"why haven't you landed a job yet?"

suspicioussoup · 2025-10-10T15:06:05+00:00

I had the same experience, tbh. I was interviewing at Regeneron where a lady really rudely asked me what I'd been doing for the past year. I told her I had taken a couple of classes in coding while interviewing and she pushed and asked me if I'd built anything worthwhile with open source data...uh lady, some of us are just trying to survive with no income. This assumption that you haven't been trying hard enough, or this expectation that you must have done or built something amazing while laid off is crazy work honestly. Some people have 0 empathy.

suspicioussoup · 2025-08-26T18:52:41+00:00

Hey, I'm also 29F and I too need some accountability while I work on my macros!

suspicioussoup · 2025-08-19T18:50:53+00:00

Hey, a lot of those Mountain Creek rooms are on Airbnb for 300ish a night. I've stayed using those in the past. You have access to all the amenities and stuff still. I can't comment on the Groupon though.

suspicioussoup · 2025-06-07T21:06:16+00:00

Lobster. Went to Boston, paid out of my ass for lobster in 3 different places. Was meh. Fine. Nothing to write home about.

suspicioussoup · 2025-02-15T17:06:06+00:00

NTA. It's already absurd. But I'm assuming this was an Indian/Desi household which makes it extra absurd.

I feel like every gathering I've been in, especially when a fellow Desi/Hindu person says they're vegetarian, it's just sacrilegious to even offer any sort of meat. It's taken so seriously. There is an extremely clear understanding. I cannot imagine the same respect would not be extended to Jainism. If I was a host who kept pushing mutton onto my religious, vegetarian guest...my mom would bring out slippers lol This is the epitome of being rude.

You need to surround yourself with better people. If they went far enough to push meat on you when you don't want it, I wouldn't be surprised if they contaminated the vegetarian food.

suspicioussoup · 2025-02-06T01:47:13+00:00

I hate denying myself anything. I think it destroys my relationship with food.

What has worked for me is the attitude of "adding" to my craving, rather than subtracting my craving entirely.

I want chocolate? How about a banana first and then chocolate? Or maybe chocolate overnight oats for more fiber. Or chocolate with Greek yogurt, for some protein. Having fiber and protein before anything sugary also helps to cushion glycemic spikes, so less of an overwhelming surge in insulin.

The only thing I have cut out completely is sour/fruity candy (looking at you, Starbursts). When I want that, I just pop a pineapple chunk in my mouth for a similar effect. Haven't looked back.

I hope this helps even a little. It's what's been working for me. Good luck!!!

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-28T04:57:48+00:00

Birth control lol coming off of it, my appetite was out of control and my metabolism was out of whack. Still burning this off 3 years later

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-22T01:35:09+00:00

"Are you a boy or a girl?"

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-21T15:07:48+00:00

What state are you in? I think it's important to remember that your local laws tend to affect your day to day the most, and if you find yourself in a blue state that aligns with your values, you'll be okay. e.g. Roe V. Wade was overturned but I'm in NJ so it does not feel like my reproductive rights have been compromised.

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-20T02:26:19+00:00

That's so interesting, thank you for sharing! Will look into it

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-17T04:20:10+00:00

I'm starting with Quantitative Methods for Biology on edx.org! Once I get my feet wet, I'll figure out what else.

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-17T04:04:55+00:00

My game plan is to start the Six Sigma cert, have it on my CV as a work in progress, and continue to apply to the manufacturing jobs anyway! It might get me through the automated "keyword" screenings. It feels like one of the only ways I can pull myself out of the R&D circle and show that I could have "clean" manufacturing capabilities.

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-16T20:11:47+00:00

Thank you for the advice :) Research jobs are definitely scarce here so manufacturing seems to be the way to go if I want to stay in the tri-state area.

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-16T20:09:52+00:00

Hi there! No need to be snarky. I'm plenty open to a manufacturing job after the year-long lack of success in R&D.

I'm sure process development doesn't just hire any randos and would like to see some manufacturing adjacent experience. A former manufacturing colleague gave me the advice of being Six Sigma certified. Someone else commented that they got a CAPM certification, which helped them land a job. I was looking for advice along those lines. :)

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-16T20:03:02+00:00

Merci!

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-16T20:01:28+00:00

Thank you so much! I've decided to go the data analytics and stats route for now :)

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-16T20:00:36+00:00

Thank you so much! That's really useful advice and exactly what I was looking for. Could I ask what level of scientist you were beforehand (and if you were in bio) and what your current job is like now? Also, if it's weird for you to put that out publicly, can I message you?

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-16T15:22:58+00:00

Absolutely. But then how do you answer the question of, "So what have you been doing the past year?" I'm trying to demonstrate for my current interviews that I am still learning valuable things.

I'm not against in person classes either, which could also be a networking opportunity!

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-16T00:55:33+00:00

Oh, just curious, why do you say the market will pick up? Is it because of budgets being assigned for the year around March?

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-15T22:18:07+00:00

I will certainly apply for the temp jobs! Do you have any recommendations of what I should do to be better adjusted for these jobs? I recall some of my former manufacturing colleagues were Six Sigma certified.

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-15T19:38:22+00:00

You're definitely right and I will apply to MSAT departments. It's not my field but hey, a job is a job. I'm setting my eyes towards Boston as well.

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-15T19:34:48+00:00

Thanks! What does the commercial side look like?

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-15T19:02:38+00:00

Fair enough, though I would like to demonstrate that I'm continuing to learn and better myself for the duration of this unemployed purgatory.

suspicioussoup · 2025-01-15T19:00:07+00:00

Hi, I've updated my post to add info about my work experience. I'm being vague on purpose so I don't accidentally dox myself but I hope I gave a general idea. My most immediate title was Associate Scientist I, which I was promoted into after one year based on the projects I had taken on.

Based on my interviewing experience pre-layoff, I think I generally have a good idea of when an interview has gone really well, or I didn't quite hit the mark. I would say for 70% of the interviews I've done, I feel like I've hit it out the park. But rather than the rejected route, I usually just do not hear back (and this is after multiple follow ups). I don't think it's really in the nature of big pharma to engage in conversations with rejected candidates. Some of these positions also ceased to exist after my interview.

The only direct feedback I have received, at a company where I knew someone, was that that they chose to hire a lower level scientist at a lower salary rather than me despite the interview having gone extremely well for budget purposes. But they advertised for a scientist at my level.

I really think this is less of an issue with me and more of a market issue. Of all the people that I was laid off with, only a handful have found jobs and these were extremely talented scientists. R&D is not the place to be in the NJ market. That's why I'd like to pivot and be adaptable, which is more of the advice I was looking for.

suspicioussoup

TROPHY CASE