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The past several years I have been touting healthcare informatics technology (HIT) as an alternate career option for life scientists. For those of you who may not know, healthcare informatics is a field tasked with organizing, mining and distributing electronic health records (EHRs) to physicians and other healthcare providers. Persons with a background in medicine/biology and familiarity with computer software and managing and manipulating large digital data sites are ideal candidates for HIT jobs

The US federal government is mainly responsible for the growth of the US HIT field because it is offering financial incentives (mandated in the 2009 federal stimulus package) to healthcare providers who switch from paper to EHRs. The government began to disburse the money last May to those institutions and providers who applied for the funds. To date, hospitals and healthcare providers have received $2.5 billion of a potential $27 billion in stimulus funds.

At present, nearly 40 percent of American primary care physicians and approximately 25 percent of hospitals use EHRs. Thousands more are likely to adopt EHRs this year to qualify for federal stimulus monies. 

So, which major companies are hiring health informatics employees? They include:

1. Epic Systems
2. Allscripts
3. Meditech
4. Cerner
5. IBM
6. McKesson
7. Siemens
8. GE Healthcare

Of course, there are smaller companies and start-ups that are also looking for health informatics employees. To that end, persons with a strong background in biology who are comfortable writing code or working with software packages that handle large datasets ought to consider careers in HIT.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (check out Epic in Madison, WI)

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Despite a stalling economy, there are signs that some American companies are hiring and helping to improve local economies. A good of example of this is Alcon Laboratories located in Fort Worth, Texas. The company, which specializes in vision products, today announced that it leased 87,000 sq. feet of office space to house 400 new employees that it is moving into the Fort Worth area.

The company immediately needed the space to accommodate employees relocating from Atlanta and to house new hires as the company plans to expand existing facilities in south Fort Worth. Alcon was acquired this past April by Novartis, which operate the Atlanta-based CIBA Vision and Novartis Ophthalmic Units which are being consolidated into Alcon’s existing Forth Worth operations. While some of Novartis’ Atlanta employees lost their jobs as a result of the Alcon acquisition, many of them are relocating to new jobs at the Forth Worth facility.

Alcon notified Fort Worth city officials that it plans on expanding its current workforce of 3,200 to about 4,000 and spends millions of dollars to expand existing facilities over the next few years. Ironically, while most big US pharmaceutical companies are slashing domestic jobs and investing in emerging markets like China and India, Novartis, a Swiss company, is investing in America! Go figure!!!!!!!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!  

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There are a variety of reasons why the life sciences job market has been so dismal in recent years. First and foremost, there are too many applicants for too few jobs; employers are ignoring resumes/CVs that previously commanded face-to-face interviews. Second and perhaps more pernicious, is the notion among corporate executives and hiring managers that current graduates (both undergraduate and graduate students) have been catered to and are so academically untested that they bring little or no value to today’s fast-paced and demanding workplaces. While this characterization may or may not be warranted, it is a prevailing attitude that is likely hindering employment opportunities for recent life sciences graduates.

According to an insightful article written by Robert W. Goldfarb, a management consultant, entitled “Help Graduates Find Their Footing” in the past, senior hiring managers were willing to hire applicants that thought outside of the box or were a bit unconventional to bring in new ideas and create some chaos in quiet office environments. But Goldfarb asserts, that long, painful and largely unsuccessful job searches “have sapped their daring, creativity and willingness to challenge old procedures.” Further he believes that older employees, once extremely resistant to change, are much more willing to reinvent themselves by adapting to a technically-challenging workplace and bringing mature problem solving skills to the job to protect their jobs and 401K plans. Because of this, Goldfarb contends that “managers have become far less tolerant of the missteps that once expected of any new hires” and not surprisingly older workers make mistakes. Finally, previously supportive hiring managers, criticize recent graduates for poor quality written and oral reports and the inability to recognize trends or draw conclusions from masses of data. 

