PhD Transition Report On-Demand

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah explains why you should identify your target companies before setting up an online networking strategy
• Next, Isaiah discloses the good practices every PhD must follow when creating and nurturing their online network
• Finally, Isaiah reveals how you should time your efforts to ensure you get a referral

If you want to get a job in industry, you need to have an effective online networking strategy. And a good strategy starts by identifying the companies that you want to work for.

To do this, avoid basic Google searches. Googling keywords, like “top” or “best”, you’ll only going find the same 10 biggest companies that you already know and that everyone else already knows.

To find more company targets, start using longtail keywords. For example, search “mid-size biotechs in Boston”.

You’ll find hundreds and likely thousands of strong, fast growing companies that you’ve never heard of but are looking to hire candidates and have plenty of cashflow to spend on them.

Once you have your list, start networking with people working at those companies.

Make sure you always follow good practices while networking. First and foremost, be professional.

Reach out to the right people. If you’re looking for a Research Associate position at a company, you shouldn’t reach out to the CEO or COO of the company.

Instead, focus on connecting with people that hold the job title that you want, or co-workers of people in that role.

Tap into your existing network. It’s much easier to rekindle an old connection than it is to create a new one from scratch.

You may not think that your old friend from grad school who works in a completely different field will be of use – but you already have trust built with them and likely have hundreds of shared connections.

Try to avoid a strategy that relies on cold contacting. Instead, find a cold contact’s first and second-degree connections to see if you have any shared connections in place already.

If you have a second-degree connection with the person, ask your shared connection for an introduction.

Adding value doesn’t mean having anything of material value to offer – just showing your appreciation is enough.

Look at their profile – did they just recently get promoted? Congratulate them. These seemingly small things make a world of difference.

Finally, start getting your timing right, especially when it comes to asking for an informational interview or a referral.

You don’t want to bring up a referral too early in the conversation, but you also don’t want to wait until after the conversation has gone stale.

Once you’ve exchanged a few friendly messages, see if they’re open to answering questions about their career.

If they are, this, right here, is the best moment to ask. And instead of using the words “informational interview”, present it as a quick call to ask a few questions about their job.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post 6 Things PhDs Must Do When Networking Online appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah discusses why you should always prepare extensively for a job interview, especially if you make it to the final rounds
• Next, Isaiah discloses what a 30-60-90-day plan is and what you should consider before you start creating one
• Finally, Isaiah gives you pointers on how to create a 30-60-90-day plan that will wow employers

If you’ve ever made it to the final round of interviews for an industry job, you know that the competition is stiff. As such, it’s imperative that you show up prepared.

This means that you should research the company and the interviewers; do numerous mock interviews; and come up with a list of questions to ask during the interview.

The number one reason employers decide not to extend an offer to a candidate is because they’re uncertain about whether or not they’re serious about the role.

To show interviewers that you’re serious about the job, you should prepare a 30-60-90-day plan.

A 30-60-90-day plan maps out your goals for the first 30, 60, and 90 days on the job.

This document is impressive to interviewers because it shows them that you understand the job description and know what’s expected of you while allowing the interviewers to physically picture you in that role.

To create a feasible plan, you have to understand how industry works. If you’re coming from academia, you may think that you’re going to hit the ground running, but this isn’t how industry works.

The first step is onboarding, which is important because it allows you to get well-established in your role before taking on major responsibilities. Companies that have a good onboarding process enjoy higher employee retention rates.

When creating your plan, keep in mind that onboarding typically lasts for the first three months of your new position.

In the first 30 days, your goal is to learn the tools and the systems of the company.

Within 60 days, you should have a solid understanding of how teams within the company work together and how people communicate.

After a full 3 months in your new role, you’ll start to take on greater responsibilities.

