Experience Iowa

I recently landed a paid research position at Iowa, and you may assume it happened quickly or easily. In reality, it was anything but.

For weeks, I was applying to everything. I’d submit 10–15 applications at a time, carefully tailoring each one, refreshing my email constantly, and then… nothing. No responses. No interviews. Not even a rejection email. It was discouraging, especially when you start questioning whether you’re doing something wrong or if your resume just isn’t “enough yet.”

But I stayed consistent.

Eventually, I heard back from one position. I interviewed, felt hopeful… and didn’t get it. It sucked, for sure. It’s hard not to take rejection personally when you’ve already been waiting so long just to be seen. But instead of stopping, I kept applying.

Then came the second opportunity.

This time, I made it to a Zoom interview, followed by an in-person interview. When I got the offer, it felt incredibly rewarding, not just because I got the position, but because of everything it took to get there.

One thing I learned along the way is that paid undergraduate research positions are hard to find. A lot of research roles are volunteer-based or credit-bearing, which are great opportunities — but not always financially accessible for every student. That makes paid positions more competitive and sometimes harder to break into, especially early on.

If you’re in the middle of applying and feeling stuck, I promise you’re not alone. Keep applying. Keep showing up. Even when it feels quiet, something is happening, and all it takes is one opportunity to change everything.

That’s all for now!
-Jordan