You're a Scientist...Maybe You Should Blog About It

So, you're a scientist. You have a degree in biochemistry, but no clue what to do with your life. You're interested in medicine, but don't want to go through the rigors of med school. You're bored to tears by the thought of being cramped in a laboratory all day. Being a science technician has its musings and financial potential, but it could be tedious after a few years. Basically, you're burning through your career options and its not looking so hot.

Maybe you should become a science writer. Think about it this way. You know the science lingo, you can interpret science to your non-scientist friends, and you'll probably be ahead of all your science friends in terms of staying up to date with trends and research findings.

Getting started is easy. Create a blog and write about the science that interests you. You can write for non-scientists, science geeks, or both! Keep up with it and try to write daily. Read about blogging, read about journalism and science interpretation, take ownership of the fate of your blog. If you keep at it, you can put it on your resume and if you're good at it, you might just get some paying gigs.

Once you get some freelance experience under your belt, you can start applying to staff writer positions at major publications such as Discover, Scientific American, or SEED Magazine. Then one day, when you're accepting your Science in Society Journalism Award, you can look back and see that it all started with a blog.

Government Job Opportunities

Some jobs are just plain better. They look better on a resume, they give you better experience, and they can link you to very important people. The jobs I'm talking about are government jobs. This sector is experiencing tremendous growth and will continue to grow throughout the next presidential administration.

To find government jobs you can do several things. Here are a couple:

1. All States and Commonwealths have a website with all their important links and job openings. For example, if you live in Pennsylvania, you could check out the Official Pennsylvania Government job site to look for open positions.

2. If you're not tied down to a specific area, State, etc, check out USAJOBS to get listings for all types of jobs in a wide range of places.

Government jobs, don't just improve your resume, they allow you to work for the betterment of your nation and fellow citizens. They also pay well, come with great benefits, and most employees get all federal holidays off!

Take a minute to be patriotic and apply to a few government jobs today!

Extraneousn Post: Finding Opportunities

Where do you go when you want to get your science fix? Here are some suggestions:

Science News

Live Science

Cosmic Variance

Real Climate

Scientific Activist

Check these websites out and if you find things that interest you, think about how you can turn that into a career or think about job opportunities in those areas. In fact, try doing this whenever you read anything. Always look for opportunities and you will be better prepared to take advantage of them.

Entrepreneurship for Scientists

As a scientist, you are the pioneer taking man to new intellectual frontiers. Think about anything in the world and it was most likely a scientist who discovered it (or its basic functional principles) or invented it. The scientist, who dedicates his life to the expansion of knowledge and being reasonable in the face of populist ignorance, has become something of a zeitgeist (for more information on science as culture see www.SEEDmagazine.com or turn on the Colbert Report, which is frequented by guests from the sciences).

Science jobs are on the rise in the US and according to a study done by the National Science Foundation, science and engineering jobs have risen by 2.1 million in the last decade. But where are these jobs? Are Universities the largest employer of scientists?

The answer may surprise you: of all science and engineering degrees, only 9% work for Universities. Meanwhile, 59% work in the for-profit (corporate) setting and 13% work for the government. Only 44% of researchers with a PhD work in Universities.

Estimated corporate expenditures for 2007 were $219 billion, a 3.4% increase over the last year (according to the WSJ). Moreover, total R&D spending in the US was nearly $338 billion. This means that there is a significant demand for science and technology students that have the entrepreneurial drive to be a part of research and commercialization projects in the for-profit sector.

Think about advances in metamaterials, synthetic biology, and especially information technology. These industries owe a great deal of their advancements to for-profit, independent labs and governmental agencies that devote large amounts of budgetary spending to R&D.

Based on this, spend some time making a list of companies with R&D divisions that you might want to work for. Then, after you've made a list, polish your resume at the Career Center, and submit your application for an internship or entry-level position at one of them.

Confidence

Unfortunately, not all of us are born with limitless confidence and charisma. We all know that one girl or guy that seems perfect, exceedingly intelligent and breathtaking in appearance. Those perfect people are far and few between...and this post isn't for them. It's for everybody else who needs a confidence boost every now and then.

Building confidence is a matter of time and perseverance for most people. It is not like an on/off switch, it is a process of internal achievements and realizations. This may sound tough, but its actually not.

1. Enrich yourself by spending time pursuing what makes you happy. If your hobby is to build replicas of battleships, then become very good at building replicas of battleships. If your hobby is to learn about something, learn as much as you can about it. This will then become a source of confidence, because it is something you have excelled in. From there, you can think about other areas where you are confident: sports, humor, etc. List them all and you'll see you're pretty great!

2. Help your community by volunteering, recycling and reducing your consumption of resources, etc. These are great ways to feel like you are a part of something bigger and volunteering is a great way to make friends. Confidence springs from knowing that you are accepted and you serve a purpose.

