I have done a lot of work as a Research Assistant and Research Associate over the years, and I’ve learned so much by doing it. This work let me expand my networks, develop my research skills, and peek inside the brains of some brilliant people. Now I’m in a position to hire my own research assistants, I know the kind of emails I really appreciate getting from the people I’m working with. These are the top five emails you should be sending as a Research Assistant.

When I think about all the research projects I’ve worked on, I can’t think of one that hasn’t experienced – and actually often benefitted from – things going wrong. Or at least not to plan. This has been quite upsetting – every single time – because I’m a planner; I like spreadsheets, and ticking things off, and colour-coding things, and putting things in order. And yet, as hard as it is for me to admit it, the accidental has actually been a very good friend to me in my research in all sorts of ways…