What’s the worst advice/most untrue thing you’ve heard about this field?
Ask a Biologist Monday 1/8/24
Answers from Biologists:
You can’t be in a relationship or have a pet while in grad school.
If you want to be a female biologist, you can’t have children.
You have to prioritize the grind culture to be successful.
Education is more important than experience.
Federal work is the only way to build a career.
You can’t date/have a partner in the same field because it’s “too hard”.
You need higher than a bachelor’s degree.
You have to go to grad school straight out of undergraduate.
You need to eat/breathe conservation.
That taking unpaid or volunteer positions are “worth it” for the experience.
You can’t have a work/life balance. Your job is your whole identity.
If you’re taking time off, you’re taking help away from the team.
You have to be a perfectly healthy, able-bodied person to be a biologist.
You will get far just by working hard.
Raptors like to be hugged.
Doing a master’s at the same university you went to for undergrad is bad.
You must have a science'/natural resources major to get anywhere.
It’s impossible to find jobs for a bio couple in the same area. It’s hard but it can be done.
You need to move around.
Your biological clock will stop you from returning if you take a break between undergrad and grad school.
Presenting at conferences means everyone will know your name and you’ll get hired.
A big gap between undergrad and grad school is bad for your career.
You can’t be a biologist. You’re too smart. Go premed.
As long as the work/position interests you, where you have to live for it doesn’t matter.
You have to be one of the smarter ones in undergrad to get into and succeed at grad school.
As a woman, you should always go into the field with at least one man to be taken seriously.
It’s easier to find a job after finishing your degree.
You’re getting paid in the privilege to work with animals.
Use unpaid internships/positions to work with someone prominent.
It’s impossible to get a permanent job without years of seasonal jobs.
It’s not made for “working moms”.
You must have a master’s or doctorate to be successful.
You have to get a PhD to meaningfully contribute to the field.
You have to stick out any job or you’ll be blacklisted.
You have to take a certain path in undergrad (chem/stats/math) to go to grad school.
If you start a MS or PhD, you have to finish it or that time was wasted.
You have to stick it out in a hostile, abusive work environment so you can make connections.
Your job has to be your main priority.
You can’t be a mom and have a career in this field.
You have to work unpaid positions and it’s what everyone does.
You’ll never get a job as a biologist without a thesis.
