employment outlook JU L IE WO O DFO R D/GEO RGE WASHIN GTO N U
OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2010 AND BEYOND
UNCERTAINTY
New grads face a difficult job market, but networking can help.
CONNECTING IN NEW ENGLAND For NEW GRADS searching for a job in this tough economy, networking is not an option but a necessity LINDA WANG, C&EN WASHINGTON
NEW ENGLAND has long been a promising
place for new graduates in the chemical sciences to find employment. In Massachusetts, especially in the Boston area, worldclass academic institutions are surrounded by a mixture of large and small pharma and biotech companies competing for talent. Other New England states boast growing opportunities for chemical professionals in
niche areas such as environmental chemistry and marine biotechnology. But because of the recent downsizing of the pharma and biotech industries and the reluctance of niche companies to expand in a bad economy, new grads from Connecticut to Maine are having a tough time finding work. New England’s unemployment rate has nearly doubled from 4.5%
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in December 2007 to 8.6% this past June, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “This is as tight a market as I’ve seen for fresh chemistry graduates coming into the industry,” says Josh Albert, managing director of recruiting firm Klein Hersh International. A few years ago in the Boston area, “individuals would have 10 or 12
AS ANXIETY SETS IN, new grads are
warming up to the idea of networking. After graduating from Wheaton College, in Norton, Mass., this past May with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, Jacob Korzun had hoped to find a position in industry and work for a year before applying to graduate school. With a strong résumé, Korzun thought he would find something relatively quickly. He had done research throughout his four years at Wheaton, he took challenging courses, he worked as a teaching aide, he engaged in leadership activities, and he completed an honors thesis. “I thought I was a pretty strong applicant,” he says.
“But I haven’t even gotten so much as a call back yet.” The 22-year-old recently moved back home with his parents in Vermont to save money, but as a result, he feels disconnected from the scientific community. “There’s not a lot of biomedical or chemical industry in Vermont, so I feel almost like I’m out in the fringes.” He says he wishes he had OPPORTUNITIES By done more networking volved in hiring a foreign national. networking at an ACS while he was still in school. Alyamac began networking right national meeting— Korzun had been applyoff the bat, attending several conlike the upcoming ing for jobs mostly online, ferences and following up with the one in Boston—job but he’s now taking a more people she met. In August 2009, seekers can discover new leads. active approach to his job after nearly a year of job searching, search. “I’ll probably still she still did not have any strong apply for some jobs online, leads. Having nearly given up, she but definitely not as many,” he says. “I’ll try remembered a professor from the Univerto use my time a little more productively by sity of New Hampshire whom she had met actually talking to people.” during a conference several years earlier. Korzun says he’s already learned She decided to e-mail him to ask whether he through friends and family of several leads, had any positions available in his research which he’ll pursue. “I would like to get a group. He replied, saying that he didn’t but job on the basis of my own merits,” he says. would forward her résumé to his colleagues. “But I just have to suck it up and accept that I might be getting a job because I know ONE CONNECTION led to another, and Alsomeone rather than because I’m the peryamac is now working for a small start-up fect candidate. But at this point, I’m happy company associated with the University of as long as I can get a job.” New Hampshire. The company is sponsorSearching for a job by responding to ads ing her for an H1-B work visa, putting her just doesn’t work in this tough economy. on track to apply for a green card. “You can’t just submit your résumé online Alyamac advises students to take every and sit back and wait for somebody to call opportunity they can to attend conferyou,” says Driscoll. “You’ve got to use your ences, even if they have to pay for it out of network. You’ve got to make yourself stand their own pocket. “Finding a job is all about out. If you’re just relying on hitting the networking. If you know a lot of people, send button and hoping someone’s going you’ll find a job faster,” she says. “If you to pick up the phone and call you, you’re don’t socialize with people, it’s going to be going to be waiting for a really long time.” impossible for you to find a job.” Networking requires a lot of patience, The benefits of networking can extend but it eventually pays off. Elif Alyamac says beyond a job search. Recent grad Walter she searched for a job for the entire year E. Kowtoniuk says the networking he did leading up to the completion of her Ph.D. in while working toward his Ph.D. in chemistry polymer engineering from the University of at Harvard University helped him define Akron, in Ohio, in fall 2009. Her job search his career goals. “I was seeking out people was even more challenging because as an into talk to while trying to figure out what I ternational student, she was on a temporary wanted to do,” he says. “I ultimately decided work visa, and few companies these days that I really wanted to push my career toare willing to commit to the extra effort inward the business strategy side of research
Networking “should be a lifelong career objective, because you never know when you’re going to need it next.” WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
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on-site interviews and come out with six or seven offers.” That’s not happening anymore, he says. New grads are now being forced to rethink their approach to job searching. Increasingly, those who are getting jobs are finding them through personal connections. In this tough economy, networking is not an option but a necessity. Identifying opportunities for networking, and continuing to develop the skill, can mean the difference between getting a job and getting left behind. “Networking is so important,” says Albert. “That’s how a lot of people get their jobs.” He advises job seekers to start networking by “going to conferences and leveraging your relationships. Be willing to bend over backward to open up any door you can.” And networking shouldn’t end after someone finds a job, says Megan Driscoll, founder and president of PharmaLogics Recruiting, in Braintree, Mass. “It should be a lifelong career objective, because you never know when you’re going to need it next.” For new grads in the New England area, one of the best and most convenient opportunities to network is right around the corner, during the fall American Chemical Society national meeting in Boston, which will take place on Aug. 22–26. From the career fair to the poster sessions to the numerous social events, the meeting can yield new leads for job seekers who come prepared to make connections.