So what can be done to ensure that the current generation of college graduates does not remain unemployed into perpetuity? Goldfarb suggests that mentoring and building partnerships between recent college graduates and companies that want to hire them would be an important first step toward fixing the problem. He suggests that companies should consider investing in training programs designed to shape the employees that they ultimately will need for their businesses. For example, Goldfarb suggests that:

 “high potential graduates for whom there isn’t an immediate opening could be hired, not as unpaid interns but as salaried trainees given three to six months to prove their value in a series of assignments. Those who don’t seize the opportunity can quickly be dismissed.

Also, he suggests that trainees must be mentored to help them avoid the “small missteps that can damage a career before it starts.” Interesting, back in the 70s and 80s most major corporation had training programs in place. These were largely abandoned in the 90s as a result of global competition and increasing US labor costs.

Goldfarb’s plan requires companies to think strategically, and plan for their employment needs of the future. Sadly, as many of you already know, must companies focus on the short term and are not mindful of future needs; after all they are someone else’s problems to solve). But, in response to this attitude, Goldfarb offers this dire warning:

“Employers can keep faulting overindulgent parents, ineffectual teachers, colleges without required subjects and graduates unsuited to today’s complex workplace or they can play a greater role in training and developing a generation longing to take its place in the American mainstream.”

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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It seems that big pharma always waits for early Fall to announce pending job cuts. Novartis, Europe’s second largest pharmaceutical company, announced two days ago that it would eliminate 2,000 jobs mainly in the US and Switzerland but add new employees to operations in emerging markets like India and China. Novartis is just another addition to a growing list of big pharma companies that are slashing jobs in the US and Europe and hiring new employees in lower cost markets.

The announce cuts represent a 1 percent reduction in Novartis’ global workforce. The cuts will be implemented over the next three years and are predicted to save the company in excess of $200 million annually. 

According to a company spokesperson, Novartis will eliminate 1,100 jobs in Switzerland, with the balance in the U.S., Jimenez said. Some research will be moved to the U.S. from Switzerland, and reductions will be made in technical research and development, data management, clinical trial monitoring, drug safety and regulatory affairs. Novartis will add 700 positions in China and India in data management and trial monitoring.

As part of the reorganization and job cuts the company will close an over-the-counter drug manufacturing plant in Nyon, Switzerland and chemical production facilities in Basel and Torre, Italy.

The current cuts come after Novartis announced last November that it would eliminate 1400 U.S. sales jobs and more recently in March that it would reduce operations in the UK.

Although life science pundits recently suggested that job cuts in the pharmaceutical industry are slowing and may have hit rock bottom, it appears that the carnage is still taking place and will likely continue well into the future as more resources and monies are invested in emerging markets.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting

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By now, most BioJobBlog readers have heard that China is poised to become a world leader in the life sciences. As some of you may already know, over 80 per cent of the worlds active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that are used to produce FDA-approved medicines are synthesized in China and exported to manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Further, not a day goes bye without a press release about a new partnership forged between multinational life sciences companies and a Chinese partner. Finally, the Chinese government is heavily investing in the life science industry in an attempt to manufacture medicines for internal use and to export. 

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Chinese life sciences companies are hiring. One such company is ShangPharma Corporation. ShangPharma was established in 2002 and has locations in Chengdu and Shanghai, China. It is one of China’s largest contract research organizations and employs over 1,600 persons. The company offers discovery and preclinical development services in both chemistry and biology including API and biologics manufacturing. 

The company is currently looking for a person with a PhD or Masters degree with expertise in CNS and/or cognitive subhuman primates (cymologous and/or rhesus monkeys) models. This is a Group Leader position and the ideal candidate will have a background in pharmacology and neurosurgery. Strong communication skills and the ability to speak and write reports in English are required. Please click here for more information or to apply for the position.

While working in China may not be the first choice for most Americans, it may be ideal for foreign students who trained in the US and have a good command of the English language. Whether you are Chinese or American, a sobering fact to remember is that almost 300,000 American pharmaceutical employees have lost their jobs since 2001; making this one of the worst life sciences job markets in history!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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Forget about Facebook. The hottest social media platform on the Internet these days is Twitter the real time, 140 character microblogging service. While most people have heard of Twitter, there are still many folks out there who don't know what it is or how to use it. Interestingly, a growing number of hiring managers and job seekers are turning to Twitter to search for fresh talent or learn about new job opportunities.

