The Job Hunt Thread

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I'm hoping it might be a point in my favor that I put the lab/my work first.

It's hard to know since I can't read minds.  I know there are so many applicants out there for most jobs they can just move onto the next one rather than make accommodations for me.

They seem pretty interested in me but I don't read too much into that anymore.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I had an interesting meeting last night.  We were at a benefit and my dinner partner on the other side (who has strong ties to the technical college I'm attending) is close friends with a woman who is head of HR in a local engineering firm.  This woman was really impressed with me, so I provided her my info  and she's going to pass it on.  I told her that I still have almost a year of schooling left, but she asked me if I'd be interested in doing something part time or as an internship.

At this point, I am very much convinced that I am going to need to go the social networking route in this town.  A lot of it is who you know and who they know.

[flamingo]

Oct 16, 2015 11:43:02 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I'm hoping it might be a point in my favor that I put the lab/my work first.

It's hard to know since I can't read minds.  I know there are so many applicants out there for most jobs they can just move onto the next one rather than make accommodations for me.

They seem pretty interested in me but I don't read too much into that anymore.

I just wanted to wish you good luck today!   You've got this!

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

If I don't I have six more applications out with UNMC, two with Nebraska Med and one with Methodist.

I'll be up to seven applications with UNMC when I get home and have time to apply for a job that posted yesterday.

So maybe I'll get another bite or two, we'll see.  Man I hope this pace keeps up for the next year or so, that would make finding a new job before July 2017 hits A LOT easier.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

Oct 16, 2015 11:03:08 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Oct 16, 2015 9:45:06 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

She didn't call, she said really wanted to speak with me but she didn't want to disrupt my experiments. I appreciate the courtesy since it seems like a lot of times with potential employers it's all about them and heaven forbid you have a conflict.

I have the in person interview later this afternoon.  If I am able to get to the computer when I get home I'll post how it went.   Otherwise you'll have to wait till Monday.

Actually, something like this may have worked in your favor, Drama.  If you were willing to give your current employer all of your attention in spite of doing something that would benefit you, then you would likely do this for any new employer.

I'm glad she recognized this.

I have been trying to avoid going into too much detail in my interviews about why I left my previous job without having another one lined up yet. My stock response is that once I made the final decision to leave, I decided to just give them my notice so I could stay a bit longer than 2 weeks if needed to ease the transition. I am trying to get the point across that even if I decide to quit this job, I am not going to leave them high and dry.
I try not to mention the other reason which was that I felt like if I didn't get out of there soon, I would be frustrated to the point where I would have been willing to walk out of my old job with no notice the minute a better one came along.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I'll be leaving here in a few minutes.  Nervous.   I don't like getting this close to getting back to UNMC but not knowing if I'll actually make it.   

Can I just say changing in a restroom stall sucks?  I brought half my interview attire with me in a bag so I wouldn't get it messy and so I wouldn't clue anybody in to what my actual "appointment" is.  Putting on pants in a tiny women's restroom stall is a PITA.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

It sucks to not have a full length mirror to make sure everything is tucked in and nothing is stuck to you too. Good luck!

[flamingo]

Oct 16, 2015 14:46:05 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I'll be leaving here in a few minutes.  Nervous.   I don't like getting this close to getting back to UNMC but not knowing if I'll actually make it.   

Can I just say changing in a restroom stall sucks?  I brought half my interview attire with me in a bag so I wouldn't get it messy and so I wouldn't clue anybody in to what my actual "appointment" is.  Putting on pants in a tiny women's restroom stall is a PITA.

It's really awkward if the bathroom stall has an automatic flushing toilet that has a sensitive sensor 

[NastyWoman]

We have really big handicap stalls and no people (in this building) that physically need them.  A lot of changing clothes going on in believe you me.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

The interview went well I feel. They are interested in someone who has colony management skills and well I am that person!

I decided to go for it and told them that I am VERY good at getting mice to do it. I don't know how I became good at it but I succeeded in restoring the colony at Creighton after the veterinarian made us go on a killing spree over norovirus. I reestablished Nora's colony after it was brought to UNMC and nobody else to get them to breed (that's the one thing they gave me credit for).

I am glad I looked up humanized mice before I went to the interview b/c I was able to "talk shop". These mice are fairly new to the research world so I know I am not going to be knocked of the running b/c someone comes in with oodles in experience in that regard. In fact this lab is trying to create their own strains so nobody outside their lab has experience with that.

They collaborate with the College of Pharmacy quite a bit so that was a point in my favor as well. I am also well versed in biohazard procedures.

The only thing I can think of that would knock me out of the running is if someone has all my animal expertise AND has published/wrote grants.  

She liked hearing that I was with my former boss for 5 years and would still be with my boss from Creighton if the timing had been right to move.  

I was honest about leaving Boys Town to an extent. I said that the position is only 2 years and I took a pay cut. I was unemployed at a crappy time of the year so I had to take whatever position I got offered. What I wanted to do ideally was continue to build on my growth in the COP both skill wise/writing wise and salary wise.

I can't do that in a lab where I'm only going to be there for 2 years, that's not enough time.  Already 4 months has gone by and we're still on control animals.

I said pay wise I'd be happy with whatever they paid me since even at the bottom of the wage ladder it'd still be a significant increase in salary for me.

I am reminding myself that blowing it out the water at the interview means nothing. I could still lose the job to a random secretary.

But I am crossing my fingers.   She said they are hoping to make a decision very soon they need to get things up and running.   I'd really like this job if I got it, what they are doing is groundbreaking and could really revolutionize research.   That's a lot more interesting than staring at a computer measuring control animal waveforms all day.

[kjto1]

Good Luck Drama!

[taz157]

Good luck Drama!  

