Uncategorized https://grad.rutgers.edu/ en iJOBS Virtual Site Visit: Janssen https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/ijobs-virtual-site-visit-janssen <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>iJOBS Virtual Site Visit: Janssen</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>By Rebecca Manubag</h4> <p>On July 8<sup>th</sup>, Rutgers <a href="/professional-development/biomedical-career-development">iJOBS</a> took attendees on an informative virtual site visit to  <a href="https://www.janssen.com/">Janssen</a>, the pharmaceutical branch of Johnson &amp; Johnson. This event was open to undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students interested in learning more about Janssen’s hiring process, as well as some details of specific positions held by the variety of panelists.</p> <p>Johnson &amp; Johnson, known as one of the top American medical device corporations, has received increasing attention in the past year for development of their <a href="https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-authorized-by-u-s-fda-for-emergency-usefirst-single-shot-vaccine-in-fight-against-global-pandemic">single-dose COVID-19 vaccine.</a> Founded over 130 years ago, it’s also the world’s largest healthcare company and is at the top of the list of companies in Big Pharma (<a href="mailto:https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2021/05/13/worlds-largest-healthcare-companies-2021-big-pharma-and-insurers-profit-through-the-pandemic/?sh=42a7ac9a7270">Forbes</a>). Currently, J&amp;J has three main sectors: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer health products. The virtual site tour focused on employees of <a href="https://www.janssen.com/">Janssen</a>, the pharmaceutical branch where their goal is to ‘create a future where disease is a thing of the past’. We had the pleasure of hearing from a number of employees covering several bases. This included hiring tips from recruiter Danielle Sims, information on Janssen’s new inclusivity initiative (SODEP) from Dr. Erica Bozeman, as well as insight on joining industry from many early and late drug developmental scientists.</p> <p>The event began with Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, <a href="mailto:Dsims3@its.jnj.com">Danielle Sims</a>, who described that Janssen itself is broken into <a href="https://www.janssen.com/emea/about-us/janssen-fact/six-therapeutic-areas">six therapeutic areas</a>: immunology, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, pulmonary hypertension, infectious diseases and vaccines, neuroscience, and oncology. This itself lends endless opportunities for individuals in STEM interested in working at Janssen. Danielle went on to provide job search tips to increase chances of applicants being appropriately matched with a position: search by keyword, location, requisition ID, and hashtag (e.g. #jnjinternship, #postdoc, etc.). She also stressed the importance of turning on job alerts to be sent to your email, a tip that I thought was just meant to irk potential hires! Joining J&amp;J’s <a href="\Users\bea46\Downloads\Global%20Talent%20Hub">Global Talent Hub</a> is also a resource to match with relevant jobs. Additionally, Danielle shared  some general application tips that are often highlighted when applying to any position. This included: 1. Do your research on the company and position, 2. Utilize your network and personal connections (especially for referrals), 3. Set up job alerts to be an ‘early applicant’ for desired positions, 4. Apply using a personal email address, rather than a school/institution address, to ensure you receive any application updates, 5. Do not focus on a cover letter as much as highlighting specifics on your resume, and 6. Check your inbox frequently after applying.</p> <p>Following Danielle’s application advice, we heard from Janssen’s SODEP lead <a href="mailto:leaderebozeman@its.jnj.com">Dr. Erica Bozeman</a>. <a href="https://smdp.icpdprograms.org/project/janssen_sodep/">SODEP</a>, or Janssen’s Scholars of Oncology Diversity Engagement Program, is a new equity and inclusion initiative geared toward minority students in a PhD, medical, post-doctoral, or pharmacy program interested in oncology research. This initiative was described as an opportunity to expose students who identify as African-American or Hispanic to a stepwise program including ‘Exposure’, ‘Mentorship’, and ‘Placement’ phases. Be sure to visit the <a href="https://smdp.icpdprograms.org/project/janssen_sodep/">SODEP website </a>to learn more as they are currently accepting applications!</p> <p>This led into dialogue from panelists who currently hold various positions in therapeutic and medical safety areas of Janssen. Panelists included: Dr. Anne Yuqing Yang, Davit Sargsyan, Dr. Eric Huselid, Dr. Victor Dishy, Anastasiya Koshkina, PharmD, Dr. Leila Larbi, and Dr. Concetta Lipardi. The panelists discussed their educational and scientific journeys, touching on what ultimately brought them to their respective roles at Janssen. The overarching theme seemed to be that any and all diverse backgrounds only contribute to the vision of Janssen, rather than act as a limitation. For example, <a href="mailto:www.linkedin.com/in/yuqingyanganne">Dr. Anne Yuqing Yang</a> discussed that her pre-pharmacy and pharmacology background led her to a Senior Scientist position in Consumer Health at Janssen. During the pandemic, she moved to Clinical Pharmacology &amp; Pharmacometrics, where she supports interactions with health authorities like the FDA; this goes hand in hand with the support of clinical trials. Conversely, <a href="mailto:AKoshkin@its.jnj.com">Anastasiya Koshkina</a> actually received her PharmD degree and knew she wanted involvement in clinical development throughout her career as a pharmacist. Eventually, Anastasiya was accepted into Rutgers’ <a href="https://pharmafellows.rutgers.edu/">PRIF Program</a>, an industry-based training program which collaborates with top pharmaceutical companies to expose PharmDs to the pharmaceutical industry. This led her to her current position at Janssen as a Clinical Scientist.</p> <p>The panel also consisted of individuals with medical training: Drs. <a href="mailto:vdishy@its.jnj.com">Victor Dishy</a>, <a href="mailto:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leila-larbi-7b450b74/">Leila Larbi,</a> and <a href="mailto:clipardi@its.jnj.com">Concetta Lipardi</a>. Dr. Dishy is the Senior Director of Translational &amp; Experimental Medicine, and clinical leader in the <a href="mailto:https://www.janssen.com/emea/our-focus/cardiovascular-metabolism">cardiovascular and metabolic disease area</a>. Although having spent many years in a clinical research setting, he switched over to clinical pharmacology which eventually led to his position at Janssen. Dr. Dishy described his job as “exciting” because of the chance to learn something new every day—a sentiment that seemed to be consistent among the majority of the panelists. Dr. Larbi took a different route with her MD background and works at Janssen as a Medical Safety Officer, where she ensures safety of products and patients in clinical trial phases I-IV. She stressed that the patient is always the first focus, which is reassuring coming from a scientist in big pharma, an area that the layperson typically has trouble giving credence to. Dr. Lipardi is an MD/PhD in the same therapeutic area as Drs. Dishy and Larbi, but focuses more on late-stage drug development in large cardiovascular clinical studies. Having held previous positions at Merck and NIH, Dr. Lipardi stated that her daily motivation has been improvement of peoples’ lives (something that is likely at the forefront for many early career scientists).</p> <p><a href="mailto:sargdavid@gmail.com">Davit Sargsyan</a> stood out as a trained statistician from Armenia who joined Johnson &amp; Johnson as an intern in 2011, eventually landing a full-time position as a Principal Statistician where he supports both clinical and pre-clinical studies. He is currently working toward his PhD at the Rutgers Ernesto Mario School of Pharmacy. Finally, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-huselid/">Dr. Eric Huselid</a> is a recent graduate from Rutgers, and was in the first cohort of students to graduate through the iJOBS program. Because of this, he was able to give some relevant tips on finding an industry position as a fresh new graduate. Currently, he works as a Contract Scientist in the Functional Genomics group at Janssen where he’s involved with CRISPR/Cas9 screens. Dr. Huselid discussed the importance of researching a company’s preferred contracting service company if you’re interested in getting your foot in as a contract scientist (e.g. Kelly Services for J&amp;J). He also stressed the importance of having a quality LinkedIn profile, and utilizing connections of individuals who may already be a full-time employee with your target company. Overall, he spoke very positively about this type of position, alluding to the fluidity of the 1-2 year term as a contract scientist.</p> <p>Apart from sharing informative details about their journeys, our panelists also touched on the macroscopic advantages of working in pharma/industry, and specifically at Janssen. Davit and Dr. Dishy agreed that Janssen and J&amp;J as a whole have friendly, inviting, and collaborative atmospheres. Over the years, it seems that life in industry has been portrayed as cutthroat, inflexible, and unreasonably fast-paced. Although all companies differ, our panelists seemed to stress the contrary-- that a fast-paced environment can also come with reasonable work-life balance. Most importantly, having a background that may not be traditional in the pipeline leading to an industry position doesn’t mean these differences are discounted, but rather they are embraced and contribute to the ability to move across areas within large pharma companies. Dr. Larbi concluded with a reassuring morsel: that you are not expected to come into pharma knowing everything about an area, drug, or disease, because inevitably you will still learn something new every day.</p> <p>Altogether, this event seemed to have a secondary effect aside from getting the scoop on hiring tips and types of positions at Janssen; it demystified some of the conventional ideas of what it looks like to be a scientist in big pharma. No matter your background, whether in research or research-adjacent, it seems that the opportunities at a company like Janssen or J&amp;J are abundant and welcoming.  </p> <p><em>This article was edited by Senior editor Brianna Alexander.</em></p> <p> </p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Thu, 07/22/2021 - 09:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/254" hreflang="en">iJOBS Event Summary</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Thu, 22 Jul 2021 09:00:00 +0000 Anonymous 2127 at https://grad.rutgers.edu Drug Hunting and Expanding Your Breadth with Dr. Karen Akinsanya https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/drug-hunting-and-expanding-your-breadth-dr-karen-akinsanya <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Drug Hunting and Expanding Your Breadth with Dr. Karen Akinsanya</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By Rebecca Manubag</p> <p>On April 5, 2021, Rutgers iJOBS and the <a href="https://www.erdosinstitute.org/">The Erdos Institute</a> hosted an informative seminar with featured guest, <a href="https://www.schrodinger.com/person/karen-akinsanya-phd">Dr. Karen Akinsanya</a>, who discussed her work in industry. Dr. Akinsanya spoke about her journey from her graduate studies to multiple positions that expanded her “breadth and depth” (as she put it) during her transition to translational science in industry. She also touched on the importance of collaboration in the field of drug discovery and gave some career tips for young scientists interested in this field.</p> <p>Dr. Karen Akinsanya hails from the U.K., where she completed her doctoral and post-doctoral work, the latter exposing her to the pharmaceutical industry at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. She joined <a href="https://www.ferringusa.com/">Ferring Pharmaceuticals</a> following her postdoc, and discussed her experience collecting clinical samples to use in the lab. This highlights a very literal example of “bench to bedside,” a term often synonymous with translational science. Over the next few years, Dr. Akinsanya continued her work at Ferring as a Senior Scientist working closely with the clinic, and even suggested the incorporation of human genetics experiments to the head of R&amp;D at Ferring (likely influenced by the success of the Human Genome Project). An overarching question in her career seemed to be <em>What tools are needed within drug discovery to better impact the clinic?