Using Twitter is very easy but potential users may be reluctant to use it simply because it is new and requires a little bit of practice.  To that end, my good friend the Recruiting Animal (@animal), a long time, professional recruiter and BlogTalk Radio personality who hosts the wildly popular the Recruiting Animal Show, did an excellent  television interview with ABC News describing how to use Twitter to find jobs.

For those of you who don't know Animal he is a very colorful and bombastic personality. However, despite his theatrics, he is a very knowledgeable and insightful. So, listen closely to what he has to say in his video.

Until next time

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (and Tweeting too)!!!!!!

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I previously posted a piece about the growing need to manage the personal information about oneself on the Web. The amount of information that persons willingly (in many cases) provide about themselves without thinking is enormous. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that marketers, prospective employers, suitors and even criminals and stalkers can find information and use it whether or not the information correct or not. Unfortunately, the bad news is that once digital information makes it way onto the web, it is likely to remain there into perpetuity and in some cases can never be removed! According to an article in today’s NY Times:

“Snoops who take the time to troll further online may also find in blog posts or Facebook comments evidence of your political views, health challenges, office tribulations and party indiscretions, any of which could hurt your chances of admission to school, getting or keeping a job or landing a date. Many privacy experts worry that companies will use this data against users, perhaps to deny insurance coverage or assign a higher interest rate on a loan.”

Unfortunately, many web users are beginning to realize—the hard way—that providing personal information while building a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter profile may not have been such a great idea after all. To that end, reputation management or the ability to remove incorrect or unflattering information from the web has been transformed into a business opportunity for a number of new companies. In the past, the best way to determine the amount of personal information about a person on the web was to key a person’s name into a search engines like Google, Yahoo or Bing.

For those of you who regularly “search yourselves” (it is a very smart thing to do), you know that it takes an inordinate amount of  time to follow each and every one of the links that come up on search results pages. Because of this, many people simply search the first two or three pages of each search. The bad news is that some of the most “juicy tidbits” about a person often do not appear on the first few search pages (mainly because they are not optimized for search) Not to worry, Spokeo.com—a personal information aggregation site that bills itself as “Not your grandma’s white pages”—can quickly find a person’s vital information including age, home value, marital status, phone number, photos and even a home address. 

After entering my name into the Spokeo’s search box (located on the company’s homepage) I pressed enter and viola the location of four persons who shared my name were retrieved. I selected the appropriate person (the one who lives in New Jersey), and as billed, the search results included my name, my address, home phone, the estimated value of my home and even my wife’s first name (she has a different last name)!  The dat were presented in a convenient Web 2.0-lkie profile box. The search that I conducted on me was free. However, for an additional fee I can get a full report from Spokeo that includes additional information about my age, e-mail address, income, hobbies, photos, videos, and even my lifestyle (?). 

While this is pretty shocking and creepy (especially if you don’t want people to find you), the unfortunate thing is that most of the information that the Spokeo search found was likely willingly provided by me while registering or signing up for things at various shopping and social media websites. To wit, there is a lot of information out there on the web about many unsuspecting persons and finding it can be easily accomplished using tools like Spokeo.

In my previous post, I mentioned Reputation.com, a start-up that offers a paid service to clients who want to expunge inaccurate or damaging information about them from the web. Like Reputation .com Abine offers a personal service  called Delete Me but takes the personal data search and privacy paradigm a step further. Abine charges $99 a year for quarterly reports detailing the information available about you online. Further, the company has developed a suite of  personal privacy software designed to “allow regular people to regain control over their personal information while continuing to browse, interact and shop online.”

