Takeaways from ASBMB Experimental Biology 2013 Meeting Shivani Garg May 9, 2013.

Takeaways from ASBMB Experimental Biology 2013 MeetingShivani GargMay 9, 2013

Seminars, Lectures, Professional Development• Professional Development Workshops• My Individual Development Plan• Postdoc in industry vs. academia• Jobs in industry – Advantages/Disadvantages• Transforming your CV• Ten tough industrial questions and how to handle those

myIDPmyIDP Post-doc in industry/academia Transforming your CV Tough industrial questions

myIDP helps in setting goals and realizing them

myIDP Post-doc in industry/academia Transforming your CV Tough industrial questions

Define your goals, and identify the disconnects• Define your current career goal• List how this career path matches your

skills/interests/values• Skills can be – designing/conducting experiments, writing

grants, managing lab• Interests can be – Plant biology, teaching science, biochemistry,

networking• Values can be – work-life balance, help environment

• List potential disconnects between your skills/interests/values and your career goal• For example –

• Tenure track faculty position but may not have good work-life balance!

• Post-doc in industry but do not have industry experience!

• Formulate questions based on your disconnects – and do…


.. Informational interview• Can you tell me about your current responsibilities?• Can you describe your typical day?• How did you get into this field? What kind of additional

experience or training did you need to get this job?• What are potential future career opportunities for someone in

your position?• How would you describe the culture, management style of your

company/institution?• Can you tell me about the typical compensation packages within

this field – salary range and other benefits?• Are there professional organizations that I should consider

joining or websites I should be looking at to get more information?

• Would you recommend someone else to speak with in this field?


Then define your goals and choose mentors• Three types of goals• Project Goals - Urgent

• Examples – research milestones, attend conferences

• Skills Development Goals • Learn specific techniques, read, network, communicate

• Career Advancement Goals – Less urgent• Build your network• Update your CV/Resume• Learn about careers

• Identify mentors• A team of mentors and utilize the strength of each


Postdoc in industry or academia?• “Postdoc is never an end in itself, its always a means.”• Post-doc can be • To pursue current line of research• Or to shift to a new area of focus• Or to facilitate a move into industry or national lab

• For some positions, post-doc is not required• Ask industry if people do post-docs before applying

• Some helpful websites – • http://biospace.com – Largest in life sciences• http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/- Best place to start• http://pathwaystoscience - Diversity


http://biospace.com/

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/-

http://pathwaystoscience/

Postdoc in industry or academia?“Lots of post-doc positions are NOT advertised.”

Strategies• Identify potential labs (PIs, post-docs, journals,

conferences)• Check websites and recent publications• Contact former and current grad students• Could make an excel file of potential labs• Do RESEARCH!


Postdoc in industry• Non-bench roles in bio/pharma industry• Project management• Business development• IP• Technology transfer• Regulatory office

• Not all companies are the same• Publishing restrictions• Conferences• Isolation? Or networking options?


Post-doc in academia• Look for a PI who• Can support your professional career development• Has a vested interest in helping you find a faculty slot• Is understanding of other pressures in your life

• Negotiate• Opportunity to teach• Opportunity to attend conferences• Time for side-projects• Riskiness of your project• Opportunity to co-author grant applications


Post-doc in industry vs academia• Disadvantages of post-doc in industry• Very focused training vs. academia (broader, richer educational

training)• Publications may not be high impact as in academia• Hard deadline for post-doc position• You may not be in the main projects

• What comes after industrial post-docs• Biotech/pharma company• Government• Research advocacy• Science writing• IP (requires legal training)• Academia (publication record, experience in grant writing)


Transforming your CV• Resumes• One page documents (internships/employment)• Flexible format

• CV• Multi-page documents• Very rigid format• For faculty positions

• We write Resume/CV combos: 2-3 pages• Four steps• Create message• Design skeleton• Write descriptive text


Steps to an effective CV1. Create message

Have a specific job in mindTailor the CV to the job you are applying for, and communicate

a. Academic trainingb. Professional skills

Desire and motivation are conveyed through cover letters

2. Design section headingsTraditionally, people start chronologically. That is

presenting data, and NOT making an argument.


