Postdoc found new courage after talking to a career ambassador: “It sparked something”
An article in Inside Health prompted postdoc Jinjie Duan to book a meeting with career ambassador Kim Henningsen. It became the starting point for a series of important career steps and a new awareness of her own opportunities and strengths.
It all began with a click on a link in a newsletter.
“I came across a mention of the career ambassadors in the faculty newsletter and thought it could be a good opportunity to get external feedback. I have a good relationship with both colleagues and my immediate supervisor, but sometimes you really need an outside perspective,” says postdoc Jinjie Duan from the Department of Biomedicine.
With an updated CV and a few questions in mind, she showed up for her meeting with Kim Henningsen, one of the 12 career ambassadors at Health. She hoped for concrete advice and new inspiration - and got both.
“The conversation was both open and honest. Kim listened very attentively and offered specific suggestions on how I could strengthen my profile. The atmosphere was relaxed and safe, which made it easy to talk freely about both ambitions and uncertainties,” she says.
A concrete tip and a crucial conversation
One of the suggestions Kim Henningsen gave turned out to be very impactful. He proposed that Jinjie Duan reach out to department head Thomas G. Jensen to discuss her future career opportunities.
“I probably wouldn’t have considered that myself. But I gathered my courage and wrote to him—and that meeting was truly rewarding. Thomas gave very precise input on how I can strengthen my upcoming grant applications and develop my teaching skills. It’s given me a much more targeted approach to my career,” she says.
Since the meeting, she has initiated new efforts in both grant writing and teaching. She now feels better equipped - and more clear-minded.
“I’m still in the process of finding my path, but I feel more motivated and better prepared to continue the work. It has given me a sense of agency and direction in my position as a postdoc - and that means a lot in a system where so much can feel uncertain,” she says.
Career Development at Health
How do you create clarity in an academic career often characterized by temporary positions and many unanswered questions? At Health, we actively work to provide early-career researchers with better support and insight into their career opportunities - both within and outside the university.
In a series of articles in Inside Health, you’ll meet some of the people involved in career development initiatives - and gain insights, reflections, and experiences that can help you move forward in your own professional life.
Want to Know More?
Read more on the career page for early-career researchers at Health or find and contact your local career ambassador via the overview on the Health website.
What is a career ambassador?
At Health, career ambassadors are experienced colleagues who offer confidential, non-binding conversations to postdocs and assistant professors - and in some cases also to PhD students. They act as sparring partners who can help provide an overview, reveal new possibilities, and help chart a new course that makes sense for the individual.
The conversations are based on what the employee wants to discuss. It’s not necessary to have a specific issue, but one might, for example, be asked to send their CV in advance.
Kim Henningsen, a career ambassador at the Department of Biomedicine, explains:
“I basically try to help colleagues figure out what they really want. I can’t and shouldn’t decide for them, but I can help them see the opportunities—and maybe take the first steps.”
You can read more about Kim Henningsen’s work as a career ambassador in this article from Inside Health.
“Everyone should know their local career ambassador”
Jinjie Duan doesn’t hesitate to recommend conversations with a career ambassador to others—regardless of where they are in their career.
“It takes so little to book a meeting, and you can get so much out of it. Even if you don’t have a clear question, just putting into words where you stand—and getting input from a colleague who has both experience and understanding—can be incredibly valuable,” she says.
With his external perspective, Kim Henningsen definitely sparked something. And that’s exactly the point, Jinjie Duan emphasizes:
“It’s not about getting a final answer or leaving the meeting with a complete career plan. But the conversation was like a gentle push toward a new path in my career. And a small push can make a big difference.”
Contact
Postdoc Jinjie Duan
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Phone: 50160065
Email: jjduan@biomed.au.dk