Science

biomed32

Hi all,

First time posting here but I am looking for advice.

A little about me.
I have a degree in biomedical science and a masters in biotechnology. I cannot register with AMLS as I did not do my biomed degree in DIT/CIT etc.

I have been unemployed for 2 years now and in that time I have done a 9 month jobbridge internship and several courses to improve my skills and gain further skills yet despite this I am getting no return. In essence, working in a scientific related position in Ireland, at entry level or higher is seemingly unattainable.

Beyond this I have been applying for positions Europe wide and in the UK and in the next couple weeks I intend on traveling to the UK to meet up with recruitment agencies and apply for positions.
I would like to know if anyone has done this before, does anyone have any advice dealing with recruitment agencies etc...

I appreciate any help

blindsider

https://www.amls.ie/membership

Membership
In order to work as a Medical Scientist in Ireland, an application must be submitted to the Academy of Medical Laboratory Science (AMLS) for eligibility for membership.

Form 1: Graduates of BSc Biomedical/Medical Science from CIT/UCC, DIT and GMIT.
Form 2: Graduates of Biomedical/Medical laboratory Science degrees from EU and Worldwide
Form 6: Graduates working as Scientists in Irish Clinical Diagnostic Laboratories - minimum two years

I know nothing about this organisation, but this part suggests that you can join....

Where did you study? I presume you can join the AMLS-equivalent where you studied - do AMLS allow transfer of membership etc - many such organisations do....

Re the UK etc - you should be able to do lots of groundwork at home - email and Skype should allow you to have initial discussions - esp. with agencies.

Location: London is expensive and you may well have a longer commute - a decent airport for trips home might be worth considering - but see where the opportunities are first.

Dingle_berry

blindsider wrote: »

... but this part suggests that you can join....

Where did you study? I presume you can join the AMLS-equivalent where you studied - do AMLS allow transfer of membership etc - many such organisations do.....

All the routes to membership of the AMLS are outlined in its "pathways to membership" document. The difference between the DIT & UCC biomed degree versus "biomed" degrees like maynooths are the subjects studied. Non AMLS recognised degrees don't have enough clinical biochem, haematology, transfusion, immunology, microbiology or histology. So people with life science degrees would need to study these at undergrad level in DIT or UU.

I'm not sure of the ways of becoming a member of the IBMS, the UK version of the AMLS. The irish qualifications are more academic though, so membership of one organisation does not equate to membership of another.

Something else that may interest you is the Clinical Scientist profession, it only exists in the NHS though.

GGirl2010

hi guys i have a biotechnology degree level 8 going out of date two years and counting with no experience attained. I am finding it hard to get paid work or even jobbridge internships at the rate i am not sure what to do now to get any job

Wanderer2010

There are tonnes and tonnes of QC analyst jobs all around Ireland, are you sure you are not being a bit too picky? It may not be fully related to your field but you are not going to walk into a job thats 100% related to your field and interesting and exciting. At least a QC job may give you that valuable experience so you can try and branch out?

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Leave the country. The problem is that a lot of people with phds are applying for the same jobs you are going for due to the shortage of jobs.

Wanderer2010

There is a common perception that phD or masters science graduates can walk into a job and get a pay rise within a year, be promoted after a few months, have all their ideas taken on board and have lots of perks. Having worked (in a roundabout way) in the industry for a very long time now, let me tell you thats not the case at all. Employers just want someone who can mix in well and put in the hours and do the job they are paid to do. No fancy ideas, no brainstorming or phds will change their minds. If you want to continue having an interesting science career AND making money, be a lecturer. Otherwise, drop all airs and graces and start from the bottom.

GGirl2010

em yeah there are lots of QC jobs out there alright but they require at least 1-2 years work experience in industry... and leaving the country im not sure is the right thing to do i mean all other countries are having the same problem plus i dont have any experience what so ever. Becoming a lecture doesnt appeal to me

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Becoming a lecturer is probably the most difficult science career path so good thing it doesn't appeal to you. Could try for research assistant jobs in universities and it's to try get some experience.

