Job Search Strategies

Transcription

1 Job Search Strategies Preface An effective job search has many components. Basically, you identify the market you want to access, then plan and execute an effective campaign to find or create a job in that market. This publication is to help you assess your values, desires, and needs as they relate to your job search. It discusses what may motivate you to succeed and how to identify your skills for targeting various job markets. It also describes changing trends in the employment marketplace for chemical professionals, and shows you how to find the hidden job market through networking or cold calling, and gives tips on locating specific job segments along with staying marketable. It also addresses the larger need for managing your own professional career, not just finding your next job. Other necessary components of the job search, such as creating a winning résumé and acing an interview, are covered in complementary publications available to American Chemical Society members, including Résumé Preparation Tips for Chemical Professionals and Interviewing Skills for Chemical Professionals. Disclaimer This guide is meant to serve as a basic information resource about job searching for chemical professionals. Information was compiled from published and other sources deemed reliable. Readers should consult the appropriate authorities for additional information or assistance beyond the scope of this guide. The American Chemical Society does not guarantee employment to any reader of this document or accept responsibility for setting standards with regard to any topic discussed here. ACS and the authors, contributors, and reviewers are not responsible for the accuracy of information obtained from other sources. 1

2 Outlining Your Job Search Although conducting an effective job search is challenging, it also can be rewarding. Just as using the right instrumentation makes experiments easier to perform and yields more accurate information, using the right tools for your job search will mean more positive results. It s not enough these days to have mastery in a field of chemistry. You ll also need a knowledge of science, oral and written communication skills, problem-solving ability, computer literacy, versatility, practical experience, business orientation, and interpersonal as well as leadership skills. Your success in the job market depends not only on your skills but also on your ability to organize your search and to target the job market segment that s right for you. You must also keep your training current, and keep up on the professional marketplace. The many services offered by ACS Careers can help you manage your career more efficiently. How Specific Is Your Objective? The career objective describes the work you want to pursue and where you see yourself working. Your résumé supports your objective and persuades potential employers of your ability to do the kind of work you seek. Your objective is a personal statement: It says specifically who you are, what you want to achieve, and shows the employer that you have direction. Employers hire people because they have a problem to be solved or a need to get something done. The challenge in defining your objective is deciding what to include such as job titles, specific skills, industry, or job function. There are four different types of objectives: Type 1: Very specific about desired job title and company Type 2: Specific about job area and company type Type 3: Descriptive of general job area Type 4: Very general about job area Here are some examples: Type 1: A team leader in a chemical synthesis lab at Eastman Chemicals or very similar company. Type 2: R&D technologist in a chemicals company involved in nanotechnology. 2

3 Type 3: To obtain a job in a chemical or analytical laboratory. Type 4: A job in chemistry. The objective, A job in chemistry, is too broad it leaves the impression that you are indecisive and unable to make decisions and set goals. However the advantage of having a general job objective such as To obtain a job in a chemical or analytical laboratory, is to leave your options open. For example, if you are attending an ACS career fair and handing out résumés to several different companies, then your objective should be more general. By comparison, having a very specific and highly targeted job objective clearly conveys what you are looking for. This will give you an edge over people sending a résumé to the company in the hopes of hitting any job that matches their qualifications. Although, it may be so specific that you could inadvertently be ruled out for other opportunities you might also be interested in. If your previous jobs are different from the type of job that you are now seeking, having a specific objective communicates your decision to change careers and that you have identified a new path for yourself. Which level of specificity is typically best for a résumé? Type 2 would be a good choice because it s tailored to a specific position in a specific area. You may decide to use your objective in your cover letters instead of your résumé. In either case, a clear objective will help you to target your search and to communicate with employers more effectively. If you re a more experienced candidate, you have the option to use a Summary of Qualifications instead of a job objective. The summary should establish the benefits you bring to a company and explain why you are the best candidate for the job: Seasoned biopharmaceutical executive and scientist with expertise in drug discovery/development, API manufacture, drug delivery, regulatory compliance and biomanufacturing. Industry professional with a strong background in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical management consulting, intellectual property assessment and patent prosecution, strategic planning, corporate business development, and regulatory affairs. The summary of qualifications may also be written as a bulleted list. Since the summary is the hook to catch the reader s interest, all claims must be substantiated later in the body of the résumé. (See Résumé Preparation Tips for Chemical Professionals for an in-depth discussion of writing job objectives.) Planning a Job Search: Principles There are three basic principles for a successful job search: Know yourself, know the market, and know the tools that are at your disposal. 3

