Reflection Over Past Few Months and Job Offer!!!
Spotted: Miss B is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!
The last update about Miss B was almost 2 months ago, and it feels like a lifetime had past by already. Miss B can now get a sense of what people mean when they say your 20s will fly past you before you know it. A year ago Miss B was happily planning her study abroad trip while still preparing for medical school admissions. Half a year ago Miss B decided to quit studying for the MCAT and go for graduate school instead focusing on PhD programs. Reality hit her fast as Miss B found out how hard it actually was to find a job in research or just in general outside of healthcare. Miss B used to be able to get a job in healthcare within a few weeks, but finding a job in research has been such a humbling experience. The year 2026 has been not it; the struggles have been so real.
Stages of Grief
- Initially Miss B felt a huge wave of relief after finally making the decision to pursue graduate school instead of medical school. It felt right to her, and the shackles of a future in medicine was no longer of any concern to her; no more shadowing, no more worrying about clinical hours, and no more why medicine thoughts.
- Reality came hitting like a brick. At first Miss B was only panicking because she knew nothing about applying to PhD programs. Miss B had meetings with all of her professors and even asked for advice from her old lab manager. Miss B hadn't been met entirely with support, with some advising her this would be a terrible route financially compared to going to medical school. This is where now Miss B looking back can see how you really need to jump straight into a pile of shit yourself to know you shouldn't do it. Others cannot advise you on this thing because you only will see reality after experiencing it yourself. The job search for research coordinator positions was met with silence week after week.
- Next stage is when Miss B started questioning herself and this damn job market. Miss B started directly emailing professors instead for a position, but almost everyone said they were out of funding or the job position has been applied to by people with many years of experience or with a masters degree to which Miss B could only look back dumbfoundedly at the job description: 0-2 years of experience and the pay wasn't even that high.
- Existential crisis stage hits next when Miss B started applying to other jobs outside of research. Passion for graduate school at this point became a thought in the back of her mind as she started looking into careers at consulting, finance, operations, and many others Miss B cannot remember anymore. Miss B even made a LinkedIn and tried to message people on it; at one point to one of the CEOs at a big company who wouldn't give get back to her about a job application. At this point Miss B just became sad and was wondering what did she learn her past few years in college. All of her experiences in healthcare and research are not useful in helping her get a job. At this point Miss B was spiraling in her future, what she wanted to do, and what type of life she wanted to live. Reality was hitting Miss B that if she wanted to pursue research and a PhD, her quality of life was most likely not going to improve until a very long time later unless her parents kept funding her life. Miss B was not going to let that happen. Miss B knows she needs to learn how to budget and start saving while working. At this point Miss B had applied to hundreds of job openings and she had done interviews at over 10 companies; one where she had done over 5 interview rounds only to be rejected at the end. One thing Miss B hated about the interviews at the corporate companies are how inconsiderate the companies/HR has been about the candidates time. Miss B has had companies canceling the interview 15 minutes before the meeting started through text message.
- Around the summer time, things started to get better. Miss B in one week got interviews at 3 major academic institutions. To add on, Miss B started getting interviews in industry at big established companies and at small startup companies. It was at this point Miss B realized research is her true passion. In the previous interviews for finance roles, Miss B had to brainstorm why she wanted this certain position. Miss B had to used AI to help her think up of responses as she had no idea even what these positions in finance entailed outside of the job description. Miss B couldn't envision herself enjoying this kind of work, so her response looking back was often scripted. In addition, Miss B's biggest nemesis are those behavioral questions these corporate companies ask for. Miss B had over 6 first-round interviews where it just consisted of behavioral questions back to back for the entire 30 minutes. For Miss B that was one point she could appreciate about the research interviews whether it be in academia or industry; almost no behavorial questions, just a natural conversation to get to know who you are as a candidate.
- Miss B at this point was much more calm now. A lot of waiting and Miss B still got rejections from these research positions but rather than spiraling like a couple months ago, Miss B can still go about her day and hangout with her friends while waiting for the right opportunity to get to her. Without getting too much into the details, around 2 weeks ago Miss B had finished her internship, with her lab saying they couldn't use much more help from her. At this time Miss B panicked a little, and even though she knew her lab was right that she couldn't learn much more and contribute, she still was sad because now she genuinely was unemployed and had nothing to do.
- Next was the start of this crazy turning point which is when Miss B applied to this company who she knew would hire her, but it was going to be in healthcare. She applied for a clinical on-site position and a back office position which was much more admin base. Surprisingly the company got back to her the next day, and scheduled an in-person interview with her immediately that week. Miss B turned down the on-site role and chose to interview for the office position which was of much more interest to her. At the same time, at one of the major academic institutions, she had an interview scheduled the same week where she met the PI, and really hit it off. Miss B got to really showcase her experiences and her passion for the field. Miss B felt really conflicted at this point because she really liked the office admin job as well. The following week Miss B had an interview online with a senior member who would train her for the office job, and they really hit it off as well. Miss B actually really liked the aspects of the job as well since rather than direct contact with patients, Miss B would work in the background and only contact patients occasionally through phone. It was a very interesting business model, and Miss B would learn a lot about healthcare operations through this job. Miss B initially thought HR would take a week to let her know the results, but HR called Miss B by end of the day!!!! Miss B was asleep during that time so she only saw the voicemail, and HR directly let her know she had been offered the position by the team!
- Rainbows and sunshine literally raining on Miss B's mind. The official letter came through and Miss B has a few days to reply, but Miss B also had the next round interview at the major academic institute done this week as well. Miss B has an 80% confidence she would get it due to how specific the research topic is, and how Miss B already had previous experience in it. This stage has been a different learning experience; negotiating salary and benefits, asking for more deciding time before signing offer letter, and managing the timelines of different job applications occurring at the same time. Miss B will wait and see what the academic institution says, but this position of already having a job offer, and waiting for another one is a position Miss B will take over any day over the past few months!
Will update later on what ends up happening but at least for now, both positions and the team environments seem to mesh well with Miss B's personality and offer her different career trajectories that she can enjoy. Miss B cannot go wrong with either choice!
You know you love me
xoxo