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Femme Fatale Guide: How To Discover & Build Your Dream Career

Finding a career you love comes down to finding one that combines your interests, natural skillsets, and a lifestyle you enjoy or can at least sustain (i.e. not everyone is cut out for long investment banking hours, highly social PR or sales jobs, or unpredictability of being a freelancer or real estate agent). 

Make the following lists to mind-map to help you strategize and discover your ideal career choice/path: 

Industries and areas of study that interest you: Do you enjoy art, fashion, beauty, architecture, science and medicine, philosophy, politics, TV/film, or sports? 

Hobbies that give you energy and would love to do, even for free: Do you enjoy organizing or designing a space, personal styling, creating social media content, reading case studies, producing short films, designing new buildings or prototypes, performing experiments, reading, writing? 

What are your natural skillsets: Do you have a natural knack for the art of debating, case-building or influencing, interpersonal and communication skills, writing, math and numerical modeling, data analysis, storytelling, strategizing, organization, empathizing, or public speaking? Think about your greatest strengths. Pick the top 1-3 that come to mind – ask a friend, family member, co-worker, or mentor for additional insight.  

Consider your personality type and ideal lifestyle: Are you more introverted or extroverted? Would you rather most of your time on independent, client-facing, or group work? Do you care about having flexible hours or prefer working more at certain times of the day or year? Do you value tapping into your creative or analytical side with your work? How much socializing do you enjoy on a professional basis? Does work-life balance matter to you – dependent or not dependent on your salary? Does admin work bother you, or do you prefer the ease of these tasks throughout the day? Are you more of a big-picture or a detail-oriented person? 

If you’re seeking to switch career paths due to one of these factors (dive into a new industry, functional role, workflow, or different lifestyle), make a list of the interests, skillsets, and routines you need to acquire or learn more about to work towards this transition.

If you’re feeling particularly inspired, get even more strategic and create another list of the interests, skillsets, and routines needed to perform your current role. Compare them side-by-side to create an elevator pitch for job interviews and a game plan to most successfully transition into this job/career path change. 

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“Every patient you see is a lesson in much more than the malady from which he suffers.”

— William Osler M.D., Aequanimitas “The Student Life” 1914:425.

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I would like to go to the seaside and just sit quietly

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He he

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Doing the same thing over & over again & expecting a different result. (x)

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real examples of job interview questions from my boss:

three years ago, when I interviewed for my current job, questions came from a long list that my boss had written himself. I found that list recently and trimmed it down to what I believe are the hardest/trickiest questions to answer so that maybe you guys can think on them and be prepared for your next job interview! best of luck!!

please describe for me a typical day on your past/current job

why did you leave your last job?

how do your previous work experiences prepare you for this position?

give me an example from your current/past job that demonstrates your persistence.

how do you organize yourself for day-to-day activities?

when you are assigned to work with new people, how do you go about getting to know them and how they work?

what type of person is the hardest for you to get along with?

how do you handle conflicts, like with a co-worker or boss? how do you resolve them?

how would you define a conductive work atmosphere?

what do you want out of a job?

what makes a job enjoyable for you?

what is your greatest strength? worst deficiency?

how do you take direction?

what do you do when things are slow at work?

what do you do when you’re having trouble solving a problem?

what kinds of decisions do you find particularly hard to make?

why is it important to prioritize?

why do you think you’ll be successful in this job?

what are your goals - both short term and long term?

how do you cope with the inevitable stresses and pressures of the job?

what kinds of things would you want to avoid in future jobs?

what reservations do you have about working here?

what ways do you find work interferes with your personal life?

define cooperation.

how can we best reward you for doing a good job?

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The glorification of an unhealthy work/life balance is robbing us of ouf time. ⏰

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THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME OMG MAKE IT STOP IM DROWNING IN WORK. I LOVE IT, BUT STILL

new project

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When talking to the veteran programmers at work

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There are LOTS of errors that can be made in a hospital. Fortunately, at every step of the way, there are people that can prevent it. In the Swiss Cheese Model (This is real! Look it up!), barriers against mistakes are represented as cheese slices. This is especially relevant in medical training, where mistakes (harm to patients) are prevented by having series of residents, attendings, nurses, pharmacies, etc.

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hi! would you be able to post some of the advice you learned regarding literature reviews (and searching for papers) when you get a chance? thank you so much!

Yes, definitely! I'll mostly provide links to other resources - I've found that a big part of learning how to do lit reviews is knowing that certain things exist and then figuring out how to do those things when you need them. If anyone else wants to add info or clarifications to this post, please feel free to do so!

First of all, I'd recommend using a citation manager to keep track of papers. I use Mendeley, but I've heard Zotero is good too. From what I understand, unless you're looking for a citation manager with specific features (could be worth googling which one is best suited to your discipline), the best one to use is the one you are comfortable using/are already using.

Mendeley has guides here on how to use their program.

