In a Medium article entitled “Maintaining Professionalism in the Age of Black Death is…A Lot” the author, Shenequa Golding, quite simply enumerates: “Your Black employees are exhausted. Your Black employees are scared. Your Black employees are crying in between meetings. Your Black employees have mentally checked out. Your Black employees are putting on a performance.” Similarly, in a Huffington Post article, “This is What I Want to Tell My White Professors When They Ask ‘How Are You Today?’” Nolen describes her experience as a Black woman at Harvard Medical School where she feels she is forced to leave her personal experience at the door for the sake of “professionalism” and…
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Making Commitments to Unity
Blog written by Michael J. Sheridan, MSW, PhD, Special Advisor for Diversity and Wellness Programs, Michael.sheridan@nih.gov In a time when it seems that every news report is another example of discord and polarization, it can be difficult to determine how any one of us can make a difference. We can find ourselves thinking, “How can I make any real impact toward advancing social justice in healthcare, education, research and the larger society? I’m just one person with very little influence.” But as my OITE colleague, Dr. Darryl Murray observed, progress in the arena of equality and social justice is lot like science – each small step forward contributes to a bigger…
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Answering Diversity Questions During an Interview
As you prepare for graduate, professional school or job interviews, you may be asked a question related to diversity. Interviewers are very interested in selecting candidates who are aware of and who will contribute to the diversity mission of their organization. Have you practiced how you will answer diversity-related questions? In Career Services, we have seen trainees range in their comfort level about addressing diversity topics. Some trainees have several experiences to answer these questions, that said—many others are unsure how to approach answering the question. Perhaps they do not feel well-versed in diversity-topics, may be from a majority or underrepresented group and wonder how to respond, feel that are…
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Happy Pride! Helpful Career Resources for LGBTQ Scientists and Allies
In 2014, to recognize Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride month, the OITE Careers Blog published a post addressing job search and work environments for LGBTQ scientists called Happy Pride! This blog issue provides useful resources for scientists, their families, and allies in support of inclusive career decision-making and work environments. LGBTQ Employment and Training Opportunities: In addition to the helpful employment resources referred to in the in the 2014 Happy Pride blog (see above), here are some additional resources: National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technology Professionals (NOGLSTP). A professional association that provides a listing of career opportunities for LGBTQ science and technology graduates, mentoring,…
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Five Steps to Evaluate Organizational Culture Before You Accept the Offer
One of the most important criteria to consider during the job, graduate school, or Postdoc search is to learn about the culture of the place where you are applying. This means to gather information about the employee’s opinions of the work environment, the support and benefits that they receive, and the values that drive the organization. This is important because you will work and /or study in this environment for many years and you want to find a good fit for your interests and personal style. But how do you assess this when you are applying? Step 1: Learn about and list your values Factor in your personal and work…
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Community Provides More Than Support
There are many important aspects to having a successful career. One aspect often overlooked is making sure you have a community of peers. Communities provide more than just support for everyday life and challenges. They are great for building networks, developing co-mentoring relationships and gaining leadership experience. Coming to a large campus, like the NIH or a college campus, can feel like you have landed on a different planet. Everything is so different. Finding welcoming and supportive groups and peers can help ease that transition. But, it can also help you prepare for the next step in your career. While the resources below are specific to the NIH, all universities…
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You forgot your job packet email attachment– What now?
You found an awesome job posting or graduate program, crafted the perfect curriculum vitae, and created a cover letter capable of convincing the staunchest of holdouts that you are a vital addition to their team. The only problem is you remembered to attach your resume after pressing send on your cover letter e-mail. Forgotten attachments happen to everyone, but the job application process is where you are supposed to distinguish yourself as a better candidate than everyone else. So – now what? Unlike many career advice searches on the internet, there are not a lot of professional sites with comments on forgotten attachments. The obvious action requires you to send…