Techniques for Finding a Job Shane Street Department of Chemistry GAANN Seminars What is the Value? (2009) Curriculum vitae/Resumes Interviewing Recommendation 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  Socialize/ Socialize/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: Or contact tel:

What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Research 2009 Survey data: $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. Basic Research ND Applied Research

What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Management/Sales 2009 Survey data: $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. R&D Management General Management Marketing/Sales

What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Analytical 2009 Survey data: $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. Analytical Services Production Quality control

What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Other 2009 Survey data: $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. Health/Safety Chemical Information Computers Patents

What is the Value?  Academic Salaries Survey data: $ ThousandsNon-PhD School PhD School Non-Phd School PhD School Full Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor ND67.0 Instructor Adjunct Research Appointment ND mo. contracts11-12 mo. contracts

Employment Status  Years: Survey data: Full-timePart-timePostdocUnemployed %3.6%1.7%2.4% 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 they have 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:  Upshot advice:  One will likely lead, the other adjust  Do not discuss this “problem” at the outset

Other Resources  Online jobs resources         Outdated, but internally useful links: