Launching Your Industrial Chemistry Career

John K Borchardt

Jobn K Borcbardt is a Product Development Chemist for the Shell Company.
Copyright 1991 John K. Borchardt.

Reproduced with permission from the following publication.
IN CHEMISTRY MAY/JUNE 1992

New chemists first entering the business world experience culture shock far greater than faced when entering college. The corporate and campus cultures differ tremendously. In college classes, students all have identical or very similar assignments. . .

Although the exact nature of the research may differ, each chemistry graduate student is performing research to qualify for a degree. Working independently is strongly encouraged in both undergraduate and graduate school. By contrast, in both large and small companies, each chemist has specific and different duties. This is true whether or not the chemist works in the lab. However, individual efforts need to fit together to form a coordinated program. The young chemist's work is part of a team effort.

Technical ability in chemistry is important to success, yet many other factors, much less critical in college, become important. What are these factors and how can young chemists minimize the culture shock encountered on beginning their first job?

First, realize you are no longer the college senior or graduate student who thoroughly understands the system. Temporarily you're at the bottom of the totem pole. Accept the fact that every thing you leamed in college doesn't make you an industry expert. Someone has to do the detailed and routine work that you may initially be assigned. You won't have your ideas readily accepted until you demonstrate competence and good judgment on the job. The process will take time.

Try to find at least one mentor. A mentor should be a senior co-worker with whom you feel comfortable and can go to with concems or problems. Don't be too aggressive in looking for a mentor relationship. Studies indicate it is usually the mentor who initiates the relationship. You can help the process along by occasionally seeking advice from senior co-workers and seeing what relationships develop. Your supervisor is a good place to start. Chances are he or she played a major role in hiring you and has an interest in seeing you succeed. As you get to know your co-workers, you can gradually detemline which ones will be helpful and respect your confidences.

Develop good interpersonal relationships with your co-workers. Be a pleasant person with a positive attitude. Such people are often given more chances to improve job performance and correct their mistakes than are the uncooperative or pessimists. Cooperate with co workers and assist them when they need it. Do not neglect your own responsibilities, but be willing to spend time helping a co-worker meet a deadline. You'll soon learn which colleagues will give you proper credit for your help and return the favor. Be helpful, but don't constantly assist a co-worker who does not return favors unless you are requested to do so by your supervisor.

Try to anticipate your supeorior's needs. Above all, do your best to meet deadlines. Consult with your supervisor to establish priorities; focus on your most important assignments. When you encounter problems, respond creatively and get the job done. Your supervisor wants results; good intentions are not enough. Before you ask for help, make sure you have done everything you can on your own. You won't be encouraged to do it all on your own. You may have to work through analytical chemists or information specialists to develop or look up the infomlation you need. This is part of the team approach in industry. When you do get stuck, determine which problems can be solved by consultation with a more experienced and helpful co-worker and which really need your supervisor's attention.

Try to make your supervisor look good and make his or her job easier. Don't disagree with him or her in public. Disagree privately only when you are certain he or she is wrong or it is an issue about which you feel very strongly. Many corporate procedures are not well understood by new employees. Be sure you comprehend the situation before you disagree. Should you lose, don't take the disagreement to co-workers or other managers. Perhaps the most common mistake made by new employees is going over their supervisor's head. Rule number one of corporate life is to follow the chain of command. More than 99% of the time senior management will back up their lower level managers.

Practice company loyalty and maintain a strong sense of professional ethics. They are paying you to keep confidential corporate matters private. If you are uncertain as to what information is confidential, ask your supervisor. Ignore offfice politics at your peril but avoid wasting a
lot of time listening to rumors. Try not to say anything that you would not want repeated to other co-workers. Counter rumors about yourself with the facts of solid job performance.

Minimize your contact with people you dislike unless this will adversely affect your job performance. However, remember that even someone you dislike can teach you something. If you think you have a personal problem with a particular manager or co-worker, analyze the situation carefully and unemotionally. Try to work it out directly with the other person. If the problem is a clash of personalities that can't be resolved, be patient and compile a record of accomplishment. Then you can ask for a transfer to another department with a good prospect of success.

Don't try to take credit for others' accomplishments and don't try to cover up mistakes. Your supervisor will probably find out the true situation eventually. Even if he or she never knows, co-work ers will. Offenders will find that they will pay over the long run through decreased cooperation from colleagues. The first time a fellow worker takes credit for your ideas or work, privately confront the individual. Firmly inform him that you expect to be given credit for your work in the future. Should the situation recur, you will have to decide whether or not to press the issue with your supervisor. However, don't confuse a general attribution of credit to a project team with management giving others credit for your efforts. Meetings are often too short to spend valuable time detailing each person's contribution.

Remember that you have a career, not just a job. After you learn how to execute your present responsibilities capably, begin learning what you will need to know for the next step up the company ladder. Develop important ancillary career skills. These include public speaking, effective writing, and computer expertise. If your company is foreign owned or has important foreign-operations, learn the appropriate foreign language. You may then fnd yourself chosen to host foreign visitors, make international trips, or accept a choice overseas assigrlment.

Gradually get to know people in other departments in your company and what they do. You may find your self working there some day. Take advantage of opportunities to work on interdepartmental committees and projects. These will broaden your knowledge of your employer and may make you aware of alternative career paths. Doing a good job on this sort of assignment will begin to give you a constituency outside your own department. This could be useful when opportunities for raises, promotions, and special assignments are discussed in management committee meetings.

Determine what sort of outside professional activities your company supports and become involved in them. Join appropriate trade organizations as well as the American Chemical Society. However, do not devote too much time to outside professional activities until you and your manager are sure you are making good progress in fulfilling your job responsibilities .

As a new employee, analyze your situation weekly. Review the major events of the week, what you did, what you didn't do, and determine how you could have handled problems better. If things are not going well, take the initiative and express your concems to your supervisor. Ask him or her how you can improve your performance. He or she can be your best ally in making the difficult but exciting adjustment to an industrial chemistry career.