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"Generally, I find that people are attracted to enthusiasm if it's unfettered and for the right reasons," says Hendrik Poinar, director of McMaster University's Ancient DNA Laboratory.

"This choice was more practical because you try to build up a career, and if you do what people are already doing, you need to be very good, but also lucky, to make it," says Edwin Cuppen.

Though it is often--and justifiably--maligned, it is ignorance--and recognizing where it exists--that drives scientists to do groundbreaking science.

Although "the researcher is free to do whatever he wants," says Marché, "I will be working in a team, so I will necessarily get interested in their field of research."

In Spain, "Most people integrate into an existing and functioning lab," which gives them less freedom," says de Nalda Minguez.

The interview process, she points out, goes both ways: They are interviewing you and you are interviewing them.

This is an unusual position; I will have little bureaucracy and limited teaching.

"Cases very soon demonstrated a great capacity for working with software and developing systems, a capacity that is unfortunately quite exceptional in experimental biologists." --Systems biologist Alfonso Valencia.

Our own awareness of our primary driving force is perhaps of greatest help when we need to make tough career decisions.

Go abroad for some time. That is how I got into a field that I could make a significant contribution to.

Cosma encourages young scientists from nations like Italy not to become oppressed by their national systems, to believe in themselves and what they can achieve, and to be willing to move abroad to achieve their full potential.

"You have to be lucky, because there is a lot of good people and they [too] deserve the position," says Collard.