The Job Hunt Thread

[taz157]

Good luck Mojo! 

[kjto1]

Good Luck!

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Now that the school year is getting going, there has been some feedback in rumor form that has found its way to me. 

For the junior/senior high school (45 min commute) for which I applied and was told went to someone else within an hour of them concluding interviews, it turns out that the outgoing superintendent somehow strong-armed the higher of his friend. The incoming superintendent, who attended the interview via Skype, wanted to hire me, but the board caved to the outgoing superintendent. 

The district office instructional coaching position (which is a Teacher On Special Assignment) (25 min commute) was not immediately offered to me because they wanted someone with a mathematics endorsement. I don't have one. However, when they concluded my interview, apparantly, they spent half an hour trying to figure out how to bring me in as an administrator. They couldn't justify adding an administrator at this point and the administrator they want to somehow send off will take this school year to dismiss. So, they waited another three weeks to see if anyone with a math endorsement would apply for the position. No one with a math endorsement did, so they started checking my references. By that time, I had accepted the middle school language arts position. The person who would have been my direct supervisor is annoyed with the superintendent for making her wait to hire me. However, if they can open up an admin position for next year, I may have a shot at that. 

Anyway, it's nice to have my broken self-esteem a bit healed. 

[TheHaitian]

What is everyone take about just emailing a Talent Acquisition Manager saying you are greatly interested in working for their company and attached is your resume...

A bit gauche or completely acceptable?

[andi9899]

Aug 15, 2015 7:43:42 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

What is everyone take about just emailing a Talent Acquisition Manager saying you are greatly interested in working for their company and attached is your resume...

A bit gauche or completely acceptable?

I think it's acceptable. But I'm very politically incorrect. Do they have a careers page where you could go and send the resume from there?

[TheHaitian]

Aug 15, 2015 8:30:47 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Aug 15, 2015 7:43:42 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

What is everyone take about just emailing a Talent Acquisition Manager saying you are greatly interested in working for their company and attached is your resume...

A bit gauche or completely acceptable?

I think it's acceptable. But I'm very politically incorrect. Do they have a careers page where you could go and send the resume from there?

She is on Linkedn but I am not, I can always create an account there and send them my resume from there.

She is on the career page of the company as their Talent Acquisition a Manager. A quick google search it was easy to find her work email and work phone number. Also I have 2 friends that already work for that company...

So I figure it wouldn't be that awkward to send her a email stating I am very interested in working for their company, etc.

I preferably would want to work at their corporate office which is 20 minutes from my house (and 2 friends work there) vs a store. But I couldn't find open position online that would match my skills sets.

[emma1420]

Aug 15, 2015 8:52:47 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Aug 15, 2015 8:30:47 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I think it's acceptable. But I'm very politically incorrect. Do they have a careers page where you could go and send the resume from there?

She is on Linkedn but I am not, I can always create an account there and send them my resume from there.

She is on the career page of the company as their Talent Acquisition a Manager. A quick google search it was easy to find her work email and work phone number. Also I have 2 friends that already work for that company...

So I figure it wouldn't be that awkward to send her a email stating I am very interested in working for their company, etc.

I preferably would want to work at their corporate office which is 20 minutes from my house (and 2 friends work there) vs a store. But I couldn't find open position online that would match my skills sets.

Could you talk to one of your friends who works there, and ask them if it's okay if you use their name?

i think a letter would be better if you indicated that her name had been passed along by a current employee (most employers like employee referrals, especially if they come from great employees).  I would also acknowledge that you've checked their website and realise that there is nothing currently available that matches your exact skill set, but you are hoping she would keep you in mind for future positions that may open up.  I think that way she won't see your letter as spam, and she can evaluate your skills and she may think your skills are a better match for one of the open positions than you do.  Or, she may know of a position in the works that might be a good fit for you.

Its worth a go.  You don't get if you don't ask.

[andi9899]

Aug 15, 2015 9:12:33 GMT -5 emma1420 said:

Aug 15, 2015 8:52:47 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

She is on Linkedn but I am not, I can always create an account there and send them my resume from there.

She is on the career page of the company as their Talent Acquisition a Manager. A quick google search it was easy to find her work email and work phone number. Also I have 2 friends that already work for that company...

So I figure it wouldn't be that awkward to send her a email stating I am very interested in working for their company, etc.

I preferably would want to work at their corporate office which is 20 minutes from my house (and 2 friends work there) vs a store. But I couldn't find open position online that would match my skills sets.