When setting goals for your plan, think about what’s expected of you at each stage…and on the day of your interview, print out a copy of your plan and present it to the interviewer.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Win Your Interview By Presenting A 30-60-90-Day Plan appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah explains why PhDs are suited for classical business roles and reviews the management consulting career path
• Next, Isaiah presents the business development manager position and what it takes to succeed in it
• Finally, Isaiah talks about business intelligence and why PhDs are so valuable in these roles

As a PhD, your skills are sought after in all aspects of industry, including business management and analysis. If you think you need an MBA to get into a classical business role in industry – think again.

This may’ve been the case 20 years ago, but now more than ever, employers are seeking PhDs to fill these roles.

The first career I’ll touch on today is management consulting. According to a Bloomberg report, the consulting market is expected to expand, with an estimated growth rate of 3.7% annually.

While MBAs have historically monopolized consulting positions, nowadays, PhDs are getting hired more and more for these positions. This is because PhDs have stronger technical backgrounds and are used to solving complex problems.

Consulting firms like McKinsey and Bain are hired to identify business pain-points, perform analyses that help find solutions, and help businesses implement the proposed plans. If you’re a problem-solver at heart, you’ll be at home in this role.

Also, a key advantage of this position is that it can open up other opportunities including executive management, venture capitalism, and entrepreneurial positions.

Another in-demand, classical business role for PhDs is business development manager.

For this role, companies are looking for someone who can determine the feasibility of a project, design viable studies, and establish reasonable timelines. Who else is more qualified for these tasks other than a PhD?

If you’re looking for a well-balanced position, then look no further…because in business development, you’ll have the best of both worlds: you’ll be interfacing with clients while also conducting in-depth analyses in order to understand the target market and identify strategies for attracting clients.

If you’re interested in the business side of industry but prefer a role that’s more behind-the-scenes, a business intelligence analyst may be a better fit for you.

As an intelligence analyst, you’d be responsible for querying databases in order to provide information on business trends. You’d then use this information to generate actionable business insights.

Think of it as being the secret agent of the business world. As an analyst you’re responsible for providing information on both opportunities and threats.

In the same vein, for those of you that have strong analytical and computational skills, there are exciting opportunities in quantitative analysis. Since most companies need analysts, this career path is almost limitless.

Quants need to possess logical thinking and analytical problem-solving skills with a knack for working under pressure.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Industry Careers For PhDs In Classical Business Roles appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah explains why you should consider a career in operations, production, and tech support and reviews some in-demand positions in the operations sector
• Next, Isaiah talks about the product management position and why it’s such a good fit for PhDs
• Finally, Isaiah discusses what it takes to succeed in PhD-level positions in tech support

Many PhDs assume that R&D departments are the only departments that hire PhDs. But this is so far from the truth.

As a PhD, your skills are sought after in all aspects of industry, including operations, production, and technology.

I’m going to touch on each of these by highlighting one job from each sector. To start, let’s look at the operational side of industry. Particularly, quality control and quality assurance.

Quality control and quality assurance roles don’t often catch the eye of PhDs, but they can be some of the most lucrative positions in industry. And there are plenty to go around!

Any company that makes an FDA-regulated product needs PhD-level quality control and assurance professionals. So, what’s the difference?

In a quality control position, you’re managing manufacturing operations and ensuring the quality of the therapeutic product before it hits the shelves while quality assurance PhDs ensure that the company’s product complies with the relevant regulatory requirements.

Problem-solving and organizational skills along with leadership and effective communication are just a few of the skills that are required for the job – and ones that you, as a PhD, have.

Let’s say that you want to be the go-to person when it comes to the latest and greatest products or tools on the market.

If this sounds like you or if you’re interested in keeping up with market trends and coordinating everything related to a product at a company, you may be well suited for a product management role.

Product managers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of a product – from inception to post-launch.

In this position, you’d be analyzing a product’s market performance, identifying ways to increase a product’s success, and determining the best methods for phasing out older versions of the product.

This is a dynamic role that requires a willingness to develop your business acumen and leveraging your creativity to the utmost.

