Savvy Job Seekers Express Appreciation
An ever-expanding number of scientific jobs are available outside traditional academia and are not for scientists alone. These include positions in the private sector, consulting, government regulation, and communication. In these careers you will work with people from various backgrounds and learn how to effectively communicate your research.
This blog post discusses the merits of leaving the biology lab for a career outside of traditional academia. It is essential that you know how to speak in front of a crowd so that you can find success in your professional life as well as preserve your self-esteem.
You may have heard about scientific jobs outside traditional academia but haven't found anything that fits your qualifications yet or want to pursue alternative career paths such as those mentioned above. In fact, there are many jobs available in biology that require science-specific skills, but not necessarily a PhD.
Getting a job in academia is easier than finding employment outside of academia. You will find that it is far more difficult to get a job at a research institution or non-profit or even big company rather than applying for those smaller companies. Therefore, you will likely have to change jobs often and quickly switch your career focus to maximize your chances of success. This means that you will need to learn how to communicate effectively in an interview setting which means giving more specific examples of what you can do as well as demonstrate ongoing interest in the job and the potential for advancement.
If you want to pursue a job outside of traditional academia, you will need to understand more about different career paths and skills that are necessary for a successful career in biology.
Biological Career Paths
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I love the idea of being a science writer. If you enjoy writing research papers and communicating with researchers, then becoming a science writer is an exciting career path. You will spend your days reading research papers, summarizing the findings, and writing (hopefully well-written) articles about scientific research in the news. If you are interested in getting this job, then you should be an excellent communicator because there is a lot of science writing involved. You will need to know how to write well and are likely to have excellent communication skills.
Although it's not as glamorous, being a science writer is a good option if you don't have many research papers to your name already or have a background in research. You will need to spend time studying the literature that has been published over the past few years and familiarizing yourself with the language of science.
Being a science writer is challenging, but rewarding. Your first step towards this career path is probably writing a thesis which earns you your PhD. Your next step would be to communicate with scientists and the public about the great things that you have discovered in your research.
Biology and Business
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There are many opportunities for biologists to pursue an MBA and apply their scientific knowledge to business situations through jobs in management consulting or by starting a new business.
Managing a business requires a blend of creativity, communication skills, and scientific knowledge. If you have all three of these abilities in abundance, then this is an ideal career path for you. The skills gained through your PhD will be highly valued in the business world because there is no substitute for scientific expertise.
The first step towards getting this job would be to get a PhD or MS in biology. Then you can apply your biological expertise to the business world by completing an MBA or taking on some other educational opportunity that will help you get into the management consulting industry. Businesses are always looking for experts who can help them make crucial decisions about their future and therefore there are many opportunities available for those with the right skill sets.
Biotechnology
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Working at a biotech company is a career option that allows you to use your scientific knowledge in an entrepreneurial setting. You will be involved with various scientific projects such as new drug discovery, forensics, or agricultural research. You will apply your education to these projects and help them move forward towards commercialization.
Although this is not a direct biological job, it is important that you have a background in science because you will be heavily involved in research projects and publishing scientific papers. This career path is a popular option because the salaries are high.
It's incumbent upon those who want to work in the biotech industry to get their PhD or MS degree in biology. Then you can pursue either your MBA or prepare for another opportunity through a master's program or PhD program. The best way to start your career would be by accepting an entry level position with a company that is looking for biologists with startup skills such as project management and business development.
Non-Traditional Job Market
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There are many exciting options for those who don't want to apply for a traditional academic job. The options for finding a job in biology outside of academia that have been discussed here are only the most popular careers available. There are also many less well known opportunities available to those who pursue these occupations.
These are some of the more obscure biology careers that do not require a PhD or previous research experience. They also require less education than most of the careers outlined above. This is a list of options for those who want to pursue a career in biology, but are interested in trying something different.
Environmental Consulting Environmental consulting is an option for those who like biology, but don't want to work in the lab all day. Working with environmental consultants means that you will be hired by businesses or organizations and will advise them on how to improve their environmental sustainability practices. This might mean helping a business find ways to decrease their carbon footprint or it might mean helping an organization create a green infrastructure plan.
Conclusion
Biology is a very broad field and there are many different options for people who want to get involved in it. The five most popular options that were presented in this article are just some of the many jobs that can be had by those with degrees in biology. There are many other jobs available in the non-traditional job market as well as other science fields.
For anyone who is currently studying biology, there are many great career paths available to you and your education will serve as an excellent foundation for your career. However, having a good background in biology or scientific research will not guarantee you a job after graduation.
If you want to get into the medical field, you will need to prepare yourself for additional education in medicine. The good news is that it is very possible to obtain a PhD while working full time. This means that you can be on the job market within a few months of earning your degree.
The biggest problem that graduates face is not finding an entry level position because there are so many job opportunities out there; it's having enough time to take their research seriously and complete the graduate research project they need before they get hired by an employer. This can be difficult when you're under tremendous pressure from your boss or students who are out of school for summer vacations and missing deadlines.
It's also important to remember that biology is not a lucrative field, especially when compared to engineering or computer sciences. This means that the opportunities for advancement are fewer and the average salary is lower than in fields like finance or marketing.