</em> With this in mind, Dr. Akinsanya made a 180-pivot into the world of clinical pharmacology, which eventually led her to join Merck for over a decade. She moved across many divisions during her time there, starting in the clinical department and eventually making her way to business development and licensing, proving that silo barriers can be broken with a PhD.</p> <p>But what is it exactly that allowed Dr. Akinsanya to move across all of these areas so confidently? Aside from her innate determination, she was driven simply by the question of <em>what makes a good molecule</em>? Time and time again, she and many other researchers in her field have seen the identification of compounds that look promising in preclinical studies only to fail in the clinic.</p> <p>To that end, Dr. Akinsanya next elaborated on a few reasons why drugs fail. The top reasons mentioned were molecular target validation and relevance to human disease. Even after decades of medical and laboratory innovations, one must humbly acknowledge that we still don’t know everything about the human body. This may lead to money being spent on a potential drug lead that may not even be relevant to begin with. Additionally, the current drug discovery pipeline involves roughly 5,000-10,000 compounds and up to two decades to develop a single drug from scratch. With these obstacles looming in the background, collaboration has emerged as a cornerstone of the field of drug discovery and development. An example of this is when a group is characterizing a new “hit” compound in the lab, only to find that another lab across the globe had the same idea! It’s these instances where collaboration can lead to a breakthrough, which Dr. Akinsanya speaks about in her experience working with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1223468/">DPPIV-related proteins.</a></p> <p>So, <em>what makes a drug successful</em>? The “5R Framework” from AstraZeneca was referenced to outline the general requirements for a successful drug. A drug has to have: 1. the Right target, 2. the Right tissue, 3. the Right safety, 4. the Right patient, and 5. the Right commercial potential. Unfortunately, the majority of drugs do not fulfill all of these criteria and finding a balance has proven to be quite the feat. This further emphasizes the importance of collaboration in pharma and drug discovery, since it involves risk, value, and investment. You need early clinical trials, money for funding, and maybe most importantly, partnering to incorporate ideas from many groups. </p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/ijobs-wp-import-images/2021/04/Screen-Shot-2021-04-14-at-11.50.12-AM-1-1024x853.png" /></p> <p>The "5R" Framework, AstraZeneca</p> <p class="has-small-font-size">Image reference: Morgan, P., Brown, D., Lennard, S. <em>et al.</em> Impact of a five-dimensional framework on R&amp;D productivity at AstraZeneca. <em>Nat Rev Drug Discov</em> <strong>17, </strong>167–181 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd.2017.244</p> <p>Dr. Akinsanya next expounded on her current work in drug discovery and translational science. For Dr. Akinsanya, her career in drug discovery has profoundly involved genomics and more recently, computational techniques. Her current work at <a href="https://www.schrodinger.com/person/karen-akinsanya-phd">Schrödinger</a> focuses on the use of a computation-based approach to accelerate drug discovery. She emphasized the use of physics-based computational assays that help to model the free energy of protein binding, which can help speed up identification of useful compounds.</p> <p>The use of computation and “-Omics” mapping may also be the tool needed to improve medical research. Between 2018 and 2020, the biotech industry has exceeded the number of FDA approvals for big pharma, with this generated data playing a huge part. We’ve had the first siRNA drug approved, advances in gene therapy, and the Covid-19 vaccine developed in less than a year (thanks to collaboration). Computational models can also produce real-time data from the patient population, a method that can help scale up disease-relevant information.  Concluding her talk, Dr. Akinsanya also mentioned what she believed to be a promising new field of -omics in drug identification and compound screening. She referred to this as the “Pocketome,” which focuses on atomic level structures.</p> <p>Dr. Akisanya’s story comes with many takeaways and she offered multiple tips for early career scientists looking to switch to industry or pharma. The<em> <strong>first</strong></em> is to be proactive more than reactive. If you believe in something, make it known to your higher-ups! The <strong><em>second</em></strong> is to take calculated risks and consider the input of those with the experience you wish to seek. She also stressed the importance of finding supportive mentors in every career phase. The<em> <strong>third</strong></em> tip is to identify scientific problems, but also to propose thoughtful solutions. The <strong><em>fourth</em></strong> tip is to avoid the silo effect (which can be demonstrated through her own career changes), meaning balance the breadth and depth in your career to become more interdisciplinary. Specifically, for drug discovery, this proves to be vital for the means of collaboration. <strong><em>Finally</em></strong><em>,</em> she stressed the ability to respond to change in a field that is everchanging. As for making the jump from academia to industry, it may be helpful to start by seeking out smaller biotech companies to experience an industry environment.</p> <p>Overall, Dr. Akinsanya managed to address multiple topics that apply to understanding her field, as well as to navigating challenges in a scientific career, in general. She used personal experiences to stress the importance of mentorship (noting multiple mentors she gained throughout her career), thinking outside the box (and making your thoughts known, like she did at Ferring), as well as keeping the common goal at the forefront of scientific decisions (in the case of drug discovery, <em>how can more drugs be developed?</em>). These are all takeaways that can apply to all stages of a scientific career.</p> <p> </p> <p class="has-normal-font-size"><em>This article was edited by Junior Editor, Zachary Fritz and Senior Editor, Brianna Alexander.</em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Mon, 04/19/2021 - 09:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:00:06 +0000 Anonymous 2122 at https://grad.rutgers.edu The Cover Letter: An Opportunity to Show Authenticity https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/cover-letter-opportunity-show-authenticity <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>The Cover Letter: An Opportunity to Show Authenticity</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By Helena Mello</p> <p>If you are an avid iJOBS blog reader and aspiring job applicant, you have certainly needed to write a cover letter. While not always essential, many job openings recommend that you write one. A cover letter may be overlooked by some, but it is a great opportunity to sell yourself beyond the resume.</p> <p>You can find articles with great advice about cover letters across the internet. <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/1996/12/commandments-cover-letter-creation">One article</a> from Science Mag details 10 recommendations to make a “decent presentation” with the “employee’s needs (…) in mind,” while <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2014/08/writing-winning-cover-letter">another</a> from the same magazine describes important steps to writing a “winning cover letter.” These – and others – focus on the ultimate goal of any cover letter: <em>show</em> that you are the perfect match for the position. These articles bring valuable information to the reader; however, I want to focus on one point that they have missed: a cover letter must be <em>authentic</em>.</p> <p>Everyone should (and hopefully does) strive to write a flawless document without typos or grammar mistakes. And certainly, some applicants will share a few factors that will be mentioned in their cover letters.  However, regardless of similarities, I don’t think there is a guide to writing an<em> authentic </em>cover letter. If all letters read the same, how will the recruiter distinguish between candidates?</p> <blockquote><p>"(...) a cover letter must be <em>authentic</em>."</p> </blockquote> <p>The cover letter must talk about <em>you</em>: your accomplishments, your ambitions, your skills. It is your opportunity to expand on your resume’s bullet points and key words. In this sense, a cover letter must show originality. How can you accomplish that?  On this note, I want to share two main aspects that have made me better at writing cover letters:</p> <ul type="1"> <li>Don’t be afraid of using “I”</li> </ul> <p>Many applicants avoid writing sentences that emphasize the subject (themselves). They tend to focus on the action and “hide” the subject behind a huge accomplishment. This is common in academic settings where we are used to focusing on the outcome rather than the pathway. Consider reviewing your sentences and emphasizing your contributions. For example, instead of “the project I was part of got an award,” you could write “I got an award for my work on this project.” <strong>Remember: the recruiter is interested in your journey and not in your data</strong>.</p> <ul type="1"> <li>Be specific</li> </ul> <p>An authentic letter will imprint your personality and make you relatable to the reader. Your goal is to have the reader learn who you are through your writing. So, you should avoid clichés and vague statements. For example, writing that you are “greatly interested in this position” is obvious and, honestly, a bit boring. Consider rewriting as “I am interested in this position because of my background in X that matches the company’s vision for Y market.” Be specific and clear about your skills and how they match the needs of the position. <strong>Demonstrate how your background has shaped your interest and culminated in your application to the position.</strong> Focus on unique experiences and the skills you have acquired because of them.</p> <p>In conclusion, the cover letter should sell your abilities to the recruiter. You have to show that you are worth their time and effort, without sounding arrogant. By emphasizing your contributions to your projects and writing an original, credible letter, you will likely catch their interest and land an interview.</p> <p>Good luck with your applications and happy writing!</p> <p>This article was edited by Junior Editor Natalie Losada, and Senior Editor Brianna Alexander.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Tue, 04/13/2021 - 10:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Tue, 13 Apr 2021 10:00:02 +0000 Anonymous 2121 at https://grad.rutgers.edu Alternative STEM Career Paths: Project Management in the Life Sciences https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/alternative-stem-career-paths-project-management-life-sciences <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Alternative STEM Career Paths: Project Management in the Life Sciences</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p><strong>By Shawn Rumrill</strong></p> <p>The beauty of earning a PhD in STEM, particularly in life science divisions, is the versatility in career paths post-graduation. One unique, and perhaps lesser known career path is project management. While many STEM graduates find their passion in developing new technologies at the bench, communicating science, or working on the business side of science, few consider filling the gap that coordinates these responsibilities as a well-oiled machine. On March 10<sup>th</sup>, Rutgers iJOBS in partnership with the Project Management Institute (PMI) of New Jersey, hosted a workshop called “Project Management for the Life Science Professional” to introduce PhD students to this little-known field.