Happy holidays, everyone! Last month, OITE hosted an online chat on careers in science writing with Mariette DiChristina, the Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American. The chat was attended by over 400 people, and some questions remained unanswered by chat's end, so Ms. DiChristina graciously offered to answer those remaining. Here are her responses to your questions:

Q: I would love to hear about what steps one should take while in grad school - i.e. prepare for a postdoc? seek out writing opps?

Fellowships, grants, awards...all of these words may run together in a blur for you, even if you are aware that they each represent some type of funding. Whether you are a postdoctoral scholar looking for additional training, a postdoc or clinical fellow looking for a transition grant, or a graduate student looking for a postdoc opportunity, it will be critical for you to understand the different types of funding available to you, guidelines and restrictions for different funding mechanisms, and how to write effective proposals for funding.

Great news! You have been invited to interview for a job that is a strong match for your educational level and past experiences. In order to enhance your chances of securing the job, it is critical for you to prepare effectively for the interview. Here are few tips to get you started.

1. Know thyself. Print out your CV and be prepared to discuss anything on it in great detail. Think through your past experiences, projects, accomplishments, and be ready with stories that go beyond what can easily be found on your CV.

Last week, OITE launched a new "How-to" series to share information with trainees about what it takes to get a job in a particular field. The inaugural session of the series was on how to find a job in science education and outreach. What kinds of jobs exist in this broad field, and what does it take to find a job in science education & outreach?

If you are considering a job in this diverse field, it is important to know what the job entails so you can connect required skills to those you have developed through your graduate education and/or postdoctoral training. In these positions, you may be asked to:

Last week, OITE hosted an online chat with Mariette DiChristina, Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American. If you're considering a career in science writing, be sure to check out the transcript of the chat here: Day in the Life of a Science Writer.

Sitting and reading the news in the library, I stumbled upon a story in a recent issue of Science that highlights one of my true loves: dance. I danced for over 20 years when I was younger, and still dance now, though I'm beginning to feel a bit old in a hip-hop class filled with teens and 20-somethings.

This fall, OITE is hosting "A Day in the Life of...," a series of interactive, online chats exploring a variety of careers in science.

"I don't have any experience." "I'm only trained to do one thing." "I don't have the skills employers are looking for." Sound familiar? These are sentiments I've heard in counseling appointments with graduate students and postdocs in the past, typically from those exploring careers outside of academia. While I do think that many, if not most, of the skills developed through graduate programs and postdoctoral fellowships can be transferred fairly easily to a variety of careers, there is no doubt you will be a more attractive candidate to a given employer if you have had some experiences in that particular field.

Today's the BIG day: Election Day! There are many hotly contested races around the country, and some of us will be anxiously awaiting today's results. By day's end, some politicians will be enjoying the thrill of success, and others the agony of defeat. What about success on the job market? We know from recent job reports that unemployment remains high. Still, some employers are hiring, so some people are getting jobs. How are they doing it? Or more to the point, are there particular traits shared by successful job hunters?