If you had to restart your career, what would you do differently?
Ask A Biologist Monday 2/27/23
Answers from Biologists:
Avoid husband/wife/partner advisor duos. Cuts down on the amount of different views and support you have from your committee.
Wouldn’t pretend I wanted to stay in academia.
Done summer internships/jobs related to the field while in undergrad.
Not used my savings to go work unpaid somewhere.
Applied to REUs during undergrad. These positions need to be talked about more.
Take a longer break (I did 6 months) between undergrad and grad school.
Taken a gap year so I could research field needs and plan for college better.
Talk to advisors/grad students more while I was an undergrad.
Gone to technical school fish and wildlife programs over traditional bachelor’s.
Take a year between undergrad and grad school to work as a tech and get more field experience.
Not make my career my personality.
Partied less in undergrad to get better results and better post grad opportunities.
Asked someone to explain the federal hiring system and student career paths.
Taken more time to find a graduate program with the resources and support I needed.
Asked for more money from my first year-round job instead of just accepting what they offered me.
Conduct undergrad research and present it as often as possible at symposiums and conferences.
Waited to find a fully funded MS position instead of paying for one.
Learned how to negotiate salary and benefits instead of just accepting the offers I got.
Believed in myself earlier, tried things earlier, and taken classes that more reflected my interests.
Not bothered with a double major and instead spent that time on internships/seasonal tech jobs.
Be more open to working with a variety of species, not just my “dream” species.
Take more time to learn and explore.
Left abusive tech positions instead of “sticking it out”.
Start working a variety of seasonal jobs while still in undergrad to find what I liked.
Make stronger connections with professors for networking/references.
Taken a year off between my MS and PhD. Going straight through is rough. Burn out is real.
Wouldn’t have done a self-funded PhD. I learned a lot but would never recommend it.
Listen to my gut and be mindful of red flags.
Advocate harder for improved field safety for myself and other techs.
Made more of a point to enjoy the ride.
Been more picky of the advisor I worked for during my MS.
Applied to more positions in different agencies than the one I am in.
Started sooner.
Joined my state TWS earlier and made connections.
Found a supportive advisor in undergrad, not just someone I admired.
More conferences/networking.
Taken more opportunities in undergrad to know my professors, wildlife clubs, etc.
Learned computer programing in undergrad and not waited until grad school.
Wouldn’t have taken unpaid internships or tech jobs.
Set up an off season job I knew I liked that could be flexible returning to each year.
Not work for the scientist I admired. He turned out to be a prick.
Do an honors that more closely aligned with my passions to build networks early.
Prioritize life-work balance earlier in my career.
Take the damn lunch breaks.
Gone back for an MS sooner. It’s hard once you’re a few years into your career.
Done more research into a PhD advisor before signing on. There are some really bad ones.
Gone to a different undergrad and done more tech work before graduation.
Done more field work in undergrad to improve my confidence.