4 Know yourself (your values, your talents) Sending out résumés and cover letters at random does not increase your chances for success. The better you know yourself your skills, abilities, values, and needs the more prepared you ll be to identify which organizations are right or wrong for you and to sell yourself to your ideal employer. The best way to get a satisfying job is to target employers that meet your professional criteria and your personal priorities. To do this, you ll need to evaluate the marketplace and conduct a detailed personal assessment, then find and pursue the best job for you. Track your accomplishments and new skills by keeping notes in a personal file. Save your annual performance reviews and related paperwork that tracks your salary increases and promotions. Reassess your values, drivers, and skills and update your résumé annually. A good way to keep in touch with potential employers you ve targeted is to send them your updated résumé with a cover letter. Periodically connect with your networking contacts, too, to see what you can do for them. This ensures that they are ready to assist you when you need them. Know the market Traditionally, chemists have gone to work for large companies or universities, but many other options are available. These include working for small companies, the federal government, starting your own business, or joining a firm affiliated with the industry, such as a contract research organization. This guide can help you research the market carefully for a more effective approach than the shotgun method, regardless of the career path you choose. Know the job search tools Be sure to take advantage of the American Chemical Society, especially ACS Careers benefits to members. The many tools available there include a wide range of career-related programs, publications, workshops, services, and free career consultants. Trends and Implications in the Industrial Job Market Until 2008, business conditions had been favorable for the chemical industry. The financial situation looked good. Companies planned to expand in various regions, such as China and India. There were opportunities to grow and diversify. Although chemical companies aren t immune to cyclical downturns the situation became unlike anything the industry has seen before. Several factors that fed the global financial crisis came together simultaneously to create a perfect storm. High energy and feedstock prices and flat or shrinking demand in the first half of the year was followed by the U.S. and Europe going into recession, which also affected growth in Asia. The slowdown began with the construction industry then cascaded through the automotive and 4

5 electronics markets all, key end-user industries. As a result there was a drop in demand for products the chemical industry supplied to those markets, creating surplus inventories. Adding to the stress was the effect of two hurricanes that forced production on the Gulf Coast to shut down for months. The pharmaceutical industry's long-term troubles generic competition, thinning pipelines and the regulatory environment were compounded by the weak economy, leading to lots of job cuts. The only industry that managed to defy the downward trend was the agricultural sector: High food prices led farmers to maximize their output, leading to strong demand for fertilizers and agricultural chemicals. Experts believe that the situation won t improve any time soon. Consumer confidence is predicted to remain low. Companies will continue to focus on cost reductions and put new business initiatives on hold indefinitely. It is likely that the industry will not experience a full recovery until 2012, at the earliest. A New Normal Analysts predict that 2010 will be a transition year to what they call a new normal : Global GDP growth rates will average around 2.5%- 3%, lower than during the boom years, as the global economy recalibrates and the industry identifies new opportunities as economic growth returns. The depth and breadth of the recession is challenging companies to find ways to improve. There is a risk that the demand lost during the recession won t return to pre-recession levels, which could leave companies with plants that don t reopen. Increasing competition over reduced demand will affect the future of many chemical producers. In the short-term, companies are focused on generating cash through labor and spending cuts-- workforce reductions, divesting unprofitable businesses or product lines, limits on wage increases, overtime, and contractors, reducing inventory through plant slowdowns or closings, cutting purchasing, and postponing non-essential projects. In the long-term, companies are seeking ways to become more flexible by increasing outsourcing of R&D and other functions, focusing on core competencies, improving manufacturing and distribution processes, and pursue strategic initiatives. Major improvements will require large-scale changes and the recession is the stimulus for those changes. Companies that are agile enough to adapt will benefit as the economy recovers. Here are some tips to help you target your job search efforts in a recessionary market: Focus on companies that have core competencies that you can contribute to. Stay on top of current developments in chemistry and related physical sciences and where those developments are taking place. If you are interested in a specific industry, investigate other industries or sectors where your skill set overlaps. People who have broad skills in a variety of functional areas will 5