[NastyWoman]

Fingers crossed Drama

[Peace77]

  DramaQ.

[tcu2003]

Good luck, drama!!

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

And now we enter the waiting period. Which is by far one of the worst parts of job searching.

I know there are a million reasons why it would never happen, but it sure would make life simpler if they could tell you at the end of the interview if you had it or not.   The waiting is torture.

Or somehow standardize how much time you're allowed to leave people hanging.  Which again I know would never happen for a variety of reasons.

The one job I interviewed for back in March I got an email last week saying they withdrew it.   That's a LONG time to leave people hanging.

I am trying to not get my hopes up since I know from the beginning of this year you can knock it out of the park and still lose due to some behind the scenes deals you aren't aware of. 

I am not going to be as devastated since I am not trying to replace my paycheck anymore.  I don't have to worry about that until July 2017.  It'll still suck to lose out on that position though.

I still have ten applications floating around maybe one of them will pan out.   I just have to keep on keeping on.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

I still haven't heard anything back from a company that I interviewed at in March. I guess I didn't get the job.
My interview with the medical device company today seemed to go fairly well. This job is temp to hire and doesn't pay that well, but I would probably still take it if they offer it to me so I can get experience in a more regulated environment.
I have a phone interview later today for a sales manager position. I have been trying to avoid sales jobs. However, this one looks like it would involve mostly training and monitoring a sales staff, instead of annoying researchers so I can meet my sales goals.

[TheHaitian]

Good luck drama, fingers crossed!

As for me, I move to interview # 2 tomorrow at 2:30 PM.

*fingers crossed*

After the meeting today I would be willing to take any position.... But I also came
Out with a promotion and 6% raise today, which I will mention at my interview if it comes up.

But I so hate it here!!!

[TheHaitian]

Oct 19, 2015 13:16:20 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

I still haven't heard anything back from a company that I interviewed at in March. I guess I didn't get the job.
My interview with the medical device company today seemed to go fairly well. This job is temp to hire and doesn't pay that well, but I would probably still take it if they offer it to me so I can get experience in a more regulated environment.
I have a phone interview later today for a sales manager position. I have been trying to avoid sales jobs. However, this one looks like it would involve mostly training and monitoring a sales staff, instead of annoying researchers so I can meet my sales goals.

How did the phone interview go?

[mojothehelpermonkey]

Not too bad. I have never used the equipment that the company sells, but the HR person didn't seem to think it would be an issue. The HR people never do, but I think I made it to the next round.

[NastyWoman]

Oct 19, 2015 19:08:51 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Good luck drama, fingers crossed!

As for me, I move to interview # 2 tomorrow at 2:30 PM.

*fingers crossed*

After the meeting today I would be willing to take any position.... But I also came
Out with a promotion and 6% raise today, which I will mention at my interview if it comes up.

But I so hate it here!!!

East coast - west coast → 3 hours time difference.  I'll expect an update after I come back from lunch.  Good luck TheHaitian

[TheHaitian]

Oct 19, 2015 19:36:04 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

Not too bad. I have never used the equipment that the company sells, but the HR person didn't seem to think it would be an issue. The HR people never do, but I think I made it to the next round.

Good luck, fingers crossed for you too!

[TheHaitian]

Oct 19, 2015 19:44:02 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Oct 19, 2015 19:08:51 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Good luck drama, fingers crossed!

As for me, I move to interview # 2 tomorrow at 2:30 PM.

*fingers crossed*

After the meeting today I would be willing to take any position.... But I also came
Out with a promotion and 6% raise today, which I will mention at my interview if it comes up.

But I so hate it here!!!

East coast - west coast → 3 hours time difference.  I'll expect an update after I come back from lunch.  Good luck TheHaitian

Thank you, I will keep you guys updated!

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Good luck Carl. May we both get what we want.

[andi9899]

I just found a job online managing agents. I'm applying. I worked for this company as an agent's assistant years ago, so hopefully the fact that I was there and never had any complaints on me or disciplinary action will work in my favor. Fingers crossed. This is really what I want to do and I think I would be good at it.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Okay so riddle me this. I got a phone call today from the PI I didn't meet with last Friday. She'd like to meet with me too so I am going to try to get there tomorrow since my schedule for the day is set here, I can just come in early so I can leave an hour early.

They want me to come in so she can meet me, I can be introduced to the lab staff and they want to discuss more details with me.

Sound promising to you guys? I have no idea to be honest.  I went thru three interviews and a job shadowing with Quality Clinical but still didn't get the job so I don't know if I should be excited about this second meeting or not.

[tcu2003]

I think it sounds promising, drama. I agree that it's not definite, but they wouldn't be bringing you back if they weren't still interested.

[flamingo]

I agree that it sounds promising! But, I also get that you don't want to get excited before you know what's going on. Job searching can really beat you/your confidence down. It's always good when you can get a face to face, even if it doesn't end up with you getting the job, it's more networking that could help down the road. I know, blah blah networking.   Until it actually turns into something for you, networking feels/sounds like a bunch of shit. But, I promise, I've heard that it works! 

Anyway, good luck tomorrow. I hope everything goes well!

[andi9899]

Oct 20, 2015 15:35:34 GMT -5 tcu2003 said:

I think it sounds promising, drama. I agree that it's not definite, but they wouldn't be bringing you back if they weren't still interested.

Agreed. I say it's a good thing.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I am glad to have a second meeting b/c I did have an idea about humanized mice and a direction they can go in. I thought about it of course AFTER the interview.

I am hoping that will show I know how to think critically and can contribute new ideas to move forward the research in the lab. That is something they said they are looking for in a candidate.

I think I accomplished that in the interview but it doesn't hurt to take it a step further and design a theoretical experiment applicable to their lab.