Is it typical to get rejected from volunteer research positions at your school?

[shiva1008]

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Does anyone else have any experience with this? So far I have applied to work in ______(famous person's lab), got rejected after an interview. I got rejected from two studies at the university hospital dealing with DBT and suicide. I got rejected two different times for coding for ______ (though I have a year of experience with coding), and phone screening, after an interview. I was so looking forward to helping out with any of these studies. These are along the lines of what I want to research in grad school.

I got accepted at one lab, which is not really in my area of interest, and then another "lab," which really was not doing research at all, but I was doing a very tedious task for them in the office which I did for 9 hours a week. I don't know how I'm supposed to get research experience if no one will give me a chance to get involved in something that is meaningful and has some level of responsibility. Even the one that I've been doing for a year has not helped to me to get other positions. And we're talking volunteering. I can't imagine how much worse it will be when I do interviews for RA positions and eventually for grad school.

Has anyone else had experience with not being able to work in their first, second, third, and fourth choice of labs, and just have to make do with whatever you can find? I know there's some people out there who can't even find research engagements at all, but I am attending a Research-I University. It's kind of hard to dedicate yourself to something when you're not that interested in the research they are doing.

From what I can tell, there are few students at my school who are in my position. It would be interesting to hear what others' experiences are.

 

[Knights24]

I feel it is common. I don't know what school you go to, but at my university there are thousands and thousands of psych students and only a handful of labs...so it is competitive.

I had one lab that was REALLY close to what I wanted to do, and know I wanted to work there. I applied, and interviewed with the prof running the lab 2-3 times and he rejected everytime. He was very nice about it and said that his list of people wanting to be an undergrad RA was very long, and I just did not have enough experience.

I kept on taking more classes, and got to talking with one of his grad students. In the meantime, I got accepted into another lab with a prof who is considered top 10 in his field. I was excited about this - however he was doing something I really had NO interest in. I tried one last time with the first lab, and the grad student said that she liked my persistence so much, and that it was such a good quality to have for grad school, that she vogued for me to the prof and I worked on her dissertation.

Flash forward a year and half later, she has long since graduated, and I am still in the lab that I tried so much to get into. The prof and I have a great relationship now (he has given me my own study to do), wrote me great rec letters, and giving me great advice for interviews.

Hope some of this helped...

 

[shiva1008]

Yes it does, thanks. It is very helpful to learn how you finally got in. I have only been at my school for a few quarters, so I guess I have to just stay with it. It's troubling to think that I could have been working on XYZ project for the past few quarters... but maybe that's unrealistic. Maybe it takes longer.

I probably shouldn't have posted in an emotional state, but I think sometimes it is helpful to hear others' experiences because then one feels that one is not alone. A difficult experience becomes worse when you feel that you are the only one that has to go through that. I look at the other people in my lab, and they mostly have got accepted to all the opportunities they wanted to. But then again, maybe I am more ambitious in applying to some of the more competitive labs.

Being outgoing helps too, which is not my strong suit at all. I prefer not to be noticed, and to just work hard. One of the guys in my lab got to work on a project because he approached the grad student directly, and he has been working on it for two quarters. I went through the regular channels to find a position, and they decided to go another way. I actually think I had more experience than a lot of the other applicants, but just that I don't interview well or something.

 

[shiva1008]

I just realized that the last person who made the decision not to let me do research there did not even look at my resume. It makes me wonder, on what basis are people making these decisions? Could they just decide not to accept me because of my gender, or because they didn't like my shirt? If people don't even look at your CV then what is the objective basis for making such decisions?

 

[loveoforganic]

They might just not be accepting any volunteers at the moment. Or they could be racist/sexist/etc., but without them telling you that, you'd have a hard time proving it. I take that back, you'd have a hard time proving it even if they did tell it to you.

 

[Wildcat06]

Being outgoing helps too, which is not my strong suit at all. I prefer not to be noticed, and to just work hard.

