Targeting the Industrial Job Market

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Targeting the IndustrialJob Market
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Where to Begin?

• Start by assessing your personal and professional
  values
• Develop your resume of skills and talents
• Determine methods to identify potential employers
• Apply for positions
• Make it through the screening process

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Personal and Professional Values

• You should determine your need for
• Advancement
• Autonomy
• Balance
• Challenge
• Security

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Characteristics of Professional Values

• Advancement
• Visibility and career advancement
• Seeks financial reward and symbols of recognition
• Remains with organization if opportunities for
  professional growth are presented
• Autonomy
• Prefers doing things in own way
• Likes to set own schedules priorities
• May find working in industry restrictive

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Characteristics of Professional Values

• Balance, Life-Style Integration
• Top priority integration
• Considers more than the job when evaluating an
  offer
• Challenge
• Success solving challenging problems
• Willing to take on novel and difficult projects
• Highly competitive

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Characteristics of Professional Values

• Security
• Looks for an employer with a low turnover rate
• Desires stability seldom challenges the system
• Strong need to organize own life, including
  planning for the future

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Inventory Skills and Accomplishments

• Write down your skills
• Research techniques and methods
• Use of instruments and advanced software
• Write down your accomplishments
• New methods developed
• Desirable molecules synthesized
• Yields achieved
• New product sales or cost savings achieved
• Patents, papers, presentations

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How Starting Chemists Got Their Jobs

• Electronic Means databases and search engines.
• Personal Networking alumni, former research
  group members, contacts made through meetings
• Employment Agencies placement agencies or
  contracts
• Screening Interviews campus telephone
  interviews

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Effective Use of Electronic Job Banks

• Updated and properly formatted resume is
  essential
• Matches made based on key words
• Actively search job listings
• Some employers search database without posting
  jobs

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Electronic Job Bank Rules

• Post complete record of information from the
  beginning
• Update record including contact information
  regularly
• Sign up for electronic alerts
• Log into the site weekly

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Posted Jobs Can Be Easy to Find

• Internet data banks
• Corporate web sites
• Campus interviews
• Clearinghouses and job fairs
• Employment agencies and search firms
• Help-wanted classified ads
• Journals

but many jobs are hidden.
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Where are the Jobs?

• Approximately two-thirds
• of all jobs are hidden.

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Why are Jobs Hidden?

• Employer forecasts of staffing and funding needs
  can change 
• Exploration of potential new businesses can open
  new positions
• Temporary positions may become openings for
  permanent jobs

Jobs
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Small Companies Dont Always List Jobs

• Employer may be too busy to advertise 
• If advertising is used, its often limited to
  local area
• Employer may not anticipate need
• Position filled through personal contacts

Jobs
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How do You Find Hidden Jobs?

• Just two ways
• Indirectly, through networking
• Directly, through people you know or meet

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Networking Connecting With People

• and exchanging information to
• Find out about industries and jobs
• Develop and improve strategies for job search
• Discover information, contacts, and ideas

Networking is about information, ideas and
introductions  It is not asking for a job nor
having someone get you a job!
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Your Personal Network is

• Part of your market development
• Used to obtain leads and information
• Built and maintained through your personal
  contact and communication
• Includes everyone you know

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Building Your Network

• A network can consist of
• Classmates and friends from school
• Family members
• Research collaborators
• Past employers and colleagues
• People you meet at seminars, conferences, and
  workshops
• Other people looking for jobs, and
• 
  anybody they know

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Developing Your Network

• Keep track of and speak regularly with members of
  your network
• Join professional organizations
• Attend meetings and meet participants
• Volunteer for committee service
• Hand out business cards
• Practice small talk
• Use your telephone and computer
• Try linkedin.com, listservs e-communities

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Returning the Favor Part of Networking!

• Keep your contacts informed of your progress
• Send thank-you notes for ideas and leads
• Share effective job-search techniques
• Be attentive to the needs of all members of your
  network
• Refer people who might benefit from employment
  opportunities

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Employment Agencies

• Make sure that the agency has your best interests
  in mind
• Contract jobs should come with benefits
• Hold out for jobs that meet your needs
• Ensure that agency is reputable

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Screening Interviews

• Identifies candidates for site visits
• On-campus interviews
• Job Fairs
• Employment clearing houses
• Telephone interviews
• Screening interviews eliminate all but the top
  10-15 of candidates.

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Typical Screening Interview

• Interviewer introduction and expectations
• Your research summary
• No more than 5 minutes
• Use handouts
• Build a CAR Context, Action, Results
• Interviewer will gather information on key
  performance factors
• Company information and wrap-up

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Telephone Interviews

• Treat like a face-to-face interview
• Do not multitask focus on the interview
• Avoid cell phones if possible
• Use vocal enthusiasm to compensate for lack of
  eye contact and physical presence
• Keep your resume and notes at hand
• Reschedule if needed its okay to set another
  date and time

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Summary of Presentation

• Know your values and what drives you
• Identify your skills and talents
• Know where to find the jobs
• Position yourself for success by following the
  rules of the road
• Build your personal network
• Prepare for and expect the screening interview

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Related Chemjobs.org Resources

• Workshops
• Resume Preparation
• Effective Interviewing Techniques
• Critical Steps to Success
• Services
• Resume Reviews
• Mock Interviews

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• Thank you
• for your attention!ACS is here to help
• Your source for publications,career consultants,
  and more.
• Informationchemjobs.org
• 800.227.5558