Hosted by Lumanity
This fall, we will be featuring blog posts written by PhD students who participated in Career Services’ Career Exploration Fellowship (CEF), a program that helps doctoral candidates explore their career interests through networking opportunities with advanced degree professionals. Click here to learn more about CEF.
Describe your experience working with your host.
I’m grateful to have been matched with Dr. Varun Bahl, Senior Associate Consultant at Lumanity. His attentive nature was evident from our first meeting. It was clear that he wanted to understand how best to make this a fulfilling experience for me, and he did just that. He introduced me to various colleagues of his for my informational interviews, and met with me on a biweekly basis to discuss my takeaway from those conversations. Additionally, Varun and Dr. Camille Syrett, another host from Lumanity, came up with a small project for us fellows to work on, which gave me a deeper insight into the type of work life science consultants do. I couldn’t have asked for a better host!
What did you learn from this opportunity (about yourself, potential career fields, the job search, etc.)?
By talking with multiple consultants from different backgrounds, I walked away with invaluable insights into consulting as a career path, including the skills and aptitudes needed to succeed in the field. I also gained a better understanding of a “day in the life” of life science consultants, and how it might differ from that of consultants working in more general firms.
How did your CEF experience benefit your future career plans?
I came into the CEF program considering consulting as a career path post-PhD. Thus, this experience provided a clearer picture of how I see myself fitting in the field, thereby further informing my pursuit of a consulting career while expanding my professional network in that realm.
What was the most valuable part of your CEF experience?
Having the chance to work on a project was the most valuable part of my CEF experience. Talking to people who currently work in the field was undoubtedly helpful, but the project gave me a firsthand look at how the skills I’ve gained during my doctoral training may be applied to the field, and whether I see myself enjoying this type of work.
Top reason PhD students should apply to CEF?
As PhD students, we sometimes aren’t sure of career paths available to us, or if a career is the right fit for us. With the wealth of institutions participating as hosts, the CEF is a tremendous opportunity to address both scenarios while growing professionally.