I was the same way in undergrad but it ended up paying off for me when I went to apply for a work-study RA. It turns out that my TA for Research Methods was in the same lab and he recommended me because he said I was the best student in the class. So just keep working hard and even if you're not the most outgoing student things can work out for you behind the scenes. In the mean time, keep doing what you're doing 🙂

 

[summerssun]

Were these labs advertising for volunteers or did you independently contact them? As someone who's working as a full-time RA right now, most labs prefer not to hire volunteers, as they tend to be less reliable than paid workers. Also, the time and training of a volunteer, especially one interested in it being a learning experience, can be more than a lab wants to take on.

 

[Wildcat06]

None of my gigs were ever purely "volunteer" as they were either paid or for course credit. But all were advertised.

 

[cara susanna]

I had trouble finding one actually. Got like three rejections before finally someone agreed to take me on. 😉

 

[phillips101]

Well, since I went through what you're going through for the past 3 weeks, I'll share my experience:

From 1st hand accounts, two of the biggest things that labs look for are a) commitment and b) honesty. I just went to a "casual" interview, where I was asked, "are you able to support yourself if you work for free", and things like "what are you NOT willing to do", or "where do you see yourself"? I was completely honest in answering all these questions, of course, in a respectable manner. I think it's best to show that you're interested, but not to the point where you are pleading them to accept you. So if you seem desperate and say things like, "I'll basically do anything," if I were them, I probably won't consider you either. I'm not saying that you were like this at your interviews, but it could be intimidating to "stand up" to the PI and be assertive sometimes.

Secondly, have you contacted your professors? Many professors will take students who did well in their class as part of their lab. Also, getting to know them during office hours is a way to get your existence known to them. I don't have this privilege since I already graduated and moved away.

As far as getting accepted as a volunteer position, I think the biggest factor is "match". Not only do you have to show you're interested, but you have to tweak your experience/classes/resume to the lab itself. Don't embellish or lie, but emphasize things that you think will contribute to the lab.

Lastly, EMAIL LOTS OF PEOPLE!!! That's the key I think. When I first started applying, I emailed ONE and banked on that one position. As time go by and responses were sparse, I applied to others (of course, not blindly). Sometimes, you may just catch the right person at the right time. If you email 10 and all 10 of them have a bunch of undergrads already, they prob won't take you just because they don't want another student in their lab. But you never know, maybe #11 is the one that will get back to you and take you.

Also, check what you're writing when you first contact them. I looked back at my emails in college when I was emailing people to intern at their labs. I basically said, "My name is __ __, I want to intern at your lab." Looking back at it, I'm surprised anyone took me. Now, my emails are about 2-3 paragraphs long, pretty much a cover letter. Even though it's a volunteer position, you still have to treat it as a job. Paragraph 1: introduce yourself, state your purpose; paragraph 2: state your interest, why you want to work at that lab; paragraph 3: conclusion. Don't write your whole life story, but write enough for them to want to learn more about you.

Don't be discouraged. It may or may not even be a reflection of you that determines whether you get into a lab. A lot of factors can go into it. In college, I emailed a PI whom I worked for in high school, and asked if I can intern at his place again. He said that as much as he wanted to, they simply don't have the funding to accept another student (even though I wasn't asking to get paid). Whereas in another lab, the PI took me in right away, and I later learned that he was really lacking people. It wasn't like my GPA or past experiences had much to do with my acceptance/rejection, it was a matter of which lab needed people.

Sorry for the long reply, good luck.

 

[shiva1008]

Hi, thanks for all the advice.

Were these labs advertising for volunteers or did you independently contact them? As someone who's working as a full-time RA right now, most labs prefer not to hire volunteers, as they tend to be less reliable than paid workers. Also, the time and training of a volunteer, especially one interested in it being a learning experience, can be more than a lab wants to take on.

If this is addressed to me, I interviewed for a lab recently that is starting a new study and they have 2 listings for volunteers on the school website. I was particularly upset because I already have a year of experience with coding, and they were starting up a whole new coding team. I doubt that everyone they took on had that much experience. But then again they didn't ask about my experience at the interview.