Its main software product is a web browser add-on called Privacy Suite that according to a blurb on the Abine website “combines disparate privacy tools into a comprehensive privacy system. By putting all the controls in one place, the Abine plug-in makes it easier to control the amount of personal information being collected and stored about you online. Some features include:

• Stopping tracking by hundreds of advertising networks and websites
• Manage all cookies (regular & Flash) and trackers in one place.
• Easily create distinct online accounts for different uses
• Pre-fill registration forms with limited subsets of information
• Shield your real info with disposable emails and phone numbers

So, if you don’t have the time or cannot afford the $400 per year to use Abine’s Delete Me service or its Privacy Suite, you can always try to manage your online reputation by yourself by routinely Googling yourself and manually removing all inappropriate or compromising information about you. Sometimes, you may have to negotiate (or pay) bloggers or data brokers—companies that buys data from other companies and then sells it to companies that collect it— to remove a post or a name from people database sites like 123people.com, MyLife.com, Spokeo, US Search, WhitePages and Peoplefinder.com. If a blogger or data broker refuses to comply with a removal request, one privacy consultant suggests “creating more good content about yourself, like starting a LinkedIn profile and a personal blog, to push down the bad to the third or fourth search results screen where few people bother to look. If the content is defamatory — both false and damaging — or otherwise illegal, hire a lawyer.”

Typically deleted information should drop out of search engine sites with a few weeks. If it doesn’t, you can request for it to be removed. For example, Google offers instructions to accomplish this, but Goggle rarely removed items or content that is not illegal unless the owner of the website where the material is published allows it. Also, despite your best efforts, it may not be possible, in some cases to completely expunge all offensive or damaging online information from the web; you will just have to learn to live with it! Having said that, it may be a good idea to think twice before your provide too much personal information while entering a contest to win a free iPad or free service, joining multiple online shopping site or creating a profile on a social networking site unless the company’s privacy policy is easy to read and understand. 

While most smaller online networking sites like BioCrowd will not sell or share a members personal information to online data brokers or marketing companies, some of the larger ones will allow third parties to access their databases for the right price!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (be careful out there)

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While US unemployment continues to hover around 9.4 percent, there appears to be a steady increase in the number of companies that are posting ads on job boards like Simply Hired and Indeed.com. According to an article in the NY Times “A Sign of Hope for More Hiring” job postings at Simple Hired roe over 50 percent last year over 2009 and increased almost 70 percent in December 2010 as compared with December 2009.

The situation at Indeed.com, a major competitor of Simply Hired, appears to be similar. That is, there has been a substantial and continual increase in the number companies posting jobs on the Indeed.com website.

However, while this is great news, it isn’t exactly clear what the increased job postings mean. For example, some industries are hiring at a greater rate than others (see below).

Not surprisingly, the greatest increases are occurring in some of the industries that were hit hardest by the recession, e.g. transportation, automotive, legal, manufacturing and financial services. Hiring in healthcare, technology and education remains steady and respectable. On the other hand, two industries that have actually lost ground are media and the military. For a more comprehensive analysis check out the white paper on 2010 Employment Trends created by Simply Hired. Although things look like they may be picking up, the sad reality is that workers who have been unemployed for months have a much harder time landing new jobs as compared with those who have been unemployed for weeks. Unfortunately, many of the workers that make up the 9.4 percent unemployed, have been out of work for six months or more. Further, the availability of jobs will vary by industry and perhaps more importantly geography. Data from Simply Hired suggests that employment opportunities are greater in Washington, D.C, Baltimore, Boston, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St Paul, San Francisco and Denver as compared with Miami, Detroit, Sacramento and LA. The availability of healthcare jobs appears to be greatest in San Francisco and San Antonio. Interestingly, many of the new job postings are coming from smaller companies rather than those that constitute the Fortune 500 list. This means that former corporate employees may want to focus their job searches on smaller companies rather than continue to seek employment at big name companies.