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
and development,” he says. He looked for consulting positions and eventually landed a job as a health care strategy consultant for Clarion Healthcare Consulting, in Boston. “Networking can be very awkward,” Kowtoniuk says. “But I have found that if you take the job issue off the table, a lot of people are very willing to talk to you about their experiences and what they’ve learned on their career path.” Finding opportunities to network is critical. At the ACS national meeting in Boston, new grads can take advantage of the resources offered at the career fair, including professional development workshops, résumé and cover letter reviews, and opportunities to participate in mock interviews. ACS career consultants will also be on-site to offer individualized help.
But just attending the career fair is not enough, says William Suits, an ACS career consultant and a director of AIDSfreeAFRICA. “You’ve got to get out and spend time in those social events and poster sessions and on the exhibit floor,” he advises. “On the exhibit floor or in a social event, you’re watching name badges, so if you find a company that’s of interest to you, explore the possibilities. Find things in common.” Do your homework before the meeting, Suits advises. “Pick out 20 posters you’re really interested in, learn about the individuals and the research they’re presenting, and reference some other work they’ve done in addition to the work they’re presenting.” After making a connection with someone, follow up by sending a copy of your résumé. “Asking for help on your résumé
RESO U RCES FOR C H E MI STS
In The Job Market? Get Out There And Network Networking can be daunting, but many resources are available to help job seekers learn and develop this essential tool. A sampling of websites, books, articles, and webinars is listed here as a jumping-off point. WEBSITES acscareers.wordpress.com Networking is a frequent topic on the ACS Careers blog. Topics have included networking at ACS meetings, introduction etiquette, and getting the most from social networks. The blog also offers general advice on job searching. blog.nesacs.org The ACS Northeastern Section’s career blog can be a good starting point for job seekers to connect with other chemical professionals in the Northeast. The blog is managed by ACS Career Consultant Daniel J. Eustace, who often writes about networking. multibriefs.com/briefs/ACS ACS Career News is a weekly electronic newsletter published by ACS Careers (www.acs.org/careers). Launched in April, the newsletter features articles on topics such as the state of the job market and tips on networking for job seekers who are shy. Enter your e-mail address to subscribe.
BOOKS & ARTICLES Barabasi, Albert-Laszlo. “Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means.” New York, Penguin Group, 2003. Marasco, Corinne. “Networking KnowHow,” Chem. Eng. News 86, No. 40 (2008): 59–61. Reichmanis, Elsa. “Networking for All Chemists,” Chem. Eng. News 81, No. 45 (2003): 53. WEBINARS acswebinars.org/events On Aug. 19, ACS Webinars will host a webinar titled “Propel Your Career— Networking Tips and Strategies.” Cheryl Martin, executive in residence at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers will share tips, strategies, and best practices for propelling your career upward through networking. ACS webinars are free and are archived. sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ webinars (archived under April 14) In the ScienceCareers webinar “Networking: Building Solid Career Connections,” three career experts explain how to build and strengthen relationships whether you’re searching for a job, hoping to find collaborators, or just building connections with other scientists.
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is very productive,” Suits says. “No matter what they say, make the recommended changes and send them back a copy of your résumé along with your thanks. What you want is somebody being aware of your talents in a way that if they do hear about a job, they can let you know.” Klein Hersh’s Albert encourages job seekers to ask, How can I help others in their work? rather than, How can I get myself a job? Suits agrees: “The secret to networking is taking an interest in the other person and discovering their needs rather than spending so much time blowing your own horn.” But don’t be afraid to let people know what your skills are. “When a person discovers that a talent is available that they can utilize, suddenly they start creating jobs,” Suits says. “This happens a lot.” IT PAYS TO THINK outside the box, says Daniel J. Eustace, an ACS career consultant and adjunct professor for the University of Connecticut. He recounts his own experience searching for a job while he was completing his Ph.D. degree at Brandeis University. At the time, no companies were recruiting at Brandeis, so Eustace made a bold decision to try his luck at nearby Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “I went to MIT, knocked on the door of the dean’s office and asked, ‘Can I interview here at MIT after all the MIT students have been taken care of, if there are still any open slots at the end of the day?’ ” The dean of the graduate school replied, “I don’t see any reason why not.” Eustace says he had four job offers by the time he graduated. “I didn’t allow what seemed to be barriers to be barriers,” he says. “You have to make your breaks. You can’t just sit back and wait.” With online networking tools such as LinkedIn and the improved ACS Network, it’s easy to stay connected with a growing list of contacts. “We are equipped with a fantastic tool—the Internet—to stay connected and keep those connections alive over the course of your entire career in a way we’ve never ever had before,” says Driscoll. Learning how to network is a good investment, and it’s never too early to start. “Opportunities happen when you make them happen,” Driscoll says. “I believe firmly that every wonderful thing that’s ever happened in my career is because I had a hand in it happening to me. No one opened the door for me to just walk right through. I participated in opening those doors.” ■