GGirl2010

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

Becoming a lecturer is probably the most difficult science career path so good thing it doesn't appeal to you. Could try for research assistant jobs in universities and it's to try get some experience.

yeah well im not piky i will take anything yeah i have tried for some of those kind of jobs and no luck i just think the whole system is corrupt and the whole experience thing for grads is a joke.

GGirl2010

biomed32 wrote: »

Hi all,

First time posting here but I am looking for advice.

A little about me.
I have a degree in biomedical science and a masters in biotechnology. I cannot register with AMLS as I did not do my biomed degree in DIT/CIT etc.

I have been unemployed for 2 years now and in that time I have done a 9 month jobbridge internship and several courses to improve my skills and gain further skills yet despite this I am getting no return. In essence, working in a scientific related position in Ireland, at entry level or higher is seemingly unattainable.

Beyond this I have been applying for positions Europe wide and in the UK and in the next couple weeks I intend on traveling to the UK to meet up with recruitment agencies and apply for positions.
I would like to know if anyone has done this before, does anyone have any advice dealing with recruitment agencies etc...

I appreciate any help

hi biomed hows things? did you go to the uk to the recruitment agencies? how did you get on ?? im finding it hard to get work in dublin

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Work is scarce in Dublin I think. Abroad is where it's at.

GGirl2010

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

Work is scarce in Dublin I think. Abroad is where it's at.

work is scarce everywhere , plus i wont get work without having any experience under my belt.

Tarzana2

Work isn't half as scarce in the UK as it is here. Their unemployment rate is less than half of what Ireland's is. You seem to be looking for advice but not wanting to take any of it on board! I graduated with a biology degree in 2009 and immediately set my sights on the UK. It took me six months but I found a great entry level position.

Tarzana2

Oh and I had not a jot of experience.

GGirl2010

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Oh and I had not a jot of experience.

hey oh thats cool very good congrats, yeah i mean i have been applying to the uk for jobs but i get no feedback do you know any sites for me to look up ? i know there is reed

shaz90ish

If you are interested in clinical work, my advice to you would be to apply via the NHS jobs website or to hospitals directly as a permanent member of staff. Hospitals are more likely to take someone with less or no experience directly.

GGirl2010

shaz90ish wrote: »

If you are interested in clinical work, my advice to you would be to apply via the NHS jobs website or to hospitals directly as a permanent member of staff. Hospitals are more likely to take someone with less or no experience directly.

ok thanks. do you have to be in the uk to apply ? or is being in ireland ok ?

shaz90ish

you can apply from ireland . there are few trainee medical scientist positions available in the NHS website too where you can get it without experience. The only requirement is HCPC registration

GGirl2010

shaz90ish wrote: »

you can apply from ireland . there are few trainee medical scientist positions available in the NHS website too where you can get it without experience. The only requirement is HCPC registration

oh ok thanks for that.I presume a degree is required? whats is HCPC? i registered there with NHS

shaz90ish

If its for a medical scientist position, then a Biomedical Science degree is required. Health care Professions council HCPC registration is required for a medical scientist position. Although working as a lab aide need not have this registration. SO maybe start off as a lab aide would be ideal

GGirl2010

shaz90ish wrote: »

If its for a medical scientist position, then a Biomedical Science degree is required. Health care Professions council HCPC registration is required for a medical scientist position. Although working as a lab aide need not have this registration. SO maybe start off as a lab aide would be ideal

ah ok thanks.I applied to a job on the NHS there.Do you work in ireland? or uk?

Tarzana2

Yeah, NHS jobs was where I found mine. The New Scientist website is great for job listings too. Really put effort into your applications and highlight relevant modules and research project skills.