</p> <p>This workshop was facilitated by three life science project management professionals. The session was moderated by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-cianciminio-bordelon-ms-pmp-3a8814126/">Diane Cianciminio-Bordelon Cianciminio-Bordelon, MS, PMP</a>, a PMI representative and supervisor for the <a href="https://www.mskcc.org/departments/laboratory-medicine">Department of Laboratory Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering</a>. Joining her was <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-vincenti-pmp-b496902/">David Vincente, PMP</a>, a Senior Director of Project Management at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/">BD</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/campbellmatland/">Claudia Campbell-Matland, MS, PMP</a>, an Independent Consultant and owner of CNCM Consulting LLC. Mr. Vincente and Ms. Campbell-Matland aided in discussion during the workshop and later facilitated discussions in breakout groups. </p> <p>First and foremost, <em>what is a project and what is project management? </em>Ms. Cianciminio-Bordelon defined projects as temporary endeavors that culminate in unique products, services, or results.  Project management involves providing organizations with the know-how, skills, tools, and techniques required to execute projects within constraints of time, scope, and budget. Moreover, someone overseeing these responsibilities is usually a certified project management professional (PMP).  </p> <p>Next, Ms. Cianciminio-Bordelon painted a picture of what project management looks like. Briefly, project management can be divided into 4 phases: <strong>initiate, plan, execute/monitor</strong>, and <strong>close.</strong> During <strong>initiation</strong>, a project manager synthesizes ideas to define the scope and goals of a particular project. Next, s/he will identify desired outcomes, benefits, and metrics of success. With these details in mind, sponsors and stakeholders (anyone with an interest in a business including investors and employees) can be identified to support a project. In the<strong> planning</strong> stage, project managers work with business and finance experts to determine budgets, timelines, and project constraints. In a more senior position, project managers can then construct roles and responsibilities for the various teams that will be required to accomplish the project goals. Next comes the actual <strong>execution </strong>and monitoring of a project. Once a project is implemented, project managers play an important role in managing teams, tracking progress and evaluating success metrics, while changing course as necessary to overcome obstacles and meet original constraints. Finally, project managers conduct <strong>closing </strong>reviews and summarize the deliverables of the project, accomplished outcomes, and document any lessons learned along the way. You might be wondering why a dedicated project manager is really needed. <em>Aren’t there other ways these goals can be achieved?</em> In short, project managers can help to provide structure, save time and money, and provide clear outcomes and objectives that meet stakeholder expectations. </p> <p>To demonstrate the importance of project management in the life sciences, Ms. Cianciminio-Bordelon briefly discussed the 10 most influential biotech projects in 2020. Notably, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the London patient who was cured of HIV, and quantum stealth invisibility technology topped the list. This prompted a question from one of the seminar participants: “do you need to have skills in a specific area of knowledge to be a project manager?” The overwhelming consensus was “no!” Ms. Cianciminio-Bordelon explained that, with few exceptions, a general scientific background and general scientific skills are sufficient for a career in project management. Ms. Campbell-Matland made an excellent assertion: as PhD students, we not only become well versed in specific subject matter, but more importantly we become broadly trained in research, communication, problem solving, and other skills that translate to many different types of jobs, project management included. With this, graduates can be assured that <em>even with little experience in a certain area, they are not precluded from pursuing a career in project management</em>. </p> <p><em>So, what kind of project management careers are available in the life sciences?</em> It turns out that not very many of them even have “project manager” in the title! Commonly, PhD graduates can expect to work first as entry level project analysts whose technical skills are leveraged for specific tasks. Next up the totem pole is an actual project manager who is responsible for leading a team and is accountable to stakeholders. Groups of project managers are then overseen by project leaders, who are responsible for portfolios of projects and securing tools and resources for project managers to effectively do their jobs. Executive level positions also feature project management responsibilities, typically procuring project funding and providing larger perspective and context. One thing Ms. Cianciminio-Bordelon asked participants to keep in mind is that <em>these are not fixed positions, but rather they vary by company.</em> Often times, each role has some amount of crossover tasks and responsibilities that makes each position in a project management capacity very collaborative and versatile. </p> <p>Revisiting the same ideas as above, the panelists next discussed skills and knowledge important to the project management profession. First, project managers in any capacity need to be people-oriented and understand the needs of customers (stakeholders). Additionally, they should have a knack for communicating technical information to lay persons and use those skills to bridge functions across different departments and teams. Fundamentally, project managers should have a basic understanding of business processes including budgets, reports, and metrics. In this regard, taking a business course or two as a graduate student might be beneficial. Something I personally found encouraging during this seminar is that most PhD students have done many of these things! Even as students, we understand the importance of explaining our science on a basic level, communicating with collaborators and working as a larger team, getting things done and having strong problem-solving skills, as well as an appreciation for the cost, scope, and timelines of our respective projects. This brings back a recurring theme across many iJOBS events, which is that <strong>graduates looking for any job need to know how to market themselves and pitch their personal experience in a way that makes them valuable to employers and hiring managers.</strong></p> <blockquote><p><strong>graduates looking for any job need to know how to market themselves and pitch their personal experience in a way that makes them valuable to employers and hiring managers.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p> As the workshop progressed, organizers went on to discuss how new graduates might land a project management position in the life sciences. So what is it hiring managers are looking for? Importantly, project managers should have leadership qualities, this includes being able to influence and motivate your own team, as well as those who don’t report to you. A good leader should have the ability to empower others to take on their responsibilities and work hard to achieve their goals. Hiring managers also look for attention to detail, collaboration, and great communication skills. Again, keep in mind that these skills are often developed throughout the course of earning a PhD. Ms. Cianciminio-Bordelon suggested that anyone interested in a project management career get some formal project management education or experiences through courses or jobs. She also cautioned against being shy about leveraging grad school experiences to make you stand out as a candidate. </p> <p>After a short break, attendees were divided into breakout rooms with different project management professionals to pitch themselves as candidates for a project manager position. My group was led Mr. Vincente. Despite considering myself an introvert, I volunteered first to deliver my elevator pitch. Though perhaps longer than your average elevator ride, I felt good about my performance. Some key aspects of my experience that I invoked were my past jobs as a retail manager, as well as discussing my communication skills, mentorship, team leadership, and technical skills. Fortunately for my self-esteem, Mr. Vincente applauded my elevator pitch. However, a criticism that I found most helpful was the concept of connecting one’s skills to their worth and actual outcomes. I personally find this difficult to do in the brevity of an elevator pitch but agree, nonetheless, that demonstrable outcomes convey stronger messages than unsubstantiated buzzwords or bombastic language. Mr. Vincente left the group with one last parting thought for their elevator pitches<em>: what’s your 1 sentence people will remember about you?</em> For Mr. Vincente, I remember his introduction at the beginning of the seminar as a poet and accordionist. Conversely, he remembered me for my previous life as a retail manager. These seemingly trivial facts actually provide a unique fingerprint of sorts and help build lasting impressions and connections with prospective employers to whom you might deliver your elevator pitch. </p> <p>With the conclusion of the breakout sessions, the project management workshop came to a close. I found the overall workshop quite enjoyable, and despite the unassuming title, project managers are quite energetic, engaging, knowledgeable, and fun-to-work-with individuals! This niche career may be just the perfect fit for many PhD graduates. I know after attending this workshop that I can see myself exploring project management jobs post-graduation. Ms. Cianciminio-Bordelon suggested for anyone interested in this field that they keep in mind the skills they need to be successful and build those up now, taking additional courses or working toward certifications as necessary. Moreover, she suggested analyzing job advertisements and resumes of those in the project management profession  to learn more about the career path and how to start one’s journey.. Ultimately, the skills one learns during a PhD translate well to a career in project management. Moreover, this career path may well suit those who want to mix their technical and communication skills with a knack for interdisciplinary teamwork and managing deliverables to fulfill the critical role of a project manager.</p> <p><em>This article was edited by Junior Editor Gina Sanchez and Senior Editor Brianna Alexander</em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Thu, 04/08/2021 - 12:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Thu, 08 Apr 2021 12:00:47 +0000 Anonymous 2120 at https://grad.rutgers.edu iJOBS Career Panel: Scientist Positions in BioPharma https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/ijobs-career-panel-scientist-positions-biopharma <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>iJOBS Career Panel: Scientist Positions in BioPharma</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By Gina Sanchez</p> <p>PhD candidates often concern themselves over what a job in industry might look like. Images of high-tech labs are both exciting and frightening as a new adventure awaits. The reference for many of our experiences in industry are large pharmaceutical companies, such as Merck or Pfizer, or sometimes start-ups. Samantha Avina recently wrote an article detailing an <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2021/03/10/ijobs-career-panel-research-jobs-in-industry/#sthash.TMRWyuQO.dpbs">Industry Career Panel</a> hosted by iJOBS as well. But we often do not consider the mid-sized companies. As more PhDs begin to choose a career outside of academia, we must begin to expand our horizons. Luckily, iJOBS hosted a career panel of Rutgers alumni who now work in mid-sized pharmaceutical companies in order to broaden our scope for our upcoming career searches.