Could you talk to one of your friends who works there, and ask them if it's okay if you use their name?

i think a letter would be better if you indicated that her name had been passed along by a current employee (most employers like employee referrals, especially if they come from great employees).  I would also acknowledge that you've checked their website and realise that there is nothing currently available that matches your exact skill set, but you are hoping she would keep you in mind for future positions that may open up.  I think that way she won't see your letter as spam, and she can evaluate your skills and she may think your skills are a better match for one of the open positions than you do.  Or, she may know of a position in the works that might be a good fit for you.

Its worth a go.  You don't get if you don't ask.

This. I would also start a LinkedIn profile. You'd be surprised how often I am approached by people who have seen mine.

[shanendoah]

TheHaitian - Create a LinkedIn profile. Don't worry about the paid options, but create a free profile. Find a professional looking picture of yourself and get it up there. Join groups related to your current industry AND the industries you are interested in. If you want, I'll pm you the link to my LinkedIn profile so you can see how I have it set up.

As for the Talent Acquisition Manager - start by contacting one or both of your friends at the company and ask permission to use their name(s). Then email her and say something along the lines of you have friends who work for her company and give their names, and from what you have heard, you are very interested in working for them yourself. You have checked their website and don't see an open position currently that fits your skill set, but would she be open to an informational interview. Provide a link to your LinkedIn profile (which you can use as a resume), instead of attaching a resume, as many companies have hard policies against opening unsolicited attachments.
If she agrees to an informational interview, make sure you come in with a number of questions about the company, culture, the difference between stores and corporate offices, etc. And also be prepared to sell yourself.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Oh, my goodness!!! My (former) superintendent is telling people that I was offered a sixth grade classroom position and that I just turned it down last Wednesday. Um...no! Why would he do that? Why can't this all just stop. 

[NastyWoman]

Aug 17, 2015 19:21:09 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Oh, my goodness!!! My (former) superintendent is telling people that I was offered a sixth grade classroom position and that I just turned it down last Wednesday. Um...no! Why would he do that? Why can't this all just stop. 

My guess? It's a CYB move from his side. He doesn't want it to get out that he did not offer you a required acceptable position in that district, so what better method than to paint you as the prima donna who not only refused a perfectly good offer but only did so at the last moment, leaving the district scrambling to fill the opening just before school statrs. I'm not much in favor of "he-said-she-said" situations but this mat be an occasion where you need to protect your future career.

ETA: maybe you can publicly thank him for the offer, with regrets the offer never reached you. Say how you miss your former colleagues but how happy you are that you found an equally wonderful group of people to work with going forward 

[shanendoah]

Knee Deep in Water Chloe - I would actually talk to your lawyer and/or a union rep. He is making statements with the intent of harming your credibility. That's slander.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

My interview today felt like it went pretty well. I met with 6 different people in 30 minutes block. Some of them are leaving for China soon, so there were a couple of other applicants cycling through. That part was a little awkward. I am pretty sure that I convinced them I could handle the scientific and client management parts of the job, but it seemed like some of the people I met with were really hoping to hire someone with clinical trial experience.
I would like to send follow up emails thanking the people I met with, but I only have two email addresses. I can probably figure out the other email addresses, but I am worried that will come off as overeager or pushy.

[flamingo]

Aug 18, 2015 14:58:11 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

My interview today felt like it went pretty well. I met with 6 different people in 30 minutes block. Some of them are leaving for China soon, so there were a couple of other applicants cycling through. That part was a little awkward. I am pretty sure that I convinced them I could handle the scientific and client management parts of the job, but it seemed like some of the people I met with were really hoping to hire someone with clinical trial experience.
I would like to send follow up emails thanking the people I met with, but I only have two email addresses. I can probably figure out the other email addresses, but I am worried that will come off as overeager or pushy.

If you can figure out the other emails, I would do it. I did that with my current job when I was interviewing. It was a day long event, and I had everyone's name, but only about half the emails. Where I work makes it easy and puts everyone on the website, along with their email, so I just searched the website.

The alternative would be to send the hiring manager an email asking them to share your thank you message with the interviewing team.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

Aug 18, 2015 16:32:50 GMT -5 flamingo said:

Aug 18, 2015 14:58:11 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

My interview today felt like it went pretty well. I met with 6 different people in 30 minutes block. Some of them are leaving for China soon, so there were a couple of other applicants cycling through. That part was a little awkward. I am pretty sure that I convinced them I could handle the scientific and client management parts of the job, but it seemed like some of the people I met with were really hoping to hire someone with clinical trial experience.
I would like to send follow up emails thanking the people I met with, but I only have two email addresses. I can probably figure out the other email addresses, but I am worried that will come off as overeager or pushy.

