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DoD Prioritizes Mental Health Support and Dispels Security Clearance Misconceptions

Many defense professionals fear that seeking professional assistance for a mental health concern could negatively impact their careers or harm their ability to gain or maintain a security clearance. Often, this is based on a long-standing stigma related to mental health conditions, as well as specific questions many encounter when attempting to get a security clearance. Fortunately, the Department of Defense (DoD) is taking significant strides to prioritize the mental health of its personnel. However, even with a progressive shift, there remains a persistent web of myths surrounding the impact of mental health care on security clearances. If you’re concerned that seeking mental health care could harm your defense career, here’s what you need to know. DoD's Proactive Mental Health Approach The DoD has long touted the importance of mental health care for defense professionals and military members. Recently, the DoD went further than it had before, releasing DoD Instruction 6490.08. In the ......

Writing a Winning Cleared Resume

As a defense professional looking for opportunities in the cleared job market, having a compelling resume is essential. Without a strong application, you’ll struggle to catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. Plus, a less-than-stellar resume could cause you to leave money on the table when it’s time to negotiate your salary, as you won’t have showcased your capabilities in an ideal fashion. Fortunately, whipping your resume into shape isn’t as challenging as it seems. If you want to write a winning cleared resume, here are some tips to get you moving in the right direction. Why Less Is More In crafting a cleared resume, it's essential to prioritize quality over quantity. A concise resume allows you to highlight your most relevant experience and skills without overwhelming the recruiter or hiring manager reviewing your application. Focus on recent, pertinent roles and any corresponding achievements that align with the job you're targeting. This ......

Fierce Growth Projected in the Radiopharmaceutical Market

Currently, the radiopharmaceuticals market is expanding rapidly. Advancements in science, an aging population, and higher rates of cancer are all playing a role in the equation, and companies looking to assist those in need have ample opportunities to expand. Here’s a look at the radiopharmaceuticals market, including its projected growth, what’s spurring the rise in interest, and more. Numbers and Projections While radiopharmaceuticals is a relatively new life sciences field, it’s attracted a significant amount of attention. Ultimately, the possible applications have considerable potential in the world of healthcare, and that’s spurring rapid growth. The radiopharmaceuticals market has been trending upward. Between 2017 and 2022, the market went from $3.9 billion to $5.2 billion. Based on a predicted compounded annual growth rate of 10.2 percent, it’s set to cross $13.67 billion by 2032. Cancer, Aging, and Radiopharmaceuticals As mentioned previously, part of what’s spurring growth in the radiopharmaceuticals market is rising occurrences of ......

How Effective Is Your Elevator Pitch?

As a defense professional, having an effective elevator pitch can help you expand your network, connect with different audiences, and even secure new job opportunities. In the simplest sense, an elevator pitch is a rapid-fire introduction, allowing you to showcase the best of what you have to offer in no more than the time it takes to complete a typical elevator ride. That way, you make a powerful first impression with about 30 seconds of conversation. Developing an effective elevator pitch and using it wisely aren’t as challenging as they seem. If you want to ensure you’re making the most of your elevator pitch as a defense professional, here’s what you need to know. Elevator Pitches Beyond Elevators While using your elevator pitch during an elevator ride is a classic option, you can deploy the technique in far more situations. It’s an excellent way to introduce yourself to recruiters during job fairs. Your ......

A Three-Level Approach to Assessing Your Next Move

As a life science professional, keeping your career on target can often mean having to find new job opportunities on occasion. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy or intuitive to figure out whether it’s the right time to make a move. That’s why you need a reliable strategy. In many cases, using a three-level approach makes assessing whether it’s time for a change simpler. Here’s an overview of the points you want to consider when deciding if now is the perfect moment to find a new position. Evaluating Your Company's Future One of the first things you want to factor into the equation is your current employer’s future. Is the company financially stable? Is it embracing trends and technologies that will keep it relevant? Are there any challenges that could derail its ability to meet goals and remain profitable long-term? Do the company leaders or department managers have the know-how and experience necessary to ......

