analytical chemistry EDITOR: GEORGE H. M O R R I S O N EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W. W a s h i n g t o n , D.C. 2 0 0 3 6 Phone: 2 0 2 - 8 7 2 - 4 5 7 0 Teletype: 7 1 0 - 8 2 2 0 151 Executive
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Terrant
Recruiting New Graduates Each year at about this time the annual ritual of recruiting and selecting new Ph.D. candidates for their first job draws to a close. With regard to industrial and governmental laboratory recruitment, the process starts in October with interviews at the universities, often conducted by company scientists who are alumni of the particular school. Students are generally invited for plant visits in mid-winter and offers are made to the successful applicants some time during the spring. The process of selecting new Ph.D.'s for academic positions, teaching, research, or both, can vary considerably from this method and will be reserved for future discussion. For the past few years the demand for graduates in analytical chemistry has been particularly high. At the recent Pittsburgh Conference more than (5(50 job openings were listed, an increase of more than 152% over the previous year with 490 candidates applying. Similarly, at the recent National ACS Meeting in Houston, 447 positions were posted by employer representatives. Positions in analytical chemistry and organic chemistry topped the list with approximately 18% in each field. Recruitment of analytical chemists at the universities has been very strong and finishing students are often confronted with a number of job offers. Since this is often their first encounter with the real world, students must make important decisions based to a great extent on impressions gained during their plant visits. Important considerations include the nature of the position, the geographic location, and, more recently, job opportunities for the spouse. Since 1 recently discussed these experiences with a number of graduating students, it is interesting to present their views of the recruiting process. The candidates find great variations in style of plant visits ranging from well organized plans of scheduled interviews with key personnel to situations in which the relevant supervisors are unavailable for consultation. Hospitality ranges from being met at the airport and wined and dined throughout the visit to cases where the candidate is completely on his own. The treatment of the candidate obviously is an important factor in his overall impression of the laboratory and indicates how an individual employee might be treated after employment. Most important, however, is the nature of the position being considered. Once again, the students find considerable differences during their visits. Some companies are looking for a candidate with a specific area of specialization while others are seeking people capable of branching out to new areas of analytical chemistry. This too reflects the philosophy of the company toward future research and allocation of their scientific personnel. In the current atmosphere of a large demand for people with a limited supply of graduates, it is especially important for the prospective employer to provide a strong positive impression to attract young people about to embark on their chosen profession.
Manuscript r e q u i r e m e n t s are published in the January 1980 issue, page 2 1 9 . Manuscripts for publication (4 copies) should be submitted t o A N A L Y T I C A L CHEMISTRY at the A C S W a s h ington address. The A m e r i c a n Chemical Society and its editors assume no responsibility for the statements and opinions a d v a n c e d by contributors. V i e w s expressed in the editorials are those of the editors and do not necessarily represent the o f f i c i a l position of the A m e r i c a n C h e m i c a l S o c i e t y .
ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY,
VOL.
52,
NO.
7, J U N E
1980
1009