6 be attractive candidates. Cross-functional collaboration and communication skills will also be highly valued. If a company isn t currently hiring people with your skill set, look for other ways to get your foot in the door, such as through contract work or working for a contract research organization. Have someone with industry experience in the areas you re targeting review your résumé and cover letter. Look for people who are working in the sectors where you re interviewing to gain some insight for your search. Most important, don t underestimate the power of your network. Personal referrals can help direct your résumé straight to the hiring manager, instead of detouring through HR. Job Market Outlook In 2008, chemical employment in the U.S. decreased by only 1.3%, below the 3.2% loss experienced by manufacturing overall. However, many chemical firms announced layoffs at the end of 2008 that didn't show up in that year s data, as companies announced large job cuts and continued to do so into Although chemical scientists are faring better compared with the nation overall, their unemployment rate is at an historic high 3.8%, according to the ACS 2009 Salary and Employment Status Survey. Even the mainstay pharmaceutical industry is struggling to stay afloat. If any rebound in hiring is on the horizon, it will be slow to arrive. Information from the most recent C&EN Employment Outlook (Nov. 2, 2009) indicates that anticipated areas of employment growth for chemists will be in the area of so-called green jobs, such as green chemistry processes, renewable energy research, solar energy materials, energy efficiency, and quality control/quality assurance. Although massive layoffs are unlikely to continue in 2010, prospects for a major turnaround are not promising. Clearly, to maintain a prosperous career, chemists must be flexible and open to change. Change may mean acquiring new skills or finding new ways to apply current skill sets. Responding to change also includes paying attention to developments in the economy, the environment, even in politics. ACS Careers publishes several reports based on surveys of industry, government and academic senior management. The issues covered include areas of growth and decline, shifts in R&D funding, economic factors, and federal policies affecting the chemical industry. These reports also estimate supply of and demand for chemical professionals, focusing on hiring trends and degrees granted in the chemical sciences. See for more details. 6

7 Salaries Degree level, years of experience, region, and other factors affect what you will earn. Factors that influence salaries are: Degree Doctoral chemists, on average, can earn 50% more than those with a bachelor s degree. Master s chemists have greater earnings potential than bachelor s chemists, but not as great as that of doctoral chemists. Employment sector Sector of employment is a major factor in determining chemists salaries. Chemists working in the private sector typically reported earning higher salaries than those working in other areas, such as academia. In academia, salaries are influenced by rank and contract length (9/10 months vs. 11/12 months). Type of employer Industrial chemists generally earn more than those in academic or government positions, and salaries are higher overall in certain industries such as petroleum, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. For example, as of this writing, pharmaceutical chemists earn significantly more than other chemists because of a current supply-demand imbalance. Length of experience For the most part, as the number of years since earning a bachelor s degree increases, so does the average salary. And in general, salaries go up with an increase in supervisory responsibilities. Other factors Salaries also vary in geographic regions of the U.S. and other countries. Ordinarily, large companies pay more than small companies; however, other benefits are more easily negotiated with small companies than with the larger ones. ACS conducts surveys on salaries for starting and experienced chemists and publishes the data annually in Chemical & Engineering News as well as more detailed reports: Comprehensive Salary and Employment Status Survey Annual survey of the domestic employment and salaries of ACS members. Starting Salary Survey employment and salaries of new chemistry and chemical engineering graduates, along with education data. An ACS Salary Comparator is available for ACS members ( to estimate salaries and make comparisons involving numerous variables (job type, location, degree, experience, etc.). ACS keeps the Salary Comparator data current. A brand new interactive Employment Dashboard lets you examine an overview of salaries, demographics, and employment from ACS employment surveys as far back as

8 Chemistry Jobs in the 21st Century The concept of a job emerged from a need to manage work done in the growing factories and bureaucracies of the industrialized world. For chemists, an employment offer was based on the organization s long-term needs, where acceptance signified a lifetime commitment of mutual loyalty as part of the agreement. Pay increases came over time, and businesses were run like families. Having a job for life with that company was an unspoken guarantee, provided the employee remained conscientious and loyal. Such long-term employment security is now a thing of the past. Employment offers and continued employment depend only on current business needs, with acceptance of an offer of employment based on the individual s short-term personal needs. For many chemists, employment and pay rely on business success, performance and fit in the organization. Longterm employment with a single employer is not the pattern of a chemist s career today. Given all these factors, your only real job security is the ability to find another job easily. To that end, it is crucial to understand the major factors that influence the chemical industry and how they will affect the progression of your career. Organizational Changes and Their Job Market Impact You must relate your skills and abilities to current market opportunities, so you can determine where you will fit. This means learning about today s employers, as well as staying flexible in what you will do and where you will do it. To survive and prosper in a shifting economy with increasing global competition, many employers have made significant organizational changes such as: Substantial reduction in workforce size. Flattened managerial structure, with more emphasis on team projects. Focus on core businesses, with companies selling off unprofitable or peripheral operations. Relentless cost reduction. Increased outsourcing of R&D and other services. Renewed emphasis on inventory control, quality, and customer service. Heightened response to more domestic and international competition. 8

