Ok, I’ve Got My Degree, Now What?
Years ago, when I was in graduate school studying molecular biology, many of my professors seemed to place a lot of value on the traditional career path: several years of post-doctoral fellowships, followed by a career as a tenured faculty member at a big academic institution, with teaching responsibilities and a laboratory, post-doctoral fellows and students. At […]
Entry-Level Coaching Inspires a Winning Culture
The first three years of a young forensic scientist’s career matter greatly. More personal and professional transformation occurs during this time than perhaps any other. It sets the tone for the scientist’s life in the laboratory by establishing attitudes that will either expand or deflate her/his potential to be a high performer. Whenever […]
When Did We Stop Asking Why?
“C’mon honey, it’s time to put on your shoes.” “Why?” “Because it’s time to get going.” “Why?” “Because we have an appointment in 20 minutes.” “Why?” “Because that’s the time that worked best in my schedule.” “Why?” “Because I had meetings this morning.” “Why?” “Because that’s when they were scheduled for.” I’ll bet you […]
What to do When You Don’t Wanna
Oh Mondays. They come every week, whether we’re ready for them or not, and if you could sum up the day in one grunt, it would be ‘ugh’. Sometimes, that ‘ugh’ feeling even starts creeping in on Sunday nights, so we take another sip of our expertly curated bottle of “whatever vintage was on sale […]
Shifting Lab Culture HPO Style: An Interview with Ross Capps
Each year, Promega hosts workshops across the United States called Tech Tours, where speakers from various labs and organizations in the forensic community are brought in to discuss and share latest advancements in STR analysis and the forensics workflow. Last year at the Tech Tours, Ross Capps, Lab Director at the Johnson County Sheriff’s […]
Overcoming 5 Bottlenecks in Communicating Life Sciences Research
As a first-year grad student, I was so excited to start my thesis work. I brainstormed to make a list of experiments to try and then discussed them with one of the senior grad students in the lab. As I enthusiastically explained the goals of my experiments and what I was planning, he gave me […]
Building a Career in Science: Academia or Industry?
If you’re a student in a research lab, discussing career options with your PI can be a tricky topic to navigate. Whether real or perceived, many students feel they cannot bring up the subject of a career in industry with their PI because they will lose credibility as a serious researcher. In labs where thinking […]
You’re Hired – Tips for Nailing a Job Interview
So far, we’ve discussed the importance of keeping a schedule when you’re job searching and investigating company cultures. Now that your resume is flawless and you are likely going to be interviewed for your dream job, we should move on to the interviews. Interviewers will not only be assessing your ability to do the job, […]
Surviving the Job Hunt
So you’re looking for a job. Maybe you’ve been laid off, downsized, fired, or just finished school. The hunt is now on to find gainful and hopefully meaningful employment. There’s no way around it. Being unemployed is no fun. Trust me, I’ve been there – more than once! To aid in your job search, we’ve […]
