1 Matthew M. Seavey, Ph.D. UPenn Career Talk, 4-1-2010 E-mail: [email protected]I, Matthew Seavey, will present slides describing my various experiences as a scientist searching for a position within the private sector of commercialized science. Ideas, opinions, and comments described in these slides and during this seminar are my own and do not represent those of my current work affiliation company, Cephalon, Inc. I am here on the behalf of the University of Pennsylvania and as an alumni and not as a Cephalon employee. Approval Date: March 27 th 2010 Public Disclosure Date: April 1 st 2010 CONFIDENTIALITY DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
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I, Matthew Seavey, will present slides describing my various experiences as a scientist searching for a position within the private sector of commercialized
science. Ideas, opinions, and comments described in these slides and during this seminar are my own and do not represent those of my current work affiliation
company, Cephalon, Inc. I am here on the behalf of the University of Pennsylvania and as an alumni and not as a Cephalon employee.
Pros and Cons of Working in Industry vs. Academia Depends on What You Want
• Environment/Creature comforts – Campus Life versus Cubicle Hell
• Age Differences – Campus is alive with young people, companies are filled with experienced professionals that joined 15-20 years ago and with kids in college
• Academic labs are alive with energy, Industry labs are tools for focused work
• Industry – Things move fast, always something going on, very dynamic, never a dull moment, data/results driven, plenty of opportunity
• Industry – Plentiful resources, larger budgets, office spaces, perks, established reporting hierarchy and policies – very organized, business oriented
• Opportunity for publishing depends on the company, many promote conference attendance and publishing
• Meetings, seminars, presentations, reports – reading/writing/presenting all the time
• You are seen as an expert tool for the organization, you hold a real responsibility to stay on top of the literature and justify your actions/ideas
Researching Your Options…Finding Open Positions…Networking
• DO NOT: Limit your time and effort you invest in your job search – it must be almost an obsession – always be aware of how your actions and comments could be used for or against you when looking for new opportunities
• DO NOT: Limit yourself by searching the same job boards – diversify yourself
• Job Fairs – Worthless?? Depends – Talk more to the people around you and less to the single HR rep at the end of a long line
• “Networking doesn’t work and is fake and artificial” – DO NOT force or fake networking, it is a natural part of making contacts and keeping friends, be sincere and network by being proactive – networking is about relationships
• DO NOT project your desperation; when “networking” watch out for the “J word”, this is a clear sign that you are more interested in your own self promotion than the conversation or person
• My Rule of Thumb: Look for a job when you don’t need one…the smell of desperation stinks…don’t get burnt by your efforts to find a new position
• Help recruiters and headhunters to find candidates…they will help you in return
• They will keep a file on helpful sources, some jobs may be a fit for you
• Headhunters tend to be independent consultants, experienced and field specific
• Recruiters are more generalized, less experienced and very broad field wise
• Cold call a recruiter if you see a posting, this saves them time searching for you
• Many companies use several recruiting firms simultaneously in addition to online postings, sometimes they are the facilitator other times they are the “middle man”
• Join online networking sites like Linked-In - #1 Source Used by Recruiters
• Focus on accomplishments and achievements, focus on results, provide facts!
• Throw out the standard academic CV, describe yourself, use key/buzz words for HR
• Make both a single page and full version of your resume, bring both versions to all meetings
• Give the full version when prompted or to the hiring manager/HR rep
• Make sure you build a cover letter and make it specific to the job
• References – Keep them updated, keep a working relationship, send them a thank you letter – references are key, send them a gift when you land a position
• Three basic methods of applying for an industry position
• Through a recruiter or headhunter (30%)
• Online application (10%)
• Your immediate network (60%)
• Make sure you apply to a specific job - make a resume for each job, include words from the job description – HR search engines will only pull out specific matches
• If you do not apply to a specific job, “general submission,” your resume will sit in HR’s database until the company needs a quick hire…then the search will begin
• In the past year I have been on both sides – one of the biggest problems is that people apply for jobs for which they are overqualified or lack the requirements
• Make sure you have a cover letter for each specific job, this is where you can expand on your one page resume
• Follow-up – Remember people are busy, be persistent but patient
Getting a Bite – First Contact – The Phone Interview
• Tip – Prepare just as much as you would for a face-to-face interview – e.g. wear a suit – this will make it easier for you to “play the part”
• Cold Call Phone Interview – Let the interviewer know that you are “in the middle of something” and to call back in a few minutes – get yourself ready in the process
• Speak clearly into the receiver, modulate your voice – Your voice is the only way you have of showing eagerness, enthusiasm and zest for the job
• Introduce yourself, engage in some “small talk” at the start of the interview
• Avoid sloppy speech habits – “um”, “ah”, “you know”, “okay”, “like” – this tells the interviewer that you are not prepared or confident in yourself
• Avoid incorrect grammar or slang – “she don’t”, “me and my friend”, “so I goes to him”
• “Can you describe a time where you have been required to perform as part of a team? What was the situation? What part did you play in the team and what was the outcome of the exercise?”
• “How do you establish a working relationship with new people?”
• “Where do you expect to be in 5 years time? What will you do if you are not successful in gaining this position?”
• “Why are you leaving your current position?”
• “What do you consider your most significant accomplishment?”
• “Why do you believe you are qualified for this position?”
• Focus on how you will contribute to the company and/or team, not the converse
• Sell yourself, sell your skills (knowledge, network, communication, teamwork)
• Be cool, calm and confident…not arrogant, avoid looking nervous (this is hard!)
• Be sincere, considerate, act interested in the company, always remember basic manners, attitude and body language really matters
• Demonstrate that you are the best choice
• Follow-up with every person you met, including associates, via e-mail and send a signed thank you letter on cover head to the hiring manager in addition to the thank you e-mail
• Be prepared to talk about salary/benefits - be ready to negotiate
• How to find? – Papers, Reach out to scientists, Network
• Want to move back to academia? – Move into an academic postdoc
• Want to move onto a new career? – Feel your way around to marketing, BD etc, seek out opportunities, transition, gain the experience needed for a new job