I added the Google Chrome browser extension so I can save papers to folders as I'm searching. Mendeley is free, you can save papers and references to specific folders, change the citation style (always double-check tho b/c it pulls whatever info it can find), and I can log into my account on other computers. When you do save papers, I always like to check that the citations are formatted properly with all the correct info, otherwise, I find myself going back later to find a piece of info that was missed which can take up a lot of time when you have many references. As well, you can highlight text and add comments to pdfs in Mendeley which is super useful!

Here are some good resources below for conducting literature reviews:

Academic Phrasebank (University of Manchester) Super helpful during the writing phase of your lit review.

Boolean Operators and Nesting (Library of Congress) 

Graduate Writing Workshops: Literature Review (Purdue Online Writing Lab)

Literature Reviews: Getting Started (University of British Columbia) 

Systematic Literature Reviews (University of British Columbia) I haven't done a systematic literature review yet, but it does differ from a typical lit review and you'll really need to know what you're doing before you start. 

Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review (PLoS) 

The Literature Review: A few tips on conducting it (University of Toronto Writing Centre)

Writing a Literature Review (Queensland University of Technology)

I'll add a few specific things I learned that have made my life easier. I'd recommend checking out the resources I mentioned for specific instructions on how to do these things.

Learn how to use Boolean operators. I knew how to use AND and OR in my searches but there's so much more you can do (I’m still learning so I’m not going to elaborate too much on this, but there are some really good resources out there).

If you use any of the EBSCO databases (I usually use PsycInfo for example), there's a thesaurus of terms for each database (check at the top of the page). This makes it so much easier to see exactly how things are categorized in the database.

If you find a good/relevant paper, check out the studies they cited and who cited their paper. I find using Google Scholar, searching for the paper, and then clicking "cited by" to be the easiest way to do this. This is especially useful if you're trying to identify a knowledge gap.

Make an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of papers (do this as you go). I always have columns for the title, authors, year, and abstract (makes it easier to find the paper you're looking for later). Beyond this, it depends on how detailed you want to be. You could have just one column where you type out a few notes about each study. Alternatively, you could have columns for things such as population studied, experimental design, specific methods/techniques, if they included specific variables, a summary of the main results, etc. This really depends on the focus of your lit review, but it’s always better to include more info than you need rather than adding info later.

It’s also useful to keep track of which search terms you’re using. If you go back to searching for papers another day, you might forget exactly what you searched for already. You can include the search terms in your spreadsheet or just create a separate document.

It takes practice to figure out the right search terms/keywords. You don't want to go too narrow, but searching broadly may yield way more results than you need (or might be irrelevant). It can be helpful to talk to someone else in your lab/field about what keywords to use in your search.

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20 Common Interview Questions, What They Really Mean, and How to Smartly Answer Them

This is a sheet given to me by my college’s business department and I thought it was helpful so I’ve typed it up fr you guys. All credits to my college business department.

1. Tell me about yourself. What it means: What are your career goals for the next 1-3 years/5-10 years?

This question might come in different forms, but it is the most often asked question in interviews, especially at the start.  Have a short statement prepared that describes a little about your past, a lot about your present, and a little about your future that essentially answers the question, “Why are we sitting across from each other and talking today?” Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed and be sure you sound excited about the opportunity and fully engaged.  Limit your answer to relevance with the interview. Talk about things you have done that relate to the position you are interviewing for and show strategy in your thinking that led you to this interview.  Start with the item farthest back, work up to the present and touch on the future. Let the recruiter know how this position ties into the career map you have planned. Set the footing to shift from a mundane interview into impactful dialogue.

2. How did you choose this line of work? 

They are looking for people who are strategic and apply critical thinking to decisions. Have a good answer ready, showing passion for the field.

3. Why did you leave your last job? or Why do you want to leave your job? or What did you enjoy/not enjoy about your last job? 

Stay positive regardless of the circumstances.  Don’t refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the company.  If you do, you will be sullied.  Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a hopeful, forward-looking reason (i.e. chance to make an impact, use skills, etc.).

4. What experience do you have in this field? or Why should we hire you? or Give me an example from your experience or education that shows your readiness for this role. 

Speak about specifics that relate to the position for which you are applying.  If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can (aka make it up). It is critical that you prepare by unpacking your brain, and know how to tie your experiences/skills to the position description. Give them your best pitch and smile!

5. What do co-workers/former employers say about you? 

Be prepared with a quote or two.  Either a specific statement or a paraphrase will work.  “Jamal Clark, a colleague at Smith Company, always said I was the hardest worker he’d ever known.” It is as powerful as Jamal saying it at the interview himself. Trouble answering this? Ask former colleagues and professional friends for their opinions!

6. What do you know about our firm? or Why do you want to work for us? Or Why do you want the job? 

These questions are the primary reason to do research on the organization before the interview.  Find out where they have been and where they are going.  What are the current issues? Who are the major players? Can you get behind their mission? Crucial research includes reviewing their “About Us” webpages, googling current events where they were involved, and looking on Glassdoor.com to get the scoop on positive things their employees are saying. This takes thought and should be based on the research you have done on the organization as a whole plus a mention of the specific position. Know that job description very well! Sincerity is extremely important. Relate response to long-term career goals. A flat answer here may end the interview, so be prepared.

