Acquiring a Research Job

[bigchoader]

Hey all,

I will be graduating in May. Can someone tell me how one would go about looking for a research job at a medical school (/hospital?) that I do not have physical access to at the moment. For example, if I want to get a research job in New York but do not live there, how would I go about getting the ball rolling. Do medical schools/hospitals post research job vacancies online? Would I want to call; send a resume, then call? Are these jobs usually entered into through so called "connections"?

Also, how long in advance would someone go about searching/applying for a research job? If I want to start in June, should I look for work now?

Thanks

Ross

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[ltrain]

The way I found my research job was by looking at job postings at the hospital websites. You don't have to be in NYC to do this. For example, here's the Sloan Kettering job search site...most hospitals will have the same that you can find from their main pages. When I checked off the 'research support' toggle, it returned a bunch of research assistant type positions.

http://www.mskcc.org/jobsearch/index.cfm

Good luck!

 

[Depakote]

Connections help, but they arent 100% necessary.

What I would recommend doing is locating a job by viewing the listings on the hospital/med school websites as suggested above and then attempting to contact the manager of that division directly. HR departments are black holes that will swallow your job application whole.

Just call/email the manager, express interest and offer to provide your resume/CV. Then see if you get offered an interview... you'll have to go down for that, but you'll have a job waiting for you if you get it.

 

[dshnay]

Here's what I did a couple of months ago. I wanted a research position that dealt with orthopaedics. So I emailed a lot of orthopaedic faculty at ucsf. Although a lot of them replied that they don't have any open positions they did forward my resume to their colleges (can't spell that word) and next thing I knew I was invited for an interview. Good Luck

 

[Topspin82]

Connections help, but they arent 100% necessary.

What I would recommend doing is locating a job by viewing the listings on the hospital/med school websites as suggested above and then attempting to contact the manager of that division directly. HR departments are black holes that will swallow your job application whole.

Just call/email the manager, express interest and offer to provide your resume/CV. Then see if you get offered an interview... you'll have to go down for that, but you'll have a job waiting for you if you get it.

HR departments are blackholes. Here's how I got my research position (mind you I worked in an immunology lab during undergrad)
- Forwarded my resume 3x to HR. Nothing.
- Looked up who did research in the building, and then forwarded my resume to the desired PIs instead of HR.
- On my way back from an interview at Cold Spring Harbor (I hope I have the same luck with med school), I got a call from the PI asking for an interview. I had a job offer from CSH ready so I could use it as a bargaining chip.
- Did the interview went well, and I had the balls to ask if I had the job right then and there (not a highly recommended thing to do in retrospect) because I had a job offer at CSH and they needed an answer the next day. They went into another room, talked and then offered me the position and I was shunted to HR later that day.
- And that's my story.

 

[letitgo]

OP, I was in a similar situation as you. I was living in the midwest and looking for a research job in New York, Philly, or Boston. I tried HR departments, and as everyone has said, they're totally useless. In fact, one doctor I interviewed with said when he posted jobs through them, he never received a single application through their office. Why do HR departments exist, do you ask? That's a great question and I don't have an answer for you.

Anyway, here's my advice: Craigslist. I applied to all of my research jobs on Craigslist and received about 10 interviews (also, I was a non-science major with absolutely no research experience whatsoever). In almost all cases, I at least heard back from the person, interview or not. Look in the "science" or "medical" sections and email the person your resume and cover letter. As for the time frame, I started applying in mid-August and didn't actually start a job until mid-October (orientations/HR crap/scheduling/etc. can all take time). I'm working at a Top-5 research institution now and they are always looking for techs.

Hope this helps.

 

[Vasim]

Where do you live? ...If in Michigan ..then I might be able to get u into Research Position.

 

[Tessy]

So back to time frame question: of I graduate in May, shall I apply now or wait for a couple of months? If I get a job now, will they keep that position till I graduate, or do they normally look for applicants who can start right away?

Also, what is the salary range I can expect if I have no experience?

Thank you.

 

[zolaash]

ha! salary range!?! if you're going to do research at an academic institution you can expect close to nothing. you're going into it for the experience/resume building/networking so be happy to have a job in research!

 

[bigchoader]

If you are going to be paid close to nothing, how do they expect you to be able to pay the bills and eat?

 

[Tessy]

I understand that the pay will be low, but I will have to live, so I have to decide whether I should quit the job that I hate (but at least lets me pay my bills) and get a job in research, or continue working where I work now without getting research experience, so please , any numbers will be appreciated.

 

[dshnay]

I understand that the pay will be low, but I will have to live, so I have to decide whether I should quit the job that I hate (but at least lets me pay my bills) and get a job in research, or continue working where I work now without getting research experience, so please , any numbers will be appreciated.

$34k/year + benefits (med/dent/vision)

 

[twohearted]

If you are going to be paid close to nothing, how do they expect you to be able to pay the bills and eat?

If you are still in school, then loans naturally.

 

[Saba Chaudhry]

cool

 

[63768]

i'd email physicians if you don't already know some people. if you know anyone that helps enormously. just ask and be on the lookout for job opportunities.

 

[deleted103644]

http://www.rockefeller.edu/hr/jobs.php

 

[i'm the map]

if you're in boston and need a job immediately, there are openings...

 

[Ladyfingers]

Ha, the title of the thread made me laugh. Just want to 'pick up' a job from the community.

 

[Sophie]

I got mine by applying to positions listed on craigslist. For my position (which was at the VA), I applied in late June, interviewed and was offered the position in early July and started working in late August. I was told this process usually takes many months longer, but that they pulled some strings because they needed people to start working as soon as possible. I spoke to someone in HR at UC Berkeley, and he said for working at the UCs (and I'd assume this applies to many universities) you need to apply ~6 months before you want to begin working. I don't think it would hurt for you to start looking around now.

 

[BigRedPremed]

When should I be applying for these jobs? I'm graduating in May and would like a research job for my year off.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

When should I be applying for these jobs? I'm graduating in May and would like a research job for my year off.

Develop contacts as soon as you can.

I second anybody who says academic labs don't pay well. I worked next to grad students who were half time and getting near my pay on the NIH standard. State benefits were alright, but the medical copays were crazy.