Category Archives: dream job

My Experience on a Hiring Committee

Posted on June 18, 2018 by notarealteachers

I’ve applied for many jobs in the last few years and I’ve been offered only a handful. So this year, when I was offered the opportunity to serve on the hiring committee for two different teaching positions, I accepted. It … Continue reading →

Posted in dream job, Interview, job search | Tagged | 3 Comments

Where are we now?

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Megan

Over the life of this blog, our careers and lives have taken us in many different directions. Here’s a snapshot of where we are now, and how we got there.   Megan: I am currently (still) a postdoc in academia. … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, alternative career, dream job, female scientist, industry vs academia, Women in STEM | Leave a comment

On Rejection

Posted on May 11, 2018 by notarealteachers

On Rejection 4 months ago I sit here at my computer in my kitchen, wearing PJs and surrounded by Kleenex stained black with mascara. I came home sick from work, so the multitude of Kleenex are saturated with a combination … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative career, confidence, dream job, job search | 7 Comments

The hardest semester of my life

Posted on November 30, 2017 by SweetScience

Don’t worry, this post isn’t a complaint. I had the hardest semester of my life but I got something great out of it. I started a new job this fall – one of my top-choice careers, at one of my … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, alternative career, confidence, dream job, early career scientist, education, finishing postdoctoral training, flexibility, gratitude, happiness, Illness, letting go, new job, no regrets, part time work, strengths and weaknesses, teaching, transitions, uncertainty | 2 Comments

Love/Hate relationship with science

Posted on November 7, 2017 by peírama

We at Portrait of the Scientist recently received this question: “I just wondered if you had any words of advice on how to manage the love/hate relationship with the current state of science career paths?” What a tough question. I … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, alternative career, dream job | 2 Comments

Job Interview Questions

Posted on August 14, 2017 by Curiouser&Curiouser

When I was first interviewing for jobs I got the question “what are your career goals?”  The question was something I had given a lot of thought to but I’d never actually transferred these ideas into an interview appropriate answer … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, advice, alternative career, biotech, communication styles, confidence, dream job, industry, industry vs academia, Interview, job search, new job, pharma, postdoc, presenting, professional, start up, transitions | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Cherries and cherry pits

Posted on August 9, 2017 by peírama

For a long time, I was looking for a job. This was my vague list of demands: Use my scientific knowledge Use my critical thinking skills Participate in goal-driven work Good boss Good team As a medical policy research analyst, … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative career, dream job, Leaving Academia | Leave a comment

Getting over burnout

Posted on July 13, 2017 by peírama

The month of May in the Northwest is lovely. So when the days became clear and warm I began taking my book and my food to a sunny spot outside. For a short time, I would escape my world, avoiding … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, alternative career, dream job, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Moving on: or not.

Posted on June 27, 2017 by notarealteachers

I am a high school science teacher and I love my job. I love most of it anyway, which is probably better than most people feel about their jobs. Teaching is challenging, relational, and I get work both collaboratively and … Continue reading →

Posted in dream job, having it all, new job, professional, uncertainty | Tagged | Leave a comment

Dual-body career planning

Posted on October 24, 2016 by SweetScience

The ‘dual-body problem’ gets a bad rap in academia. It’s seen as a major difficulty even though virtually all couples with at least one career in academia, and many other fields, have the same basic issue to deal with. This … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, advice, dream job, early career scientist, flexibility, having it all, job search, support, uncertainty | 1 Comment