From the Author
We scientists invest many, many years honing our scientific skills. It's very ironic, then, that many of us spend very little time and money in search of our ultimate endpoint - finding gainful and rewarding employment! After all our hard work, don't we owe it to ourselves to spend some time searching for (and finding) a satisfying career? I certainly think so!
I began writing this book during my first "real" job search. After each job-hunting escapade, I was greeted by colleagues saying, "Please tell us what you learned!" They, too, were ignorant of the working world! Obviously, my peers, like me, were looking for more information about the career opportunities that were available to them. I therefore wrote this book to contain the information that I wanted when I first started looking for a job. I thought, "If I need to know this information, others undoubtedly need it too."
I have since transitioned to an "alternative" career in the private sector, where I am now a project manager for a contract pharmaceutical organization. This was a career path I didn't even know existed when I was in graduate school! During the 3 years it took me to research this book, I have discovered an enormous number of career paths which I have shared with my readers. These career paths are ones in which a scientific background is useful or even required.
My book is designed to help my readers to think more globally about their career options. After all, my readers are scientists. They are inventive. They are creative. Why not apply these same traits to the management of a career? The results can be wonderful!
Like research, navigating in the working world is much easier once a person understands a few basics. My book won't find readers a job, but it will give them lots and lots of resources and examples! By the time my readers are finished with my book, I hope they will feel well-equipped and able to find a rewarding job. From what readers are already saying about the book, I think they will.
From the Back Cover
Are you looking for some profitable, innovative, and fun ways to use your bachelors, masters, or Ph.D. degree in the biosciences?
Are your career options limited by your lack of knowledge about the career opportunities that are available to you?
If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, this book is for you! You'll gain a basic understanding of the working world, how it functions, and how this information can translate into different career opportunities for you. You'll learn about career opportunities both at and away from the laboratory bench.
And best of all...you'll know how to get what you want out of the working world!
You'll discover career opportunities you never even thought of!
"A very readable, thorough account of the possibilities for careers in biomedical science. There is a good use of humor, punctuated by real-life scenarios which bring the messages home to the reader." -Gail Seigel, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Rochester.
"This book will be very helpful for biologists who don't want to do traditional bench work. The information was thorough and presented at an appropriate level." -Belinda Rowland, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Wadsworth Laboratories.
Chandra B. Louise, Ph.D. is the author of many reports and publications. She has successfully transitioned to an "alternative" scientific career in the private sector. Dr. Louise writes from personal experience and augments it with the experiences of others. She has an extensive network of professional contacts who have shared their experiences for this book.
You'll find many helpful hints and resources in this book. You'll refer to it often as you explore your career opportunities in the biosciences.