Despite these encouraging and optimistic signs, the road ahead for most R&D scientists and pharmaceutical sales reps looks pretty bleak. That said, now may be a good time to consider alternate career options or possibly going back to school for retraining. To that end, data from Indeed.com suggests that learning HTML 5, the new, highly anticipated Web development language which may make Flash obsolete, may be the ticket to guaranteed employment. Knowledge of HTML 5 in addition to experience with mobile apps, the Android operating system and Twitter skills that are highly coveted by employers in many industries. Finally, if more school or retraining is not in your future, you may want to consider switching industries, moving to a different type of job in your discipline or, if possible, relocating!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!

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In press release today, Merck & Co disclosed that it reduced the size of its global sales force by 12 percent in 2010. Ken Frazier, Merck’s newly appointed CEO, pointed out that cuts in sales force sizes in developed markets like the US and Europe reached almost 30 percent. Yet, despite these cuts, Merck reported that it was able to boost sales in its vaccine and pharmaceutical business units.

Merck, like most other big pharmaceutical companies, have drastically reduced the sizes of their sales forces in recent years. The cuts have been attributed to higher than expected product attrition rates, product recalls and changes in physician preferences. It appears that many physicians grew tired of repeated visits by multiple reps after they were no longer allowed to give gifts or buy lunches for physician office staff. Further, many industry analysts contend that the advent of web-based marketing, social media and medical reimbursement overhaul (doctors no longer have time for reps) have largely rendered most pharmaceutical sales reps obsolete!

Other factors contributing to the recent demise of pharma reps are thin drug development pipelines, tougher regulatory standards for drug approval and impending patent cliffs (generic encroachment) for many blockbuster small molecule drugs. Put simply, fewer drugs require fewer people to sell them.

I think the death knell for pharma reps may be a bit premature. Many physicians find that well trained and informed sales rep can be a great resource and helpful to their practices.  Nevertheless, looking on the bright side, there is a growing need for sales reps that possess the background and training to sell biotechnology products! That said, unemployed pharma reps may want to consider going back to school to get some biotechnology training. This training is frequently available at local community colleges and four year colleges and universities and online.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Before the advent of social media, the only way job candidates could communicate to a hiring manager why they—rather than other applicants—were the right fit for a job was through a face-to-face interview. Conventional wisdom suggests that a skilled candidate who can also demonstrate a legitimate enthusiasm for a position is generally the applicant who wins out. However, the online world, specifically the social web, has changed all that.

Numerous studies suggest that over 70% of hiring managers screen prospective job applicants by trolling social networking sites like BioCrowd, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. While some hiring managers do this to make sure that a potential new hire hasn’t done anything untoward or unseemly, the plethora of blogs, forums, Facebook and LinkedIn profiles and Twitter feeds enable them to get to know job applicants better than ever before. In some cases, a well-crafted and carefully managed Facebook or LinkedIn profile or blog can make the difference between a new job and unemployment.

This is not to say that jobseekers are required to have Facebook or LinkedIn page or Twitter feed to get hired. But, if executed correctly, they can help. That said, there are certain cardinal rules that must be followed to not run afoul of prospective new employers. These include:

1. No swearing or use of foul language
2. Do not post party or sexually-explicit photos
3. Don’t say bad things about past employers or current co-workers
4. Keep posts and status updates to a minimum and make sure that they are posted before or after working hours
5. Avoid posting opinions about religion, sexual orientation and politics

Also, it is a good idea to Google yourself from time to time to see what the search results look like. Most employers routinely Google job applicants to acquire more information about prospective hires. As many social media gurus like to say “Google never forgets.”

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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While I typically don’t subscribe to practice of unbridled self promotion, I could not pass on the opportunity to let my readers know that BioJobBlog made the "Top 50 Blogs About Careers in Science."

Rachel Stevenson, a co-founder of Clinical Research Masters sent me a link to the list. The top 50 sites are divided among four categories 1) General Science Career Blogs, 2) Tech Career Blogs, 3) Medical Career Blogs, and 4) Academic and Research Blogs.

I have no idea how the list was constructed nor do I understand how the rankings were calculated. That said, BioJobBlog was ranked number three in the General Science Career Blogs category (see below). The two blogs ranked ahead of BioJobBlog are run by major organizations with multiple contributors. BioJobBlog is written almost entirely by me...Just sayin’

Many of the blogs on the list are useful resources and I highly recommend visiting them all.