</p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/ijobs-wp-import-images/2021/03/biologyphdtrack-1024x503-1.jpeg" /></p> <p>Trajectory of PhD students in 2015, Ryan Raver of<br /> <a href="http://thegradstudentway.com/blog/?p=2153">http://thegradstudentway.com/blog/?p=2153</a></p> <hr /> <p>The panel began with short introductions by our four panelists:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/csanad-gurdon-734291a3/">Dr. Csanad Gurdon</a>, Senior Scientist at <a href="https://aerofarms.com/">AeroFarms</a>; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-himelman/">Dr. Eric Himelman</a>, Non-Clinical Research Scientist at <a href="https://www.ultragenyx.com/">Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals</a>; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/praveen-bommareddy-ms-ph-d-3a94752b/">Dr. Praveen Bommareddy</a>, Associate Director of Research at <a href="https://www.replimune.com/">Replimune</a>; and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimin-zhang-b3694935/">Dr. Jimin Zhang</a>, Assistant Principal Scientist at <a href="https://insmed.com/">Insmed</a>.</p> <hr /> <p>For the first topic, the panelists discussed how they got into their current career. Dr. Gurdon had done both his PhD and post-doctoral fellowship at Rutgers University, and began the application process at the end of his post-doc. He knew that he enjoyed teaching, but did not want to write grants, and that he did have most of the qualifications for a senior scientist, a subject-matter expert generally with a graduate degree that oversees research and develops projects. In this position he still writes grants, but mostly Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. Additionally, he credited <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/?s=sciPhd#sthash.6RhzdEf6.dpbs">SciPhD</a> for many of his transferrable business skills, which are critical for small-to-mid-size pharmaceutical companies. Such skills include project management, communication/ability to work within a team, and effective time management. Dr. Himelman was a bit different in that he chose a company that would essentially allow him to continue working on the topic that he had focused on during both his PhD and post-doctoral fellowship at Rutgers, muscular dystrophy. It is worth mentioning that he applied during COVID-19 and is already in a leadership position making hiring decisions for his team. Dr. Bommareddy utilized the iJOBS program during his PhD at Rutgers to do an internship at Regeneron, gaining experience in a larger pharmaceutical company. He realized that the idea of watching a company grow from within was something that he wanted, which led him to join Replimune, which is a now clinical-stage biotech company. Dr. Zhang completed his PhD at Rutgers and began his post-doctoral training shortly afterwards, but due to a funding issue, decided to move to an industry post-doc at Insmed. As with many post-doctoral fellowships in industry, he was told that the training would be for one year and upon success, he could be offered a permanent position. As demonstrated by the panelists, there are many ways to transition into a mid-sized industry company.</p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/ijobs-wp-import-images/2021/03/transferable-skills.png" /></p> <p>A graphical listing of various transferrable skills in the workplace, courtesy of <a href="https://mrsimon.ai/transferable-skills-and-your-next-job/">https://mrsimon.ai/transferable-skills-and-your-next-job/</a></p> <hr /> <p>You may be wondering what would be expected of you in a mid-sized company compared to a larger one. Dr. Gurdon first advised that neither is better than the other, but rather, it is up to the individual. He emphasized that it is essential to “note your transferrable skills,” such as project management. We have all been sub-consciously honing our project management abilities just by working on our theses for the past several years! This is essential in any job that you may choose after completing your PhD, but it is critical in a mid-size company. Dr. Himelman and Dr. Bommareddy were able to speak to the importance of project management, as they now manage several teams and must coordinate between them. Dr. Himelman is currently in the transitionary phase as he is building his own team; so similar to a new PI, he is mentoring new scientists so that they can help optimize techniques and teach future members, allowing him to work more on the business side of things. On the other hand, Dr. Bommareddy must coordinate between pre-clinical translational and clinical translational teams – including 15 distinct labs – to compile results and assess feasibility between groups. Dr. Zhang also chimed in, mentioning that “in a small company, you must wear many hats” at the same time in order to effectively do your job.</p> <hr /> <p>Finally, the panelists shared some over-arching application advice. First, Dr. Gurdon advocated for doing informational interviews with companies, especially if you are looking to obtain as much information as you can about a title or field. He also advised using your network to your advantage when applying for a job. Dr. Himelman warned us that interviewers are likely to ask you to explain various skills that you note in your resumé to make sure that you actually understand the technique/skill. He also said that you should ask questions that get at the experiences of the interviewer so that you can connect on a more personal level. When he is interviewing candidates, he stated that he looks for someone who he could get along with (since you will be around each other 40+ hours every week) and that he likes people who ask questions, demonstrating that the individual is not just complacent with what they already know. Importantly, he stated that you do not need to have every skill that the employers want, just emphasize what you do know and do not approach it as a deficit. Overall, the panelists agreed that you should <em>tell</em> the recruiter what you <em>will</em> contribute, instead of <em>asking</em> them what you <em>can</em> contribute.</p> <hr /> <p>From this panel, students were able to gain valuable insight into what it is like to work in a mid-sized pharmaceutical company. Employees have more creative freedom and often have to wear more hats in a mid-sized company compared to one of the larger pharmaceutical companies. Many skills that we learn during our PhD and post-doctoral training would leave us well-suited for this career path.</p> <hr /> <p><em>This article was edited by Junior Editor Zachary Fritz and Senior Editor Brianna Alexander.</em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Tue, 03/23/2021 - 09:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/256" hreflang="en">Happenings in Science Careers</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/254" hreflang="en">iJOBS Event Summary</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/268" hreflang="en">Industry Perspective</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000 Anonymous 2118 at https://grad.rutgers.edu iJOBS Career Panel: Research Jobs in Industry https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/ijobs-career-panel-research-jobs-industry <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>iJOBS Career Panel: Research Jobs in Industry</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By Samantha Avina</p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/ijobs-wp-import-images/2021/03/1MpGnUL6xiXBp9B5zgJL7yA.png" /></p> <p>Photo courtesy of Maâli Mnasri “Conducting Scientific Research in Companies: A New Workflow Model.” <em>Medium</em>, Opla, 18 June 2019, medium.com/opla/conducting-scientific-research-in-companies-a-new-workflow-model-5ee6cb91b916. </p> <p>As PhD graduates begin to transition from students to career professionals, they have to strategize preparing for the next big steppingstone in their careers. For most graduates, the first task is deciding whether to stay in academia or move into industry. Of course, there are pros and cons to both decisions, as I have detailed in a <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2020/04/28/ijobs-event-merck-virtual-career-panel/#sthash.eJF8q6fV.dpbs">previous article.</a> At this virtual iJOBS event  <em>Research Jobs in Industry</em>, panelists congregated to discuss how their transitions into industry unfolded, and what key factors helped give them their X factor in the hiring process. Even more insightful, panelists also discussed how the hiring and interviewing process has changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>iJOBS panel host, Dr. Janet Alder, had all panelists do a quick introduction followed by a moderated panel discussion before students went into smaller breakout rooms to talk more directly with them. Panelists included senior research scientist Dr. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasadsubramaniam/">Prasad Subramaniam</a> from Bristol Myers-Squibb ( <a href="https://www.bms.com/">BMS</a> ), Dr. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ablatannous/">Abla Tannous</a> from BioAegis Therapeutics Inc. (<a href="https://www.bioaegistherapeutics.com/">BAT</a>) , clinical genomics scientific leader Dr. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/puneet-dhawan-784607a/">Puneet Dhawan</a> from GlaxoSmithKline (<a href="https://us.gsk.com/en-us/home/">GSK</a>), analytical scientist <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumartiger/">Kumar Tiger</a> from <a href="https://www.catalent.com/">Catalent</a> , and Dr. Snow Yong from Avery Pharma Consulting.</p> <blockquote><p>I was able to transition, but it required a lot of networking. You have to project yourself in the right way and need to be in the right place at right time. I did a project management certification to show I had knowledge applicable to the industry and more than just my academic skills alone.</p> <p><cite>-Dr. Prasad Subramaniam</cite></p></blockquote> <p>The first topic was a focus on industry research positions and panelists discussed how they were able to transition to industry from academia and become comfortable in their current positions. Among panelists, answers to this question varied, with some saying managerial experience made for an easier transition, while others said it took some time to rewire and adjust. Dr. Snow Yang, who recently graduated from Rutgers in 2019 with her PhD in Chemistry, wasn’t sure if she wanted to stay in academia or go into industry. She decided to stay on as a post-doc for almost 10 months with her research advisor at the start of the pandemic but started looking for research positions in June/July using online platforms like Indeed or LinkedIn. “I was struggling with the differences between academia and industry. I knew I liked the academic way of research, but I am not good at writing, which was my biggest disadvantage in academia, so industry was a promising field,” she said. Others, however, knew right away that research in industry was the career path for them. For example, panelist Dr. Prasad Subramaniam was always interested in going into industry. From early in his PhD, he participated in activities that would later add the X factor on his CV. “I was able to transition, but it required a lot of networking. You have to project yourself in the right way and need to be in the right place at right time. I did a project management certification to show I had knowledge applicable to the industry and more than just my academic skills alone. By receiving the Project Manager Professional certification, I gained skills that may not apply to day-to-day experiences but served as a baseline to how things work in industry,” he said. </p> <blockquote><p>iJOBS itself is networking, and networking through iJOBS and other means, like LinkedIn, is essential.</p> </blockquote> <p>Panelists next discussed job hunting strategies in industry and the importance of building a strong network. Interestingly, most of the panelists were relatively new to their current positions ranging from 4 months to 1.5 years on the job. This meant they had relevant experiences in dealing with the job market in the midst of the pandemic, similar to what most PhD candidates will probably experience once they graduate in the next few years. Panelists strongly emphasized the importance of networking in attaining their current positions. Some even attributed their current success to the iJOBS program networking. Dr. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ablatannous/">Abla Tannous</a> said she wasn’t aggressively applying but divided her job search between networking and going through the online job application process. “I never got anything from online applications but got this position thanks to iJOBS. One position listed in the weekly emails seemed to be a good fit and she emailed me, and things went on from there,” she recalled. She emphasized that iJOBS itself is networking, and networking through iJOBS and other means, like LinkedIn, is essential. Other panelists, like Kumar Tiger, noted that in his experience the lack of in person interview interactions due to COVID-19 restrictions made it difficult at first to assess if he would fit well into the different companies for which he applied. “Because everything was virtual, I couldn’t get a good feel for the companies which was difficult at first. The job application run through was slowed down due to covid, but I kept going to company websites and worked through a recruiter during the time I was applying during the pandemic,” said Kumar. Kumar noted that the company he is currently with, Catalent, was focused on his energy and how he would fit into the work culture while working under pressure. Needless to say, it ended up being a perfect fit!</p> <blockquote><p>If it is not too late to get industry experience somehow through internship, that experience is relevant. For me it was hard because I didn’t have any experience, so any opportunity would be very helpful.</p> <p><cite>-Dr. Abla Tannous</cite></p></blockquote> <p>After initial discussion moderated by Dr. Alder, attendees were able to interact more one-on-one with panelists about questions they had concerning industry and the career transition in break out rooms.  Once back in the main zoom meeting room, panelists brought up some of the important questions that they were asked by students and shared their thoughts with everyone. In Dr. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ablatannous/">Abla Tannous</a>’s group, she emphasized that any industrial experience gives you an edge when going into the field straight from your PhD completion. “If it is not too late to get industry experience somehow through internship, that experience is relevant. For me it was hard because I didn’t have any experience, so any opportunity would be very helpful,” she said. Dr. Alder did note that the iJOBS phase 2 is a shadowing externship that can lead to internship and networking opportunities. Dr. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/puneet-dhawan-784607a/">Puneet Dhawan</a>’s group explored how CV and resume preparation is really important in the application process, especially with everything being virtual as opposed to in-person interviewing. “It is important to rewrite your CV for each individual job ad and tailor it to use the right kind of keywords in it, because recruitment looks for those key works. And don’t lie on your CV!” he said. You don’t have to completely match the job description listing but use of the key words will help get your CV recognized by recruiters who are screening your resume for phrases related to the job ad and job description.</p> <p>It was exciting to see how Rutgers PhD graduate panelists were able to successfully transition into the industry job market even during the pandemic crisis when hiring freezes occurred almost everywhere. Furthermore, the emphasis on networking while commemorating the iJOBS program network was definitely a reminder for all graduate students to check that our LinkedIn accounts are spot on!  You can find out more on how to enhance your LinkedIn profile from a previous iJOBS blog post <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2020/06/09/the-fundamentals-of-a-magnetic-linkedin-profile/#sthash.LWm3StUm.dpbs">here</a>. For those interested in seeing if industry would be a good fit you can check out more of our posts on the iJOBS blog or listen to previous event podcasts!</p> <p><em>This article was edited by Junior Editor Rukia Henry and Senior Editor Brianna Alexander.</em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Wed, 03/10/2021 - 09:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Wed, 10 Mar 2021 09:00:54 +0000 Anonymous 2117 at https://grad.rutgers.edu Developing Leadership and Business Skills for Scientists: SciPhD Virtual Workshop 2021 – Part 3 https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/developing-leadership-and-business-skills-scientists-sciphd-virtual-workshop-2021-part-3 <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Developing Leadership and Business Skills for Scientists: SciPhD Virtual Workshop 2021 – Part 3</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By Shawn Rumrill</p> <p>Welcome back to the 3<sup>rd</sup> and final piece of the Rutgers iJOBS SciPhD Leadership and Business Skills for Scientists workshop series, 2021! If you missed <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2021/01/20/developing-leadership-and-business-skills-for-scientists-sciphd-virtual-workshop-2021-part-1/%22%20%5Cl%20%22sthash.Xio5Vk78.dpbs">part 1</a> you can check it out here. If you missed <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2021/01/25/developing-leadership-and-business-skills-for-scientists-sciphd-virtual-workshop-2021-part-2/%22%20%5Cl%20%22sthash.fei1JQvb.dpbs">part 2</a>, also check that out here. Throughout the week, this intensive workshop afforded PhD students the soft skills necessary to help them achieve their career goals after graduation. Part 1 focused largely on helping graduates build their resume to land an interview; part 2 developed human-centric soft skills; and part 3 instilled uncommon skills among academics, including business and negotiation techniques. </p> <p><strong>Day 4 – Business Performance</strong></p> <p>Scientists in academia may not always consider the business factors that are important for an industrial position. Fortunately, as academics we are typically given free reign by our PIs to perform experiments as we see fit, with some exceptions, and minimal considerations for budgeting and deadlines beyond our own. SciPhD co-founders Dr. Ribaudo and Mr. Petcovic note that by tax code definitions, businesses must make a profit. In order to do this, projects must be completed on-time and under-budget ideally. Furthermore, to stay in business, company’s products and services must remain competitive. As such, the day four SciPhD sessions focused largely on team performance and the basic tools of business. </p> <p>In small groups, workshop attendees were tasked with developing a company and a product or service for commercialization, then preparing a product pitch for a lay audience, as well as defining a two-year goal. My group, composed of bench researchers, computer scientists, and nutritionists, came up with a company called AI Nutrition. The goal of this mock company was to produce an algorithm that designs custom meal and diet regimens for individuals based on their dietary restrictions (lactose or gluten sensitivity, vegetarianism or veganism, etc). We also wanted the algorithm to make ethical considerations for things like environmentally friendly or cruelty free food production. At the end of two years, our hope was to license this technology to companies like Amazon who might implement it as a nutritional consulting service on their website or in Whole Foods stores. This SciPhD exercise was useful in helping us and other workshop attendees to consider problems or concepts that real businesses contend with when designing their product or service. Moreover, it made us appreciate the detailed planning of resources that business startups need, as well as setting of timelines and goals. </p> <p>Groups in the SciPhD workshop continued exploring their mock companies and services for the remainder of the day. Participants learned about techniques such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_process_mapping">process mapping</a> to layout the steps required to develop a product/service from conception all the way through testing, validation, and benchmarking for success before final marketing. Through this process, groups were also asked to keep in mind business aspects such as revenue, expenses, profit and loss. Other factors participants considered were return on investment and how to adjust if you were to lose project funding or have an unexpectedly truncated timeline. These are all real-world considerations that businesses have to make and exposing SciPhD workshop participants to these concepts was hugely beneficial. Again, the business aspect of science is not considered as much in academia as in industry. For academics with an industry career in mind, becoming aware of the business of science makes them all the more attractive as a job candidate. </p> <p><strong>Day 5 – Project Management</strong></p> <p>The final day of the SciPhD workshop wrapped up a week of leadership and business skills with considerations for project management and negotiation skills, topped off an evening networking reception. Personally, I found the project management session to be quite a bit more valuable than I was anticipating. While we all utilize some degree of project management for our PhD studies, it is interesting to think how these skills translate into real-life industrial jobs and the systematic nature of project management. This part of the workshop defined a project as <em>a set of activities with a defined endpoint</em>. Projects managers typically have to consider what is called the “iron triangle” meaning the time, cost, and scope of a project, which can be graphically depicted as an equilateral triangle. When one of these variables changes you can still adjust other parameters to meet your goals. For example, if your timeline variable shortens, you can increase your expense output variable to get more done faster to compensate. But what questions should project managers be asking while keeping in mind these parameters?</p> <p>There are four key questions SciPhD suggests asking when designing a project. The first is what are you trying to accomplish and why? In PhD research, this has inevitably been done – your thesis has a defined goal to accomplish and typically to serve some purpose like understanding novel biomolecular mechanisms or developing more efficient carbon-carbon coupling reactions. The second question is <em>how do you know when you are successful?</em> Defining a goal is important, but one must implement criteria to identify when they goal has been met or completed to satisfaction. Thirdly, <em>what conditions exist out of your control that might delay or alter your project?</em> If one uses a core facility for example, they must consider what happens if that core facility shuts down (<em>i.e</em>. during a pandemic) or can’t actually perform the experiment you need to do. Fourth, one must consider how they are going to carry out achieving their goal <em>– what sorts of experiments need to be conducted to collect data that meets your criteria for success</em>? A tool SciPhD suggested to address this fourth question is developing a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_process_mapping">process map</a> specific enough to estimate a project’s timeline and the cost of resources. </p> <p>Logical and organized progression of tasks in project management has many advantages. Some of these include ensuring the work done is relevant, necessary and satisfies the project’s objectives in a logical structure. Other advantages include, determining if a project should continue or terminate and providing sufficient detail to accurately estimate project time, costs, and priorities. Overall, these skills are valuable in both academia and industry. If you’re going to transition from academia to industry, you should also keep in mind that you may not want to be in the lab forever. Incorporating project management skills into your repertoire affords qualifications that will eventually help you to progress into senior managerial positions in industry and enjoy the ability to lead a team. Another benefit is that managerial positions typically reap greater salaries! </p> <p>Finally, SciPhD covered negotiations as a scientist. Negotiations become important when starting a new job and securing benefits and compensation, but also in departing your lab as a postdoc or working with your advisor to determine a thesis defense date. With this in mind, Larry noted that negotiation can take either <em>distributive</em> or <em>integrative</em> strategies. Distributive negotiation, or hard bargaining, argues over a fixed item with finite distribution such as the expense for a car or house, and tends to take negative undertones. In contrast, integrative negotiation attempts to seek a common interest and create a “win-win” scenario. This type of negotiation can be more positive and is applicable to negotiating things like starting salary. The take-home message from Larry is that you should always strive to move conversations toward integrative negotiation. To do this, one should seek to find optimistic and attainable common ground. If the conversation seems more distributive in nature, it is often helpful to switch to a “learner” role and ask questions to help find common ground (see <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2021/01/20/developing-leadership-and-business-skills-for-scientists-sciphd-virtual-workshop-2021-part-1/%22%20%5Cl%20%22sthash.Qmz84PZk.dpbs">part 1</a>). Most importantly, you should always be able to provide examples of your qualifications and work outcomes as evidence of why you deserve greater reward for your efforts. To end this part of the workshop Larry reminds us that when asked “do you want to make money?” your answer is not simply “yes.” Your answer should be “I want to make MORE money!”