Through my many forays into the job market, I have anxiously awaited responses from employers, either to application materials I had sent out in response to a job ad, or as a follow-up after I had interviewed with them. Through these experiences, I have come to identify several different employer communication styles: The “As-If-You-Didn’t-Know-Already” late response guy, also known as the “In-Case-You-Were-Thinking-of-Calling-a-Moving-Truck” guy This person is one of the most frustrating of the bunch.

The Great American Cleanup , an initiative of the nonprofit Keep America Beautiful (KAB) , began last month on March 1st and run

Guest Writer: Elaine Diggs, NCC, Career Counselor in OITE’s Career Center

If you are thinking about applying for a postdoc, there are a few points to consider before starting your search.

Guest author: Shawn Mullen, PhD, Deputy Director, Office of Postdoctoral Services, Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE) LinkedIn can be a powerful tool in developing and maintaining a professional network.

Friday, March 19, 2010

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Guest: Sharon L. Milgram, Ph.D. Director, NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education

Join us to chat online about careers. Have your questions and concerns answered without leaving your desk! You may visit the chat site now to set an email reminder for yourself to ring 3 hours, 1 hour, or 15 minutes before the chat begins:

Guest Writer: Elaine Diggs, NCC, Career Counselor in OITE's Career Center Last week I was introduced on this blog, and I commented that I was eager to work together with graduate students and fellows to help you “build your career (and) shape the future.”  Since I spend considerable time helping trainees who are job hunting , I thought it might be helpful to list some of the common errors I see in reviewing trainees’ job application materials. 

We are currently assembling a “Frequently Asked Questions” link for this blog and would love to hear from YOU!
What questions or concerns do you have, or have you heard about:
…careers in general?
…the current job market?
…the self-assessment process?
…the job search?
…interviewing?
…negotiating?
…career options for scientists?
…other topics?
Post your comments below, and we will respond to you directly or incorporate your ideas in the new link. Thanks in advance for helping us help you!

While in graduate school, two close friends of mine hosted an Oscars party annually with glitzy dresses and formal wear, delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and ballots with blank spaces for us to enter “Who Should Win” and “Who Will Win.” I remember that time fondly, and I still enjoy checking out the nominated films and watching the Oscars for the fashion, the personalities, and occasional drama.

While I have been in career services for over a decade, I still begin each new job search with the same step: I read the job description. Wow--what incredible advice! Good thing you signed up for this feed! This may not especially novel advice, but job descriptions often contain precisely the information you need to set yourself apart from other applicants. Knowledge, skills, and abilities required, experiences or techniques preferred, and other information in the description should be used to demonstrate that you are a viable candidate.