From PhD student to post-doc, Phil Dee has been sharing his career experiences with fellow scientists in his regular and acclaimed Science Next Wave column since 2000. Now his invaluable and entertaining advice is available in this compact warts-and-all guide to getting your science PhD and subsequent post-doctoral employment as a researcher. Phil Dee offers you the inside track on what life in the lab is really like with down-to-earth suggestions for making the most productive use of your time, dealing with personal relationships in science and maintaining your morale, as well as dealing with more practical issues like how to design a good poster. As well as being based on the author's own experiences, the book brings together a wealth of advice from other scientists who have made it in science, and from a few who haven't. The book will be accessible to all early career scientists worldwide.

• Published in association with Science magazine’s career development website, Next Wave

• Material based on Phil Dee’s highly acclaimed on-line column on the Next Wave site

• Honest and entertaining account of life as a PhD student and post-doc, offering a wealth of practical advice