I think part of what bugs me about this is that it's not just having research experience that matters, but the quality of the experience and, whether it is in your field of interest or not. It seems that I would be able to get that all-important research match for grad school faster if I could get the experience working with what I want to study in grad school. Say that I am interested in studying DBT and I have at my school one of the leading experts on DBT. It could make a huge difference in my career trajectory to have an opportunity like that. And it is so much more fun to work on projects that you are truly interested in.

It is reassuring to hear that some of you have also had difficulty finding positions, and some of you are in grad school now. I decided that I am going to make the best use of what I opportunities I have now, and do a poster for the lab that I am working in! 🙂

I also went to see my advisor and she had some good advice for me, basically that I could be more assertive and do things like send my resume even if they don't ask for it, or follow up on the interview to tell them that I am still really interested, and even ask what I might have done wrong during the interview. Previously I was under the impression that these people have a lot of power over me, so I shouldn't say anything to spoil my chances. But now, after having talked to her, it seems it would not be inappropriate to say 'hey, I thought I was well qualified for this position and I am a little surprised. Here's my resume and please let me know if anything comes up.'

The bottom line is that, I am still new to this, and eventually I think I will get this figured out and I will get to work (volunteer) in the labs that I want to. I feel like I am close, at least. I have been getting interviews and periodically new things come up. It is hard right now, to see other people working on projects that I want to work on, and to think that I could be doing work that is closer to my research interest. But I think in the long run it will be ok.

 

[futureapppsy2]

When I was first looking for research work, I got several "no, not taking undergrad RAs" responses. Finally, a week before the semester started, I got an email from a professor who hadn't responded previously offering me a spot in her lab. Once I had that background, I found RA work much easier to get--the "experience paradox," I call it. It also helped to ask professors that I already knew from courses as well.

Good luck and hang in there!

 

[psich]

When I was first looking for research work, I got several "no, not taking undergrad RAs" responses. Finally, a week before the semester started, I got an email from a professor who hadn't responded previously offering me a spot in her lab. Once I had that background, I found RA work much easier to get--the "experience paradox," I call it. It also helped to ask professors that I already knew from courses as well.

Good luck and hang in there!

That's true. I'm also experiencing difficulty getting research positions (I've graduated from undergrad) but it's a catch-22: you're more likely to get positions if you have a research background, but some faculty or employers are hesitant to give students a chance if they have no prior experience.

 

[PsyDWannabe]

This might only apply to undergrads; you might want to consider looking through your school's syllabus for a sort of thesis writing class (preferably a PSYC course). You get to conduct your own study and that is really helpful in terms of knowing what research is about/getting LORs. Another thing I noticed is that when you mention that to RA scouts, it piques their interest. There is a level of self-starting and independence that you learn in a class like that so it tells them that even though you Might be new at this, they do not need to 'baby' you and you can be trusted to get the job done.

 

[childpsych479]

Secondly, have you contacted your professors? Many professors will take students who did well in their class as part of their lab. Also, getting to know them during office hours is a way to get your existence known to them. I don't have this privilege since I already graduated and moved away.

This worked for me. I had only been in the course for a few weeks and I went to office hours to talk to the professor about my career goals and to start building a relationship. I had never gone to office hours before since I hadn't needed help in any of my other classes except to speak to a graduate student. Without me even bringing it up, the professor said that she is able to write much stronger letters of recommendation for students who work in her lab. She offered me a position right there and I ended up doing a thesis with her. After I graduated, she helped me get my current full-time RA position. I had applied to the position and was offered an interview on my own but it turns out that she is a co-investigator on my current project and good friends with my current PI. Going to her office hours was one of the single best professional decisions I've ever made.

 

[paramour]

Hard to say without knowing that particular lab's requirements, but yes, we reject plenty of applicants (as do the other on-campus labs). We do not look at previous lab experience by itself, mostly because the majority of undergraduates applying do not have it. We do review your previous psych coursework, your psych GPA, and your overall GPA. We check for other skills that may help us out as well (e.g., basic computer skills). We review your availability to determine whether you can fill an opening that we need for a particular shift. Sometimes we need more UG assistants than others. If we have multiple assistants continuing to the next semester, then we may need few or no additional students.

