23
Hi all,
I recently completed my science degree & am having trouble entering the workforce. In my degree, I have two biology-based majors & another biology-based minor. I expanded on one of the majors by doing Honours, which resulted in me achieving first class & a couple of papers in the publishing process with me as first author.
I’m applying to all the jobs in my Honours field & tailoring my resume & cover letter for each but no luck yet. I don’t have work experience in my field, which is making it more difficult, & I haven’t added the papers yet as I’m waiting for them to be officially published. As there a minimal jobs in my field in my location, I have stated I am willing to relocate. My graduation is in a couple of months so would it be better after that?
I’ve also began to look into PhD. programs & projects in my fields if the job search continues to be unsuccessful as I’m planning to do a PhD. anyway (though I was hoping to do it after gaining some work experience & taking a break from academia study).
Any advice? How was it like you all?
Thank you!
(I’m also not sure whether this should have the advice or career flair so let me know what you think & I’m happy to change it)
Edit 1: Should have stated I’m outside of the US
Edit 2: Thank you all for your treasure trove of advice & support/encouragement/kind words! Definitely taking it all on board.
Do you have any contacts in the field, maybe through your professors or the like? One (I know, uncomfortable) thing you could do is some informational interviews with people already working places where you plan to apply.
See if there are any alumni from your school working there (or people you otherwise have a loose connection with, maybe they are from the same town, that type of thing) and ask them if you can take them out for coffee and just get their advice - be flattering but don't overdo it (something like, I'm about to graduate from our alma mater and your career path is something I'm interested in, could I take you out for coffee to hear your story, etc.).
Don't tell them you're planning to apply to their company/workplace, but if it goes well when you send a "thanks for meeting me" type email mention that you plan to apply (you could say they really made their workplace sound special or something) and ask if they could put in a word for you. Sometimes all you need to get an interview is someone saying to HR "I met firstborn and she was great, put her resume on top of the pile."
I never thought of asking my professor though that’s a great idea! I’m just worried she’ll her research group at uni, which I’m already in. Haven’t thought of informational interviews either so maybe I’ll try those as well.
I’m not as familiar with biology, but I recall my biology-major friends working in labs or as assistants, editing papers and such. Is that the kind of job you’re applying for?
Regarding the papers, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen (paper name), to appear in (journal)(date) on people’s records and it’s not a problem.
Yes! OP if your papers are definitely committed to being published, just in the future, please make sure to include them on your resume or CV. Google language for it tailored to the jobs you're applying for or just check into what your professors might have on their CVs. Once accepted they still count, everyone understands that the nature of the publishing process just means they might take time to actually be put out.
I used to use (in press) in place of the date in a citation, which was legit for papers that have been accepted for publication.
I’ve been applying for lab assistant jobs but no luck yet. I’ll update my my resume with the papers that have been accepted!
I just want to second the people saying to reach out to anyone you know in the field! Or to anyone who knows someone who knows someone... You're more likely to get a job if it's through a referral, and many companies have an employee referral program (ie: if someone working at a firm suggests you for a job and you get hired, they get a bonus). I'd guess you can ask the same question you're asking here and see where it goes from there. Other than that, just keep going. :) (And check that people giving advice on anything specific actually know what they're talking about; looks like some people advising on PhD requirements here are not in your field and so probably shouldn't be advising you on that... But that's another good reason to talk to people who can give you more accurate info.)
I don't live in the US and am not sure how that job market works, and my STEM degree isn't IT but is IT-adjacent.
The key thing is 1. Being willing to relocate (if there are no jobs in your field in your area, it won't fall out of the sky if you don't have experience) and 2. Apply for jobs you might feel unqualified for. Don't lie blatantly on your resume, but if you know a little about what they're asking for, add it, or even Google it lol.
Also, I was job hunting 2 years ago and get calls 2 years later from big companies that recycled my resume. Don't get too desperate, STEM is usually high demand, and just keep applying.
I wish I had less generic advice lol. Good luck sis. Proud of you ❤️
I’m not in the US either, I should update the main post. I’m definitely willing & eager to relocate, I’ve lived in the same region my whole life so I’d love to move somewhere new. I’ve actually applied for a couple of jobs I felt unqualified for & they’re the only ones that gave me an interview so I’m hoping for one of those but it’ll be a while until I find out since they’re in government.
