As we’ve discussed in previous blog posts, it can be really difficult to stay positive during a job search. However, positivity is often a key characteristic of the most productive job searchers and luckily, there are things you can do to help enhance your own optimism. In the Job Search Resiliency video (part of the new OITE YouTube Channel) you will find helpful tips and strategies for finding ways to stay positive and optimistic if/when your job search doesn’t go as planned. One takeaway (of many) from the video is to engage in positive psychology exercises. Some of these exercises include: Gratitude Visit and Letter Close your eyes for a…
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NIH Alumni: Where are they now? Scientific Program Analyst
Name: Lillian Kuo, PhD Job Title & Company: Scientific Program Analyst, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Location: Bethesda, MD How long you’ve been in your current job: A little over a year. Postdoc Advisor, IC: Eric O. Freed, NCI What do you do as a Scientific Program Analyst? A Program Analyst means a lot of different things across NIH. For my position, I work on the Program side of extramural research where I work under a couple of Program Directors. I perform a lot of different tasks like program administration, talking to grantees, and organizing conferences. The programs we work on are cooperative agreements, which are not the…
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Postdoc FAQs
If you are thinking about applying for a postdoc, there are quite a few points to consider before starting your search. Previous blog posts have focused on assessing whether a postdoc makes sense for your long-term career goals and on how you can find the perfect postdoc for you. Here are some more frequently asked questions (FAQs) to bear in mind as you undertake your postdoc search: Can I stay in the same lab, or the same institution? It is common that your first postdoc would be a short stint in the same lab as you finish up any remaining projects. Normally this does not last more than one year…
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The Introverted Job Seeker
Do you have to be dragged to a networking event or cocktail party? When you do go to an event, do you have to spend the rest of the day recuperating? Do you need plenty of alone time during the day? If you answered yes to these questions, you might be an introvert. The level and intensity of introversion varies from person to person, so even if you haven’t taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), you probably have a general sense regarding your own preference toward extraversion or introversion. For the purpose of this post, we are going to focus on the quieter half of the population – the introverts.…
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NIH Alumni: Where are they now? Health Science Analyst
Name: Danielle Daee Job Title & Organization: Health Science Analyst, Office of Science Planning and Assessment, NCI Location: Bethesda, MD How long you’ve been in your current job: Since August 2012, so not quite two years. Postdoc Advisor, IC (when at NIH): Kyungjae Myung, NHGRI What do you do as a Health Science Analyst? In our office, we do a lot of portfolio analysis, evaluation, program coordination and strategic planning. I largely focus on program coordination, portfolio analyses, and program evaluations. Our office responds to requests for information about the NCI portfolio, which come from various interested parties like NCI senior leadership, NIH, and Congress. For example, how much are…