GGirl2010

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Yeah, NHS jobs was where I found mine. The New Scientist website is great for job listings too. Really put effort into your applications and highlight relevant modules and research project skills.

do they skype interview you or call you over for an interview. I applied to a job on the NHS ill apply to more. Is it competitive loads of people applying?

Diziet

How many jobs have you actually applied for? You should reckon on needing many applications, easily a couple of hundred. It is pretty much a full tine job, looking for work.

GGirl2010

Diziet wrote: »

How many jobs have you actually applied for? You should reckon on needing many applications, easily a couple of hundred. It is pretty much a full tine job, looking for work.

yeah i know its alot of work !!!

Tarzana2

GGirl2010 wrote: »

do they skype interview you or call you over for an interview. I applied to a job on the NHS ill apply to more. Is it competitive loads of people applying?

I travelled for the interview. Travel and accommodation costs within the UK were refunded, the flights into and out of the country weren't. There were 2 positions going, 90 people applied and 13 were interviewed.

GGirl2010

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I travelled for the interview. Travel and accommodation costs within the UK were refunded, the flights into and out of the country weren't. There were 2 positions going, 90 people applied and 13 were interviewed.

hi Tarzana2 oh very good you must be very good then so.congrats.. they only pick the best people. Im not great at interviews i mean i will tell them all about my skills within college and the industry work i did not in science in retail but thats is im not sure what to expect in interviews.

GGirl2010

after applying to the NHS do they reply to you after a week? or a few weeks?

Diziet

If you are unsure of how to handle interviews, then you need to prepare. I would highly recommend this book, not only for interview prep, but also fir job hunting strategies. I have used it myself and recommended it to several people who started getting interviews after putting the ideas in practice.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Answers-Tough-Interview-Questions/dp/074947145X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418503578&sr=1-1&keywords=martin+john+yate

And understand that new graduates cone without experience. You are going for entry level jobs, so don't waste time bemoaning the fact you don't have experience. Can you offer your services for free to a lab while you are looking, to get some exposure to the work environment?

GGirl2010

Diziet wrote: »

If you are unsure of how to handle interviews, then you need to prepare. I would highly recommend this book, not only for interview prep, but also fir job hunting strategies. I have used it myself and recommended it to several people who started getting interviews after putting the ideas in practice.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Answers-Tough-Interview-Questions/dp/074947145X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418503578&sr=1-1&keywords=martin+john+yate

And understand that new graduates cone without experience. You are going for entry level jobs, so don't waste time bemoaning the fact you don't have experience. Can you offer your services for free to a lab while you are looking, to get some exposure to the work environment?

thanks for that i will be sure to check that book out. Yeah i have looked for volunteering work on some pharmaceutical companies and not many offer free work.I have applied to some free work in the past and i got no feedback.

Diziet

Companies don't advertise free work, you find a good contact, call them and ask. Smaller companies would generally be more amenable that large ones. The thing is to continuously work on things to get you closer to your goal.

Tarzana2

GGirl2010 wrote: »

after applying to the NHS do they reply to you after a week? or a few weeks?

When I applied, they said that if you didn't hear within six weeks, you hadn't been sucessful. So I didn't hear in that timeframe and so just forgot about it. But I got called to interview at the seven weeks mark. So, it's a just a guideline really.

My interview was terrible, stumbling over words, inarticulacy. Know what saved me? I did a tonne of research before the interview and was able to talk (nervously) about that in the interview. They were visibly impressed.

GGirl2010

Tarzana2 wrote: »

When I applied, they said that if you didn't hear within six weeks, you hadn't been sucessful. So I didn't hear in that timeframe and so just forgot about it. But I got called to interview at the seven weeks mark. So, it's a just a guideline really.

My interview was terrible, stumbling over words, inarticulacy. Know what saved me? I did a tonne of research before the interview and was able to talk (nervously) about that in the interview. They were visibly impressed.

ah ok six weeks gothcha. research on the job spec itself the key skills and what you have to offer . It doesnt tell you the name of the company though i think its the barthrust hospital.

