Where can I find job security (other than the tenure-track and government work)?

A mid-stage postdoc asks - I came to UCSF focused on finding a faculty job (and that is still my main plan), but I am realistic enough to know that finding a tenure-track position isn’t a sure thing. Job security is very important to me, so I had been considering working at a federal agency as a...

Do I need to meet every qualification on a job posting?

A 5th year student asks -   When I’m looking at job descriptions, the ones that are most interesting to me often have some key responsibilities that are things I haven’t done before. I think I probably could learn, but I don’t have any direct experience to show. How do I know if it is even worth my...

We had a coffee chat- what do I do now?

A first-year postdoc asks- 

Is it too soon to start applying for jobs?

A PhD student asks -  I’m planning to be done December 2026. I know I’ll need to apply for jobs, but I don’t want to apply too soon. When is a good time to start?

I've only worked in academia, how do I answer these interview questions?

A postdoc asks -

I’m an epidemiologist- can I apply to work as a data scientist?

A 5th year PhD student asks- 

Do I really have to do all that just to find a job?

A 4th year PhD student asks-

The job market is bad. What do I do?

A late-stage PhD student asks - I’m getting towards the end of my PhD and was planning to start looking for jobs soonish. I know people who are applying for jobs right now and they’re not hearing back from anything even though they’re well-qualified. It seems like the market is bad, so what can I...

I applied to 80 jobs and have only gotten got 2 interviews...

A postdoc asks -   I’ve applied to so many jobs (like 80 or something, I’ve lost track) and have only been invited to 2 interviews. I showed my resume to my mentor, so I know my resume isn’t the problem. Is the job market just terrible right now? 

I know when I want to finish, how do I get everything done?

A fourth-year PhD student asks-  I’m planning to graduate one year from now, and I know there’s a lot of things I need to do, like finish my research, write my dissertation, submit my paper, go to conferences, start networking, get my resume ready, apply for jobs. Where should I start?