Finding a job, after graduation. Desperately seeking advice

[misplacedshadow]

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Hey all,

I graduated back in May 2011, since then I have done 2 years of volunteer research. What I got out of it was 2 publications (one first author and one third author) and a couple of other that are under preparation. I also won first place at an oral abstract contest at a conference.

Right now I am looking for a job. For the past 3 months I have been job hunting. I went to craigslist, and the job listing of various medical colleges and applied for Research Tech Jobs, Research Assistant Jobs, Research Cooordinator Jobs, Patient Care Associate jobs and still I got to feedback or interview for a job. 🙁

I am beginning to feel that maybe I should have had a business degree in college, so I could have easily gotten a job before applying to medical school, but I love research and I love getting published.

Right now I am desperate for a job. Part-time, if full time is not possible. I really want something in the Healthcare/Research Field.

 

[yugo2113]

.

 

[SN12357]

Hey all,

I graduated back in May 2011, since then I have done 2 years of volunteer research. What I got out of it was 2 publications (one first author and one third author) and a couple of other that are under preparation. I also won first place at an oral abstract contest at a conference.

Right now I am looking for a job. For the past 3 months I have been job hunting. I went to craigslist, and the job listing of various medical colleges and applied for Research Tech Jobs, Research Assistant Jobs, Research Cooordinator Jobs, Patient Care Associate jobs and still I got to feedback or interview for a job. 🙁

I am beginning to feel that maybe I should have had a business degree in college, so I could have easily gotten a job before applying to medical school, but I love research and I love getting published.

Right now I am desperate for a job. Part-time, if full time is not possible. I really want something in the Healthcare/Research Field.

Find someone knowledgeable to look over your resume. Read through askamanager.org to see if you're doing something obviously wrong in your applications. Try and work connections you have through university, to see if someone has funding. In my experience most new grads have major problems with their resumes or cover letters and don't know why. And a lot of college career centers give poor advice.

Research funding is tight right now, and it is not easy. 3 months is not actually that long to be looking for a job. A business degree probably wouldn't have helped you much, if it's any consolation. Definitely wouldn't have helped you get a research job and research or clinical is best if you want to go to medical school.

Also, keep in mind that there is strong incentive to hire locals. I picked up and moved to a big city from my hometown so that I could get a research job. If you're applying from out of state or far away you are automatically at a disadvantage.

 

[Katatonic]

As has been said, research funding is tight and RA jobs are hard to get, but don't be discouraged by the time frame. It took me 3-4 months to find my first RA job after college, and recently took me 6-7 months to finally leave biotech to come back to an academic lab. Patience and networking are your friends! Is the lab you volunteered in for 2 years helping you out at all?

 

[Gauss44]

Just get a research job. You can put your volunteer work on your resume, and use references from your volunteer job. (Don't put references on your resume though. I've been told its considered, "forward.") Make your resume for HR to read (i.e. no jargon). The people who read resumes are usually business people, not scientists. Save technical stuff for the interview. Have an employment office or adviser review your resume if it isn't getting you interviews.

 

[Goro]

Suggest going back to the dep't or institute where you did your research and check with their HR. Good tech with lab trained hands are hard to come by, even in these grant-difficult times.

Check out your local bio tech/pharma/ and other research venues (even wineries and food processors need chemists!) for job openings. Are you prepared to re-locate? That will help your marektablility.

Hey all,

I graduated back in May 2011, since then I have done 2 years of volunteer research. What I got out of it was 2 publications (one first author and one third author) and a couple of other that are under preparation. I also won first place at an oral abstract contest at a conference.

Right now I am looking for a job. For the past 3 months I have been job hunting. I went to craigslist, and the job listing of various medical colleges and applied for Research Tech Jobs, Research Assistant Jobs, Research Cooordinator Jobs, Patient Care Associate jobs and still I got to feedback or interview for a job. 🙁

I am beginning to feel that maybe I should have had a business degree in college, so I could have easily gotten a job before applying to medical school, but I love research and I love getting published.

Right now I am desperate for a job. Part-time, if full time is not possible. I really want something in the Healthcare/Research Field.

 

[TriagePreMed]

If you have a good relationship with the PI, you need to exploit that. Its not easy, but you may need to show your desperation and need of their help to find you a lab that's hiring.