INFORM February 2026

CAREER ADVICE INFORM 15

The Australian Academy of Science also plugged its talent attraction program, with the academy’s president highlighting an “urgent and unparalleled opportunity to attract the smartest minds leaving the United States.” And Canada’s University Health Network launched the Canada Leads 100 Challenge to bring early career scientists to the hospital. ‘JOB-HUGGING’ VS. JOB-HUNTING But what if you do not want to leave the United States—or even your current job? It may feel too risky, too expensive, or both. A recent survey found that 75 percent of employees plan to stay put through 2027. Even in scientific disciplines that are relatively stable, competition is keen. The life sciences news and job site BioSpace noted in May 2025 that job postings for the first quarter of the year were down compared to 2024, while applications were up and layoffs were still happening. “I say to people, ride out wherever you are as long as you can for now. But don’t just job hug—build skills,” Duncan says. “Find out what the next role would be, what the requirements are, and get some experience in that area.” She recommends taking courses, reading, and connecting with people. If your employer hosts any affinity groups that seem like a fit for you, she adds, join them.

She also recommends considering what you can do in your current role to gain promotability: “What are the things that you need to do to make yourself more visible? Because usually visibility gets you noticed; and getting noticed gets you a promotion. It is kind of simple, but people do not realize that.” For those who are actively seeking work, it may help to expand your sense of what is possible. “Career personality assessments are a great place to start, but it is quite literally just a start,” Briggs says. She recommends reviewing job ads and personnel profiles from companies and LinkedIn. You may come across a role that you never knew was an option. “A lot of the people that I work with have been heavily influenced by peers, by mentors, and by parents in terms of what is deemed a worthy career,” she says. “It is well-meaning, but it can be really detrimental to their exploration process.”

debated, research has found that women are more likely to underestimate their own capabilities, and they are also likely to describe their performance less favorably to potential employers than equally performing men. Keep in mind that if a company lists a series of qualifications in a job description, only a subset of those may be the ones that really matter, Duncan says: “They write 12 criteria, but they are really looking for four.” At the same time, applying to a bunch of jobs indiscriminately to boost your chances of getting a response is a misguided approach, Briggs counsels. A person may get more job offers from a higher volume of applications, but they will not necessarily be the right roles. “My philosophy is, instead of applying for 100 positions a month, put the same amount of time into applying for 15 jobs that you are excited about,” she says. “You will see a big difference in the response rate.” BREAKING THROUGH IN A COMPETITIVE JOB MARKET It is not uncommon for college students to graduate, degree in hand, and still have no idea what they want to do. “People in STEM are different,” Duncan says. “I can ask somebody: ‘Between the ages of 3 and 13, what were you playing, what were you doing, what kind

Duncan also counseled not to let a daunting job description keep you from applying to a role that you think might be a fit. Though some of the statistics are