Take Charge of Your Career

Randall E. Wedlin


IN CHEMISTRY DECEMBER 1992/JANUARY 1993
(Reproduced with permission.)

You wake up one morning and find a special delivery envelope slipped under your door. You turn on your computer and a notice flashes on the screen. An urgent message is left on your answering machine. All three messages are the same--you've been given a special research assignment.

You are now responsible for a priceless sample. It is the only sample of its kind in the world. You must determine its properties, characteristics, and reactivity. And then you must find useful and fulfilling applications for the sample. The unique sample is you. The research project is your career.

Career. There it is again, the "c word." It can be scary, confusing, mysterious, exciting. What does today's chemistry major need to know about career planning? Here are some guiding principles and specific suggestions offered by human resource experts and recent graduates.

Principle #l-Shaping your career is a lifelong process.

James Burke, Manager of Research Recruiting and University Relations at Rohm & Haas, believes that a career is much more like research than like school. It is a discovery and learning process, and you are in charge of it. The process begins even before you get your diploma, and it continues for the rest of your professional life.

Today's work place is dramatically different, says Dorothy Rodmann, human resource consultant and senior advisor to the ACS membership director. "The security we saw 20 years ago just doesn't exist today. Today's students have to think about making job changes five to seven times in their career. They may even have to change careers two or three times in their life times. They need to keep their career options open, anticipate the changes, and be prepared."

Principle #2--Broad-based technical competence is essential.

Employers look for technical competence. A solid background and good grades are necessities in today's competitive work force. While gaining their technical credentials, students should keep an eye on today's rapidly growing interdisciplinary fields.

Lura Powell, chief of the Biotechnology Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), recommends that chemistry majors acquire a broad-based interdisciplinary background. "You don't know what you're going to want to do twenty years down the road. I am an inorganic and analytical chemist. If anybody had told me that I would be in charge of the biotechnology program at NIST twenty years from then, I would have told them they were crazy. But as an undergraduate chemistry major, I also took biochemistry. It's been very helpful to me. Broad-based training is even more important for students today."

Another way to broaden your technical foundation is through undergraduate research experience. Ned Heindel, professor of chemistry at Lehigh University, urges students "to seek vigorously a summer research experience in an industrial laboratory or in an academic lab on a project that has an application focus to it. Get yourself some-real world experimental experience."

Principle #3~lnterpersonal skills and contacts are criticaL

The importance of interpersonal skills such as communication and team building is too often underestimated by new graduates, says Marie Buck, quality assurance leader at BASF. "It's a very rude awakening for many scientists coming out of school. A lot of people think that just because you're a brilliant chemist, it's guaranteed that you'll climb the corporate ladder. It helps. But you need other things, too. Being a good communicator is essential.

At Procter and Gamble, they use a list of "What Counts" factors to evaluate potential employees. Ted Logan, manager of Ph.D. hiring, reports that technical credentials are an essential aspect of "What Counts." Also important are communication skills, leadership and ability to influence people, thinking and problem solving, and initiative and follow through.

Another key interpersonal skill is networking. As Pam Tucker, senior engineer at 3M, observes, "It's a small world, and everybody you meet is an important contact." The network of contacts that you develop becomes an excellent source of advice, support, and referrals. And in today's competitive job market, where 75% of the jobs are not openly advertised, a good network is essential.

Principle #4~You must market yourself assertively.

Many chemists are uncomfortable with the idea of marketing themselves. But as James Burke points out, "It's not demeaning. It's not selling out. What you are really doing is relating what you have to offer to someone else's needs." This requires that you have a clear picture of your own abilities, goals, and values. Ask yourself: What do I offer that can make a positive difference to this organization?"

Burke continues, "It's really all about self-determination and ownership. We hope people will take control of their own careers. A career is a very personal thing. It has more to do with a person's values than with an employer's needs. The hope of the company is that there will be many times when the individual will satisfy the company's needs and his or her own needs and values at the same time."

These four principles provide a general road map for the most important research project of your life--your career. The specific suggestions and resources that follow will help you start your journey today. Bon voyage!


Randall E. Wedlin, former head of the ACS Special Publications Department, is now a freelance writer, speaker, and consultant.

Recommended Resources

What Color is Your Parachute? This book, by Richard Bolles, is a outstanding resource. The book is updated annually and is still the classic book in the field.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People This book, by Stephen Covey, is the current best-seller in the American business community. It stresses the connection between personal values and effectiveness in the work place and in life.

Conducting an Effective Job Search This tutorial, led by Dorothy Rodmann and James Burke, is offered at the ACS national and regional meetings.

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