Layoffs suck. It’s a fact. But if you’re sitting there feeling like you’ve lost your way, it’s time to hit reset. Don’t waste your time on “just get another job” advice that doesn’t take into account the reality of a layoff—and what’s really at stake for your career.
Topics: Best Practices, Career, Choice, Job, Resources, Career Path, Challenges, Career Development, Career Possibilities, Empowerment, Grit, Clarity
You know your company is downsizing, your boss calls you into their office. You go in, sit down, lump in your throat, you know what’s next. The conversation is pretty straightforward. Your boss says something like: “I’m really sorry, but as we downsize we’re cutting a lot of positions, and yours is one of them.” At that point, you’re not quite sure what to say or do, whether you expected it or not. The reality of being laid off leaves so much more uncertainty than you could possibly have prepared for.
Topics: STEM, Career, Interview, Panel, Job, Professional, Change, Solutions, Career Path, Developing Your Skills, Career Development, New Opportunities, Hiring, STEM Women, Hiring Women in STEM, Experience
WEST’s Career Possibilities Panel & Speed Networking series has been incredibly popular. Our first Career Possibilities event of 2023 gave around 100 people the opportunity to learn about STEM communications positions from people that were currently working in that area. We’re thrilled to see the turnout for these events consistently increasing, allowing more and more STEM professionals, and STEM professionals-to-be an opportunity to prepare themselves for their next career move.
Topics: Leadership, Career, Community, Mentoring, Network, Job, Networking, Career Development, Career Possibilities, Speed Networking, New Opportunities, #WESTevent, STEM Women, Hiring Women in STEM
Five years ago, we held a panel on launching or relaunching scientific careers after a career break, working in an unrelated field, or after a delayed start. We are bringing back the same panelists on 4/7 to talk about where they are now. This promises to be an excellent discussion about career progression, with each participant giving us a retrospective view of their career path choices, including comments on “what I wish I knew.”
Relaunching careers in scientific research and biomedical engineering, moderated by Carol Fishman Cohen, will tell stories of women who took career breaks and achieved success. It is possible for women to return to work in scientific research, biotechnology, and engineering and thrive in these fields. This webinar is an opportunity for people to listen to inspirational stories from women and learn from their experiences.
Topics: Women, Transitions, Career, Success, Job, Women in STEM, Upcoming Events, Biotech, Interactive, Change, Career Path, Insight, Values, Career Development, Career Possibilities, Self-Reflection, #WESTevent, #WESTorg
Change is constant in the industry, so it is necessary to be constantly thinking about your development. Are you facing a career transition or considering your next career move? Are you in a role that is no longer a good fit for you? Are you feeling stagnant in a role with no clear path for growth, but afraid to take the leap? Are you challenged by how best to present yourself in virtual interviews? Or, have you just been laid off, and worried about how to begin a new job hunt in the current remote work environment? You are not alone.
Topics: Transitions, Career, Success, Job, Culture, Women in STEM, Upcoming Events, Biotech, Interactive, Change, Career Possibilities, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Hiring
Celebrating WEST's 20th Anniversary with 20 stories of impact.
Topics: Events, STEM, Women, Transitions, Career, Awards, Community, Giving Back, Work Life Balance, Resilience, Entrepreneurship, Network, Giving, Job, negotiation, Leader, Women in STEM, Workshop, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Connect, Balance, Inspiration, Role Models, Delegation, Developing Your Skills, Volunteer, Board of Directors, Confidence, Leaders, Book Club, Impact, Career Development, New Opportunities, Mentor, Inclusion, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, 20th Anniversary, Grow
Celebrating WEST's 20th Anniversary with 20 stories of impact. This week's stories are from Chesley Chen, Maria Lalioti, Joseph Lehar, Anna Li, Enith Morillo, Makeda M, Liz O'Day, and Elizabeth Wu.
Topics: Events, Leadership, Women, Transitions, Career, Awards, Community, Giving Back, Work Life Balance, Resilience, Entrepreneurship, Network, Giving, Job, negotiation, Leader, Women in STEM, Workshop, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Connect, Balance, Inspiration, Role Models, Delegation, Developing Your Skills, Volunteer, Board of Directors, Confidence, Leaders, Book Club, Impact, Career Development, New Opportunities, Mentor, Inclusion, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, 20th Anniversary, Grow
Pay equity expert Katie Donovan gave a mind-blowing seminar on equal pay negotiations for WEST community on March 13th.
Katie provided a few paradigm-shifting ideas which will change the way we communicate about salary negotiation. We, as women often don’t realize that we are being underpaid. And we tend to think that pay is not negotiable and that organizations will pay us fairly. However, the statistics from US Bureau of Labor clearly demonstrate the issue of unequal pay between men and women [Chart 3 below]. Since 2004, the women’s-to-men’s earnings ratio has remained in the 80 to 83 percent range [data]. That’s the awakening mindset Katie challenged every woman to bear in mind.
Topics: Events, Women, Science, Career, Community, Network, Job, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Biotech, Discussion, Equal Pay, Connect, Gender Pay Gap, Leaders, Impact, Own It, Advocate
Join Katie Donovan to learn pragmatic approaches to achieving pay equity, from both sides of the compensation negotiation process.
On July 1, 2018, the Act to Establish Pay Equity, amending G.L. c.149, §105A (MA Pay Equity Law) went into effect in Massachusetts. For women and other systematically underpaid groups, the MA Pay Equity Law is the biggest thing since the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act sliced some equality bread back in 2009.
The MA Pay Equity Law forbids employers from asking about salary history. The law enables women and other minorities to escape the cycle of underpayment resulting from systemic and unconscious bias. The law also means that the lower salary you accepted for that dream job at a startup that didn't make it can't be used to lowball you down road.
Topics: Events, Women, Science, Career, Community, Network, Job, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Biotech, Discussion, Equal Pay, Connect, Gender Pay Gap, Leaders, Impact, Own It, Advocate
Your next job is more likely to come from a referral than a posting. That means your network is just as important as your resume.
As a B2B tech content writer, I rarely meet my clients or readers in person. To them, my physical existence is hypothetical beyond pixel configurations. Most of what I write about can't be touched—though I’ve often wished I could hug SQL. Everything is conceptual, visible but intangible.
Still, when I redesigned my website, all my mentors, from the copywriters to the engineers, were emphatic that I use as many pictures of my smiling face as possible. Eye contact, even simulated, hypothetical eye contact, is crucial for establishing trust.
Topics: Events, Women, Science, Career, Community, Network, Job, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Biotech, Connect, Leaders, Impact, Own It