9 These changes are expected to continue, and they inevitably affect hiring and staffing. The organization of the 21st century is leaner, less hierarchical, and more focused on cost control than in the past. The resulting effects of those trends follow: Organizations with flat or decreased staffing may hire only to replace resigning or retiring employees or to achieve a different skill mix. However, in the present environment replacing departing employees may be deferred until the overall economy improves. Employers rely increasingly on contract and temporary workers to cover short-term needs. Many organizations also view temporary employment as a way to identify candidates for their regular workforce. Overall, R&D funding is shifting to reflect an intensified focus on business results. Because chemical professionals deal with advanced technologies in many fields, they are expected to be able to communicate with scientists and engineers in other disciplines. The chemical and related industries face not only strong international competition but also a globalization of manufacturing. Production is emphasized and, in general, product life cycles are shorter. Companies are marketing and operating globally, resulting in workplaces that have a variety of languages, cultures, colors, textures, and subtleties. The number of small chemical companies is expected to increase modestly in the next few years, with large chemical companies experiencing little or no growth over the same period. These changes mean that work must be accomplished more efficiently and with higher accuracy, because there s a smaller margin for error. Globalization Rising globalization has led to an increasing number of outsourcing and offshoring projects around the world. Small and medium organizations can now outsource and offshore their business to compete with the large multinational businesses while keeping expenses down. Most people think of outsourcing and offshoring as synonyms. Outsourcing means contracting specific work to an outside firm, often for work outside a company s core competency areas. Outsourcing doesn t always have to be about going overseas. A company located in California can outsource work to Texas or Massachusetts, for example. Offshoring is a subset of outsourcing. It is possible to outsource work that a contractor then sends offshore. As outsourcing is now a way of life, it is moving into more sophisticated 9

10 markets, and the competition for contracts is now more about performance and quality than price. For example, all kinds of outsourcing and offshoring is done along the drug pipeline by pharmaceutical companies: a Belgian drug company enlists the aid of a Midwest contract research firm; a big drugmaker and a small biotech company in California partner up; and the recent migration of drug R&D from the U.S. to India, China, and Eastern Europe. The blurring of science borders around the world and the globalization of trade offers opportunities for U.S. companies to seek international partners. For the individual chemist, this means not only working with colleagues overseas, but possibly working overseas yourself. While foreigners come to the U.S. to study and work, there are opportunities for chemists to employ their skills and knowledge in an overseas assignment. Many companies have tens of thousands of employees located around the world: Dow has 46,000 employees in 52 countries, Johnson & Johnson has 104,000 employees in 50 countries, and DuPont has 60,000 employees in more than 70 countries. For a multinational company, it s a good sign if someone says they're open to international travel. If you re really interested in working abroad, make it part of your professional development plan. Take time to learn about the company first to learn how the company works and its culture before applying for an overseas position. Chemists who develop a global mindset experience expanded professional opportunities, even if they choose not to leave their home country. Many foreign companies have branches in the U.S., and many branches of the federal government need scientifically trained people. Remember, international does not necessarily mean abroad. A global mindset involves: a willingness to work and associate with people in different cultures an interest in international issues changing the way you do things or at least understand that people around you do them differently being extremely flexible and willing to live with uncertainty knowledge of a second language is desirable If you want to pursue this further, seek employment with companies that do lots of business overseas, where you will have the greatest opportunities to be posted overseas. Learn about the company s technology, business goals, innovation style, products, established and emerging markets, geography of the company s efforts, and its place in the global industry. Learn what globalization means in your company and how and where you can contribute. Due to the recession, companies are focusing on strategic assignments why someone is going overseas and how the skills and experience gained abroad will be leveraged in their next role. 10

