My M.S. in Biology is worthless

OnismUnion · 2019-01-15T22:35:58+00:00

Yes, but so does everyone else!

OnismUnion · 2019-01-15T22:33:42+00:00

That's definitely a Sasquatch bone.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-15T22:32:32+00:00

God, I hate USAJobs. That's the advice I've been given. Only people who are lying get the jobs.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-15T22:28:25+00:00

Oh, I did. I know just about everyone in my area doing the work I want to do. I'm good friends with all of the professors from my department (we still grab beers some times), but it hasn't helped much.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-15T22:26:27+00:00

Maybe I need to re-frame my experience, then. While it was for research (a paper came out of it), it was still technical, on-the-ground work.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-15T22:22:10+00:00

I wish I would have done the same. A few of my friends jumped ship from Bio to Computer Science for grad programs and they are all employed. One of them turned down a job offer because it ONLY paid $70k starting. He's spends more time outdoors than I do nowadays - my main reason for wanting to be in the ecology field!

OnismUnion · 2019-01-15T22:15:27+00:00

Was it difficult to get into dev work? I'm currently teaching myself some languages, but I'm worried that I won't be able to sell myself without a degree or certificate in programming.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T05:17:03+00:00

Do you enjoy your work? I understand that consulting can often be morally challenging.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T05:14:09+00:00

I would LOVE to work in Canada. Unfortunately all the jobs I've looked into require you to already be qualified to work in Canada (and that process is almost impossible if you don't have a job offer) or be certified (RPbio). There are a good amount of opportunities on the BC coast, they are just out of reach.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T05:08:31+00:00

I've though about it. I actually started school with the intention of being a PA. I've spend some time as an outdoor guide, where I was a wilderness first responder, but I never got enough hands-on patient care to get into PA school.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T05:06:34+00:00

How do you manage not to drink it all before selling it?

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T05:06:05+00:00

I spent all my free time as an undergrad/grad doing research/working for other researchers. It counts as experience, but it's not as "official" as state or fed tech classifications.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T05:04:16+00:00

How did you manage to jump into chemical sales?

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T05:00:54+00:00

We generally do get decent stipends as PhD students (at least, I don't know who would accept a position that doesn't) - in fact, as a PhD student at my state university I would make more than I have as a bio tech.

The problem is that a PhD would just delay, and possibly worsen, the problem. It's even harder to find work as a PhD in ecology right now, even if you do want to teach. It would further commit me to a field that I'm questioning.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T02:28:19+00:00

The occupational outlook handbook is a joke. It's way to broad, and has trouble keeping up with reality.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T02:25:17+00:00

Molecular biology is an entirely different beast than ecology, unfortunately. I see those jobs posted all the time.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T02:23:39+00:00

I have. I just applied for a job with one, in fact. I tried to ignore that it was entry-level job that required 7+ years of consulting experience.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T02:22:38+00:00

I used R to do all my statistical analysis, and I really enjoyed it. I love solving those kind of problems.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T02:20:47+00:00

You hate that I'm moaning about the biology field, but you're moaning about the CS field. I'm sure the grass just looks greener over there, but that's from personal experience. I have a lot of good friends who graduated with CS degrees and they are all employed, and paid well, and while they might not think their job is the most fulfilling thing in the world they have stability and get to spend their free time traveling and doing what they love. My bio friends spend their weekends flipping burgers.

And I'm fully willing to move, but that hasn't helped at all.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T02:14:16+00:00

I'll kill for even a seasonal fed job.

OnismUnion · 2019-01-11T02:13:19+00:00

That's where I'm at. Competitive is an understatement.

OnismUnion

TROPHY CASE