Community & Member Engagement |
Is it ever too late to contemplate a career transition? Based on my experience, I would say the answer is “no.” Job satisfaction and personal fulfillment are sometimes hard to align, but no one should spend time unhappy at work. Knowing when to go is crucial not only for job satisfaction but for personal growth as well. In this article, I describe my professional journey and evolution, including a surprising late career change that allows me to grow in new and unexpected ways.
In today’s world, job satisfaction and personal fulfillment are sometimes hard to align. For the past 23 years, I have been telling everyone I know how much I value being a Research Administrator (RA) — a career I could not have imagined for myself back when I was a Fine Arts major as an undergrad. I have always believed that no one should stay in a job that makes them unhappy. As my dear colleague Mark Hochman always says, knowing when it’s time to move on is crucial not only for professional happiness, but for personal growth as well.
Even at nearly 70 years old, I am still active in my field. When people hear my age, their eyes widen and the next question often is: “When are you going to retire?” Admittedly, I am a bit more tired these days, but I am not quite ready to step away just yet. Let me share a bit of perspective.
In June 2002, after ten years, my tenure as a Conflict Resolution specialist in NYC public schools came to an end when the program was discontinued. I was devastated. I loved the work and found it deeply meaningful; I had spent over a decade teaching parents across the city how to communicate effectively and resolve problems without resorting to violence.
I was desperate for a job and found an opening on idealist.org. To this day, I don’t know why I applied or why they hired me —I had zero research experience —but they clearly recognized a skill set in me that aligned with the role. And that’s how I began my journey as a Research Administrator in September 2002, starting as a Research Education Coordinator at Weill Cornel Medical College (WCMC).
By the time I left WCMC five and a half years later, I had become the Research Integrity/Conflicts of Interest Manager. I moved on to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) as the Research Education and Communications Manager. Within six months, I was named Director of Research Outreach and Compliance (ROC) and over the next 15 years, my responsibilities grew annually. After nine years, I was promoted to Senior Director, ROC, and four years after that, just when I thought I had finally reached the pinnacle of my professional career, I was promoted to Vice President, ROC. I was convinced then that when the time came, I would happily retire from MSK.
Fate had different ideas.
When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, it changed all of our lives. Priorities shifted, and the way we worked and interacted with each other changed — in some ways for the better, and in other ways… not so much. During that time, my boss of 14 years, the one who hired, mentored, and promoted me, retired with only three weeks’ notice. My staff and I were sent to a different office under new leadership. Looking back, it certainly wasn’t an easy time for any of us. By November 2022, the organization announced “massive” layoffs for the coming year. Sure enough, on January 17, 2023, I was one of 400 people whose jobs were eliminated.
The unthinkable had happened, and I was now 67 years old. Again, people asked, “Why don’t you just retire?” My answer was simple: I wasn’t ready, emotionally or financially, and I still had more to give. Even though I did not know for sure that I would be let go, I sensed the unspoken shift and began to prepare. I updated my resume and saved my contact list. Then, a dear former colleague from MSK reached out, asking me to share a New York University (NYU) job opening with my network, and I saw a glimmer of my future. I lost my job on a Tuesday, and by Friday, I had an offer from NYU!
Since February 2023, I have served as the Senior Director of Research Integrity and Compliance. It’s a significant role, overseeing Conflicts of Interest for faculty and researchers, the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), and the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) education program. I also serve as the Research Integrity Officer (RIO) and Institutional Official (IO) for the HRPP. While I no longer hold the coveted “VP” title, I have learned that while the bigger title looks great on a resume or a signature line, it’s not what really counts in the end.
I recently came across a great quote from Daniel Goleman on LinkedIn: “Your title doesn’t make you a leader; your actions, standards, and integrity do.” I have found this to be profoundly true. Sometimes we choose to leave a job, and sometimes the choice is made for us. Whatever the reason, it’s up to each one of us to embrace the change and the opportunity to learn and grow in a new direction. Attitude is everything. As Research Administrators, despite the current political chaos and relentless attacks on science and higher education, we remain the ones who support and protect the integrity of scientific knowledge and discovery.
So, knowing when it’s time to go, whether towards a new opportunity or to the bliss of retirement, that’s up to you. Just make sure you take control and make each day count. May this year be our best year yet!