11 Generational Diversity In addition to gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, the workplace is also experiencing generational diversity. Researchers have divided the workforce into four generations: Veterans Baby Boomers Generation X Generation Y or Millennials Currently, Generation Y is in demand because it s a cohort that is tech savvy, team-oriented, and open to racial and ethnic diversity. Companies are incorporating a mix of different media to connect with this group, such as videos, Facebook pages, blogs and podcasts. And although they want to grow and progress in their careers, they also value life outside of work, leading companies to offer or expand flexible work programs. Each generation has very different attitudes about life and work; while balancing their expectations and demands can be challenging even in good economic times, it s an even greater challenge in a recession. Yet each generation brings its own strengths to the workplace. Companies that make the most of their workers talents and play to the strengths of each generation can gain a competitive edge that will allow them to survive economic downturns and excel during economic growth. Articulating Your Personal Values The state of the job market isn t the total context of your job search. Another important element is your own values and talents. Too often, when we think of doing an inventory of ourselves with respect to a job search, we think only about our talents and skills what we know and can do. Another equally important dimension to consider is our personal values what we like to do and how we are personally fulfilled. When you understand the importance of your personal values, you can draw a conclusion about whether your current or a prospective employer supports those values. When considering a new job, you need to understand whether it can meet your values, satisfy your drivers, and match your skills. If you are considering a career change, understanding your values is critical to identifying a new career path. By conducting an honest, thorough personal assessment, you can proactively focus your search by seeking out what will make you happy instead of molding yourself to fit what is available. Here are the career values that influence peoples sense of satisfaction in the workplace. Think carefully about which are most important to you, remembering that their relative importance to you may change with time: 11

12 Advancement: the opportunity for promotion, recognition, and more responsibility Autonomy: the chance to work on projects alone and at your own discretion Challenge: work that is not routine and keeps you on your toes Security: stability and predictability Balance: finding an equilibrium between home and work Altruism: the opportunity to contribute to the welfare of others Someone who puts a high value on advancement would typically be attracted to a management job, for example, or a job with high potential visibility, accompanied by an equally high risk of failure. If someone desired to be an entrepreneur, the values of autonomy and advancement would likely rank highest on his or her list. This is not an exhaustive list. For example you may value creativity-- thinking about alternatives and implementing your own ideas-- which is a form of autonomy. If you value the flexibility to set your own schedule or the option to telecommute, that s part of finding balance. Rarely is there one dominating value. Usually, a cluster of two or three compatible values dominate. Knowing your desires and needs is essential to being happy and productive in your job. Use some honest introspection to answer the following questions. Don t think about the jobs you may have pictured yourself doing; answer based on what you know about yourself and your needs. Do you want to do research and development? Applied research? Sales? A job outside the lab? Something else? Do you have a strong preference to work alone, on a team, or to lead teams? Do you have the skills to do successfully what you want to do? If not, what is needed? Can you do the job you re considering? If not, what training or skills do you need to develop? Are your credentials or country of citizenship or residency an issue? Is the geographic location of the job a problem? (It could be, for example, if you re a regular caregiver for other family members.) Is travel or time away from home required? Do you want to be able to publish? To attend scientific or other meetings? Are the benefits appropriate for your needs (health and other insurance)? 12

13 Are special religious holidays a concern? What specialized resources would you need for your job? (For example, large expensive equipment like NMRs or mass spectrometers, or highly specific library publications and journals.) The better you know your values and job demands, the better prepared you will be to find your ideal employer. There are a number of other, more detailed assessment tools that are available, many of them on-line. Search on personal values assessment will lead to a number of these. Skills A basic skill list is an essential tool in your job search; use it to: Identify areas in which you excel. Determine which ads/postings to respond to. Match your areas of expertise to employers needs to sell yourself. Include skills in your résumé that are targeted to specific jobs. Answer questions during interviews. Assess a good job fit. Increase your self-confidence to market yourself. Here are a few tips for generating a skills list: Find a quiet place, away from distractions. Sit down with a pen and paper, packet of 3" x 5" cards, or a computer with a database-sorting program. Divide your life into logical segments such as before college, college, graduate school, postdoctoral, job 1, job 2, and so on. Think about each period and record all the accomplishments you can recall everything you achieved personally or professionally, in any order. Try to remember things you have done of which you are most proud. Repeat this exercise several times over a few weeks. Once your accomplishments list is complete: Identify the skill categories that apply to each. Examples include chemistry sub-categories (organic, synthesis, natural products, whatever you excel at doing), communications, 13

14 computers, literature searches, dealing with regulations, managing/leadership, developing teams, testing, analysis (with subcategories such as NMR or mass spectrometry), business acumen, creativity, and so on. Group and refine your skill categories until you have 8 to 10 main categories. Beside each accomplishment, write the skills categories that were used. Sort the list by skill category. Edit the list to remove redundancies and non-meaningful entries. When you ve finished, you will have your skill list a straightforward itemization of your abilities, with each backed up by specific accomplishments where you demonstrated that skill. Keep a current list of your abilities and accomplishments handy. Today s chemist needs soft skills as well as technical competence. In addition to the uses described above, this process may reveal new career paths for you to explore. For example, an organic chemist could consider a job as a technical information specialist because of literature search skills. In summary, you want to give serious and considered thought to what truly stimulates and excites you, what you can tolerate, and what you can t stand. Then look at ways to maximize the amount of time you spend doing the former, and minimize the latter. Locating a Job The first and easiest place to look for a job is to look at what are called posted jobs. A posted job is one that s advertised or somehow actively publicized by an employer to encourage applications usually to fill the position as soon as possible. Job postings can be direct or indirect: Direct postings are job descriptions that are made public, either broadly or narrowly. Printed announcements often are internal postings on traditional or electronic bulletin boards to inform current employees. Indirect postings occur when an employer provides information about job openings to a third party temporary employment agencies, headhunters, or faculty. Sometimes news of an available job will be intentionally leaked out to generate appropriate candidates. There are several places where posted jobs are found: Company websites Many companies have well-developed employment sections, including video clips featuring current employees, information on career paths, the specialties the company hires, even a statement of company philosophy. 14

