Learn About Careers in Life Sciences

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Wellesley Career Education

A career in the life sciences can include a broad range of companies, organizations, and foundations concerned with the study of living organisms, including biological sciences, botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology, biochemistry, and a number of related subjects. Employers may include biotechnology & pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, healthcare organizations, foundations, and federal agencies. Most of the information on this page concerns non-patient facing options but there are opportunities to create career paths that merge patient and non-patient settings.

The Wellesley Hive Mentee Resource: What is Mentorship?

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Wellesley Career Education

The Wellesley Hive is a flexible, interactive virtual space for professional networking and mentorship. Whether you are a student or an alumnae (at any career stage), the the Hive is a platform to connect with the mentors in the Wellesley network. This resource is an overview of how to use the Hive to find short-term or long-term mentorship, informational interviews, job shadowing, and more.

The Wellesley Hive

The Wellesley Hive Mentor Resource: The Fundamentals of Successful Mentoring

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Wellesley Career Education

The Wellesley Hive is a flexible, interactive virtual space for professional networking and mentorship — exclusively for Wellesley. This resource, authored by Sherry Holland '66, describes some key steps in building any successful mentoring relationship within the Hive platform.

The Wellesley Hive

Maximize Your Experience Abroad

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Wellesley Career Education

This resource was co-authored by Wellesley Career Education and the Wellesley Office of International Study.

Learn how to maximize your study abroad experience by connecting to the Wellesley network, exploring beyond the classroom, and reflecting on your experience.

Thinking of Study Abroad?

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Wellesley Career Education

This resource was co-authored by Wellesley Career Education and the Wellesley Office of International Study.

While it is easy to see the academic benefits of study abroad, it is also important to identify its career benefits. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has a list of competencies that contribute to the career readiness of today’s college graduates. Global/intercultural fluency was one of the marketable competencies on the list. Furthermore, in a NACE survey, employers identified their top four competencies: critical thinking/problem solving, professionalism/work ethic, teamwork, and communications skills. The great news is that you could develop all of these skills as part of your study abroad experience.

Introduction to Interviewing

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Wellesley Career Education

Career Education's Interviewing Resources are centered around The Four Pillars, or Four P’s (Preparation, Presentation, Proficiency, Partnership) of Interviewing, which serve as the foundation for a successful interviewing experience.

Discounted Princeton Review Test Preparation

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Wellesley Career Education

Princeton Review

 

Wellesley College has a contract with the Princeton Review that allows all students to get a 50% discount on any test prep courses. This includes the MCAT, GMAT, LSAT, GRE, and DAT. 

Graduate Degrees and Program Examples

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Wellesley Career Education

This resource covers key questions to explore when considering a degree and program type, and provide information about:

  • Certificate & Post-Baccalaureate Programs
  • Master’s Programs (MA, MS, MBA, MFA, MEd, etc.)
  • Doctoral Degrees
  • Dual Degree Programs

Leverage Your Experience Abroad

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Wellesley Career Education

Co-authored by Wellesley Career Education and the Wellesley Office of International Study.

This resource provides tips to help you leverage your study abroad experience upon your return.

How to Sign up for Industry Newsletters

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Wellesley Career Education

Update your Career Interests in Handshake to sign up for Industry-Specific Newsletters!

Navigating the Job Search: The 4 Step Model

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Wellesley Career Education

The four steps in this resource will help keep you focused and productive in your search. You should plan on revisiting each step as your knowledge and understanding of positions and industries grow. Each step below is outlined without a specific industry or position in mind. It is best to schedule an appointment with your Advisor for Career Exploration (ACE) or an Industry-specific Career Advisor to customize your process. The questions we have provided at each step are designed to help you reflect on your preparedness and identify what you may need to move forward in the process.

Using Social Media for Networking

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Wellesley Career Education

In today’s world, you are probably using several social media platforms each day, quite possibly as frequent as every hour! We live in a social world that grants greater opportunity for making connections and increased transparency. As you continue to approach or advance in your professional career, you must understand how to use social media platforms to your advantage in building your network and brand. 

Test Preparation Book Loan Program

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Wellesley Career Education

 

Wellesley Career Education has LSAT, GRE, MCAT and DAT test prep books to lend to current students planning to take one of these exams in the near term. 

Artful Communication for Networking

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Wellesley Career Education

Whenever we interact with others, we are practicing the art of communication. It is something that is best learned by trying and failing, practicing, and observing others who are skilled. When you are exploring careers and trying to find a job, you will be meeting people and building relationships. Improving your communication skills as you try to meet people who share your professional interests should be an ongoing lifelong goal.

Writing a Personal Statement

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Wellesley Career Education

A personal statement is a narrative essay that connects your background, experiences, and goals to the mission, requirements, and desired outcomes of the specific opportunity you are seeking. It is a critical component in the selection process, whether the essay is for a competitive internship, a graduate fellowship, or admittance to a graduate school program. It gives the selection committee the best opportunity to get to know you, how you think and make decisions, ways in which past experiences have been significant or formative, and how you envision your future.

LinkedIn

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Wellesley Career Education

Think of your LinkedIn profile as a virtual “resume” that includes information about your education, experiences, skills, and much more. Keep in mind that your LinkedIn profile, similar to your resume, is an opportunity to brand yourself. So before you begin building your profile, you should think about how you want to communicate your brand. Ask yourself: What sets you apart from your peers? What unique contribution do you bring to the table?

CV (curriculum vitae) Guidelines

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Wellesley Career Education

Your CV or curriculum vitae is similar to your resume. It clearly represents your current and past experiences and accomplishments so that your reader can understand the unique value that you bring to a job/internship/academic program. A few important differences to keep in mind about your CV are outlined in this document, along with helpful tips for format and content.

Crafting Your Pitch

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Wellesley Career Education

A pitch is brief — think 30 seconds — and gives a quick glimpse into your background, highlights your strengths and value, clearly outlines your goals and serves to develop a relationship with your audience. A pitch sums up your unique promise of value and gives the audience a clear understanding of your motivations and goals.

Introduction to Networking

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Wellesley Career Education

For some, the idea of networking is exciting. For others, the mere mention of the word can be anxiety provoking. In either case, it is important to know:

  • Why networking is important to your lifelong career success
  • What networking actually is, and what it is not
  • Where you can effectively network
  • Skills and strategies for networking