</p> <p>After 5 days and nearly 20 hours of informative lectures, mock interviews, and group activities, the Rutgers iJOBS SciPhD Leadership and Business Skills for Scientists came to a close. Reflecting on the activities of the past week, I can honestly say it is one of the most valuable workshops I have attended via iJOBS. While the experience this year was different as Dr. Ribaudo and Mr. Petcovic had never presented the workshop in a digital format, every activity went as if it had been rehearsed. As scientists, we often focus too heavily on our technical skills and assets at the bench and too infrequently on both soft skills to help us land jobs, but also tools to advocate for our own success such as building targeted resumes, communicating with our audience, and negotiating. SciPhD’s program enabled attendees to learn these additional skills and feel much more confident in their prospects, whether they are in the job market now or several years from now. Besides the topics reviewed in <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2021/01/20/developing-leadership-and-business-skills-for-scientists-sciphd-virtual-workshop-2021-part-1/%22%20%5Cl%20%22sthash.Qmz84PZk.dpbs">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2021/01/25/developing-leadership-and-business-skills-for-scientists-sciphd-virtual-workshop-2021-part-2/%22%20%5Cl%20%22sthash.fei1JQvb.dpbs">part 2</a> of the SciPhD iJOBS blog posts, many other skills were covered via the workshop. I’d encourage each of you reading to see for yourself and take part in the SciPhD Leadership and Business Skills for Scientists workshop because remember, we don’t just want to make money, we want to make more money!</p> <p>This article was edited by Junior Editor, Rukia Henry, Junior Editor, Natalie Losada, and Senior Editor, Samantha Avina. </p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:06</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Fri, 29 Jan 2021 11:06:07 +0000 Anonymous 2111 at https://grad.rutgers.edu A Recipe for Success: Your guide to the Medical Writing application process https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/recipe-success-your-guide-medical-writing-application-process <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>A Recipe for Success: Your guide to the Medical Writing application process</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By: Brianna Alexander</p> <p>So, you want to be a medical writer? You’ve read blogs and attended seminars; you’ve combed over LinkedIn profiles and even conducted some informational interviews with field professionals. You’re finishing up the last few months of your graduate school training and eager to step into the world of medical communications. Before you know it, it's time to start applying and now, approaching the doorway of transition, you think: <em>What will the application process be like? What can I expect during the interview?</em></p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/ijobs-wp-import-images/2021/01/iJOBS-image-1-707x1024.png" /></p> <p>It’s true, applying for a position in a new field can be as daunting as it is exciting. However, with proper knowledge, practice, and preparation, a successful transition is possible. To that end, one of the first iJOBS events of the Spring 2021 semester was a virtual medical writing simulation, a special event designed to acquaint attendees with the ins and outs of the medical writing application process. Before we jump into the event, let’s cover some basics: <em>What is medical writing?</em> Medical writing, according to the <a href="https://info.amwa.org/ultimate-guide-to-becoming-a-medical-writer#what_is_medical_writing">American Medical Writers Association</a>,  “involves the development and production of print or digital documents that deal specifically with medicine or healthcare.” Moreover, as mentioned during the event, medical writing can include various activities from editing manuscripts and generating slide-decks to creating mechanism-of-action graphics.</p> <p>The panel for this event was a specially curated group of Rutgers alumni, all working in the field of medical writing. Some were experienced writers and others were recent graduates, and collectively they represented both small and large companies/agencies. The Panelists were: Drs. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulina-krzyszczyk-ph-d-5493757a/">Paulina Krzyszczyk</a> of <a href="https://www.bms.com/">Bristol Myers Squibb</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/inanikolaeva/">Ina Nikolaeva</a> of <a href="https://www.merck.com/">Merck &amp; Co., Inc</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/natascha-alves-phd-698897161/">Natascha G. Alves</a> of <a href="http://flywheelpartners.com/">Flywheel Partners</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/apoorva4/">Apoorva Halikere</a> of <a href="https://www.pvaluecomm.com/">p-value communications</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vkanta/">Vicky Kanta</a> of <a href="https://www.iconplc.com/">ICON plc</a>, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pinelopi-kyriazi-phd-42811651/">Pinelopi Kyriazi</a> of <a href="https://21gramsny.com/index.html">21GRAMS NY</a>. Each writer shared some insights into their application process, provided advice and tips for the prospective applicant, and collectively lead an interactive exercise for attendees to get a sense of what might be encountered during a medical writing application. So, let’s dive into your burning questions!</p> <p><strong><em>How do I find a position?</em></strong><em>  </em>One of the first steps in the application process is finding the right position for you, but how? Threaded in all the discussions were the words: <em>networking </em>and <em>LinkedIn</em>. Networking, or the sociable act of meeting others and engaging in professional dialogue, is a critical component of professional development that can prove useful in the job search. Members of your network can help to move your application from the submitted folder to the hiring desk with just the mention of a good word. Several panelists spoke to this, explaining how members of their networks helped direct them to their current positions.  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a>,  the highly popular professional networking platform, was also brought up during the discussion. LinkedIn is a great place to connect with recruiters and hiring managers and to get a sense of the culture and content of a company/agency. You can learn more about how to strengthen your LinkedIn profile in the iJOBS article linked <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2020/06/09/the-fundamentals-of-a-magnetic-linkedin-profile/#sthash.2f5RuDSf.dpbs">here</a>!</p> <p><strong><em>How can I make my application stand out?</em></strong> In discussing tips for building a strong application, the panelists highlighted the importance of leveraging previous experience as well as having strong recommendations.  For example, Dr. Krzyszczyk was previously a writer for the <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/blog.php">Rutgers iJOBS blog</a>  (along with several other panelists) during her graduate training and stated that having that experience helped her immensely in her preparation for the medical writing transition. Dr. Kyriazi also spoke to the importance of experience in generating a strong foundation, sharing that she was a science writer for the <a href="https://www.nyas.org/">New York Academy of Science</a>, which added breadth to her application. Dr. Alves added to the discussion, stating that she learned about the medical writing field from an iJOBS event, and that after matriculating through the <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/about.php#overview">iJOBS phases</a>, she landed a shadowing experience at <a href="https://www.mccannhealth.com/">McCANN HEALTH</a>, which was crucial in solidifying her interest and strengthening her application. On this note, Dr. Krzyszczyk made an important point that regardless of your experience coming in, that companies are aware of the relative newness of graduate students to industry and that it is not uncommon to be offered an internship as a stepping-stone in the hiring process. In addition to prior experiences, it is also essential to have a network of people that can speak to your character and work ethic. Dr. Halikere emphasized this tip for polishing an application, mentioning that she listed 3-4 references on her application, and all were called to speak on her behalf.</p> <p><strong><em>What can I expect during the interview process?</em></strong> While specifics may vary from company to company, there are generally three components to an interview for a medical writing position: <em>initial screening</em>, <em>writing test</em> and <em>interview</em>.  The initial screening, which is frequently a phone interview, is an assessment of the applicant and one of the first steps in narrowing the applicant pool.  The next component is the writing test, where the applicant is asked to demonstrate skill. Interestingly, although the test is a <em>writing</em> test, it is also an assessment of other skills including scientific comprehension, the ability to extract and summarize key points as well as adapt information for various audiences.  To that end, Dr. Kanta noted that the writing test may take different forms including writing an abstract for a poster, generating a slide deck, or writing a summary for a specific audience. The final component is the in-person interview, which may be a panel of interviews with different people, all designed to assess if the applicant is a good fit for the position. Dr. Alves made special note that the in-person interview is less an interrogation and more an opportunity for the employer to learn about you and your potential to solve problems.</p> <p>Several panelists elaborated on tips to succeed during the writing test. Dr. Kanta explained that it is likely that during the writing test that you may encounter material/terms/jargon that you are unfamiliar with but that, “it’s important to be flexible in terms of writing something when you don’t know much about the topic.” Dr. Nikolaeva stated that she once had a 7.5-hour long interview, including the writing segment. While this sounds intimidating, she assured attendees that perfection is not a necessity. She explained that for many companies</p> <blockquote><p>“They are looking for the starting ingredients that they can build a medical writer from.”</p> </blockquote> <p>She went on to describe that many agencies/companies want to know that 1) you like writing and 2) that you understand science and know where to find the information that you want from a document. Amidst the discussion, Dr. Halikere brought another aspect of the test to the table: off-site testing and writing sample submissions. In cases like this, you may not be asked to write at the site, but you may instead be asked to submit representative examples of your work beforehand/with your application. Therefore, she emphasized the importance of having your best writing work prepared as a supplement for your applications (publications, iJOBS articles, etc.).</p> <p>Following the discussion, the panelists introduced the simulation activity. The activity was broken into three breakout rooms, each to mimic a different style of the medical writing applicant test: abstract, PowerPoint and prescriber information. Each group was to compile either an abstract, PowerPoint or the prescriber information based on the assigned <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15269313/">article</a>. More specifically, the abstract group was tasked with generating an abstract from the paper, including background, methods, results and conclusion. The PowerPoint group was tasked with using visuals to tell a story about the key points of the article. Finally, the prescriber information group was tasked with identifying the crucial information in the article which would be needed to fill out the FDA-mandated prescriber information document (required for all approved drugs).  