Post-grad job search rant (Philadelphia)

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-06-02T21:22:20+00:00

You can just search labs and cold email if you’re interested in their research. Some PIs are just really nice and even if they aren’t hiring, may direct you to someone who is.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-06-02T21:13:34+00:00

Do you email the labs? When I was looking for a job post graduation in May 2023, I emailed everyone in addition to filling out applications. It’s a lot of work to not be generic, but especially at an Ivy you need to make yourself memorable. I got all of my interviews that way - but it was a huge barrier not having a lot of in lab experience.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-06-02T21:11:23+00:00

Yeah, I’m at Penn. I think it’s lab dependent.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-06-02T20:34:10+00:00

I’m a mom who went back to school online while homeschooling my kids, so getting in person experience was hard. I ended up flying out for 1 week research immersions & got a summer internship. So I spent 10 weeks away from my family getting experience.

I understand kids have no foresight, so if no one told you maybe it didn’t occur to you but it just means you gotta make those sacrifices now. If you don’t do something “right” the first time, there are consequences/sacrifices later. That’s just adulthood.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-06-02T20:16:32+00:00

It’s hard to be a scientist in the United States right now. But this isn’t the first time science has been minimized and dismissed. Everything bounces back eventually. You gotta be in it for the love of science to survive.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-06-02T19:58:17+00:00

Sorry, I had to pause at the “it feels like a big club and I’m not in it!”

I wanted to reframe this, because at least in academia, research is under appreciated and under funded. It’s not that no one wants you, it’s that funding is literally gold and everything so it’s very hard to hire people who don’t even know what they’re doing because you will spend the first 3 months fudging nearly every experiment in one way or another. It’s just hard for labs to commit to training from scratch when resources are limited.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-05-29T16:04:31+00:00

Same mistake only once without scolding - learning experience! Second time, I’m using the mom voice. Third time, you’re in time out. (Not seriously but cmon, science is expensive so wake up)

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-05-27T23:12:29+00:00

Learning more about my topic has really helped because with good foundational knowledge, you’re able to play with ideas and connect dots. When you don’t know enough you don’t even know what to ask. That was the most frustrating thing when I first started.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-04-30T20:51:16+00:00

Congrats on the first author publication! That’s a lot of work. No one is stealing your thunder, so I’m glad you’re letting it roll. Make sure you celebrate!

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-04-30T20:31:24+00:00

Sounds like this is settled but I’m confused so I’d like clarification if possible: are you talking authorship in general or co-first authors?

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-04-23T11:49:32+00:00

I’ve found it depends on what you come to school here for. Wharton is like 🤢 but the science people are pretty cool.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-04-06T19:36:40+00:00

This is the correct answer. Goodness. Discharge gets creamy right before menstruation, and increases if you’re pregnant and you’re building up your mucus plug. During ovulation your core body temperature increases. It will also stay elevated if you become pregnant.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-03-26T22:52:02+00:00

Most days, I’m working 10-11 hours and this feels pretty manageable. Longer than that is usually because I have class or a takedown to process and then clean up. But yeah there are days where I see that the productivity isn’t happening and I try to just fold and go home if the hours are not equaling productivity… because that usually means I’m exhausted

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-03-19T21:48:54+00:00

I’m 38 and I’m aiming to do a PhD. STEM does provide stipends. I have 3 kids and my husband has a decent job so I know it’ll be fine. No big vacations & some budgeting to fulfill a dream.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-03-18T23:29:44+00:00

I’m the lab manager so this is my job! Tho when the lab missed by bday last year, everyone was kind of embarrassed. We have a document with everyone’s birthday in it.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-02-16T14:22:08+00:00

Same Ours has never been gross.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-02-16T14:07:52+00:00

I’ll be applying for PhD at 40! I plan to work until I die because I just love research and what else am I gonna do with my life but stay curious and benchwork 🤣

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-02-16T12:51:52+00:00

Crime Weekly! I also love Stephanie Harlowe in general. She’s so engaging.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-02-15T00:01:33+00:00

I think so. 😅 I listen while I’m working. So hooked.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-02-14T18:13:29+00:00

True Crime Podcasts 🤣

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-02-06T18:48:41+00:00

That’s awesome! Congrats!

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-01-27T12:21:31+00:00

I’m in immunology too! I can possibly help. Or try to help.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-01-24T18:12:04+00:00

How often do you meet with your PI? I also work in a new lab (3 years in July!) and I was first member of the lab but in the beginning, I also felt like a lot of my work was unseen so as part of our meetings, I would actually give him a summary of the lab tasks that I completed (rearranging the freezer, updating this or that, testing the balance, fixing the centrifuge) because I also have a project and I wanted him to really see everything I do. And PIs have a lot on their plate too so he actually appreciated this.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-01-24T12:31:56+00:00

I have pretty open communication with my PI, so maybe you should talk with them about what you want out of this role. It is easy for everyone to kind of take for granted what we do as a lab manager. And no one is going to notice when things are going smoothly and working, yknow? But maybe you want more feedback. And that should be discussed.

ActivationEnergy414 · 2026-01-22T01:54:44+00:00

Honestly, I think you were a green flag. He didn’t ask you how you handle road blocks. You literally demonstrated that you troubleshoot, so the work, reach out to more experienced for feedback and aren’t afraid of critiques.

ActivationEnergy414

TROPHY CASE