15 Professional societies ACS, Eastern Analytical Symposium, and Pittcon offer career services to members and meeting attendees. Professional publications C&EN, Science, and Nature, for example, feature classified and display job ads in print and online Electronic bulletin boards ACS Careers database, Science Careers, and thelabrat.com are examples of science-specific sites. Trade shows and technical meetings Vendors in the exhibition hall often have information about job opportunities to discuss; many vendors are also small companies. Keep résumés or business cards with you to hand out. Temporary agencies Agencies like Kelly Scientific and K-Force specialize in scientific contract staffing and offer competitive hourly rates and benefits. Campus interviews and career fairs When you come across a job that seems to match your values, drivers, and skills, read the description carefully before you apply to make sure you really, truly want that job. Follow instructions in the ad exactly when applying. A good rule of thumb is that if your background and qualifications match 60% to 70% of the qualifications in the ad, submit an application. Don t invest your time and energy into applying for a job that you are unqualified for or meet only one or two requirements. The primary advantage of a posted job is that the job probably exists, and you know where to find it. However, the disadvantage of posted jobs is that if you can find it, so can lots of other job seekers, which only increases your competition. Working with Recruiters While working with a contingency recruiter (better known as headhunters ) is a great way to circulate your résumé to different companies, finding one is a challenge. Recruiters are usually retained by companies; they work for those employers and not individual job candidates so they typically don t accept unsolicited résumés or cold phone calls. The best route to identifying a recruiter is to ask a friend, family member, or former coworker who can introduce you to one. Here are some tips to working effectively with a recruiter: Be prepared to sell yourself to a recruiter just as you would to a hiring manager. The recruiter is a gatekeeper who rejects candidates who don t fit the bill. You should be able to clearly and concisely explain what makes you a valuable employee. 15

16 Be realistic. A recruiter likely won t get you a salary that s better than what the market is paying. Do your research about median salaries for your background and experience so you re not making unreasonable demands. Do your homework. Ask the recruiter about other clients and how much experience he or she has in your area of interest. Is this someone you want to represent you? Your job search should continue even though you are working with a recruiter. Think of the recruiter as a partner. Find out if you can where they are submitting your résumé so your efforts don t overlap or if a friend at a company has submitted your résumé. You should never pay a recruiter for his or her services. Recruiting professionals are paid by the companies that hire them (usually a percentage of the first year s salary) to find qualified candidates. Find another if you re asked to pay a fee for services. You are not obligated to work exclusively with one recruiter; although if you work with several, be up front about it. More than one recruiter might promote you to the same company. Trust your gut. Even though the recruiter works for the employer, you should feel comfortable that you re being treated professionally. Smaller Employers Most first-time or novice job seekers look to the large, well-known chemical employers for work. They use campus recruiting as a main strategy, hiring professors as consultants to advise them on student hires. Often paying high salaries and providing other incentives, they are the objects of widely circulated stock market analyses and reports. It s easy to find and target large employers, yet small companies are actually producing more jobs, employing 50% of the nation s nonfarm private workforce in 2006, according to the Small Business Association. (Small companies are usually defined as those with less than 500 employees; those with fewer than 50 are usually referred to as start-ups.) While recent job losses are widespread, small businesses historical ability to create jobs will be a factor in the economic recovery. Most small chemical companies are not household names. They tend to advertise jobs locally, their businesses often are quite specialized, and typically they don t have a human resources department to promote them. On the other hand, small companies do have access to the Internet and social media tools like Twitter to advertise, message and market. If your résumé is posted on major search engines, any employer can easily find it. Also be sure your networking efforts include both large and small employers. 16

