The Challenge: Awareness

Approaching a common topic with a visual new spin while adding value for the reader. 

If you’re a graduate student, and you’re scouring the web for information on postdoctoral opportunities, there’s no shortage of content. If you’re not familiar with the term ‘postdoc,’ it’s usually the first stop after completing a PhD in most science-based disciplines. It’s supposed to be a temporary post – to prepare one for running a lab. But all too often, these jobs become the places where bright minds go to have their careers stall out…indefinitely. If you’re interested in reading it (for science), check out the link below.

Connect With Your Audience Through Story

This particular example is more than an attempt to get students to start paying attention to (and being honest about) their academic experiences. Buried somewhere in these 2000 words is my own story. I’m not specific about my own time in academia, but readers will certainly be left with the impression that I’ve been through something and that they’re certainly not alone. 

Who’s your audience?

What do they need to hear?

Can you use story to get them to relate to you or your message?

Is the topic as sensitive one? Is humor appropriate?  

DISCLAIMER: This is the part where I casually drop a warning about subjects that can and do get people into trouble – race, politics, religion, misogyny…There are probably others, but you know what I mean.

With your right to express your opinion comes your audience’s right to react to said opinion. 

Also, if you have ties to an academic institution or organization, it might be worth your while to check into any policies or ‘unwritten rules’ regarding such matters. 

BUT…

If your situation allows for you to be opinionated, jump at the chance. If you feel strongly about a topic, say so. Strong opinions tend to be polarizing, but they also generate comments and shares and, in some cases, opportunities to share your message on other platforms.

Who’s the hero?

This story could have gone in any number of directions, but I chose to make the reader the hero. Instead of simply telling them about my experience, it’s written as a guide to help the viewer come to some conclusions about their own experience. If you have a message to share, I strongly encourage you to write for your audience, instead of writing to them. This holds for any script you might incorporate into an explainer. It’s the difference between telling your audience about your research… and showing them how to use your product or helping them tailor your solution to their situation.

Both might be interesting.

Only one helps the viewer solve a problem.

Aim to leave your audience feeling empowered.  Even if things look bleak, there’s always a way out. If you present them with a solution, hopefully they’ll realize the ball is in their court and their future is in their hands. 

Who’s the hero?

This story could have gone in any number of directions, but I chose to make the reader the hero. Instead of simply telling them about my experience, it’s written as a guide to help the viewer come to some conclusions about their own experience. If you have a message to share, I strongly encourage you to write for your audience, instead of writing to them. This holds for any script you might incorporate into an explainer. It’s the difference between telling your audience about your research… and showing them how to use your product or helping them tailor your solution to their situation.

Both might be interesting.

Only one helps the viewer solve a problem.

Aim to leave your audience feeling empowered.  Even if things look bleak, there’s always a way out. If you present them with a solution, hopefully they’ll realize the ball is in their court and their future is in their hands. 

Failing Forward

Lastly, don’t be afraid to fail. It might not be the result you anticipated, but you might be (pleasantly) surprised by the result. If nothing else, you’ll start learning what’s resonating with your audience, and what isn’t.

That’s as good a start as any.

This piece was my attempt at humor. Clearly, I’m not very funny, because the biggest criticism of it was that readers found it highly cynical. But, that cynicism was rewarded with it becoming the most highly shared article on the Next Scientist’s website (with over 4000 shares before the site removed the stats).  And, yes, that fits the definition of a ‘viral post.’

Some of those shares included University departments, postdoctoral associations and career centers.  I had students and postdocs around the world contact me personally to simply admit they could relate to it.  The question of whether to postdoc is, apparently, a popular one. 

It resulted in a podcast interview and landed some recognition by winning a blogging competition.

And, it all started with a simple attempt to reach an audience with an idea that had been swimming in the depths of my mind for nearly a decade. 

Not bad for 2000 words and an infographic.