From Pipettes to Pen :What was the one lesson your career journey taught you ?

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Being a biotechnology student, I always thought that my career would revolve around labs only. I wasn’t aware of a career beyond that.

After postgraduation, the struggle of finding a job was beyond expectation. From attending interviews, optimizing CV for every job role, rejection mail, to upskilling myself through platforms.

The realization hit hard.

This isn’t the era of just education. Graduation alone won’t guarantee a job.

Skills matter the most. Not just listing the skills on a resume, if you have the real proof of your skills, A portfolio, project that can demonstrate your skill matters. At the same time, the pressure of hearing, “‘stop looking for jobs in your subject, switch to some other jobs’”. The fear of whether your first job will define your entire career path?

And switching to writing wasn’t easy. I had to constantly explain “how it works” as either the question of whether there is a career like that, or “won’t AI do that job?”

At the same time, there were plenty of institutes offering different upskilling courses with the promise of placements. While some just end up as the 10th bullet point in the certificate section.

But, all along, I learnt some lessons:

Consistency, to show up no matter how it goes.

If you find no opportunity, create one for yourself. Showcase your skills.

Career building need not always be a straight line.

The path may not be as smooth as we imagine, but it’s worth every effort.

What is the most valuable lesson you learned while building your career?

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This resonates so deeply, @Akshaya! The pressure to think that a medical or scientific career is a straight line from lab to clinic is immense. Realising that clinical knowledge can be translated into data analysis, AI training, or healthcare communication is incredibly freeing. Like you said, creating your own opportunities when the traditional path stalls is the ultimate career skill.

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skills open doors, but consistency keeps them open

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I think many can relate to the article. The traditional job route has limited options but now there are other jobs which are remote and more convenient. Keeping yourself open to opportunities is the way ahead !

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Many traditional jobs like medical fields have isolated themselves with only clinical roles, but because of awareness it is changing and people are considering more roles

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The thing I learnt the hard way across my career was, “you give it all and it gives you back.” Whatever you do, from rerouting to completely changing the path, consistency and dedication goes along it.

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Very relatable! One lesson I’ve learned is that career growth is rarely a straight line. Skills, persistence, and the willingness to keep learning often matter just as much as formal qualifications. Thanks for sharing your journey.

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This resonated with me. I agree a degree does not guarantee a job but learning new skills do.

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A thoughtful post. The biggest lesson for me has been that skills and persistence open more doors than qualifications alone. Growth takes time, but every experience teaches something valuable.

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