If you can figure out the other emails, I would do it. I did that with my current job when I was interviewing. It was a day long event, and I had everyone's name, but only about half the emails. Where I work makes it easy and puts everyone on the website, along with their email, so I just searched the website.

The alternative would be to send the hiring manager an email asking them to share your thank you message with the interviewing team.

The emails are not on the website, but I think I can figure them out based on the format of the ones that I have. I will also ask the hiring manager to thank everyone else.

[alabamagal]

Carl, get on LinkedIn now. Even if you are not planning on changing jobs it is good to just be on there.

My profile there is my resume. I have been contacted by recruiters I it my current job by a recruiter who contacted me on LinkedIn.

A profile of a Talent Acquisition Manager is on there so that people WILL contact her. That is her job.

[andi9899]

I'm starting to feel like I want to do something different. I'm good at my job, but I'm tired of feast and famine. Plus, I think with all my connections and relationships I've built that I can be good at something more meaningful. Something like public outreach or something. The part of my job I like the best is going out and shaking hands. I don't know what exactly I'm looking for or where to start, but I want something different. Plus, there is really no where to go in agency. I want something where I can go up. Thoughts?

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Coming to the end of month two.

I've mastered going thru the motions.  Still learning to interpret data properly,  I am sometimes way off on what I interpret threshold to be according to my PIs.  They are trying to find some time to sit down with me so we can look at data side by side so I can see what they see.

Getting better with the animals but lately have been an Angel of Death with this new strain.   I took the bull by the horns and asked if they thought it was my fault, they said no.  It's a problem with the strain and the anathesia.  If it was me I should have been having problems with all teh other strains I've worked with since I started and I haven't.

I am still extremely overwhelmed.  It's A LOT of work for one person.  I get out of here around 5:30-6:00 every night.  Sometimes I skip lunch so I can make better time and be able to get out of here by 5:30. 

Also was REALLY stupid and gave myself a UTI by trying to hold it long enough to complete an experiment rather than go to the bathroom.  I agree with DH it was dumb but I was weighing getting the experiment done/possibly having an unsecured animal walk off and getting up to go pee.  I was almost at a good stopping point.  It's just what you have to do sometimes when you're working with animals and I'm the only one around to complete the job.    It's not like the HPLC machines that could run themselves or bacteria that can sit for an extra hour if need be in the incubator.

DH and I talked and he's going to try to start taking more on at home so we can compensate for me having so much on my plate here at work.  I took for granted being able to get so much done during the work day.  Trying to get it all done when I get homeafter picking up the kids and then making dinner while having everyone compete for my attention is difficult.

The isolation is getting to me.   While I was alone in the lab at UNMC I had a lot of people in my orbit.   There were the students, other professors, other lab staff, the cafeteria ladies, the maintenece people, the cleaning staff.  Then there was the christmas party every year so I'd meet a lot of people who worked in the college and make connections.  I got my social interaction by leaving the lab for awhile and walking around campus.  I also got a lot of my social interaction from here or emailing DH.

I have nearly no time to be on here or talk to DH.   Then it's like the rapture happened around here and I'm the only one left on earth.  It shocks me when I run into someone in the bathroom or in the hallway.  I've tried to be friendly by saying hello but they all look at me like I am growing beans out of my ears.  I keep wondering if I am doing something wrong but a "good morning" in the hallway doesn't seem like it'd be socially inappropriate.

I don't think I am going to get any interaction from other people around here.

I know I am getting too isolated b/c I chatter a mile a minute when my bosses come in briefly to check on me.  I'm also talking to the mice.  SO far they haven't answered, if they do I know it's time to quit my job.

It's a good thing I am not an extrovert I probably would have quit by now.   But even for an introvert this is too much aloneness at 40 hour a week stretches of time.

I'd kill for a window.   Didn't realize that was so important to me either until I didn't have one anymore.  It does make the day go faster not having one since I can't measure time unless I am clock watching. 

Reminding myself to be grateful I have a job and stop being a whiny spoiled princess.   I have better benefits and a steady paycheck that is more than a lot of people have right now.  I also keep telling myself I haven't been here that long. Maybe things will get better and I will adjust or they will hire someone then I'd have company. Maybe things will get more interesting once we are doing experimental animals instead of just controls.