7. What kind of salary do you need? 

It’s a loaded question and a thorny game that you will probably lose if you answer first.  So, try not to answer it. Instead, consider discussing how the experience this opportunity offers is the main compensation you are seeking. Or, if you want the conversation to unfold, try, “What is the pay range someone with my skill set and degree could expect for this position?” In some cases, the interviewer will tell you.  If not, say that it can depend on the details of the job and ask if you can discuss at a later stage in the interviewing process so you more fully understand the responsibilities of the position. If the interviewer presses, be sure you have done your research on appropriate salaries and give a $7k pay range that makes sense for your lifestyle, your experience, your location, and the position. Use salary.com, Glassdoor.com and Bureau of Labor Statistics to do your research.

8. Provide an example of your ability to think quickly and clearly on your feet. 

Companies are looking for innovative thinkers who do not need to be coddled and who truly are up to the challenges of business, most of which require timely, analytical, and creative people. Have a robust STAR** story ready to address this question.

9. Tell me about a time when you helped get a team focused and led them to success. 

You are, of course, a team player, right? Be sure to have examples ready: specific stories that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for personal success are good evidence of your team attitude.  Do not brag; just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point. Use the STAR** method to stay focused and provide a thorough reply.

10. Are you applying for other jobs? 

Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area.  Keep the focus on this job and what you can do for this organization.  Anything else is a distraction.

11. Have you ever been asked to leave a position? I

f you have not, say no.  If you have, be honest, be brief and avoid saying negative things about yourself, the people or organization involved. Find the positive spin.

12. What is your greatest strength? Follow Up: Tell me about a time when this professional strength made the difference between success and failure. 

Numerous answers are good, just stay optimistic and truthful.  A few good examples: ability to prioritize, work under pressure, solve problems or focus on projects, perhaps professional expertise, leadership skills, positive attitude, reporting skills… but be able to prove your reply with a STAR** story.

13. What kind of person would you refuse to work with? 

Do not be trivial. It should take disloyalty to the organization, violence, or criminal behavior to get you to refuse to work with a colleague.  Minor objections may label you as a whiner. If the version of this question is, “What type of person do you prefer not to work with?”, again don’t be trivial, lengthy, or negative. Focus on discussing your ability to work well with just about anyone.

14. Tell me about a time when you had an idea to improve a process. 

They are looking to see that you can (a) take enough ownership to even think about improvements, (b) think creatively and challenge norms, © present enhancements to others with emotionally intelligence, and (d) consider risks of change. Have a great STAR** story!

15. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor. 

This is a test - If you fall for it and start tearing up an old boss, you failed. Stay positive and either reply that you have not had any trouble with a supervisor if that’s the case, or provide a short STAR** story about how you constructively worked to solve the issue and how your relationship was strengthened as a result. Focus on the happy result!

16. What motivates you to do your best on the job? or What do you expect from your employer?

This is personal - be accurate and honest, yet relevant to the job - but examples for motivation are: Challenge, Achievement, Recognition, Positive Impact, Helping Others. For expectations, you can discuss motivation first and then add something like, “I expect that my employer will communicate her needs clearly so I can drive toward strong results.” Add anything you deem fitting here, but avoid coming off as entitled or high maintenance.

17. Do you have any blind spots or weaknesses? 

Tricky question - Do not reveal personal areas of concern but focus on how you want to grow professionally. In discussing weakness, focus on the BUT, i.e. “In the past I have put a lot of pressure on myself, but I have been overcoming that as my skills sharpen and challenges lessen.”

18. Tell me about a time that you had to analyze several solutions to make a sound decision. 

This question dives into the ability to create a framework for strategic thinking and proves you have a set process to make good decisions. Tell a STAR** story where the situation is not simple and you can give specifics on the pros and cons assessed, the sources of information tapped into, the info gathered, and insights made to come to a conclusion.

19. How do you stay organized? 

Attending to details, planning, organizing, and prioritizing work takes skill. Talk about how you manage your life or work using specific methods, as well as tools you use. You can even provide a STAR** story that speaks to how these qualities led to a success at some point in your life, career, or education.

20. What questions do you have for me? 

Interviews should go both ways. Have about 5 good questions ready to ask so you can gather the information you need to make a well-informed decision. These questions should be informational in nature and allow you to understand the position and company better while reinforcing your interest and enthusiasm. This is not a good time to talk about benefits, pay, etc. That info will come in time.

**The STAR Technique is a way to frame answers to behavioral questions in an organized manner that will give the interviewer the most information about your past experience. (This is the part where the paper says to have at least 10 of these ready but I think that’s insane. Have a couple and be prepared to tweak them based on the question. Don’t use the same few for the same interview. i’d say having about 3-5 ready is good enough.) As you prepare to answer each question, organize your response for clarity by answering each of the following components of the STAR technique:

What was the Situation in which you were involved?

What was the Task you needed to accomplish?

What Actions did you take?

What Results did you achieve?

IMPORTANT TIPS: Give a good amount of detail to paint a very clear picture at each step, focus on YOU versus the group, and if the Result wasn’t very positive or does not place you in a great light, that it is not interview material!