1. The Things I Learned After 8+ Years in Industry
Corporate Research Laboratories
Exxon Research and Engineering Company ( )
Corporate Strategic Research Laboratories
ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company ( )
Lesson #1 : things change over time …

2. Teamwork

3. People skills If you don’t like someone .. Tough luck!
You must learn to coexist with others whether you like it or not
You will have to improve your interpersonal skills
Can not be dismissive
Be constructive
Be willing to help, but do so
judiciously

4. Getting things done

5. Sense of accountability
If something goes wrong “someone” will pay

6. … and “someone” will get fired!

7. Identify clear and relevant goals

8. Improve communication skills

9. So, what about the things I learned in school?
The most important thing you should have learned in the last four years is how to think for yourselves!
No TA, no syllabus, no instructor, no solutions manual, no textbook, no excuses!
Snow day is not an excuse to miss work or not turn in a report

10. Your learning ability is what matters
Chances are that what you will need to know you will not know, you will learn it there
However, nobody will tell you how to learn and how to think. That, you should have learned at school!
You will however receive
specialized technical training

11. What about an MBA? It depends on the company …
Exxon’s CEO was a PhD Cheme, all presidents and VPs are engineers
Mobil’s CEO was an Applied Mathematician with an MBA, most presidents and VPs were economics majors
XOM’s current CEO is a Petroleum engineer (BS), most presidents and VPs are engineers

12. Should you get a PhD?

13. Only if you want it !

14. Get a PhD because you want it!
Don’t go to graduate school to make more money, go because you want it
In good companies management appreciates actual work and not degrees
Industrial research can be VERY REWARDING
Good news … no teaching
Bad news … no teaching
Good news … don’t worry too much about funding
Bad news … less freedom to pursue new ideas

15. Corporations like to procreate
Corporations have their own distinct character, aka, Corporate culture
You need to be aware of it!
One of the drawbacks of advanced education is that the more you know the more you think you know. Therefore you become inflexible!
Too much, too late …
Your dreams, your strengths and the company’s vision must intersect
DO NOT COMPLAIN if you do not like something!
BE PROACTIVE! LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT !

16. Recognize the corporate culture quickly
after
before

17. Why is culture important?
Teaches how to best succeed in the corporate environment
At XOM relocation was important for our progress
The culture of the company was that you really have to know what is going on in order for you to become a leader
Our relocation options were horrible  but the concept was absolutely correct

18. Should you go big or small
The size of the company offers different challenges and opportunities
The decision should be based on the kind of environment that suits you best
In small companies more people are involved in decisions, no training, fewer opportunities, higher risk and rewards (possibly)
In large companies structures are in place, you will be given all you need, lower risks and rewards (possibly)
At the end, it is up to you …

19. Identify a mentor
Recognize what you would like to achieve and follow the footsteps of your role model
Be careful!!!! Choose you role model wisely
Define your goals and priorities clearly and work hard to make things happen

20. Not all models are created equal

21. Figure out what you want
Most companies have internal mechanisms to help you do that …

22. … and they are amazingly similar!

23. To manage or not to manage?
One of the things I enjoyed was the freedom to move from technical to managerial work
These moves have to be well calculated,
deserved and irreversible
You can manage people but also research
Be patient… First you have to learn the
business and then make your moves
No free lunch!
In management sometimes you have to make tough decisions … such as letting people go

24. You will learn to appreciate …

25. Different companies, different cultures, different environments

26. Some things you have to get used to …

27. Academia vs. Industry: Are they really that different?
XOM
Ask for resources (boss, affiliates)
Management to please
Motivate people to work hard
Bureaucracy
Technical or managerial work
Part of team
Sometimes stressful
Sometimes busy
Rutgers
Beg for resources (NSF, NIH)
Management to please
Motivate students to work harder
Bureaucracy
Technical and managerial work
Freelance & team
Always stressful!
Always busy!

28. Few things are definitely different
In school both faculty and students tend to think that they are the best …
In big corporations there are no superstars and no room for big egos
In industry positions are irreplaceable but people are not
It is very humbling to work for a $370B corporation, with $40B annual profits, >80,000 employees in over 100 countries

29. Life is self-similar…so don’t complain!

30. A PhD is not free !!!

31. On an annual basis a PhD is equivalent to …

32. This is what a group meeting should look like …