Past Events   1997

Highlights & Quotes from the Career Conference 1997  

"I have developed a greater sense of what values are important to me in my next job.  

"Very success oriented and self-empowering."  

"I was delighted to discover that there are many others like me going through the same anxieties and uncertainties associated with making a career transition."  

"I found it very easy to talk to people in a conference of (almost) all women."  

"I really liked and appreciated the personal stories that women shared in all the sessions I attended. The honesty was refreshing."  

"The speakers...were superb and so helpful and insightful in sharing their stories."  

"A plethora of career choices, realisms and hands-on information from such knowledgable women that I am proud to have representing us in science."  

"I think it is so great to have this focused day on careers, women and basic scientists - a rare and valuable conference."  

"It (the conference) broadened my knowledge horizen."  

"It was a great networking opportunity for a self-employed person who does not get a lot of opportunities to socialize with colleagues."  

"I really liked the fact that the conference was exclusively for women - it's refreshing and unusual to hear from so many professional women who understand the challenges of being a woman in science."  

"Their (the plenary speakers) personal stories emphasized not only career fitness, but also the experiences along the career path which help us better define who we are as women in science and also the best career decisions for us based on our value systems and personalities."  

"There are so many motivated, intelligent confident women in science. It is uplifting, motivating and awakening for me to see all these people together, sharing their knowledge."  

"I enjoyed the direct, personal, small-group contact. In general, I appreciated the opportunity to be surrounded by and exposed to many successful women scientists. The simple fact that this conference exists is validating!"  

"A nice mix of inspirational and practical nuts and bolts topics."  

"I really enjoyed hearing the people's stories of how their original life plans changed over time."  

"The workshops addressed relevant issues and allowed us to explore career options."  

"I learned about the many opportunities available within science that I had not known before."  

"This was my first time attending a conference such as this and I found it a very empowering experience, talking with other women scientists. The emphasis on values and personal principles, centered in one's life to help with your career was very eye-opening and meaningful."  

Conference Report: A Member's Perspective 

When I first heard about the Career Fitness and Self Reliance conference, I did not think it was necessary for me to attend. As an academic post-doc, I did not see the need to plan now for a career move that, although inevitable, was not in my immediate future. Nevertheless, I decided to go to the conference with the intention of, at best, seeing what's out there and networking. I left the conference knowing that I needed to actively manage my career and develop a strategic plan...starting years ago! The keynote speaker, Betsey Collard of the Career Action Center, stressed the need to be future-focused by anticipating career trends and responding accordingly. A key component of this process is continuous learning and benchmarking skills. As Dr. Whitehouse of the plenary panel stated, be an addictive student...an explorer. Another essential ingredient for career success is, as we all know, networking. Reaching out to share expertise as well as enlisting the help of others is necessary to build valuable relationships and collaborations. Dr. Whitehouse recommends surrounding yourself with talent. Finally, the foundation of a successful career -- and a fulfilling life -- is to know yourself, your best work and your values.  
Taking control of one's career, however, does not necessarily mean that life won't throw you some curve balls. You need to be prepared, but you also need to be flexible. Ms. Collard stated that one can expect to change jobs seven times in an average career lifespan! Certainly all those changes may not be strategically planned in advance. The need to be flexible in response tochange was stressed in one of the workshops I attended, Career Transitions In this workshop, Drs. Joann Petithory and Lynn Murry discussed how they were both in seemingly stable positions as research scientists in industry, but restructuring of their companies eliminated their jobs. Each responded by taking the setback and turning it into an opportunity. (This theme was also reiterated by Dr. Merry Sherman of the plenary panel.) They both took advantage of a new niche for scientists with their training by becoming patent agents in Incyte Pharmaceutical's legal department. They had both the flexibility to make this career transition and the self-knowledge to recognize a new opportunity that suited their skills, interests, and goals. They both also stressed being future-focused, but in a personal way. They advised us to throw away the guilt, the could haves and the should have's and instead, look ahead. This advice may have been the most valuable message I took away from the conference.& Overall, I found the conference to be of immense value, not only because of the connections I made but also because of the way it changed my attitude and perspective on my career and my future. I hope to attend many more in the future!