Tech seeking advice for improving application

[mejkor]

I graduated with a BA in 2016 and started a research tech job a month later. I'm planning on applying to PhD programs this year (2 year tech job) and I was wondering what advice people have for what I can do to strengthen my application before December.

I'm hoping to have a paper at least in submission by the time that I apply but the postdoc I was working with left to start her own lab and I'm working on the project alone. I'm worried that the project won't be far along enough come December to have a paper or present a poster. What other things should I be doing?

[rockyMicrobe]

I think it looks great if you can show that you have participated in outreach. A lot of schools will have diversity statements, so if you don't fall into an underrepresented group yourself, you can talk about how you helped underrepresented groups by being involved with a scientific outreach activity.

[KR Marksmen]

Try to present your research.  It doesn't need to be a big national conference.  A symposium/poster session at your university is good enough.  Showing that you can present your research usually means you have a certain level of understanding of your project and looks good to adcoms.

I think it's hard to say things to improve on or add since you didn't really post your stats or what you have already done.

 

[Nomad1111]

If you could show the rest of your stats, that would help put your situation in context

[ballwera]

Coming from a former tech:

Highlight the research you've done as much as you can in your SOP, and make sure to get strong letters of support from PIs involved in the research that you are doing. You have a leg up on most applicants in that you've spent 2 years doing nothing but research, use that to your advantage as much as possible. Try to see if your PI will give you a bit of freedom for a more independent project, I know this helped out my application more than anything.  More for the interview phase, be able to explain your research as clearly as possible and what the purpose was. You don't want to look as if you were just a set of hands doing work for your PI. 

Just as a bit of a side note, I do wish more people were techs prior to grad school.

[cmykrgb]

I am exactly the same thing you are ding right now. I would say try to get your name on as many things as possible. In my two years, I was able to submit a second author paper(published) and have two first author projects (submitted and still collecting data.) I was able to submit and present at various conference which I think definitely help a lot not just for application but also for future career. Judging from my application cycle you can see it didn't help me get interviews (partly due to I applied to a completely different field, my pi is well known for my current field but not outside of the field). However, do these can really polish your interview skills and make sure you get accepted when you get your interviews.

[mejkor]

Thank you all for the advice! I'm working hard to try to wrap my current project up. 

I only have one full summer of research from undergrad (at another university) but I worked in a lab during the semester as part of a class. I don't have any papers or posters besides the one I presented at my school, so I definitely agree that getting a paper or experience presenting would be good to have.

[Browncoat5871]

Sorry to piggy back on this thread, but you guys have given me a bit of hope.  I was rejected from all of the programs I applied to and am currently seeking a tech job to bolster my chances later.  I'm slightly worried that I do not have the skill set to even get a position.  Most of my experience is in cloning and my lab won't let non-PhD's do tissue culture due to problems in the past.  I know the basics, but no practice.  Will this be an issue?