This is the fourth in a series of profiles about recent NIH postdocs who have found an array of jobs, from academia to industry to communications and beyond, in the U.S. and abroad. What do they do now, and how did they get there? What challenges did they face, and what advice do they have? Read on to find out.

Name: Tshaka Cunningham

Current position: Scientific program manager at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; adjunct assistant professor at Howard University

Location: Washington, D.C.

Time in current position: 2 ½ years

n the spirit of Halloween, today we are blogging about job search horror stories that have happened to OITE staffers. Can you match the following events to a person in the OITE??

1. On my first interview I was dressed in my finest. At dinner I had a plate of chicken served in a sauce. As I cut into my meal I splashed sauce all over my shirt! I cleaned myself off and continued the meal and conversation.

Job interviews can be both exciting and stressful.  You impressed the employer enough to be a final candidate yet you know that the interview will determine whether or not you get the job.  It is very likely that the first round of interviews will be done on the phone. Often thought to be used only for industry interviews, we are now seeing a large increase in the number of first round faculty interviews conducted by telephone.

This is the third in a series of profiles about recent NIH postdocs who have found an array of jobs, from academia to industry to communications and beyond, in the U.S. and abroad. What do they do now, and how did they get there? What challenges did they face, and what advice do they have? Read on to find out.

Name: Thomas Paul

Current position: Bench science, working on epigenetic drugs at a pharmaceutical company

Location: San Diego, CA

Time in current position: 9 months

Business cards are a valuable tool in the professional community.  The art of the business card is one that allows you to leave a lasting memory with a new connection.

This is the second in a series of profiles about recent NIH postdocs who have found an array of jobs, from academia to industry to communications and beyond, in the U.S. and abroad. What do they do now, and how did they get there? What challenges did they face, and what advice do they have? Read on to find out.
 

If you are currently searching for a job, it’s hard to avoid pessimism about the state of the US and international economies.  Even so, it is important to be realistic and flexible in your job search. It is also important to be positive and targeted.  Through research about employers, and networking with professionals in fields that interest you; you can identify and possibly create new opportunities for yourself.

It is important to network and seek advice from people who work in job settings and career areas that match your goals.    How can you do this?

Name: Joshua Chetta, PhD

Job Title & Organization: Biomedical Engineer/Lead Medical Device Reviewer, FDA

Location: White Oak, Silver Spring Md

How long you’ve been in your current job: 1.5 years

Postdoc Advisor, IC (when at NIH): Joseph Frank, Clinical Center

For the final post of our conversations with NIH trainees about having a family during their training period we asked:
Do you have any advice for NIH trainees thinking about starting a family?
Their answers: 
Anna: Find a daycare that you are 100% comfortable with. Accept that your child is going to get sick and you will have to miss some work. Plan ahead with your spouse what you are going to do if the child gets sick or if the child’s day care is closed for whatever reason. If you can afford to have people help you out at home (ie- a house cleaner), do it.

The second part of our series about having a family and being a trainee asks the question:
What were the challenges you faced?