Are you in the right place?
Beyond the Bench:
Training for a Career
Bob Tillman, Ph.D.
You and your PI
You
Your PI
Be aware of your career and
development needs
Provide guidance for career direction
Capitalize on your skills,
achievements, motivations, and
personal qualities
Communicate your development
plan to PI
Provide resources and training
that will allow you to advance
Provide tools to help find right
direction
Help! I need a job plan!
Typical approach
Training is ending (Denial)
What is available? (Anger)
Write CV/resume
Search job ads (Bargaining)
Send out CV/resume (Depression)
Go to interviews (Grief?)
(Acceptance?)
How about this approach?
Self-Assessment
Career Exploration
Narrowing Options
The Job Search
What makes you tick?
Skills
Values:
Ethical/moral
Ideological
Social
Values
Skills:
Speaking?
Critical thinking
Writing?
Specialized training
Anchors
Anchors:
Managerial
Technical/Functional
Independence/Auton.
Entrepreneurial
Service Oriented
Challenge
Security/Stability
Work/life integration
Activity
 Write down three of your strongest
skills and three that are weak
Write down your strongest 2-3 anchors
Managerial
Technical
Challenge
Work/life integration
Service Oriented
Entrepreneurial
Security
Independence
Assessment: experiences
What jobs / activities do you enjoy the most?
What about your current work do you
currently like / dislike?
What do other people say about you?
• Complements: written or verbal
• Nicknames or tag lines
• Ask for feedback - remember, good feedback is specific,
clear and constructive
Self-Assessment excerises
Copyright: Jorge Cham
Self-assessment exercises
Self-assessments can provide insights into values,
behaviors, attitudes, interests, etc.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI):
personality inventory developed Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers
Strong Interest Inventory (SII)
shows how certain interests compare with the interests of people
successfully employed in specific occupations
Personal Interests, Attitudes and Values Assessment
(PIAV)
Skills your training gives you
Transferable skills
Public speaking
Teaching skills: conceptualizing, explaining
Mentoring skills
Ability to communicate ideas and concepts in writing
Adaptability to a variety of environments and roles
Develop and design studies and projects
Project management
Organize and analyze data
Combine and integrate information from disparate sources
Critical thinking and critical evaluation
Problem-solve and trouble-shoot
Ability to work with others
Ability to acknowledge different viewpoints and arguments
Ability to suspend judgment, to work with ambiguity
Sources: Peter Fiske
& Friends
Where do I fit in?
What jobs are out there for me?
Activity
 Write down three jobs you think you
would be interested in.
Write out three things you have done
with regards to a job search.
Looking Outward: Career Inquiries
Gather information on & contacts for careers
 Read books, career oriented websites
 Internships, experiences
 Network
• take advantage of seminar speakers
• conduct informational interviews
• find a career mentor
• attend conferences, interest groups, etc.
• online networking: Linkedin, etc.
People like to talk about their jobs too!
Networking is essential
…connections are crucial in today’s work environment

We hire known quantities

Your network helps keep you informed as to what jobs are
out there and what advances, trends, etc. are happening

Network when you don’t need a job

You are always networking
My labmates:
Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Academia (8), Genentech, IAVI, SanofiAdventis, Regeneron, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Life
Technologies, Postdoc (4)
Looking forward
 Make
choices on careers/jobs to explore
further
 Set goals
 Use SMART to set goals
Specific : Define Who, What, When, Where”, Why
Measurable: How will I know I have accomplished my goal?
Attainable: Are my goals attainable and how do I obtain
them?
Realistic: Am I willing and able to reach the goal (motivation)
Timely/Tangible: Setting times or having a tangible
outcome increases motivation and chances for success.
Activity
 Write down three things you can do to
learn more about various jobs?
What to ask about jobs
• Skills/experience required
• What is your day like?
• Structure/culture of organization
• Where are jobs located?
• What opportunities for promotion are there? What is
required?
• Typical salaries?
• What does future for business/market look like?
(What trends or issues are present in those career paths)
• What is involved in the hiring process?
Putting it together
 You have developed a better self-awareness for
your qualities and attributes.
 You know how to get information on careers
 You can assess what careers or jobs you are best
suited and competitive for.
The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen.
- Lee Iacocca
Getting the job
Five Points:
 Networking
 Search Savvy
 Well written C.V., resume, cover letter
 Expected level of accomplishment
 Evidence of self-motivation, interest &
 Interviewing well
involvement
Plenty of resources are available to help you with all points.
Make sure to have anything you write for a job application
reviewed by a knowledgeable person for content and by others
for grammar and spelling.
Resources
http://bobtillman.squarespace.com/career-essentials/
http://www.scienceallianceforum.org/