1. 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

2. 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- Socialize/125892 http://chronicle.com/article/Changing-the-Way-We- Socialize/125892

3. 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/gradworkshopwww.acs.org/gradworkshop Or contact GradEd@acs.org tel: 202-872-4588GradEd@acs.org

4. What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Research 2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. Basic Research ND 123.5 Applied Research 80.091.6110.0

5. What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Management/Sales 2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. R&D Management 69.079.2142.0 General Management 88.0103.0135.2 Marketing/Sales88.1100.0112.3

6. What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Analytical 2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. Analytical Services 65.084.0107.0 Production Quality control 69.079.9121.7

7. What is the Value?  Salaries by Function: Other 2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf $ ThousandsB.S.M.SPh.D. Health/Safety80.096.9121.2 Chemical Information 59.478.1107.1 Computers100.0118.0147.3 Patents80.0127.5141.0

8. What is the Value?  Academic Salaries 2009 2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf $ ThousandsNon-PhD School PhD School Non-Phd School PhD School Full Professor 78.0115.097.5149.0 Associate Professor 61.478.062.796.5 Assistant Professor 53.270.7ND67.0 Instructor Adjunct 37.850.0 Research Appointment ND 42.0 9 mo. contracts11-12 mo. contracts

9. Employment Status  Years: 2007-2009 2009 Survey data: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/pdf/8828acsnews.pdf Full-timePart-timePostdocUnemployed 200792.3%3.6%1.7%2.4% 200892.53.91.32.3 200989.43.22.53.9 Other Than Full-time Employment

10. Curriculum Vitae/[Resumes]  Name and complete address  [Objective]  Education  [Experience]  Honors/Awards  Publications/Presentations  References  Research summary  Consider issues of formatting, clarity, printing  Example

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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?

14. 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

15. 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

16. Other Resources  Online jobs resources  http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs  http://www.postdocjobs.com/ http://www.postdocjobs.com/  http://www.higheredjobs.com/ http://www.higheredjobs.com/  http://www.phds.org/jobs http://www.phds.org/jobs  http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/  http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/ http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/  http://www.newscientistjobs.com/jobs/default.aspx http://www.newscientistjobs.com/jobs/default.aspx  Outdated, but internally useful links: http://employees.oneonta.edu/pencehe/jobsearch.html