If this interests you, you’ll also be happy to know that the demand for Project Managers is on the rise, especially in electronics, aeronautics, IT, biotech, and biopharma.

If you have solid technical knowledge and enjoy a more client-facing position, tech support is definitely a great place to be.

To succeed in this role, you must have empathy for the client’s problems along with a solid foundation in the company’s product portfolio.

Attention to detail, strong communication skills, and great conflict resolution skills are all needed to provide quality technical support.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Industry Careers For PhDs In Operations, Production, & Tech Support appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah explains the importance of system-oriented transferable skills and how you fostered these during your time in grad school
• Next, Isaiah presents som people-oriented transferable skills that PhDs have and industry employers are looking for
• Finally, Isaiah discloses why you should never assume that employers know that you have self-oriented transferable skills

Systems-oriented transferable skills are one of the three flavors of transferable skills you should communicate on your resume and throughout your job search.

The key is phrasing these skills in a more universal way. For example, if you helped manage your lab’s budget, you could list “financial acumen” as one of your job skills.

If you had to ensure that certain antibodies or other reagents were always in stock so that everyone could continue executing their experiments, you could list “risk mitigation” or “resource management.”

Don’t underestimate the importance of systems in  business. Systems are entirely responsible for allowing a business to scale.

The good news is that as a PhD, you’ve lived and breathed systems for most of your life. The only difference is you called these systems by different names in academia—names like protocols, procedures, methodologies, and lesson plans.

The second flavor of transferable skills is people-oriented transferable skills. Employers report that 57% of their bad hires were job candidates who lacked people-oriented transferable skills, namely poor interpersonal skills and poor cultural alignment.

PhDs with people-oriented skills can adapt to sudden changes in circumstances and effectively communicate with team members who may or may not be in the same office (or country).

Are you flexible, versatile, and well-adjusted to remote work?

Can you mentor, train, and otherwise work with people who have less technical expertise than you?

Can you work with people messier, angrier, less intelligent, and more annoying than you (from your point of view)?

Other examples of people-oriented transferable skills include: performance management, change management, personnel development, virtual training, project management, task delegation, and chain of communication.

As a PhD, you might think that you work hard, take initiative, and quickly grasp new concepts, but do industry employers know this about you?

Do you really think a stranger who is considering hiring you or a slew of other job candidates automatically assumes you’re a hard worker just because you have a PhD?

No, of course not. You must show them.

You must prove that you can manage yourself, which is an example of the third flavor of transferable skills: self-oriented skills.

The self-oriented transferable skills you take for granted are the most in-demand skills in industry.

Besides hard work, initiative, and learning quickly, other self-oriented sills include: completeness, stress management, innovation, research, technical literacy, and autonomy.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post 3 Flavors Of Transferable Skills appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah discusses why PhDs should consider career options outside of R&D, specifically in healthcare
• Next, Isaiah talks about two positions in healthcare where PhDs are highly sought-after
• Finally, Isaiah explains why the healthcare sector is ever-expanding and how PhDs can take advantage of that

When PhDs consider their next career move, they often think of their options as a dichotomy: either I stay in academia, or I get a job in industry.

What no PI or university career counselor will tell you though, is that the options within industry are infinite. “Research Scientist” is just one of the many careers that PhDs can choose from.

Today, I’m going to talk about some of the exciting career paths that PhDs can take in industry, specifically in healthcare.

It’s a common misconception that you have to be an MD to qualify for a position in healthcare.

If during your PhD you were involved with a clinical trial, and you loved the work. Then, you may want to explore roles within Clinical Affairs.

Clinical Affairs Associates work across departments to coordinate all members of a clinical team, including the internal medical team and the external stakeholders.

This role is diverse and requires both administrative and project management acuity. Strong verbal and written communication skills, collaboration, and organizational skills are also required to succeed in this role.

If you would love a more front-facing role in healthcare, Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) are always in demand.