Embedded in each of these activities were several skill assessments: data summary, information extraction and informative communication.</p> <p>Each room was assigned two of the panelists to help guide and assist attendees in the activity. I was in the abstract group and we were tasked with extracting the most essential information from the article and summarizing it in 5-7 sentences. As a cardiovascular biologist, some of the terms were new to me. The writing style was also different, as I am used to research papers which go into depth about results, possible outcomes and implications of research in the discussion. This paper was more concise and clinical in nature. Nonetheless, Drs. Nikolaeva and Kanta were very helpful in guiding us on what would be appropriate to include in the abstract and in general, some tips for approaching an abstract writing test (which is apparently very common). For example, they shared that the results section is where most of the writing should be focused as well as the importance of staying away from “termed” words which may have negative undertones.  </p> <p>While we have learned much in the way of what medical writing is and had the wonderful opportunity of meeting field professionals in prior iJOBS events, in this special event attendees were introduced to some of the logistics of the medical writing application process. Featuring a dynamic panel of six professionals in the field of medical writing, each panelist provided valuable insights into the application process, including tips on how to succeed during the writing test. Writing is a powerful and timeless way of communicating, and for those who are interested in medical writing as a career, hopefully the event and this article helped you to find a little more confidence in your step into the world of medical communications. </p> <p><em>This article was edited by Junior Editor Zachary Fritz and Senior Editor Samantha Avina.</em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Tue, 01/26/2021 - 09:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:00:00 +0000 Anonymous 2110 at https://grad.rutgers.edu Developing Leadership and Business Skills for Scientists: SciPhD Virtual Workshop 2021 – Part 1 https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/developing-leadership-and-business-skills-scientists-sciphd-virtual-workshop-2021-part-1 <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Developing Leadership and Business Skills for Scientists: SciPhD Virtual Workshop 2021 – Part 1</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By: Shawn Rumrill</p> <p>For their first event of the new year Rutgers iJOBS partnered with <a href="https://sciphd.com/">SciPhD</a> for an exciting week of skill building activities that covered everything from crafting a resume to project management to negotiating salary. Founded in 2010 by Randall Rimbaud, Ph.D., and Larry Petcovic, M.S., SciPhD brings leadership skills and business knowledge to scientists in academia who plan to make the jump to industry, or other sectors like government and non-profit positions. Through 20 hours of fast-paced activities and engaging lectures, more than 60 students from Rutgers University and beyond learned many skills that would make them competitive and successful in careers. The short story: SciPhD is a fantastic program! The long story: Keep reading to find out how attendees learned critical business, leadership, and negotiation skills to be leveraged in searching and securing their first job in industry.</p> <p><strong>(Day 1) The Hunt – Finding a Job</strong></p> <p>Day 1 of the workshop kicked off with Mr. Randall Rimbaud (Randy) covering 1) how to find a job you might like,2) how to understand if you are qualified and 3) how to create your brand and develop a targeted resume There are many career choices for those who earn a PhD in a STEM field! Oftentimes big pharma, biotech, or engineering firms are the go-tos for graduates, but SciPhD ephasized exploration of less obvious areas such as venture capital, where scientists might weigh in on investments strategies. Non-profit jobs that include outreach, advocacy, and more humanitarian focused endeavors are also rewarding careers. No matter the path, it was enlightening to realize just how many roles PhD scientists can take outside of academia or even traditional industrial roles. The one adage from my mother that comes to mind in considering a career path is “do what you love and love what you do, then you’ll never work a day in your life.” </p> <p>An important resource Randy discussed was the <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2018/05/10/exploring-your-skills/#sthash.UU819xmG.dpbs">Individual Development Plan (IDP)</a>. The  IDP is a  tool used to help  mid- late stage careers of PhD students to identify their passions and shape their journey to achieve careers that they love. In my own experience, IDPs are commonplace in graduate programs and often required components for yearly committee reviews. </p> <p>Once you’ve found a job you think you would love, how do you know you are qualified? For a molecular biologist who hopes for a career in gene therapy this might seem like a straightforward answer. But what about the engineer who wants to be a science writer or the chemist who wants to find new avenues in legal consulting or patent work? Moreover, is getting a job just about having specific technical skills? Randy’s advice: “guide yourself using our dream job description.” From this, it is easy to pull out technical skill requirements like running a PCR, but in general there are other subtle keywords that suggest the most sought-after skills might be soft skills. The bottom line for Randy is that scientists often focus on their technical ability and forget their role is not only scientific (what you do) but business (how you do it) and social (how you interact with others) as well. </p> <blockquote><p>Business and social skills contribute to the bulk of job failure, most of which occur within 18 months of hire.</p> </blockquote> <p>The business and social skills Randy notes contribute to the bulk of job failure, most of which occur within 18 months of hire. Have you been frustrated as a new PhD graduate to see that most jobs want 2-3 years of experience? They aren’t saying that because they want your technical skills (anyone can be trained) but because they want to know you have developed business and social skills in a professional setting similar to the job for which you’re applying. Soft skills are the only thing that can’t be gleaned from a PhD – everyone is coming in with technical skills by nature of the degree. But don’t despair, says Randy, fortunately for us the cycle of a PhD is much the same as business. Once you learn enough of the business and social language required to communicate your technical and soft skills, you become much more appealing to prospective employers.</p> <p><strong>(Day 1) The lynchpin – core business competencies</strong></p> <p>Your next question might be what are the core business and social skills (competencies) that can make me the most competitive? First, let’s take a step back. Two pervasive themes throughout the workshop are keeping in mind 6 core business and social competencies and the STAR method as a means of writing experience statements that convey how you embody each competency. Let’s explore these two themes in turn. Below is a list of the core competencies and the questions we should keep in mind when developing our business and social skills:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Creating the vision</strong>: are you strategic and innovative in your planning? do you have a plan B?</li> <li><strong>Developing your people</strong>: can you be collaborative, enabling, and empathetic with your coworkers? Can you develop strong rapport?</li> <li><strong>Execution</strong>: do you structure your work by including appropriate controls, making immediate tactical decisions, and delegating to keep projects on time and on budget?</li> <li><strong>Achieving results</strong>: Are you productive, disciplined, and focused on your task with a keen awareness of your competition?</li> <li><strong>Communication</strong>: can you engage with technical and non-technical audiences? Can you adjust your style to talk and listen using key concepts of emotional and social intelligence? </li> <li><strong>Financial acumen</strong>: Do you have a sense of cost, business performance, return on investment, and monetary balances?</li> </ul> <p>Hopefully it is clear reading these bullets just how far beyond the bench scientists need to expand their skills to stand out amongst the competition.  As overwhelming as it sounds to be a well-rounded, scientists, one of SciPhD’s key methodologies, and the workshop’s second pervasive theme, is developing the STAR method: Taking all of your experiences – what is the <strong><u>S</u></strong>ituation you faced, the <strong><u>T</u></strong>ask to be completed, the <strong><u>A</u></strong>ction you took, and the <strong><u>R</u></strong>esults you achieved? To answer these questions, you take your experiences and frame them using the 6-core business and social competencies to produce experience statements. By carefully crafting these statements, you can easily convey both on your resume and during interviews why it is you are the best candidate for the job! While you might be worried that you have less experience than another candidate, crafting careful experience statements is a great way to highlight your unique capabilities and stand out from the crowd of job applicants.</p> <p><strong>(Day 1) The invitation – getting an interview</strong></p> <p>By now you’ve developed the dream employee package – you’ve found a job you are well suited for and written experience statements that embody core competencies highlighting you as the perfect candidate - but the next and most difficult step is landing the interview. Despite the remote nature of the workshop, you could feel the tension as the highly anticipated resume building topic was finally discussed.  Resume building is often seen as a frustrating and seemingly unsystematic task of developing a generic document to release in droves upon the pool of hiring managers eagerly awaiting candidates.  However, Randy reminds us that it is worth investing your time in developing a targeted resume for each position to which you apply. For this, SciPhD has developed a fantastic tool called <a href="https://sciphd.com/login/">Flamingo</a>. Randy demonstrated how to use this platform to import a job advertisement and “map” it by coloring key words and phrases to sort them in categories of business, social, or technical skills and behaviors. From here, each statement is mapped to the six competencies. The goal is to ensure that the person reviewing your resume will connect your skills to those listed in the job ad. Flamingo’s organization provides a systematic approach where you can identify key job requirements and write your STAR method-based experience statements using language from a job description. This will give you the best possible chance to land an interview and showcase your talent!</p> <p><strong>(Day 2) The communicator </strong></p> <p>Day 2 of the SciPhD workshop shifted gears toward learning how to communicate as a scientist. PhD researchers become well versed in communicating our science through technical writing, publications, research talks and more.. Many of us have even mastered the art of communicating science to non-scientists. However, most have not fully developed what SciPhD calls their four competency levels of communication:</p> <ul> <li>Technical literacy</li> <li>Emotional intelligence</li> <li>Social intelligence</li> <li>Style flexibility</li> </ul> <p>As Larry, co-founder and VP of communications for the program, took us through each of these levels he also explained the interdependency between them. <strong>Technical literacy</strong> references our ability to recognize our audience and explain our research questions or results at the appropriate level for the listener. This is commonly thought of as the “peers vs. grandma” dipole. For example, to my peers I might say, “I utilize X-ray crystallography to interrogate macromolecular structures and characterize their mechanisms of action to aid in structure-based drug discovery and design.”  