Biology careers will remain very popular in the future because there are so many different aspects of life that need to be studied and understood. However, if you think about it highly educated people should be able to find jobs, even if they aren't guaranteed salaries or job security.
The best career option is whatever one makes sense for you and your specific situation. No matter which path you choose, it's important to choose a career that will provide opportunities for personal growth and satisfaction in the long term.
Online Biology Degree and Career Options
In the last few years, more and more universities are offering online degrees in biology. Although this is not a new option, the popularity of online schools has increased dramatically in recent years. This is one of the best options for those who want to work full time while getting their degree.
Although there are many good reasons for earning your degree online, there are also some pitfalls. One of the biggest issues with earning your degree online is that you will not have access to a large variety of resources that you would in a traditional classroom setting. Most online classes do not have live labs or many opportunities for hands on training.
If you do decide to pursue an online degree, make sure that the school you choose is accredited and has a good reputation. There are many schools that have questionable accreditation and low standards. Once you've decided on your school, verify that it's reputable. Search for articles from the school's official website or see if a professor has published research of note in a peer reviewed journal.
Another important consideration when choosing an online school is what type of degree program you're going after. Due to the limited number of live instructors, most online universities offer courses in either certificates or college level courses such as biology major or biochemistry major.
Some schools will require that you take some of your prerequisite courses at another institution while others are so advanced that they will grant a degree after completion of two semesters and an internship. Make sure to find out if the program you're going after is a major or a minor... a minor in biology, for example, might require only 12 credits and be completed in six months. A major on the other hand might consist of many more courses and be completed over the course of several semesters.
The main advantage to online education is that you have access to it from any location with an internet connection. This allows students to take classes without needing to do so with their local community college or university. This is especially helpful if you live in a country where online education is not available.
The most important factor to consider when choosing an online graduate program is your personal goals and your long term educational plans. The flexibility of online programs also makes them a wonderful option if you are not certain what you want to do after earning your degree. Many students go on to earn masters and doctoral degrees while working full time, while others continue their education by studying within the work force. There are no wrong answers or bad choices here; simply choose the option that's best for you at this time in your life.
What do Graduates do with a Biology Degree?
As the world becomes more and more dependent on technology, there are less opportunities for biological scientists to work professionally. This is particularly true for anyone without at least a masters degree. However, with so many interesting and important avenues of study within biology fields, this isn't exactly a bad thing... just something to consider while choosing your career path.
Many students will find that they want to continue their education after earning their undergraduate degree. Whether or not you plan on doing graduate studies, it's a good idea to choose an academic career early on if this is your ultimate goal.
The most popular option for biology majors early in their careers is laboratory research. This is a very rewarding career path, but it is also extremely competitive and can be very disappointing if the job market isn't what you expected when you earned your undergraduate degree.
One of the greatest challenges for biological scientists at this level is lack of confidence in their own abilities. This is especially true for those who were not academically gifted or who graduated in a recession. If you start out without a lot of support or good experiences as an undergraduate, it can take several years to find your footing.
There are many different paths that biology majors can take once they have earned their degrees. Some go on to graduate school and earn a masters or doctoral degree, while others work in research labs or teaching positions at universities and community colleges. Some will find jobs in environmental services or conservation organizations, while others will find employment in the pharmaceutical and medical industry.
The world is changing constantly, but one thing remains true: Biology majors are in high demand. Although there are fewer opportunities for biological science graduates than there were several years ago, there are still many high paying careers available to biology majors who know what they're doing.
Biology Graduate Programs
As with most graduate programs, there are a wide variety of master's degrees and doctoral programs available to students who have earned undergraduate degrees in biology. Some options exist within specific areas of study such as wildlife biology or marine biology, while others can be more general such as microbiology or zoology.
There are a variety of different degrees and specializations available within biology fields. These can include such areas as genetics, anatomy, entomology, plant biology, marine biology, and microbiology. The master's degree programs are generally divided into five different tracks: neurobiology, molecular medicine, toxicology and pharmacology.
Many of the top ranked programs in the United States are found in California. These include UCLA (the University of California at Los Angeles), UC Berkeley (the University of California at Berkeley), UC Irvine (the University of California at Irvine), UC Davis (the University of California at Davis) and UC San Diego (the University of California at San Diego). Many of these programs also offer online science degrees and online biology degrees that can be completed on a part time basis.
There are many doctoral programs throughout the country, but California still holds the greatest concentration of top level doctoral education in the field. The two most common paths for students entering graduate school in biology include medical doctorates and veterinary doctorates. Both of these options require intense study and usually take between 4-6 years to complete after earning an undergraduate degree.
While most students seeking graduate degrees in biology will attend classes at a traditional university or college, some will consider alternative teaching methods. These may include distance learning or using web based technologies such as video conferencing to supplement normal curriculum.
Conclusion
Choosing the right degree for you is a very personal decision. However, there are many good resources available through the Department of Biology of the University of California at Berkeley and the California Biomedical Research Council to assist in this process.
The World Bank released "World Development Report 2008: Knowledge and Information: Creating Opportunities for Development" which compares educational attainment across countries. It shows that while developing countries are increasingly educating their citizens, they are not reaching those people with higher levels of education. The report found that major differences between educational attainment of males and females remain in most low-income countries, with the possible exception of Bangladesh. Each country has an average female literacy rate ranging from twenty five percent to sixty percent.