Still looking but there isn't anything out there, so I am glad I got this job when I did b/c I'd be in a pickle right now with the unemployment clock running out.   I plan on trying to wring as much as I can out of my time here as possible.  I need to talk to someone about tutition benefits b/c I want to make sure I am not stuck with the bill if I lose my job. I can't use that benefit till I have been here six months so I'd be close to heading out the door by the time the fall 2016 semester is over.   Don't want to lose my job AND owe them money to boot.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Drama....

First thing I'd do is research some types of anesthesia to see if there's not one that will work better with your mice.  Is there a vet associated with LAR that might have some ideas as to what you can use to keep from bumping them off?  I think I used to build about 20% into my animal studies to account for this.   Talking to the animals is normal, BTDT.  Worry when they start answering you back!

It is phenomenally hard to work alone - especially when you are new.  I've been in this situation too.  I've also been in a windowless lab.  I used to make a running joke as to what the weather was doing and how right I was.  It got to the point where I could tell it was raining outside about 80% of the time!  If you can get a radio for your lab, it really might help.  If I was working late at night, I'd keep the radio on for company.

Another suggestion is to try to take a break from the animal room.  I know it's a pain in the butt to ungarb each time, but just going to the bathroom and getting a drink can be enough to help those animals as you don't get as impatient when they don't go down immediately.  Try to plan your breaks.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

They prefer no conversation/noise in the sound room so I am not distracted while gathering data.  That is pretty much my entire day at this point.  I suppose I can ask again, maybe keep it at my desk so I can shut the sound booth door if it gets distracting. 

I asked about the anesthesia and trying something different but they weren't receptive to the idea.  They did tell me they are getting a new machine so we can better monitor all their vital signs. Right now what we have doesn't really tell me if they stopped breathing since it measures mostly heart rate.  The new machine will allow me to monitor both. I am not sure if it will regulate or not, I forgot to ask. Boy would that be nice.

The animals are here with me in the lab. They are on a little heating blanket and I have them hooked up to sensors so I can measure their responses to noise.  I'd love to have a way to secure/enclose them but then that would potenitally effect results depending on how the sound reverberated against whatever I was using to contain them.  I can't unhook them and put them back to go to the bathroom b/c when I come back the experiment will not be the same as when I started.  I also need to work fast so they aren't out any longer than needed. Usually takes 2-3 hours per mouse. 

I do plan my breaks. I just sorely miscalculated last  I didn't feel well so I drank a bottle of water before starting and ended up having to pee big time at an inopportune moment. I was trying to hold it until I reached a good stopping point.

In hindsight I should have just sucked it up and called my boss to come watch the mouse for a moment. That's not really an unreasonable request but I felt like I should be able to suck it up and not have to whine to my boss about going potty.

Which was stupid of me. I am sure they would be horrified if I told them they are not bad people. That was my own hang-up.

I usually have no problems working alone. DH couldn't understand why I have an issue with it now and that's when it occurred to me that while I was alone in the LAB, I had a lot going on outside the lab that provided me with the socialization I needed to keep going. I don't have that here, nobody is interested in meeting the new person it seems like. I say hi and they look at me like I have the plague.



I know part of it is I've wanted out of academia for a long time.  I stayed b/c UNMC and having been there for 5 years offered me a lot of perks that made it advantageous to stay there, especially since I am a mom and DH hasn't really worked for anyone who allows him to be the flexible parent.

I lost all that by moving here. I am having a hard time shaking my bad attitude about academia.

I feel so ungrateful b/c I should just be damn happy I have a job at all. Hoping things will change once we do actual experiments and I can see what we're actually working towards instead of collecting a bunch of control data.

[andi9899]

Well I am now looking for a weekend job. I didn't realize how much extra fees are included in this whole college thing. Thing 1 is applying for jobs too, but I want to be able to help her and not take away from Thing 2. Since I'm in my first year as an agent, I don't have a ton of renewals yet. All my savings went bye bye when I was unemployed and I am slowly but surely digging myself out of that hole. I don't know what I'm doing yet, but something to get me some fast cash. May wait tables again or bartend. Just until I get more renewals coming in. I'm moving to an office in a better area for me, so that should bring in more business.

[lurkyloo]

Sorry you're having a rough time at the new job, Drama.     Academia can be rough for sure.  It's one thing when you're a grad student and there's an end in sight, but it sounds like you're working more than 8 hours a day as a tech without getting paid for the overtime.  Not cool.