A recent recruiting survey found that MSL positions increased by over 38% making it one of the fastest growing science-related jobs worldwide.

MSLs are available in a range of sectors including pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical devices. It’s a common misconception that MSLs are in sales, when in fact, they are part of the company’s medical affairs team.

Their job is to interface with physicians and key opinion leaders (otherwise known as KOLs), providing them with the relevant clinical information they need to make informed decisions regarding a specific therapeutic area.

Successful MSLs are great presenters and conversationalists, and they like to travel.

If you prefer to work with data, then opportunities in healthcare information technology may interest you.

Thanks to the Health Information Technology (or, “HIT”) for Economic and Clinical Health Act, this is an ever-expanding sector.

A survey reported almost half a million HIT-related job postings in a 4 year period alone. And it hasn’t stopped growing since.

As an HIT, you would be responsible for organizing and verifying patient medical records and communicating with physicians to ensure the accuracy of their diagnosis.

PhDs well-versed in bioinformatic and other informatic databases are highly sought after for these roles. A background in medical terminology and a knack for coding can also be helpful.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Industry Careers For PhDs In Healthcare appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah discusses the importance of presenting a well written resume every time and why you should always have your resume proofread
• Next, Isaiah explains why you should leave your publication list out of your resume
• Finally, Isaiah discloses why you should make your resume easy to skim and why you should include some personal information.

An industry resume is about simplicity and results.

With that in mind, you need to get serious about eliminating poor spelling, incorrect grammar, and overly academic words that the initial gatekeepers will think are typos or mistakes.

This may seem obvious, but PhDs make errors like this all the time.

This is how I prefer to write a resume: first, I write it without worrying about whether I’ve included all the keywords that are relevant for the role.

Then, I have it proofread.

Then, I go back and make sure to add the keywords that fit the job description.

And finally, I have it proofread again. It’s important to have a second set of eyes on every iteration of your resume.

You may be shocked – or even a bit dismayed – but you shouldn’t put your publications on your resume. Publications don’t matter in industry like they do in academia.

You certainly don’t need to add a works cited section to your industry resume.

Non-PhD hiring managers and recruiters aren’t out there thinking – dang it, I wish this candidate would include the volume and issue number of every publication on this resume.

I know you’ve worked hard on these publications, but don’t let your pride get in the way of an effective resume.

Avoid paragraphs in any form. Recruiters and hiring managers have piles of resumes to review; they don’t want to read a novella on your life.

This is a good time to remind you to avoid other faux pas like using small and dense font styles.

If you have to use font size 8, I guarantee that you’re adding too much information to your resume.

Finally, you should avoid not including personal information. I know that’s a double negative, but you heard me right.

You want to include personal accolades that humanize you to the hiring manager. This could be “Captain of the varsity soccer league, four years running.”

Mentioning these types of things will make you stand out and also tell employers that you can communicate with non-PhDs as well as other PhDs.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post 4 More Things To Stop Putting On Your Resume appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah presents 2 common mistakes PhDs make when working on their resume and explains why you should never use an unprofessional email in your job application.
• Next, Isaiah discloses why you should add a professional summary at the top of your resume
• Finally, Isaiah gives you pointers o how to ensure you add the right measurable results to your resume

As a PhD, you’re taught that more is better. A sample size of 200 is certainly better than a sample size of 2, right? Well, when it comes to your industry resume, less is more.

To get hired in industry, you not only need to include the right things on your resume. You also need to leave the wrong thing out of it.

Two mistakes that PhDs make when writing their resume is that they include too many things…or the wrong things.  So, today I’m going to discuss 3 things that you should not put on your resume.

The first is an unprofessional email. If your email address is ‘partyitup2022,’ that doesn’t exactly show employers that you’re a professional. Either set up a new account or use a pre-existing one with a more appropriate address. It can be as simple as “first name.last [email protected].”

