why Your Communication Courses Are Valuable

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As someone who works in the academe, it’s disheartening to hear students complain about their communication courses. I’ve heard the whining:
“It’s just a paper.”
“The job I want is not going to be about writing.”
“When I’m the boss, I’m going to hire an editor.”
The sad thing about these whines is that ...

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Grants, Research, Teaching: How Different is the Academic Workplace?

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A lot of my friends work at desk jobs in big offices, or at their own business, or on planes as they shuttle from one meeting to another. They often wonder why I like working in the academe, especially when I could easily get an industry job, sit in a ...

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Getting Started Early on Research, Part 3: Creating a Work-Life Balance

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An academic career can be difficult to sustain, much less imagine, especially if you’re still in college and worrying about exams and grades. An academic career might not be for everyone, but it can be fulfilling, especially when you love research and what well-planned, well-designed methods can do.
An academic career ...

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Getting Started Early on Research, Part 2: How to Start Doing Research as an Undergrad

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So how exactly does an academe-aiming undergrad start doing research? The recipe for success is simple: don’t let anyone drag you down or take you away from your goal.

Working the recipe out, however, can be difficult. You’ll need to steer clear of peers who want to turn college into one big party-fest with nothing in it but beer and booze. You’ll need to pay attention to professors and really be adept at asking questions.

You’ll need to be focused, and you probably won’t be the most popular person on campus if you focus too much on your work.
Again, it’s all a matter of balance. Here are a few tips that you might want to think about as you ponder a career in the academe.

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Getting Started Early on Research, Part 1: Yes, the Grades Matter – But not THAT MUCH

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I can already imagine my professors running after me with giant scissors, screaming at me to hand them back my diploma. But don’t get me wrong, everyone. Grades do matter, but as in all things in life, grades are not the only things that people will look at when they assess you as a professional.

I’m jumping the gun here, so let me backtrack a bit. To do that, let me invite you to assess what grades are. They’re numerical or alphabetical representations of your ability to do things inside the classroom, or at least in a controlled classroom-like environment.

You can get grades for fieldwork, a formal class with formal examinations, or a thesis/dissertation course. Grades are given by people who have set standards in order to assess whether you are advancing in your knowledge.

Grades can be subjective. Even if you have twenty people coming up with a final grade for you, your grade will still be based on what they believe are standards for assessing your progress.

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Developing Your Communication Portfolio: Not as Easy as it Looks!

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I love writing. I love debating. I love getting up on stage and presenting my research. I’ve always loved communication, which is why I find it difficult to sympathize with students who whine about communication courses and how they’re “useless.”

In a previous blog post, I talked about communication courses being a golden ticket to success in the workplace. I can’t stop repeating it: you need a very good communication background to stand out when applying for a job. You need very good communications foundations to succeed in your career. Some people make communicating look easy – but mind you, that’s the biggest illusion.

It’s not as easy as it looks because communication takes years to hone. It takes years of practice and constant activity to keep on talking and connecting with an audience. It takes years of practice and constant activity to keep on writing and sharing information.

If you didn’t have a lot of communications courses in college, or if you feel that you need to beef up your communications credentials, then here are a few ways that you can do it. Remember, it’s never too late to train yourself to be a better person!

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Pitfalls of Being a Fresh Graduate: Be Confident and Know Your Stuff Before the Interview!

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“Uh – what did I do my research on again?”

The first time I heard those words, I felt my heart drop to my knees. I was interviewing a young lady who had just graduated from college, and who wanted to work as a research associate at our company. We needed someone who loved to do research, or who was at least open to learning more about doing good social sciences research.

So I asked my interviewees pretty much the same thing: Describe your undergraduate thesis and what research you did.

Many of the applicants were fresh graduates: some were visibly frazzled by the idea of a job interview, others were obviously trembling when they answered questions, while still others were avoiding eye contact.

This young lady that I interviewed, however, seemed to encapsulate what I’ve found is a crutch for many first-time interviewees and fresh graduates: the inability to remember what they did, and therefore the lack of confidence in their work.