Welcome back. We hope you have enjoyed a restful summer break and are returning with renewed energy for the year ahead. New beginnings often encourage us to think about future goals, whether that is strengthening the contribution of our work, building new collaborations or progressing our careers. Sometimes, the tools that can help us achieve those goals are already at our fingertips. 

Your next career opportunity could come from somewhere unexpected. For example,  

  • A journalist looking for an expert. 
  • A collaborator searching for a partner. 
  • A funding call requiring evidence of previous work. 
  • A promotion panel reviewing achievements. 

When it comes to career progression, Pure might not be the first tool that comes to mind. For many academics and researchers, it is simply a place to record publications, projects and activities. But what if it could do more than that? From increasing the visibility of your work to helping potential collaborators discover your expertise, Pure can support your professional profile and create opportunities in ways you may not have considered.  

Five things you may wish to consider 

Want more collaboration? 

Complete your profile 

Your profile is often viewed by potential collaborators, students, partners and external stakeholders. 

A complete profile helps people quickly understand: 

  • Your expertise 
  • Research interests 
  • Areas of specialism 
  • Professional achievements 

Quick tip: Add a professional photo, biography and research interests to highlight your areas of expertise and interest.   

Want recognition for your work? 

Keep outputs updated 

Your publications, conference papers, reports and other outputs demonstrate your expertise and achievements. 

By ensuring your outputs are recorded in Pure, you can create a comprehensive record of your work that can support: 

  • Promotion and appraisal 
  • Funding bids 
  • Collaboration opportunities 
  • Professional recognition 

Quick tip: Regularly review newly published outputs and check that they have been added correctly. 

Applying for promotion? 

Record activities and achievements 

Career progression is not only about publications. 

Pure can also help you showcase a broader range of contributions, including: 

  • Editorial roles 
  • Committee memberships 
  • Invited talks 
  • Professional engagement activities 

These activities demonstrate leadership, influence and service within your field. 

Quick tip: Spend a few minutes recording significant activities while the details are still fresh. 

Applying for funding? 

Link your ORCID and maintain accurate records 

Connecting your ORCID ID to Pure helps create a consistent professional identity across systems and organisations. Many funders and grant management systems either encourage or require applicants to provide an ORCID ID because it helps uniquely identify researchers and connect them to their research outputs, affiliations and funding history. 

Benefits include: 

  • Reducing duplication of effort 
  • Improving visibility of your research 
  • Making it easier for others to find your work 
  • Supporting accurate attribution of your outputs 

Quick tip: If you already have an ORCID ID, make sure it is connected within Pure. Best practice is to add new publications to Pure first, as they will then automatically export to your ORCID account. It is important to note that importing outputs from ORCID to Pure is not automatic.  You will need to import them manually by following this guide. 

Building your reputation?  

Showcase your influence and engagement 

Your work may influence policy, practice, industry, education or society more broadly. 

Recording these wider contributions helps demonstrate the reach and significance of your work. 

This can be particularly valuable when preparing for: 

  • Promotion cases 
  • Funding applications 
  • Research assessments 
  • Award nominations 

Quick tip: Keep track of engagement activities and notable outcomes throughout the year rather than trying to reconstruct them later.  

Invest a Few Minutes, Benefit All Year 

Keeping your Pure Profile updated does not need to become another administrative burden. Small, regular updates can help ensure your achievements are visible, your expertise is discoverable, and your professional record is ready whenever opportunities arise. 

Think of Pure as more than a repository. It is a shop window for your academic and professional achievements, helping others see the full breadth of your contributions. 

Next time when you have a few minutes, log in to your Pure Profile and give it a quick review.