Making Recruiter Introductions: Your Gateway to Dream Jobs

For defense professionals actively seeking out new employment opportunities (or those who may do so in the near future), connecting with recruiters is an excellent move. Recruiters can help you gain access to more opportunities in the defense sector. Plus, they often serve as your advocate, actively marketing you to defense industry employers to open doors. The trickiest part about connecting with recruiters is often introducing yourself effectively. Fortunately, with the right strategy, you can get it right every time. If you’re a defense candidate looking for a gateway to your dream job, here’s a look at how to make recruiter introductions. Strategic Messaging When you first reach out to a recruiter, being direct and value-oriented is essential. Vague requests aren’t going to catch a recruiter’s attention. Similarly, focusing solely on what you’re after – and not what you have to offer – isn’t going to work well. Instead, you want to present ......

Daily Habits to Boost Your Brain

Life science professionals need to rely on their mental faculties to succeed in their roles, which is why staying sharp is essentially a must. While you likely face your fair share of intellectual challenges on the job, embracing daily habits that help you think in different ways, gather new information, and otherwise boost your capabilities is wise. By doing so, you ensure that you’re at the top of your game, and that can benefit your career. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some daily habits life science professionals should try. Daily Dose of Knowledge For many professionals, finding time for in-depth studying every day (or even every week) isn’t practical. Fortunately, you can use another strategy instead. Reading news stories, checking out articles from your favorite industry publications, or listening to debates on current topics taking the life science sector by storm can all work well. The benefit of this ......

Steering Clear of Common Job Search Mistakes

Many defense professionals want to start the new year off with a new position, causing them to launch a job search. While seeking out opportunities may seem simple on the surface, small missteps along the way can cost you opportunities. If you want to ensure your career success and find a new defense sector role quickly, here are some common job search mistakes you want to avoid. Maintain Communication One of the biggest missteps candidates make is not maintaining open lines of communication with their employer. In an era where “ghosting” is surprisingly common, gaps in communication may leave your recruiter assuming you’re no longer seeking out positions, causing them to focus their energies on other job seekers. Even if that doesn’t occur, they may worry that you’re unreliable or flitty, and that doesn’t work in your favor either. When you connect with a recruiter, focus on remaining responsive. Keep your phone accessible, ......

LinkedIn’s ‘Open to Work’ Feature

Whether you’re a life science professional actively seeking out new job opportunities or one that simply wants to keep their career options open, LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” feature may help you connect with employers. However, many life science pros worry that using it may make them look desperate or that it could have other consequences. Often, understanding what LinkedIn’s Open to Work feature does and whether it can lead to less-than-desirable perceptions by others can make deciding whether to use it easier. Here’s what life science professionals need to know about LinkedIn’s Open to Work feature. Understanding LinkedIn's 'Open to Work' Feature LinkedIn’s Open to Work feature is essentially a way for you to declare that you’d like to hear about job opportunities from hiring managers and recruiters. Additionally, when hiring managers or recruiters perform candidate searches, LinkedIn may prioritize your profile over those that aren’t marked as Open to Work. When active, ......

Spotting the 4 Red Flags of a Self-Awareness Gap

Self-awareness is a surprisingly critical skill in the workplace. Without it, defense professionals often have trouble navigating the environment effectively. In a worst-case scenario, individuals who lack self-awareness are incredibly disruptive and extremely damaging to morale. Many defense professionals assume that they’re highly self-aware. However, it’s easy to miss details about how you come across. Plus, even if you’re incredibly self-aware, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll encounter individuals who lack self-awareness throughout your career. As a result, it’s critical to know how to spot a self-awareness gap, both in yourself and others. If you’re a defense professional who wants to be the best possible coworker, here are the four red flags that need to be on your radar. Recognizing Narcissism in the Workplace One warning sign of a self-awareness gap in the workplace is conversational narcissism. Usually, the clearest indicator of this is that every discussion involving a person always ends up steered ......