17 Small companies offer advantages over large companies. A large company may have more money for research but a small company almost always has more direct interaction with its customers and can tap more quickly into changing customer needs. There are opportunities to take on more varied tasks. In a company of 30 employees, if you do a great job, there is a good chance you'll be recognized. In a company of thousands it's easy to be missed. Small companies are forming at rapid rates and are generating most new jobs in the U.S. Use local resources (such as radio and newspapers) as well as your contacts and Web sites to learn about small employers hiring needs. Working for the Federal Government With nearly two million civilian employees, the federal government is the largest employer in the nation. Chemists can apply their skills at any number of agencies, from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to the Patent and Trademarks Office (PTO) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Where the Jobs Are 2009: Mission-Critical Opportunities for America, a report from the Partnership for Public Service, projects that federal agencies will be hiring more than 270,000 workers for mission-critical jobs by September The two key factors that are driving this hiring surge are 1) national security and the need to support veterans and 2) the need to replace hundreds of thousands of retiring federal workers 1/3 of the workforce is expected to retire or resign in the next five years. The areas of greatest need for chemists will be the Department of Health and Human Services (which includes NIH) and the Environmental Protection Agency but if you search, you can find jobs that require chemistry skills across the federal government. USAJobs.gov is the one-stop resource where federal jobs openings are listed. How to apply for a federal position: 1. Browse the job announcements at USAJobs.gov that match your skills and interests. You can search by occupation, agency name, location, announcement number or search for jobs using the keyword chemist or scientist. 2. After you find a job of interest, it is very important that you carefully review the "Qualifications and Evaluations" section to see if you qualify for the job. This section will also contain the knowledge, skills and abilities KSAs and minimum education and experience required for the job. 3. Review the How to Apply" section of the announcement carefully. If you do not follow the instructions, your application will be considered incomplete and you will not be considered for the job. 17

18 The most important section of the application is writing KSA statements. These are essay questions that ask you to describe specific skills in relation to the job you re applying for. KSAs ask about written and oral communication abilities, demonstrated technical abilities, and knowledge in specific subject-matter areas. Good KSAs demonstrate that you can analyze a question and answer it, and write a narrative that relates your experience to the needs of the position and organization. Think of the KSAs as written interview questions: Give concrete and specific examples (professional, coursework- or volunteer-based) of how you demonstrate a particular competency. Focus on the results you ve achieved, and especially on quantifiable results, complexity, or leadership. Use each KSA prompt to convey what makes you stand out. Use the first person and don t be modest. The key to writing a good KSA statement is in the announcement. Read it carefully and underline or highlight the major duties; then, identify the skills associated with those major duties, such as communication skills, interpersonal skills, and laboratory skills. Make a list of projects to which you ve contributed, quantifying whatever accomplishments you can by focusing on results and linking those to the duties and responsibilities in the vacancy. Other tips for writing effective KSA statements: Compose your responses in a word processing program, so you can review your answers to make sure they are easy to read, grammatically correct and have no typos. Copy and paste your response into the browser. Answer the question completely. Answers like See résumé or See above are not permitted. Don t recycle the same essays for different applications. Tailor the essay to the application. Academic Jobs If you re aspiring to a career in higher education, you will want to consider the issues described below. 18

19 Type of Institution There are 4 main institutional categories in terms of highest academic degree awarded: PhD-granting universities (also referred to as research universities) MS-granting comprehensive universities and some colleges BS-granting liberal arts or 4-year technical colleges AS-granting community colleges. Teaching Loads Teaching loads vary, based on the institution: Research university teaching loads are typically 3 6 hours a week, with many more hours dedicated to leading and supervising research, students and writing research grant proposals. College teaching loads generally vary from hours a week, with additional commitments to lead and supervise research and to write grant proposals. Community college teaching loads are heaviest by comparison usually 20 or more hours a week. Usually no research is done at community colleges. Research and Other Scholarly Productivity PhD-granting universities expect at least one publication per year over a period of 3 4 years and about $100 thousand in grants. Top research universities, however, expect more perhaps publications in peer-reviewed journals and several hundred thousand dollars in external funding, including at least one significant grant from a major funding agency, such as NSF (National Science Foundation), NIH (National Institutes of Health), or DOD (Department of Defense). Colleges expect 2 or 3 solid publications over a 6-year period and $30 $100 thousand in grants. Community colleges expect few if any publications over a 6-year period. Obtaining external grants is usually not expected. Requirements for research productivity are greater at research institutions than at 4-year colleges, while 2-year community colleges usually do not expect faculty to conduct research. 19