Studies show 3 out of 4 applications are discarded because they include an unprofessional email address – crazy, right? So, follow this advice and put yourself ahead of 75% of other applicants right away.

The second mistake PhDs make is putting academic-oriented or completely outdated sections at the top of their resumes. Remember, you’re applying for an industry job in this decade. So, don’t start with your education section or an objective statement.

Companies don’t care about what you want – they want to know what you can do for them. A better strategy is to start with a professional summary of your three biggest career highlights.

The third thing to leave off of your resume is a list of irrelevant job duties, skills, or time you spent doing something in the past.

Employers are interested in relevant results, not irrelevant methods that you think sound impressive. This means removing any mention of “job duties” or “responsible for,” and replacing them with tangible achievements.

For example, if your research contributed to a grant proposal, you could say “Led a team of 5 scientists resulting in the procurement of over $1,000,000 renewable grant funding.”

Remember, numbers really stand out, so you should quantify as much as you possibly can when describing your experience.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Never Put These 3 Things On Your Resume appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah explains why being ready to negotiate your salary is beneficial for your career
• Next, Isaiah discloses some common techniques employers use to bring your salary down and how to avoid falling for them
• Finally, Isaiah discusses why you should always remain professional during salary negotiations and why you should follow negotiations until the end

If you’ve received an industry job offer, I’d like to start off by saying “Congratulations!” Now, the next step in any job offer is the dreaded salary negotiation.

Sadly, many PhDs enter this stage extremely ill-equipped. After all, you’ve spent the better part of a decade just happy to get paid at all! So repeat my mantra: know your value.

How you handle salary negotiations will not only determine whether you move from offer to an actual job. It will also determine how much you get paid.

For a successful salary negotiation, you should avoid 5 critical, and often costly, mistakes.

Companies use a range of negotiation tactics to bring you in at a lower salary.

During your interview, employers may ask you if a particular salary bracket is acceptable. Don’t inadvertently agree to a salary by saying “yes” to these inquiries.

Instead, deflect. For example, you could say “I’m willing to consider all reasonable offers.” Or you could divert by saying “I’m not sure what a normal salary is for this position, so I will defer to your expertise.”

Another mistake that PhDs make is they let their fear take the reins – they let desperation drive your decision-making.

To avoid this mental trap, bolster your confidence by reminding yourself that negotiating is expected of you; give yourself options by pursuing multiple job opportunities; and research the average salary for the position.

Another way that employers will get you to commit to a lower salary is to ask about your current salary.

If you’re still in academia, remember that your pay is a stipend, not a salary. So, when pressed about your salary you can, yet again, deflect by saying “In my academic position I received a stipend from my university. I am excited about the opportunity to work here and am open to all reasonable offers.”

If, however, you’re already in industry, it’s easy for them to find out what you’re making, so you’ll need to be more transparent.

The important thing is to reframe the salary – explain that what you’re currently earning is for a lower position, or perhaps, a different role altogether.

One good way to respond is to quote the average salary for the position…or to explain that you’re seeking a higher salary to justify leaving your current position, where you’ve built a rapport.

On the flip side, many PhDs ruin a negotiation by being defensive or too aggressive. You want to get paid what you deserve, but it’s important to remain professional.

Use phrases that include “we.” This gives them the sense that you’re working with them.

Instead of saying “I will only accept the position if you meet my salary expectations”, say “I was really hoping for more than that. What can we do?” Being too aggressive can put your offer at risk, or at the very least, give your new company a bad first impression.

The last mistake I’ll talk about is stopping negotiations early. Salary negotiations aren’t just about your base pay – it’s the whole package.

This includes healthcare, retirement, stock options, bonuses, and so on. So don’t stop talking after you’ve established your base pay.

The takeaway here is that negotiations take determination – so, stand by your ethics and be professional. They’re also a normal part of getting hired, and shying away from them will only hurt you in the long run.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post 5 Costly Mistakes That PhDs Make During Salary Negotiations And How To Avoid Them appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.