GGirl2010

biomed32 wrote: »

Hi all,

First time posting here but I am looking for advice.

A little about me.
I have a degree in biomedical science and a masters in biotechnology. I cannot register with AMLS as I did not do my biomed degree in DIT/CIT etc.

I have been unemployed for 2 years now and in that time I have done a 9 month jobbridge internship and several courses to improve my skills and gain further skills yet despite this I am getting no return. In essence, working in a scientific related position in Ireland, at entry level or higher is seemingly unattainable.

Beyond this I have been applying for positions Europe wide and in the UK and in the next couple weeks I intend on traveling to the UK to meet up with recruitment agencies and apply for positions.
I would like to know if anyone has done this before, does anyone have any advice dealing with recruitment agencies etc...

I appreciate any help

hi Biomed did you apply to the NHS? did you meet with UK recruitment agencies?

GGirl2010

would the fact that i have not been working in the last two years effect my chances of getting work ?? i mean its not good that i have not been working . although i have done an upskilling course in science which brings me up to the end of 2014.

Diziet

GGirl2010 wrote: »

would the fact that i have not been working in the last two years effect my chances of getting work ?? i mean its not good that i have not been working . although i have done an upskilling course in science which brings me up to the end of 2014.

Affect, not effect :-)
I would suggest that you look to the future rather than fret about the past. Employers want people who will do a good job and fit in to the team. Concentrate your efforts on demonstrating these qualities and forget about the fact that you have not worked. Show that you used your time constructively.
I am not trying to be unkind, because I know how hard it is to get work, but I can't help feeling that you have to work on your negativity. You seem to be putting the brakes on your job search rather than just getting on with it full pelt. There is nothing to lose by going all out, applying to hundreds of jobs and continuously reviewing your approach. Even seasoned professionals do that, you should do the same.

shaz90ish

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I travelled for the interview. Travel and accommodation costs within the UK were refunded, the flights into and out of the country weren't. There were 2 positions going, 90 people applied and 13 were interviewed.

Hi Tarzana2, are you working as a medical scientist or medical lab aide? its just that, i have an interview on the 15th as a NHS medical lab aide in Bangor, Wales. I was just wondering what kinda questions do they ask and thats surprising that the travel and accommodation costs within UK were refunded. Who refunds for the travel and accomm. costs within the UK?

shaz90ish

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I travelled for the interview. Travel and accommodation costs within the UK were refunded, the flights into and out of the country weren't. There were 2 positions going, 90 people applied and 13 were interviewed.

Hi Tarzana2, are you working as a medical scientist or medical lab aide? its just that, i have an interview on the 15th as a NHS medical lab aide in Bangor, Wales. I was just wondering what kinda questions do they ask and thats surprising that the travel and accommodation costs within UK were refunded. Who refunds the travel and accomm. costs within the UK?

Tarzana2

shaz90ish wrote: »

Hi Tarzana2, are you working as a medical scientist or medical lab aide? its just that, i have an interview on the 15th as a NHS medical lab aide in Bangor, Wales. I was just wondering what kinda questions do they ask and thats surprising that the travel and accommodation costs within UK were refunded. Who refunds the travel and accomm. costs within the UK?

No longer in science but worked in QC.

The NHS scores each answer and the person who scores highest... wins!

So, have all your answers prepared for the stock interview questions (What's your greatest weakness, tell us of a time when you showed leadership, 5 year plan). They ask all those.

But more crucially, do your research! Find out as much as you can about the job, read the spec thoroughly, talk to someone who works in the field. This will set you apart from the rest.

I think I was told before the interview that I'd be partially reimbursed. It's five years ago now (yikes!) so perhaps things have changed on that score. I'd be reluctant to enquire about it myself, don't want to rock the boat. I was just told, I didn't ask.

The very best of luck.