20 Institutional Service Faculty members usually are expected to participate in: Department and committee activities Professional activities. Other types of service expectations will vary according to the school s mission. At major research universities, tenure-track assistant professors usually have minimum service obligations to allow them to focus on becoming recognized as world class in their fields of research. Other Considerations Among otherwise comparable educational institutions, there may be notable differences in mission and philosophy. Only about half of all undergraduate chemistry degree programs are ACS approved. Note, too, that some colleges offer chemistry curricula that do not lead to a degree in chemistry. In general, an earned PhD is the minimum requirement for appointments at a university or college. A Master s would be the minimum for appointments at a community college, with a PhD considered desirable. Postdoctoral research experience is increasingly expected for university or college appointments and is becoming increasingly mandatory for a position at a major research university. Most full-time appointments are for 10 months, with approximately 9 months of teaching expected. Summer employment may be negotiated separately. A few major research universities now offer 12month appointments to newly hired assistant professors. Since this practice creates a competitive edge in recruiting, other major research universities may follow suit. Initial appointments may be for 1, 2, or 3 years, and be renewable with satisfactory performance. For tenure-track appointments, the tenure decision is usually made after the sixth year. In many cases, tenure-track faculty members receive a major performance review late in the third year to let them know where they stand and to advise on expectations over the next 3 years. Tenure and promotion are usually linked. It is sometimes possible to receive a temporary or adjunct appointment, sometimes referred to as contingent positions that ordinarily do not lead to tenure and are provided on a semester-by-semester basis. Here, the job expectations are clearly defined and usually are limited to teaching and lab instruction. Unfortunately, these 20

21 positions have replaced many tenure-track jobs as colleges and universities seek more ways to cut operating expenses. The degree of teaching and research autonomy in an academic position is usually what makes it appealing. The salaries are generally less than those in industrial jobs, although many senior faculty members at top research institutions are very well compensated. Also, as a major employment benefit, some institutions allow free or greatly reduced tuition for family members. The key credential when applying for an academic position is your curriculum vitae, or CV. It presents in significantly more detail everything that would be on a résumé, with a special focus on scholarly productivity. It also includes your complete list of publications and presentations. As a companion document, you should have a research proposal appropriate for the institution s mission and facilities. A statement of your teaching philosophy may also be requested. Startup money available for academic positions can vary from a few thousand at a small liberal arts college to nearly a million at a research university. Recognize that preparing a successful application package can take many months. Your academic research adviser will help you organize your application materials and coach you through the procedures. Obtaining a faculty position is a sponsored process. Your adviser will counsel you on appropriate positions and will help you in making contacts. In return, you re expected to follow your adviser s guidance and keep them fully informed. Each institution varies in characteristics and expectations. For the institutions that interest you, find out the job obligations, requirements for promotion, and resources offered to beginning faculty before you consider applying. Your graduate or postdoctoral research adviser can help you obtain that information. Academic jobs in chemistry and chemical engineering are regularly listed in Chemical & Engineering News and the Chronicle of Higher Education, and ScienceCareers.org has many links to additional sources. Career Transitions Sometimes experienced chemists want to change their situation or field. Possible career transitions include: Exchanging one lab research field for another. Moving from a lab scientist s job to a non-laboratory or management position. Going from a large company to a small one. Shifting from a company office setting to a home office. 21

22 Changing geographic locations. Changing industries or moving from industry to academia or government, for example. In a career transition, the job search process remains the same, but your target market is different. Your steps will include: Conducting a careful personal assessment to be certain you have the values, drivers, and skills needed for the new career, and to identify your new target employers. Updating your skills list and obtaining training in any gaps that might keep you from your new position. Adding to your network practitioners in the field you re targeting. Your current network members may not be useful in guiding you to new fields. Changing your professional view of yourself to one more closely aligned with your new career. For example, if changing from an experimental organic chemist to an information specialist in the library, introduce yourself as a technical information specialist, and find people who work in that field to add to your network. Revising your résumé to target your new field (and the specific job you want, when possible). Staying involved and alert to changes in yourself and your new field. Hidden Job Market There s good evidence that, at any given time, around 2/3 of available jobs are hidden meaning not advertised or posted for a variety of reasons: Other jobs in the organization have higher priority for being filled. The job is slated for budget approval, but not yet approved. Particularly in smaller organizations, management is too busy to search for a needed employee. Management has not yet recognized a serious need to hire. These are mostly jobs that exist but for one reason or another have not been advertised. There are also some jobs that are so well hidden that they don t even exist until you create a need for them. Also, small or start-up companies are a particularly rich source of hidden jobs. The best way to uncover these hidden jobs? Networking. 22