Steps to an effective CVDesigning section headings tailored to a job. For example, some section headings

1. Qualification Summary2. Research Experience

- Protein Research Experience- NMR Research Experience

3. Teaching/mentorship Experience4. Project Management Experience5. Industry Experience6. Education7. Awards8. Publications


Steps to an effective CV3. Descriptive Text- Projects- Range of responsibilities- Outcomes

Samples available at careers.ucsf.edu

Other helpful tipsQualification Summary – Use the same language as is present in the job description!

- Computers pick key-words- HR people may not be scientists


Cover letters• When do employers read cover letters and • What are they looking for when they do?

Cover-letters are tie-breakers.Employers read CV first, then cover letters.

Cover-letters are writing samples. Well organized cover letters focus on summarizing outcomes of your

- Academic training- Professional skill

And stating your- Desire


Format for cover letter1. Summary – addresses ‘Why are you a good candidate for this job?”

Makes an argument.2. Academic Training 3. Professional Skills4. Desire – Tell them about why you started this field of research, why do you welcome the change?

Why do you want the job (beyond the location/salary)? What is most rewarding to you?

People just give data, make no argument! Cover-letter should not focus on how the job helps you, but how you help the employer!


Ten tough industrial questionsWhy are you interested in industry?

Purpose – To see your motivation, interest

Good response – I’ve had X years in a great academic year. I’m now ready for my next challenge and know that I want to be in an industrial setting. I’ll have a chance to use my technical skills and that projects will change quickly. I’ve already made the decision to leave academics and I’d like to begin my industrial career with you.


Ten tough industrial questionsWhere do you see yourself in next five years?

Purpose – sense of your commitment, geography. Will you stick around?

Good response – I am confident that your company will grow in next five years, and I hope to be part of that growth over the years. I’m confident that if I do a good job, new and exciting opportunities will open up to me here. I’m excited about that, but also excited about the position I’m interviewing for.


Ten tough industrial questionsWhat is your greatest strength?

Purpose – to identify attributes that will qualify and distinguish you for this specific job.

Prepare – by gauging what seems to be a critical non-technical component of the job.

Good response – I pride myself on my ability and reputation to be a good writer, organized, great team player. For e.g. – recently, I was in a situation where I had to….This attribute coupled with my strong technical attributes will hopefully make me a strong candidate for this position.


Ten tough industrial questionsWhat is your greatest weakness?

Purpose – can you be objective and open about yourself? Will you learn as you grow and be open to criticism?

Pretty Good response – Acknowledge the weakness and steps you are taking to improve it.


Ten tough industrial questionsTell me about one conflict that you may have had with your boss and how did you resolve it?

Purpose – how do you handle opposition?

Pretty Good response – Haven’t had a major conflict. I did have a difference of opinion once when …. We resolved it by…


Ten tough industrial questionsWhat is your biggest professional achievement?

Purpose – how you tackled something big?

Prepare – Key is to give a clear, concise example of a major project.

Pretty Good response – Recount the situation- your role- challenges you faced, how you overcame those- creative steps you took- reveal the positive outcome


Ten tough industrial questionsWhat sort of positions are you applying for?

Purpose – Determine consistency in your message

Pretty Good response – I’ve thought a lot about my next job, talked to a lot of people that are in the same role, and know that this is exactly what I want to do. If, for some reason, I’m unable to secure such a role, I will explore positions such as … (something related to your current position).


Ten tough industrial questionsDo you have any questions for me/us?

Purpose – Determine preparedness for interview, your interest in company beyond salary.

Good response – Position was very clearly defined today and I’m excited about the company, the people I met and my ability to do job well. I did see something on the company website that mentioned that you may be moving into some new therapeutics area. Is that something you are at liberty to discuss?


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

WORKSHOP CONDUCTORS AT ASBMB

Takeaways from ASBMB Experimental Biology 2013 Meeting Shivani Garg May 9, 2013.

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