Marketing Update

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ScienceCareers.org Workshop
Industry vs Academic Interviews Harvard Medical
School 29 June 2015
Garth A Fowler, Ph.D. Outreach Program
Manager ScienceCareers.org
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• Sciences online career resource
• http//www.sciencecareers.org

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Todays Journey

• Interviewing The basics
• Industry vs Academia What is the difference?
• Preparing Approach as meticulously as you do
  your research

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Common Mistakes!
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Your Mission

• Convey that you can do the job.
• Get them to like you.
• Provide evidence to support the first, do things
  to ensure the second.

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Your Conference Talk
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Your Interview!
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Your Interview!
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Your Interview!
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Your Interview!
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Know Thyself

• What will you contribute to this
  company/department?
• What skills and abilities do you have to offer?
• What indicators are there of your quality of work?

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Present Thyself

• This is your first impression!
• Know your qualifications (and be able to defend
  them)
• Sell yourself, with integrity

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Practice

• Practice
• Practice
• Practice (out loud)

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Know ThyOrganization

• What is this group known for?
• Where do they want to go next?
• Why this position?
• What is unique about it?
• Why did they make it this way?

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Gather Information too!

• Have good strategic questions about
• Big picture
• What is expected of you (sometimes obvious)
• How does this fit into your career plans
  (remember the early slides?)
• Inquire about the next steps in the process

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Interviews What each Wants
For the Organization
For You

• Promote your skills and abilities
• Opportunity to meet the people
• Determine fit

• Confirm impression from application
• Opportunity to meet the person
• Determine fit

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It Is the Fit that Counts

• Interviews are designed to determine how you
  would integrate into a company/labs team.
• Interviews should also allow you to determine if
  you LIKE the environment (but not always well
  designed to do so).

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Why should we hire You?

• Feels like undue bragging but you gotta do it.
• Emphasize organization, positive attitude, and
  teamwork.
• State how your training/background meets their
  needs!

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Follow Up simple, but necessary

• Be patient - the entire hiring process could
  take months.
• however .
• Take the next step. Send thank you emails or
  letters.

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Know what They Want
Ultimately, the purpose of any interview is to
demonstrate to all interested that you are the
ideal candidate. To do this, you have know what
they need, and spend enough time preparing to
demonstrate that you have what they want.
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Scientific Training is more than just science
Computational/Analytical Mathematical
Problem Solving
Goal Oriented
Critical Thinking
Independence
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A Typical Advertisement
We are seeking a talented team player to lead our
in-vitro assay development group. The candidate
will be responsible for managing a team of
researcher and technicians, driving innovation in
bioanalytical method development for clinical
studies in compliance with EMEA, FDA and IHC
guidelines, with a focus on cell based bioassays
and FACS analysis to monitor pharmakokinetics,
pharmacodynamics and immunogenicity. The duties
will also include participation in
multidisciplinary project teams, communication
with external experts, collaboration partners and
contract laboratories.
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The candidate must possess a PhD degree in the
field of biological science (Biology,
Biochemistry or Immunology), should have a strong
immunology background, 2-3 years of hands-on
laboratory experience in cell based assay and
FACS based assays development and a minimum of 2
years experience in managing people in an
industrial environment. The position requires
excellent verbal and written English
communication skills, a high level of
self-motivation, a result oriented working style,
the ability to independently design and implement
experiments as well as to work in a multinational
team. Candidates should be willing to travel.
Knowledge of Italian is beneficial
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team player in-vitro assay managing a team of
researcher and technicians bioanalytical
method EMEA, FDA and IHC guidelines cell based
bioassays and FACS analysis participation in
multidisciplinary project teams communication
with external experts collaboration partners and
contract laboratories PhD Biology, Biochemistry
Immunology - strong immunology background,
experience in managing people 2-3 years of
hands-on laboratory experience results oriented
working excellent verbal and written English
communication skills high level of
self-motivation, independently design and
implement experiments work in a multinational
team. Knowledge of Italian is beneficial
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team player in-vitro assay managing a team of
researcher and technicians bioanalytical
method EMEA, FDA and IHC guidelines cell based
bioassays and FACS analysis participation in
multidisciplinary project teams communication
with external experts collaboration partners and
contract laboratories PhD Biology, Biochemistry
Immunology - strong immunology background,
experience in managing people 2-3 years of
hands-on laboratory experience results oriented
working excellent verbal and written English
communication skills high level of
self-motivation independently design and
implement experiments work in a multinational
team Knowledge of Italian is beneficial
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Team Work and Leadership team player managing
a team of researcher and technicians
participation in multidisciplinary project teams
collaboration partners and contract laboratories
experience in managing people work in a
multinational team Technical and Field
Specific in-vitro assay bioanalytical
method cell based bioassays and FACS
analysis PhD Biology, Biochemistry
Immunology strong immunology background 2-3
years of hands-on laboratory experience
independently design and implement
experiments Other Results oriented working
high level of self-motivation excellent
verbal and written skills communication with
external experts EMEA, FDA and IHC guidelines
Knowledge of Italian is beneficial
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Team Work and Leadership Co-authored paper,
poster, talk Assisting others in lab Mentor
intern, undergraduate, graduate Committee work
(professional society, PDA) Group work from
class Technical and Field Specific This is
your lab work, your science, your degree
ostensibly your passion Other Results oriented
working high level of self-motivation
Graduate school postdoc training excellent
verbal and written skills communication with
external experts papers, talks, etc. EMEA, FDA
and IHC guidelines knowledge of Italian is
beneficial two things your missing
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Common Questions To Answer/Ponder

• Why do you want to change careers?
• Why are you interested in our company?
• Why are you qualified for this position?
• What are your career goals, and how does this
  position fit into fulfilling those goals?

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Common Questions To Answer/Ponder

• Name a challenge. How did you address? What was
  the outcome?
• How have you taken the initiative in the past?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses
• Tell me about your research experience.

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Academic interviews

• Universities, Research Hospitals, Institutions,
  some Federal Agencies
• Research and Education centers
• Expect you to generate funding
• Academic contribution (teaching, committee work)

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What You Will (probably) Do

• Meet with Faculty in the Department
• Meet with Faculty outside the Department
• Meet with Graduate Students Postdocs
• Meet with Dean
• Give a research symposium (or two)
• Teach a class (maybe)

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Your Research Talk

• Keep talks short and general
• Much too technical.
• Usually do not have the big picture.
• Inability to present information or respond to a
  broad audience

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Your Research Beyond your Talk

• Know your facts, and defend them
• Prepare step-by-step explanations of your future
  experiments
• Present alternative approaches you might also
  attempt
• Have a funding strategy prepared

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Your Preparation

• Show interest in the work of those you will be
  meeting
• Understand how your research might dove-tail with
  others
• Research the department, the programs, the
  students, facilities before your arrive!

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Assess your Ability for Success

• Core facilities you will need?
• Lab space?
• Teaching load?
• Start up funds?
• Pool of qualified students, postdocs, lab
  technicians to staff lab?

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Success is the results of preparation, hard
work, and learning from your past mistakes.