Working with trainees on job searches over the years, I have often heard the same anxiety-ridden question: How can I possibly look for a job while working full-time?

This can be done, and has been done successfully by hundreds of trainees. However, it’s important to exercise professionalism and discretion on the job while conducting your search. If you cannot find time outside of work to conduct your search, try coming in early, staying late, or working on your search during your lunch break. Being in a lab and having access to a computer all day can be hard to resist, but you are at work to do your job – not to look for a new one.

My favorite new reality TV show is "Chopped," which airs on the Food Network. The show isn't new, but I am new to it, and I can't get enough of it. Chefs are given baskets containing secret ingredients and must create an appetizer, entrée, or dessert using everything they find in the basket. I love to cook, but I am more a recipe-follower than an improviser in the kitchen, so the chefs who compete on this show completely impress me. What I would like to propose now is an online version of CHOPPED--well, with a slightly different premise. I would like to invite you to send me your CV, résumé, or cover letter via email (to [email protected]).

As we get closer to July, vacations loom, and our thoughts run to the beach. Or to the mountains. Or to the World Cup. Or to anywhere but the lab. If you are enjoying a slower pace now, you can use this time to get in shape for a job search this fall.

Recently, a client approached me expressing her need to manage her time more effectively. She felt overwhelmed with all of he projects she was juggling at work, and as a result, felt that she wasn't doing any one of them as well as she could. I could certainly relate--there have been many times in my career when I have felt swamped, juggling so many projects I was unsure where--or even how--to start. In my research for this client, I found the most intriguing time management tool...a tomato.

It's gorgeous out today--75 degrees, sunny, with a slight breeze that keeps the temperature comfortable enough to sit out in the sun. On days like this, it takes a while for me to get motivated. I find it much easier to daydream about the summer, thinking about places I'd like to go, people I'd like to see, things I'd like to do. It 's hard for me to focus on work as I'd rather be outside, enjoying the weather. In truth, I haven't been very motivated about my work recently. I shared these feelings with a close friend, and our conversation was enormously helpful, as he shook me out of my doldrums and reminded me of ways to stay engaged with my work.

When I think about the mentors I've had over the course of my professional life, I feel very fortunate. Each has been unique, injecting his or her thoughts, experiences, and personal style into our mentoring relationship. As I reflect on time spent talking with, listening to, or emailing with each of my mentors, it seems like the role of mentor came quite naturally to them, an effortless act that engendered feelings of respect and gratitude on my part. So what's the secret? How can we take full advantage of the mentoring relationships we are currently in, either as mentor or trainee?

Years ago, as I was training a career development staff, I created this list of questions I frequently heard from trainees. If you have a question about resume writing that you don't see represented here, send it along and I'll post an answer here! Q: An employer requested a CV in a job ad I found, but it is not a faculty opening. Should I send a resume or a CV? A:  Resume. The term “CV” is sometimes generically used to refer to any kind of personal qualifications document, but what employers are actually seeking is a resume.

Guest writer: Anne Kirchgessner, LCPC, NCC, Career Counselor Feeling stuck in your current job? Not sure what your next career step is? Here are some tips to help you make your own good luck and take advantage of both planned and unplanned career opportunities. John Krumboltz, a noted career development theorist, considers ways to take advantage of both chance and planned events. He calls this concept Happenstance Learning Theory. His work takes into account that the careers of most people have been impacted by chance happenings as well as planned events. In a recent article in the Journal of Career Assessment (Vol. 17, No.

Recent news reports suggest that the economy is slowly recovering, and that unemployment figures are falling. While this news is hopeful, it may be difficult to hear for those of us currently on the job market. If you have been searching for a while, or are planning to start searching for a job, there are several methods you can use to increase your chance of being successful.

Last week, I was privileged to share some time with trainees at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' Biomedical Career Fair in Durham, North Carolina. The goal of this conference was to:

"provide young scientists an opportunity to explore a myriad of fields and create a contact network as they plan for future careers in the biomedical sciences,"