techniques for finding a job shane street department of chemistry gaann seminars what is the value?...

Techniques for Finding a Job

Shane StreetDepartment of Chemistry

GAANN Seminars

What is the Value? (2009)Curriculum vitae/Resumes

InterviewingRecommendation Letters

Other Resources

Why Graduate School?

Graduate training is needed to become proficient enough to be a strong participant in chemical research and the development of new knowledge.

With a PhD, you’ll be able to rise to top technical or administrative positions in industrial, academic, or government labs.

An advanced degree will result in a higher overall career earning potential.

But: Manage Your Career http://chronicle.com/article/Changing-the-Way-We-So

cialize/125892

ACS: Committee on Professional Training

Preparing for Life After Graduate School: Career Development workshop from ACS

Careers for PhD chemists Describing careers in business and industry Critical non-technical skills Finding employment opportunities

See: www.acs.org/gradworkshopOr contact GradEd@acs.org tel: 202-872-4588

What is the Value?

Salaries by Function: Research

2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf

$ Thousands B.S. M.S Ph.D.

Basic Research

ND ND 123.5

Applied Research

80.0 91.6 110.0

What is the Value?

Salaries by Function: Management/Sales

2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf

$ Thousands B.S. M.S Ph.D.

R&D Management

69.0 79.2 142.0

General Management

88.0 103.0 135.2

Marketing/Sales 88.1 100.0 112.3

What is the Value?

Salaries by Function: Analytical

2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf

$ Thousands B.S. M.S Ph.D.

Analytical Services

65.0 84.0 107.0

Production Quality control

69.0 79.9 121.7

What is the Value?

Salaries by Function: Other

2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf

$ Thousands B.S. M.S Ph.D.

Health/Safety 80.0 96.9 121.2

Chemical Information

59.4 78.1 107.1

Computers 100.0 118.0 147.3

Patents 80.0 127.5 141.0

What is the Value? Academic Salaries 2009

2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf

$ Thousands Non-PhD School

PhD School

Non-Phd School

PhD School

Full Professor

78.0 115.0 97.5 149.0

Associate Professor

61.4 78.0 62.7 96.5

Assistant Professor

53.2 70.7 ND 67.0

InstructorAdjunct

37.8 50.0 50.0 50.0

Research Appointment

ND ND ND 42.0

9 mo. contracts 11-12 mo. contracts

Employment Status

Years: 2007-2009

2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf

Full-time Part-time Postdoc Unemployed

2007 92.3% 3.6% 1.7% 2.4%

2008 92.5 3.9 1.3 2.3

2009 89.4 3.2 2.5 3.9

Other Than Full-time Employment

Curriculum Vitae/[Resumes]

Name and complete address [Objective] Education [Experience] Honors/Awards Publications/Presentations References Research summary

Consider issues of formatting, clarity, printing

Example

Interviewing

Start with self-assessment: Primary skills: What is your knowledge base and

technical skill set? Secondary skills: programming/interfacing,

spectroscopy, microscopy, electrochemistry, advanced synthetic techniques

General skills: communication, writing, collaborations, confidence, adaptability, intellectual aggressiveness, awareness.

Assess the job (do your homework): Specialist, generalist…both? Technical, managerial…both? Corporate and industry environment

The Interview

The site visit/plant trip They are spending $, so it’s important 1-2 days, seminar(s), some number of interviews,

both formal and informal interactions, facility tours Exchange of information; listen but make sure you

use any opportunity given to talk You could discuss career paths, professional support

and opportunities, how one gets ahead in that company, benefits, BUT

Do NOT discuss salary or other direct compensation Confidence, enthusiasm, professionalism Appropriate follow-up.

IMO: The purpose of a PhD chemist is to not only solve their problems but to solve the problems they don’t even know theyhave yet.

The Interview

Questions routinely asked: Why did you go into chemistry? Got to UA? Choose

your advisor/research project? What is the importance of your PhD work? What

contributions have you made to the field? To your research group?

Have you established any lines of research independently?

On your own with no limitations, what kind of research would you like to do?

What kind of career do you want? Why? What are your strengths? Weaknesses?

Recommendation Letters

There should not be any obvious absences unless there is a very good reason: PhD advisor, postdoc mentor, collaborating principal investigators

You can supply information to the recommenders! Highlights, points to be (re)emphasized

Follow up and communication, to get it done on time and to facilitate more

The Two-body Problem

Usually framed as the problem of finding dual science career couples.

Excellent resource: http://www.phds.org/jobs/the-two-body-problem/

Upshot advice: One will likely lead, the other adjust Do not discuss this “problem” at the outset

Other Resources

Online jobs resources http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs http://www.postdocjobs.com/ http://www.higheredjobs.com/ http://www.phds.org/jobs http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/ http://www.newscientistjobs.com/jobs/default.aspx

Outdated, but internally useful links:http://employees.oneonta.edu/pencehe/jobsearch.html