Career Options and
Job Resources
Tianna Hicklin, Ph.D.
The Science Story
Agenda
A History of Excellence
● Founded by inventor Thomas Edison
in 1880
● Published by AAAS
(American Association for the
Advancement of Science)
● Groundbreaking research– human
genome, HIV, protein dynamics, and
other special edition issues
● High impact news and commentary–
interviews with high profile
politicians and researchers, and
research funding budget analyses
Advancing Science, Serving Society
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● Science NetLinks – 400 free online
science lessons for teachers
● Kinetic City – award winning, innovative,
online after-school club for kids ages 8
through 11
● Project 2061 – variety of benchmark tools
for teaching science
● R&D Budget Analysis – analysis of the
U.S. Federal R&D Budget by agency
● Science & Technology Policy
Fellowships –
places Ph.D. level researchers in
government
● AAAS Human Rights Action Network –
fighting for the protection of scientists
worldwide
For more details go to aaas.org
Agenda
www.sciencecareers.org
Agenda
● A free print and online career
resource for researchers that will
guide you from your first job to your
last
● Updated daily with career advice
articles
● Science Career forum: a forum to ask
questions regarding career advice
● Over 3,000 jobs posted per month
● Career development tools
● Career webinars and booklets
www.sciencecareers.org
How Do You Find the Right Career?
Agenda
Be Proactive and Creative
● Research your options
● Take self-assessments
● Make a career plan
● Build new skills
● Start job searching
Traditional Path for Scientists
Research Careers
● Academia
● Industry
What do scientists do outside of research?
Agenda
● Academic administration
● Business development
● Program administration
● Journal editors
● K-12 teachers
● Career development
● Community college professors
● Technical writers
● Curriculum development
● Science writers
● Educational research
● Tech transfer
● Museums/science
● Information science/libraries
centers/aquariums
● Venture capital
● Public policy
● Marketing/sales
● Patent agents and attorneys
● Public relations
● Finance
● Funding agencies
● Regulatory affairs
● Professional associations
● Entrepreneurship
● Scientific/medical illustrator
● and more…
Research Your Options: Find Resources
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●Speak with career counselors
●Read about career paths
‒ScienceCareers.org
 Advice articles and careers forum
−Books
 Alternative Careers in Science - Robbins-Roth
 Put Your Science to Work - Fiske
 So What Are You Going to Do With That? - Basalla &
Debelius
 Nontraditional Careers for Chemists - Balbes
●Ask other scientists (informational interviews)
Research Your Options: Ask Other Scientists
Agenda
● What attracted you to this field?
● What do you like most or least about this position or field?
● Describe a typical day or week.
● What steps did you take to break into this field?
● What skills are most helpful in your job? How can I develop
them?
● To what professional associations do you belong?
● What advice would you give somebody interested in your
line of work?
Self-Assessments
● Informally:
 Journal
 Pro and con lists
 Lists of skills and values
● Formally:
 Individual Development Plan
FIND YOUR PASSION!
Self-Assessments: Ask Yourself
Agenda
● What do you like to do? What energizes you?
● What type of tasks and activities make you completely lose
track of time?
● Do you want to do lab work? What would you miss about
being in the lab?
● Where do you want to work?
● What do you want to wear to work?
● How often do you want to change projects?
● Would you like to work independently or as part of a team?
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
Agenda
myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
Agenda
myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
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myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
Agenda
myidp.sciencecareers.org
Self-Assessments: IDP
Agenda
myidp.sciencecareers.org
Make a Career Plan: How?
Agenda
Start on a path
●Choose a career direction that sounds interesting to you
●Determine what skills you have
●Determine what skills you need
●Seek out new experiences and build new skills
●Start applying for jobs
Make a Career Plan: Identify Skills You Have
Agenda
PhDs are often trained in:
● Data analysis and management
● Project management
● Communication
● Computer and technical operations
● Teaching and leadership
● Teamwork
● Problem-solving and critical thinking
● Technical knowledge
Make a Career Plan: Identify Skills You Need
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Become a competitive candidate
● What are the main skills needed for the positions
you are interested in?
● What skills do employers want?
● How do you make yourself a good fit?
Academic Research
Agenda
Independent Researcher
● Quality publications
● Establish yourself as an expert
–Build connections with colleagues in your field
–Speak at conferences
● Find funding
● Committee work
● Manage students
● Teaching skills
Industry Research
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Similar to academia, but also:
●Team oriented
●Good communication skills
●Juggle multiple projects
●Detail oriented
●Budgeting skills
●Can work on tight timelines
●You enjoy change; it’s the nature of the industry
Writing or Editing
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● Two General Directions:
Technical/Scientific
Non-technical
●Strong writing and editing skills
●Writing/editing samples
●Good communication skills
To interview scientists
Collaborate with experts to write technical papers
Build New Skills
Agenda
Seek Out New Experiences
● Try the job informally
– Volunteer
● Pursue fellowships
● Attend conferences, workshops, classes
● Internships
● Part-time or temporary jobs
● Committee work
Job Searching
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Typical Ways Employers Fill Vacancies
● From within
● From a friend or colleague
● Using an agency they trust
● Using an ad they’ve placed
● Using an unsolicited resume
● Job boards
Job Searching
Agenda
Finding Job Openings
●Networking
● Professional organizations and conferences
● Job boards
● Institution/company
● Professional and scholarly journals
● Career fairs
Job Searching: Job Boards
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Job Searching: Keep Your Options Open
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Look Broadly
● Geographically
● Sector
● Career paths
Job Searching
Agenda
Conclusions
●Finding your personal job chemistry is important for
your career development
●There’s no one path for all PhDs
●Build new, transferable skills
●Keep your options wide open
●Job searching takes time (especially when transitioning)
●Stay positive!
Thank You for Listening!
Resources
● Science Careers Forum and 4,000+ articles
sciencecareers.org
●Career Booklets
sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/tools_tips/ outreach/booklets
Thank You for Listening!