A recent investigation by British newspaper The Guardian and several German publishers has highlighted the vast number of “predatory publishers” who are operating in academia and are publishing fake science for profit. These publishers invite researchers to publish their work in a journal and then charge exorbitant fees.

It is well known that blogging can be a useful, if not essential, tool for expanding networks, creating academic dialogue, and generally fomenting ideas. Alas, as wonderful as this may sound, like always, it is not always quite that easy. It also requires time, which tends to be tight; energy, at times lacking, and dedication. With this in mind, we wanted clarity; in practice, how can blogging benefit one’s work? And, what role can it play in the career development of an aspiring, young economist?

We spoke to top hiring managers Kalpana Kochhar, Director of Human Resources Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Jordi Roca Solanelles, Head Manager of the University of Barcelona’s School of Economics (UB) and Professor Dr Florian Englmaier, Professor for Organisational Economics as the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich (LMU), to discover what challenges economics post-graduates should expect from prospective careers in some of the biggest institutions around.

Attending a conference can be a fun and exciting chance to visit a new place, to connect with peers and senior figures, and to learn about the latest development in your field. But it can also feel overwhelming to have a lot of events packed into a few days. Today we're sharing tips on how to make the most of your conference experience.

Here's a big question that's on the mind of many master's and undergraduate students: should I do a PhD? The idea of dedicating three years or more of your life to original research is both exciting and terrifying, and the experience can be either exhilarating or harrowing, or usually a mix of both. Today we'll take a look at some of the issues to consider when you are thinking about applying for a PhD program.

Building a brand used to be just for companies and universities – but now a personal brand is something that every student and academic needs to work on. While many academics are hesitant to brand themselves too actively, you should remember that not working on your brand is in itself a kind of branding, and not a positive one. So you’re going to have to spend some time building your personal profile as a researcher – but there are some tips that can help to make this process smoother and more efficient. Here are effective ways economists can build a personal brand.

When you are applying for a postdoc position, as part of the process you'll need to have an interview with the PI of the group you are applying to work with and others in the department. Here are some steps you should take to prepare for this interview. 

Academia can be a tough environment for women to succeed in. In many departments, men outnumber women in the senior ranks and this can result in a variety of gender-based prejudices and problems that women have to navigate. Here are some tips for women working in male-dominated academic fields: 

Esteemed economist, blogger and friend of INOMICS, John H. Cochrane, kindly took time out of his busy schedule to take part in our Handbook questionnaire. However, this was no regular questionnaire, far from it. At its helm, assuming the role of quizmaster was none other than Mr Marcel Fratzscher: president of the DIW Berlin, and one of Germany’s leading voices in macroeconomics. Such is the reputation of these heavyweights we dubbed the encounter ‘Fratzscher v Cochrane’ – our personal nod to the pair’s professional standing.

The following is an analysis of data taken from the INOMICS Salary Report 2018 - downloadable for registered users here. Specifically, it looks at the average salaries of PhDs, Post-Docs, and Full Professors, working in economics over the last 5 years, in the U.S, the U.K, Germany, and Italy. It is the 4th instalment in a series of insights handling the Report’s findings. The first three can be found in our insights section.

The following is an analysis of data taken from the INOMICS Salary Report 2018 - downloadable for registered users here. Specifically, it looks at the average salaries of economists working in academia and the private sector according to their level of seniority. It is the third instalment in a series of insights handling the Report’s findings. The first two can be found in our insights section.

Once you've submitted your paper to a journal, you have to wait to hear a response. Sometimes, your paper will be rejected. If that happens, what should you do next?

The following is an analysis of data taken from the INOMICS Salary Report 2018 - downloadable for registered users here. Specifically, it looks at the average salaries of economists working in academia and the private sector across the world. It is the second instalment in a series of insights handling the Report’s findings. Check out our economics job listings

When you submit your paper to a journal, as well as the paper itself you will need to include a cover letter. This cover letter is addressed to the editor of the journal and acts as a guide to the contents of your paper. In many ways, the cover letter can be as important as the paper itself in terms of getting accepted to a journal. So you should take your time with your cover letter and make it as good as possible. Here are tips on polishing your cover letter for a journal submission.

If you're doing a degree in economics with a specialisation in public economics or economic policy, you might be thinking about what career you would eventually like to pursue. Here below are some of the top careers paths for graduates in this area. For a comprehensive list of available jobs check our jobs section.

Microeconomics is one of the most prominent subfields of economics and is one which many people studying economics find themselves drawn to. But if you are studying economics now and you decide to specialise in microeconomics, what kind of career options would be open to you? To assist you in planning your career, we're listing some of the top career paths for different economics specialisations, and today we're looking at the top career paths for specialists in microeconomics. 

Are you a labour or demographic economist wondering about the career options which are open to you? Then you should consider these jobs.

One of the most fun parts about attending an academic conference – as well as all of the important research you'll hear about, of course – is having the opportunity to visit a new place.

If you are working on a degree in the field of industrial organisation, then you might be wondering what career paths are open to you in the future. Here are some of the top career options:

Are you studying health economics, or thinking about studying it at university? If so, you might want to know what career options you could pursue your health economics degree. Recently we've been sharing a series of articles on top career paths for various specialisations within economics, and today we're looking at health. Read on for more information about where you could work with a degree in health economics.

One of the great things about studying economics is that it gives you a wide range of skills: from writing to data analysis to critical thinking. With these skills, you are well set for all sorts of different careers. But you might be wondering what the best career path for you is. To help with this, we're producing a series of articles on top career paths for economists. To let you find the right career for your specific skill set, we're breaking the topic down into different specialisations within economics.

Continuing our series of posts on top career paths for economists, today we're looking at possible careers for those who want to work in economic law.

Are you studying economics, and wondering what career options are open to you? We're doing a series of articles on career paths for various specialisations in economics, and today we're looking at econometrics. With a degree in econometrics, you could of course go and work in the finance industry or for the government. But there are other options you might not have considered:

For this week's top career paths article, we're looking at the potential careers which are open to those who have studied economic history.

Development economics is the branch of economics focused on understanding and promoting the development of low-income countries through economic growth and structural change. If you've been studying economics, you may have had the chance to specialise in development economics, or you may be thinking about doing so in the future. In the case, what career options are available in development economics, and what kind of skills do you need to get a job in this field? That's the question we're answering today, by showing you some of the top career paths in development economics.