Ep 29 - What are we hearing from people about their career questions / concerns and how to assess opportunities - Propelling Careers Podcast

Welcome to Propelling Careers podcast episode 29. In our last episode, we talked a bit about trends we are paying attention to in our sectors and in this episode we thought we would follow up to talk about what we are hearing from talent who are exploring career options and trying to navigate this environment.  Jim is hearing a lot from people about questions regarding the academic search - how to be prepared, identify opportunities, identify application materials, funding, how to be successful once you are a PI, etc. Lauren is hearing a lot from people who have been recently laid off and are trying to navigate their career search. She is also hearing from grad students and postdocs who feel nervous since they hear about their friends in industry being laid off and wonder about their prospects. She is also hearing a lot of questions from people in industry and also in academia who apply and never hear back – they are wondering why and what can they do to stand out. We will share some concerns and questions such as these below. Many of you listening might have similar questions / concerns as younavigate your future. We hope you enjoy listening!      How to prepare for the academic job search / interview / evaluation process   If you are new to the job market, how do you start the job application process What do you say/how do you state things, if you have been laid off How can you stand out? Positives thoughts about prospects for grad students / postdocs Importance of emphasizing your passion/enthusiasmfor roles you are interested in to help them stand out Focus on transferrable skills   Tailor your application materials Empower people to help you in the search A few thoughts on how to compare offers to make sure you are comparing apples to apples ? How to evaluate risk of choosing one career option vs another – are doors really closed if you choose one area over another?   What are considerations for joining different sizes or stages of companies Importance of documenting what you are looking in a role to help you with the fear of missing out What are considerations around choosing to accept offers including culture match, programs you would work on, compensation, growth opportunities, manager style and support, perks, etc Stability of career areas Ensure your materials are always ready to be prepared for opportunitiesLauren Celano, CEO of Propel Careers and Jim Gould, the Director for Postdoctoral Affairs at Harvard Medical School, launched this podcast as a way for us to share our advice, insights, and reflections to help others navigate their careers.As we develop new episodes, this podcast will provide insights regarding career advice to help listeners navigate career choices and become more confident in their decisions. We look forward to busting myths and providing real life, timely, and accurate advice. Jim and Lauren work heavily with Ph.D. trained scientists, but the advice we provide can be applicable to other audiences. We hope you enjoy listening!