In contrast, I might explain the same to grandma by saying, “I study protein structures to make medicine.” Worry not – it took 20 minutes of groupwork for each participant in the workshop to whittle down their research to 7 words that grandma can make sense of when she asks “what do you do in school?” over Thanksgiving dinner. That being said, Larry pointed out that these are extreme examples. In reality, we need to adjust our wording to something between these two ends of the spectrum when we are talking to finance executives, hospital patients, peers, or the general public. Mastering this and the next skills are crucial to communicating our worth when interviewing for jobs. </p> <p>The next two competency levels SciPhD explored are <strong>emotional and social intelligence</strong>. Emotional intelligence is taking responsibility for your emotional reactions to different communication situations. As an example, you might recognize that you become angry or defensive when someone questions your research, but an emotionally intelligent person has the ability to shift from an unconscious to conscious mindset, or as Larry termed it, from an expert to a learner role. As experts in our field, we are compelled to spew our knowledge, but it is much more conducive to conversations to become a learner and engage different points of view, ask questions, and come to agreements. With this in mind, you can also become socially intelligent by adding value to other people (answering questions in their context). In short, Larry summarizes that “we should learn to ask questions when we know the answer.”</p> <blockquote><p>use our flexibility to adjust our communication to fit the preference of our audience, rather than asking them to adapt to our style.</p> </blockquote> <p>Finally, we come to the notion of <strong>style flexibility</strong>. Unconsciously, you might have already recognized that different people learn, interact, and respond to situations differently. You may have even learned about or taken a <a href="http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp">Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test</a> to understand how you best interpret information, as well as how you best communicate. Style flexibility incorporates all the aspects of technical literacy, emotional and social intelligence. Larry’s takeaway message: to communicate most effectively, we need to incorporate all of these competencies and use our flexibility to adjust our communication to fit the preference of our audience, rather than asking them to adapt to our style. </p> <p>After an informative and activity-packed day 2 of the SciPhD workshop, we learned many skills related to marketing ourselves and communicating our value to a variety of audiences. But that’s not all, folks! There are still 3 days left of content that focus on developing your people skills (teamwork and collaboration), business skills, and project management skills. Look out for the 2<sup>nd</sup> half of this post coming soon!</p> <p>This article was edited by Junior Editor Natalie Losada and Senior Editor Samantha Avina.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Wed, 01/20/2021 - 17:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2021</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0000 Anonymous 2108 at https://grad.rutgers.edu Working at a CRO: a welcoming environment for PhD holders https://grad.rutgers.edu/news/working-cro-welcoming-environment-phd-holders <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--news.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Working at a CRO: a welcoming environment for PhD holders</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--news.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>By Helena Mello</p> <p>Before we begin, I need to make a distinction: “CRO” can refer to two related, but different, companies. It can refer to a <em>Clinical</em> Research Organization or a<em> Contract</em> Research Organization. Broadly, both companies may be considered <em>Contract</em> organizations because they work under a contract to provide service in the form of research services. However, the term <em>Clinical</em> means the company specializes in running and supporting clinical studies, whereas <em>Contract </em>organizations mostly support their clients with pre-clinical (including <em>in-vitro</em> and <em>in-silico</em> work) studies. Not only are their acronyms the same, but their high regard for STEM graduates as well. <em>As a PhD, you can thrive in either setting</em>. On December 7<sup>th</sup>, the iJOBS program hosted five speakers to share how they have transitioned into both types of CROs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/srilatha-simhadri-b4a03561/">Srilatha Simhadri, PhD</a>, is a Rutgers alumna. She is currently a Scientist at <a href="https://www.wuxiapptec.com/">WuXi AppTec</a>, a <em>Contract</em> Research Organization, working at the <em>in-vitro</em> Biology Department. At WuXi AppTec she is in charge of running <em>in-vitro </em>screening of potential new compounds on behalf of their clients, and needs to know how to operate all of the machines in the laboratory. Dr. Simhadri described her work environment/team as “a tight and extremely cooperative group,” and stated that everyone from technical scientists to VPs interacts with the clients. Dr. Simhadri has had much experience in CRO positions. For example, she had already held positions in CROs between her Master’s and PhD programs. After her PhD training, she transitioned from a postdoctoral position at Rutgers into another CRO, before starting at WuXi AppTec. To that end, she highlighted that CROs offer “many opportunities to work on different things,” which was an attracting feature that made her transition back into the field.</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielevincelli/">Gabriele Vincelli, PhD</a>, Senior Scientist at <a href="https://www.evotec.com/en">Evotec</a>, was also a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers before starting at his current company. Evotec is also a <em>Contract </em>Research Organization, providing similar services as WuXi AppTec. Dr. Vincelli’s experience as a postdoc, particularly in lentiviral-based protein expression, made him the perfect candidate for the job. Besides the technical expertise, Dr. Vincelli is expected to strongly interact with clients and meet their needs with the highest standard, which involves “heavy communication and lots of troubleshooting.” This requires him to stay up-to-date on the most innovative, cutting-edge techniques. He describes his position as “a job that never get boring.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-ma/">Xiaotang (Jessica) Ma, PhD</a>, former NJIT graduate student, is currently a Clinical Pharmacology Scientist at <a href="https://www.frontagelab.com/">Frontage Laboratories</a>, a <em>Contract</em> Research Organization that also offers Clinical Trials Management services. In her position, she uses Machine Learning to assess the tolerability and safety of drugs for new studies. She described her work environment as “very PhD friendly” and, especially in her position, a place to get exposed to several therapeutic areas. Dr. Ma started applying for jobs and internships during her 3<sup>rd</sup> year of PhD training, which led her to explore many paths outside of academia. When graduation came, Dr. Ma had a few options on the table. To that end, she emphasized the need for tailored resumes for each position she applied for, and the importance of speaking to people in the prospective industry - both of which helped her approach the interviews with a clearer view of what the job would entail, and helped her to make a decision between a few offers.</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelcabrera1988/">Miguel Cabrera, PhD</a>, from <a href="https://www.targethealth.com/">Target Health</a>, was representing a<em> Clinical</em> Research Organization. He emphasized the role the iJOBS program has played in his career: Dr. Cabrera got his current job through an iJOBS event. He connected with a speaker who introduced him to the CEO of the company he now works for. As Clinical Project Manager at Target Health, Dr. Cabrera oversees clinical studies on behalf of sponsors (companies that own the treatment being tested). His daily activities include searching for qualified sites and negotiating budgets. Although a PhD isn’t required for the role, he said that the skills acquired during his graduate training, such as time and project management, have helped him on the job.</p> <blockquote><p>The faster, more adaptable pace of CROs allows them to perform “research-on-demand” and produce meaningful results in less time.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-napper-7b32395/">Andrew Napper, PhD</a>, Vice-President for Discovery Sciences at <a href="https://www.evotec.com/en">Evotec</a>, brought interesting perspectives that applied to both types of CROs. Dr. Napper has been working in drug discovery for over 30 years, and has held a number of positions both in academia and in industry. He has seen the industry change and called our attention to “pharma’s risk aversion”: when companies shift their efforts towards regulatory, legal, and marketing departments, and outsource the high-risk R&amp;D portion to CROs. The faster, more adaptable pace of CROs allows them to perform “research-on-demand” and produce meaningful results in less time.</p> <p>Finally, all panelists echoed the importance of <strong>networking</strong>,regardless of the career path you follow. We have written many iJOBS blog posts that can help you build these connections, such as <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2017/02/28/networking-etiquette-tips-to-successfully-build-a-network/">Networking Etiquette: Tips to Successfully Build a Network</a> and <a href="http://ijobs.rutgers.edu/wordpress/2020/05/28/informational-interviews-what-how-why-a-recap-of-nih-oites-webinar/">“Informational Interviews – What? How? Why?”</a>. After hearing from these panelists, it was clear that either <em>Contract</em> or <em>Clinical</em> Research Organizations are interesting and welcoming places for PhD holders. Whether you wish to get exposed to new therapeutic areas in a short amount of time, work with cutting-edge techniques, or transition into clinical studies, these companies could be the right fit for you.</p> <p>I hope this and other posts help you to explore career paths that you may not have thought of exploring. If you have any questions, feel free to connect with us on <a href="https://twitter.com/RutgersiJOBS">twitter</a>. Happy Holidays and we will see you in 2021!</p> <p>This article was edited by Senior Editor Brianna Alexander.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--news.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Anonymous (not verified)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--news.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Wed, 12/23/2020 - 10:00</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--news.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Topic Areas</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/261" hreflang="en">Uncategorized</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-academic-cluster--news.html.twig * field--node--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-academic-cluster.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-academic-cluster field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Academic Cluster</div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">Biological, Biomedical, and Health Sciences</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-authored-on-year--news.html.twig * field--node--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--node--news.html.twig * field--field-authored-on-year.html.twig * field--computed-integer.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-authored-on-year field--type-computed-integer field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Authored On Year</div> <div class="field--item">2020</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Wed, 23 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000 Anonymous 2107 at https://grad.rutgers.edu