I had a bit of a rough start--reproducing the protocol that was my first assignment was...well, it wasn't reproducible.  I went over a lot of the experimentals published by this lab; I can't tell you how many times they said "Oh, we did it this way" and my knee jerk reaction was "No you didn't!"  Finally completed the first stage of the project; I think one of the modifications I made is going to work really well, and we're taking a week's family vacation right now.     I'm also doing more outreach/business development, which has been challenging for a serious introvert.  I think it's gone okay, but it's pretty draining.

 I'm bitching right now b/c last week DS was just sick enough to screw with daycare and DH had a high-priority project that absolutely had to be done during normal business hours, so I wound up working weird hours in order to cover childcare and also not have to take PTO.  So I wound up feeling guilty (frowned upon to do lab work without someone else around for safety reasons), had to submit my hours late Friday night instead of Fri morning since I wasn't positive whether I'd need to take 4 hours of PTO or not, and now both people with approval privileges are out on vacation so I may not get paid this week.  I don't much care if the paycheck winds up being a week late but I'm going to be really pissed if I don't get paid at all    Also not very happy about having to waste vacation time trying to fix the issue.

We're visiting both sets of parents, which is always a little touchy.  My mother is being kind of ridiculous and presumptuous, which is par for the course.  MIL is mostly on good behavior but both MIL and FIL were grilling me about my new job and compensation/benefits    Turns out a couple of weeks ago they asked DH whether we needed money.  I guess they can't comprehend that we'd be able to cash-flow two mortgages?  They're so far off base that I don't even know how to start correcting that impression...we have over 3 years of expenses (including general costs, daycare and 2 mortgages) in checking/savings accounts alone.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

It's one thing when you're a grad student and there's an end in sight, but it sounds like you're working more than 8 hours a day as a tech without getting paid for the overtime.

Yep, this position is salaried.   DH wasn't thrilled when I told him that.   He has a point that I've never been well compensated but at least I would get overtime if I had to stay late.  Now I don't get that so they can get several more hours of work out of me for "free" on top of the piss poor compensation academia already offers.

FWIW my bosses commiserate with me on that but their hands are tied when it comes to salary.   We talked about paying me $35k in the interview but that is the top of the salary range set for this position so the company said no.

I suppose I should be grateful they didn't try to pay me $27k.  That's the bottom of the salary range for this position.  

[Pants]

Aug 25, 2015 7:40:20 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

It's one thing when you're a grad student and there's an end in sight, but it sounds like you're working more than 8 hours a day as a tech without getting paid for the overtime.

Yep, this position is salaried.   DH wasn't thrilled when I told him that.   He has a point that I've never been well compensated but at least I would get overtime if I had to stay late.  Now I don't get that so they can get several more hours of work out of me for "free" on top of the piss poor compensation academia already offers.

FWIW my bosses commiserate with me on that but their hands are tied when it comes to salary.   We talked about paying me $35k in the interview but that is the top of the salary range set for this position so the company said no.

I suppose I should be grateful they didn't try to pay me $27k.  That's the bottom of the salary range for this position.  

Unless the new department of labor rules go through. Then you will HAVE to be paid for overtime. Yes, even salaried. Up to like 53k I think. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Unless the new department of labor rules go through. Then you will HAVE to be paid for overtime. Yes, even salaried. Up to like 53k I think

Knowing my luck that would go thru right as I am exiting this job.

[daisy]

Ok, so I've decided to go back to work full time after taking the summer off and I had a few phone interviews this morning.  I believe I handled them well despite the "describe a time you were part of a winning team/describe a time you were part of a losing team" questions..blelch.  The one that threw me though was when the one company asked if I was interviewing with other companies.  I said yes, because, well, I don't lie and I sure couldn't lie well being put on the spot like that.

Is that customary?  I've never had that before and I felt kind of like a cheater saying yes.  

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I don't think I've ever been asked if I am interviewing with other companies.  It seems to be understood that if I am interviewing that means I am job hunting and nobody in their right mind only interviews with one company at a time.  You need to have multiple balls in the air.

Maybe they want to know b/c then they have an idea of when to make an offer?  Some companies sit on their behinds forever and then act surprsied when 2 months later they call and you've already found a job.  Well duh.

[daisy]

Aug 25, 2015 10:43:01 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I don't think I've ever been asked if I am interviewing with other companies.  It seems to be understood that if I am interviewing that means I am job hunting and nobody in their right mind only interviews with one company at a time.  You need to have multiple balls in the air.