FTR, many UGs would consider their tasks tedious. However, if you kick ass at that tediousness, then we will remember you when it comes time for recommendations, scholarships, etc. 😉

 

[manko7]

Hard to say without knowing that particular lab's requirements, but yes, we reject plenty of applicants (as do the other on-campus labs). We do not look at previous lab experience by itself, mostly because the majority of undergraduates applying do not have it. We do review your previous psych coursework, your psych GPA, and your overall GPA. We check for other skills that may help us out as well (e.g., basic computer skills). We review your availability to determine whether you can fill an opening that we need for a particular shift. Sometimes we need more UG assistants than others. If we have multiple assistants continuing to the next semester, then we may need few or no additional students.

FTR, many UGs would consider their tasks tedious. However, if you kick ass at that tediousness, then we will remember you when it comes time for recommendations, scholarships, etc. 😉

I agree with paramour. In my lab I need undergrads who are willing to do the tedious work. If they don't do it, then I have to do it and that likely means the project grinds to a halt while the tedious work is completed. But if the undergrad assistants realize their importance and function as a team member to complete the task and advance the project, then I will certainly go to bat for them when the time comes...

As for GPA, this is important to an extent. But I like to give member a chance and roll up my sleeves to really shape a good student, not just receive one. I really believe in giving opportunities to those who really indicate they wanted the job. This quality does not show up on the transcript. I encourage the OP to be persistent! Good luck!

 

[loveoforganic]

What type of schools are you guys at, out of curiosity? I attend a big (25k+ students) southern public school, and I feel like I've really taken my research experience for granted, assuming it was the norm, given what I'm reading here. I have weekly meetings with the professor with constructive talks about the project, did the data analysis myself, and am currently writing the paper up more or less on my own...

 

[shiva1008]

I agree with paramour. In my lab I need undergrads who are willing to do the tedious work. If they don't do it, then I have to do it and that likely means the project grinds to a halt while the tedious work is completed. But if the undergrad assistants realize their importance and function as a team member to complete the task and advance the project, then I will certainly go to bat for them when the time comes...

As for GPA, this is important to an extent. But I like to give member a chance and roll up my sleeves to really shape a good student, not just receive one. I really believe in giving opportunities to those who really indicate they wanted the job. This quality does not show up on the transcript. I encourage the OP to be persistent! Good luck!

Thanks. I think maybe I haven't done a good enough job of expressing how badly I want to work at certain places, during the interviews and in correspondence. I don't want to sound desperate, so I guess I've erred on the side of caution.

I'm going to consider the advice about contacting professors that I've known, who are working in other areas of psych--and just volunteering in other areas of psych in general. Maybe I could end up getting an RAship or something. Obviously it is tougher to work in an area outside of your interest, or not your first choice--especially when you know other people who are on those projects. I think part of my problem is that I've chosen very popular labs to want to volunteer in.

All of the stuff I have done for volunteering would be considered tedious. I don't have a problem with that. I'm just grateful to have a place to get started (or I should be 😉). Factors that would make things tedious beyond the usual would be things like:

- working by yourself always
- working with a really slow computer that you have to wait for
- doing one type of task only, and not having a variety of stuff to do
- when the task takes a high cognitive load and is also boring, as opposed to something easy like making copies
- not having the people you work with on site

Anyway, I did stick with it on that one, and did what was asked of me. So no one can blame me for simply not liking it. In fact I'm pleased with the fact that I did see it through.

loveoforganic - I go to a big public school. There are tons of research opportunities, but they are competitive. So basically you can always get at least something. I don't think our faculty members are as accessible as yours. In most labs that I know of, the faculty members are hardly ever seen, or worked with directly. It's common to work with grad students but even that's not always the case.

It's definitely great to be at a big school where there at least opportunities. I can't imagine being at a small liberal arts college and having to choose between a few different studies.