Hi! I'm not in the same geographical area as you but am in the same sort of academic area, and have some experience. First of all. Congrats on getting your papers published! Having this on your resume will probably help, whichever path you take.
The most important advice I can give you is ONLY do a PhD now if you desperately want to- if you know what questions want to investigate, and if you feel like you have a need to study this area.
Importantly- I was warned that any education beyond Honours/Masters actually makes you LESS employable. I'm finding that to be true. It sounds like a good idea that you're looking for some experience outside academia, that would mitigate this possibly. I'm sorry to hear that the job market is being so frustrating. As you say, you might have to look for jobs further afield. The more educated you get the narrower your field becomes and the wider you have to cast your net, well, that's my experience. Hopefully you will have more luck applying to careers further away?
I really you would stress though not to do a PhD simply because there's nothing else to do. Unless you are planning to become an academic. Academia can be a bit of a treadmill, but STEM PhDs are almost traumatically stressful even when they go well.
Wishing you all the best! Sending good vibes for a job to manifest :~)
Yeah, it was never my plan to do a PhD now (though my supervisor did offer it to me with scholarship to continue my honours research, which I declined because I’m not ready for it). My plan was to do a PhD if required/encouraged by my employer for career progression, which is highly encouraged in government positions here. I’ve actually also been looking into Masters programs in my second major field to gain more skills in that area.
In France and its surrounding countries, a PhD usually won't make you less employable in biology afaik. It is common to have PhDs in engineering positions. In fact, it will allow you to claim higher salaries from the get go, even if you don't have other professional experience.
However, a PhD is incredibly annoying to do if the subject doesn't passionate you. I would recommend sticking to the engineer route without doing a PhD if that's your case.
What career path would you like to pursue? If you plan to become a working biologist, i.e., someone who conducts research in a laboratory, scientific institution, or medical/pharmaceutical company, you will eventually need to get a Ph.D. But a Ph.D is a big commitment, and that's not even talking about the academic job market, so I recommend you look at a broad range of options. I encourage you to apply as a research assistant, either for a professor at a university (lots of listings on uni sites, plus you can just cold call them), or for a PI = principal investigator at a national lab (such as NIH). This will give you experience in biological research and help you clarify whether you want to pursue that career. If you do, you'll have a good recommendation from your professor/PI for Ph.D programs.
However, there are other career paths available to you! I have had friends with a degree in biology/bioengineering go into the following fields: 1) consulting in the bio/pharma division of a company like BCG, 2) marketing for a medical devices company, 3) working in the tech division of a biomedical engineering startup, 4) data scientist analyzing clinical data. I do not believe any of these jobs requires a Ph.D. The recruiting manager may want to see a master's degree and certain classes or experience (e.g., with software they use), but that's much less of a time commitment for you. So broaden your horizons and explore! It's great coming out of undergrad with all these options open to you :).
I’m not actually sure so that’s why I want to take a break from studying. I’m definitely interested in research & data analysis & have actually been thinking about doing a Masters in my second major area to learn more skills in that field.
Check out master’s programs in biostatistics and/or data science! That’s very hot right now, and it will open doors to lots of other interesting opportunities.
The main job available to people with a BA in biology is working as research assistant in a University lab. I know people who have gotten those jobs by applying to job postings on University HR websites, and also from just cold calling PI's until they found one who would hire them. Kids from my undergrad college email me all the time looking for job leads, and sometimes I have one for them. Take advantage of any networks you have like that.
There might be some pharma jobs you qualify for, but they will be insanely boring and repetitive. You mention wanting to "take a break from academia" though. What does that mean? If you plan to apply to PhD programs it's better to have something related to research on your resume. Unless you're on the fence about doing a PhD and want to take the time to explore non-research jobs. For example you might already be qualified to teach at a private school or do Teach for America.
When I say a take a break from academia, I probably should’ve said take a break from study, so still happy to work in academia. I’ve applied for a few research assistant jobs though maybe I should prioritise them more? I’m not based in the US & in my country, I think you need a teaching diploma before being allowed to teach.
You'll have to just apply to a ton of jobs, it's normal to apply for dozens. Sometimes professors are forced to post a job listing even though they already have a person in mind for the job, so don't take it personally. Good luck!