Maybe they want to know b/c then they have an idea of when to make an offer?  Some companies sit on their behinds forever and then act surprsied when 2 months later they call and you've already found a job.  Well duh.

Yes, I had that happen with my last job.  I was interviewing in the UW Hospital system, they sent off my resume etc to the hiring manager and I was told if I didn't hear back in a week or two to call and let HR know....well, in that 2 week period, I got another offer.  When I finally DID get a call, I had been employed for a month already.  Sigh.  This was a different Health System though, so it just weirded me out.  

UGH - and here's another reason why I hate working for the man - the references email form?  I felt dirty after I filled it out and sent it to my references.  The questions and the TIME needed for them to respond to whether or not I was on time or what they felt I needed to change in my approach to patients etc.  BLECH.  

PLUS, one of my former managers is retired - no where on the part that I filled out could I indicate that she NO LONGER worked for that hospital...it wanted her work email, her work phone...I just put in home phone and home email.  I mean seriously, are the people who create these forms so young that they don't realize people eventually RETIRE? 

[shanendoah]

Just a brief piece of advice to folks. We here will tell you all the time to go ahead and apply for jobs you do not meet all of the qualifications for, if you meet a good number of the qualifications, or are close to doing so. But please, be smart about it. Be close. Let it make sense. Don't be grasping at straws. Because then you just annoy the person who has to look at resumes.

I am hiring for a Research Scientist/Principal Investigator. My job description REQUIRES a PhD. In fact, it requires a PhD in Geography. I had 4 people apply. One is the person this job description was written for, but I have to review the other applications, because if they are qualified, I need to at least interview them. And we've made some great connections in this center by reaching out to people who have applied but weren't quite fits for what we were looking for.
Now, this is a staff position, not a faculty position, so maybe people think there is more leeway. But the PhD part isn't really something I can toss out, because to be hired specifically as a PI, you almost always have to have a terminal degree.

So, I have 3 applications I have to look through. Due to the nature of the posting, I am expecting CVs (vs resumes) and set aside about a full hour to be able to go through these. Two of the applicants only have Bachelors degrees. Not even close. And one of those degrees was in Biology! I am in Engineering, looking for someone with a PhD in Geography and you apply with your BS in Biology? As least the other person's BS was in Society and Technology, which is a reasonable fit for my department, but it's still only a BS, when I REQUIRE a PhD.
And it wasn't even like these were people who had graduated years ago and had long term experience in industry, working in the field we're interested in. Both are recent (as in just this past year) graduates.
Luckily, both of those were actual resumes submitted, so it only took a couple of minutes to go through them and determine they aren't qualified.

The third application was a CV. She still only had a masters, but it was a masters in the field I was looking for, and her work experience is certainly something we are interested in. So while she is not qualified for this position (and wouldn't be even if it were a truly open position because it really does require a PhD), I still passed her CV on to my faculty member who is the director of the center that is hiring, because she is someone we may very well want to reach out to and work with.


So again, there is nothing wrong with reaching, but do so intelligently. If the degree you have is a Bachelors obtained within the last 6 months, DO NOT apply for a position that requires a PhD. Especially if the PhD being asked for is in a completely different field. Don't do it.
If you have a Masters degree in the field being requested and significant field experience (and publication history), go ahead and apply. You still may not be qualified, but no one is going to think you are wasting their time, and it might actually be a good way to network.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

Aug 24, 2015 14:07:25 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Drama....

First thing I'd do is research some types of anesthesia to see if there's not one that will work better with your mice.  Is there a vet associated with LAR that might have some ideas as to what you can use to keep from bumping them off?  I think I used to build about 20% into my animal studies to account for this.   Talking to the animals is normal, BTDT.  Worry when they start answering you back!

It is phenomenally hard to work alone - especially when you are new.  I've been in this situation too.  I've also been in a windowless lab.  I used to make a running joke as to what the weather was doing and how right I was.  It got to the point where I could tell it was raining outside about 80% of the time!  If you can get a radio for your lab, it really might help.  If I was working late at night, I'd keep the radio on for company.

Another suggestion is to try to take a break from the animal room.  I know it's a pain in the butt to ungarb each time, but just going to the bathroom and getting a drink can be enough to help those animals as you don't get as impatient when they don't go down immediately.  Try to plan your breaks.

I second the anesthesia thing! In one study, I was killing almost every mouse I worked with using isoflurane, but had no problems after I switched to methoxyflurane.