Guide to Nontraditional Careers in Science

Rating:
Summary: if you are thinking about leaving the bench, buy this book!
Review: This book was originally loaned to me by an administrator at my graduate school. I borrowed it twice, for several months each! I finally bought the book because it is such a great reference. It gives overveiws of broad areas, such as law, business, writing and publishing, scientific journalism and education, both formal and informal. For each section, there are bios and interviews with people holding various positions within the field. And there are great tips for how to prepare yourself for the change, as well as things to expect after the leap (for example, many of these careers are a one-way change, meaning the door to research closes). However, the most valuable part of the book (and the reason I purchased it) is the contacts with trade organizations. For each area, there is a list of several organizations, listing who they are, what the mission is, what they offer and how to contact them. Bottom line, if a lifetime of benchwork and grantwriting doesn't seem like you, but this book. You might find yourself identifying with a career you never would have thought about otherwise.