“I was a postdoc for many years…while I was searching for faculty positions, I got no assistance whatsoever from my PI. I was told I had to do all of this outside of lab hours…I was left alone to do this and always with the underlying message that if you left academia, you are a failure.”

“My PI and I had a very noncommunicative relationship…I came to the conclusion that I didn’t want to do benchwork but I struggled with the [idea] that I had the skills to do anything else.”

“Funding ended really unexpectedly. I was notified about a week before that my postdoc was done.”

“I was very keen on transitioning into industry but I had no knowledge on transitioning or how to make this transition.”

“I saw that my value as a professional was actually DECREASING by staying in an academic environment.”

“There was some abusive behavior…how the [advisors] would talk to postdocs and PhDs, sometimes very harsh, and I was not feeling very happy. I was very miserable…I was not willing to continue in academia."

“I am stuck in my job search, not hearing back from [employers]. CSA is a platform that not only gives you confidence but a supportive environment.”

“First I went to the career development center at my University and I was very DISAPPOINTED in their advice.”

“Now when I actually talk about this group of PhDs [called the Association] trying to get jobs, everyone thinks it’s a really great thing.”

“I was so over working in the lab, so when I made a decision not to do a postdoc, I had no idea what to do…I literally had no idea.”