3. Never be discouraged, no matter what happens. When times get tough, do something practical. Think about where you want to be in one year or five and then write a list of things you need to get there. Take on the list one item at a time. In this time of financial crisis, don't be afraid. Fear is the enemy of rational thought...and as a science & technology major, rationality is your bread and butter. Remember to think about things procedurally and objectively. This will keep you calm and collected even in the worst situations.

4. Fake it. When all else fails, pretend that you're confident by smiling, moving with ease, and keeping a cool posture. Sit in the front row. Wear clothes that make you feel powerful. Ask questions and listen intently to the answers, this is a big sign of conversational confidence. Eventually, your brain will catch up with your body.

Where are the best job listings posted?

If Craigslist.org is your quintessential job search tool, then you've got a long way to go. Don't get me wrong, Craisglist is a great resource, but most jobs never make it to craigslist.org, newspapers, or other postings. The best jobs are usually filled before they need to be published.

Now you're probably asking yourself, "If these jobs never get published, how can I apply to them?"

My reply is simple: Networking. Its a long-term investment, but it always has great returns.

It is in your best self-interest to join associations, organizations, etc and go to events where you will meet people in your industry. When you mingle, you can talk about your career interests and experiences.

Now, you may ask, "How do I start conversations with people?"

Just walk up and introduce yourself, this is a signal of your confidence. This is not dating, this is business. At these events, think with your wallet and have plenty of business cards. Ask questions and listen to the answer closely, because you may hear something that sounds like an opportunity. Even if you don't hear anything right away, keep at it. Always try to make at least one new connection at each event. The more connections you have, the more information (i.e. job openings) that crosses your inbox.

Even still, you may meet someone who is a nobody right now, but that person may move up to become a VP or C-level manager that can hire you or even create a position for you. The goal of networking in this context is to get a job. Stay focused on professional interests, make connections with as many people as possible, and form alliances with those people you think have potential.

Think about it this way: You have a position to fill. What do you do? Do you spend money advertising the job opening? Or do you offer it to someone you know who would be a great fit?

Your Passport to a Better Career

Studying abroad is becoming increasingly important in a modern world connected by faster planes, the internet, and increasing trade between nations. Studying abroad gives college students a chance to experience the world and participate in a culture that is often very different from their own. At Universities such as St Olaf, Dickinson and Colby, nearly 80% of students study outside the US at least one semester.

What Employers Want

But how do employers feel about a candidate who spent a semester or year living and learning overseas. According to recent studies, employers had a lot to say about students with an international education. A report by Robert Domingo, a Penn State research associate, shows that employers prefer to hire people that are not judgmental of other cultures and who take risks. According to a study by HR Global News, fluency in a foreign language, independence and problem-solving were all mentioned as important implications of studying abroad.

On your Resume

A study abroad experience on your resume can change your candidacy from average to outstanding. It is another way to stand taller than other candidates. Remember, a resume is a list of experienced used by potential employers to compare you to other applicants. What you have that others don’t will always make you more impressive. A degree over a non-degree, an international education over a single-nation education, volunteer and internship experience over retail; this is how the HR manager will sort through resumes: the haves and have-nots.

In an Interview

Also, in an interview, it is a great talking-point/conversation starter to break the ice and build rapport with the interviewer (especially if they studied abroad in their academic career). You can use the study abroad experience to show situations in which you learned from mistakes, managed time/finances, and developed your sense of self-awareness. If it took a great deal of discipline and motivation to find funding or get into a study abroad program, you can capitalize on your struggle in an interview to show your perseverance and willfulness, two very strong characteristics.

Another Job Fair and the New Internships Website

If you missed the Science & Technology Job Fair last month or you didn't get the responses you hoped for, don't panic! There will be another S&T Job Fair in March, 2009 that looks to be bigger and better than the last. There aren't many other details as of right now, but keep an eye on the blog for updates on details.

In other job-related news: the College of Science and Technology has put an internships page on their website! I know, the good news keeps on coming, right?

Take time to visit the website and check it often, because new internships are added all the time.

Incredible Internship Workshop Tonight!!

So, its the end of the Fall semester and you're starting to worry about finding an internship for the Summer break. Check out the "Landing a Summer Internship" workshop tonight December 3rd in Beury Hall room 160 from 5-6:30pm, facilitated by Dr Jackie Tanaka.

This is an essential event, because:

1. the workshop will showcase companies that are hiring right now
2. a vast majority of those who attended last year got great, paid internships
3. internships strengthen your candidacy for medical, pharmacy or graduate school
4. you will learn how to find and be the winning applicant for internships

So, take time to go to this critical event if you're planning on seeking an internship or research opportunity this summer!