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Here at F1000, we talk a lot about the importance of being open; open science, open data, and open research.  We are also open in the way we work, by supporting a workplace which is open to different gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, cultures, religions, disabilities, ethnic origins, and social backgrounds.

We asked our team members for their views on what #BalanceforBetter means to them and for the career advice they would offer their younger self.

Molly Cranston, Senior Associate Editor:

What does #BalanceforBetter mean to you and why is it important for open research?

#BalanceforBetter means being in an environment which is diverse and dynamic and encompasses all walks of life and different perspectives. Including different perspectives in research results in open and collaborative research that affects everyone and is not just targeted to one demographic – let’s get more research on women’s health!

What career advice would you share with your younger self if you had the chance?

Don’t be afraid of applying for things that you feel out of your depth with or that you don’t quite fit the criteria – always be willing to have a go, the worst that can happen is that you get a no!

 

Debbie Harris, Sales & Marketing Director

What career advice would you share with your younger self if you had the chance?

Trust your intuition; validate it by all means by sharing your ideas with trusted colleagues, but do not ignore it or push it aside – assume that your instincts and ideas have merit.

Try different types of organisations- from small privately-owned companies to giant publicly traded corporations, to see which environment you thrive in most. Stay true to this in spite of impressive job titles and salaries offered by those environments which failed to please you.  Indulge your non-career life, family, and passions.

 

Vicky Hellon, Publishing Editor:

What does #BalanceforBetter mean to you and why is it important for open research?

Balance for better for me means levelling out the playing field that has typically excluded women from succeeding in the workplace. I think it’s important to recognise the hurdles that women have in terms of securing roles and then being able to move up through a company- just because you’re hiring a lot of women doesn’t mean this is success- check for the leaky pipeline! I also think in terms of balance we should look at balancing at how we treat men and women e.g asking how a woman balances a career and a family not but not asking a man the same question.

In terms of open research, I think it’s so important to have a diverse team for research- it can make all the difference in making your research successful and can get it more citations!

What career advice would you share with your younger self if you had the chance?

I would advise myself to be more confident in my achievements and not to undersell myself in applications- be bold!

 

Demitra Ellina, Editorial Community Manager:

What does #BalanceforBetter mean to you and why is it important for open research?

#BalanceforBetter is about opportunity, collaboration and support. It’s about giving women the space to fulfil their potential and the support to do so without asking them to fit in a one-size-fits-all mould. Open Research promotes more collaboration within the research community, and this can only made better when it is open to all genders, ethnicities and backgrounds.

What career advice would you share with your younger self if you had the chance?

Always ask for more – this could mean more training, different opportunities or a higher salary.

 

Jane Holly, Sales Operations Manager

What does #BalanceforBetter mean to you and why is it important for open research?

#BalanceforBetter is very important to Open Research as sadly men still dominate in the science field, we need to reinforce the message to our girls that science is not just for boys!

What career advice would you share with your younger self if you had the chance?

Trust your instincts – if you realise you are in the wrong career you can always change career direction . If you have the determination and are prepared to work hard then you can succeed!

 

Charlotte Sisman, Senior Commissioning Editor:

What does #BalanceforBetter mean to you and why is it important for open research?

I suppose it is a basic axiom that more women, especially women of colour, disabled women, gay women, trans women, etc., need to be represented in boardrooms in order for their interests to be represented, and I personally think that’s very important!

What career advice would you share with your younger self if you had the chance?

I probably would have told myself to get into an office ASAP, and not worry so much about picking the perfect company right off the bat, just to get some experience.