23 Key Attributes Physicists Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Alex Garcia

Friday, August 21, 2015

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Physicists conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories. In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that physicists would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for investigative work environments. Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 97.8%

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 95.2%

Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 90%

The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 90%

Using mathematics to solve problems.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 87.6%

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 86.8%

The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 85%

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 82.4%

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 82.4%

Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 82.4%

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 82.2%

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 81.4%

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%