1. Science Careers Blog: This great blog goes over career opportunities, and provides the latest news for job seekers.
2. Jobs for PhDs: This blog from phds.org offers information on available jobs for scientists. The site also has access to helpful career information.
3. BioJobBlog: You can find information about different jobs in the biological sciences.
4. ScienceBlogs: This site offers interesting commentary on scientific issues, and includes information about careers in science.
5. Science careers: This category at OITE Career Blog offers a look at different science careers, and provides tips for preparing for a science job.
6. APECS: The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists offers news and information about the career opportunities to scientists interested in polar issues.
7. Alternative Science Careers: Job openings and other resources for those looking for science careers.
8. ScienceCareerSite: Tips, news and more related to science careers.
9. American Biotechnologist: Information about careers, as well as news in science. Great tips about how you can enhance your career.
10. Society of Physics Students: This site contains great posts that can help you with career development, and includes jobs as well.
11. Careers: Physics.org offers a great look at different careers, and offers news and information about science.
12. ACS Careers: Insights into what’s available in the world of chemistry careers.
13. Career Development for Scientists: Lisa Balbes offers solid information and advice for scientists looking for tips to help their career development.
14. CENtral Science: One stop for science news, career information, and trends in science jobs. A wide variety of posts on a number of interesting subjects.
15. The Alternative Scientist: Jobs and career news related to alternative science.
16. New Scientist: Science headlines, career information, science jobs and interesting discussions.

For a complete listing of all science career development blogs, please click here.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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The Pharmalot Blog today reported that the Japanese drug maker Shionogi Pharmaceuticals is testing  a novel approach to hiring new pharmaceutical sales reps. 

According to the post, Shionogi has eight open positions to fill in the US which in of itself is interesting considering that as many as 80,000 pharma sales reps may have lost their jobs over the past three years or so. But, after a little digging, Ed Silverman, who writes the Pharmalot blog discovered something a little different about the ads for the jobs.

 “The ads state expressly that anyone with a background in pharma sales is not wanted for the jobs, which pay around $40,000-plus, not counting a bonus of $17,000 to $19,000 and the usual frills, such as the use of a company car. You do, however, need a bachelor’s degree - no major is specified - and must be outgoing, upbeat and comfortable speaking with others (see a job description here).”

Ed posits that by eschewing reps with prior experience the company will spend a lot less money and are likely to be more “trainable” than experienced, higher priced reps who may have developed “bad habits.” And, according to Ed, some those bad habits may include those who may be “inclined to look for off-label marketing violations that could be the stuff of whistleblower lawsuits or those who are primed to seek opportunities to sue for overtime pay.” 

Oh that Ed, what a kidder!

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!

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Yesterday, Novartis, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical company announced that it would double the size of a planned expansion of its R&D headquarters in Cambridge MA and add 200 to 300 new employees.

Not to be outdone, Teva, the world’s largest generic drug manufacturer, today announced that it would create 200 jobs at a distribution facility it plans to open in Northeast Philadelphia.

According to a press release, the $295 million project will create more than 200 jobs within three years and retain more than 200 existing positions. It would appear that cash-rich pharmaceutical and generic drug manufacturers are beginning to realize that investments in infrastructure are likely to be important as the pharmaceutical sector continues to undergo a transformation. Also, it is likely that they are running out of acquisition targets and have to spend some of their excess cash for tax purposes (I know pretty cynical but what can I say) In any event, this is good news for unemployed former pharmaceutical employee and also for the American economy!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting

(Check out Philly; it's not as nice as Cambridge but a job is a job!)

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Times are still tough and unemployment remains high. This means that finding a job is a lot harder and will take a lot longer than in previous times. Because of layoffs and reorganizations many jobseekers may have gaps in their resumes or difficult to explain periods of unemployment. Further, it you have a physical disability, health issues, a criminal record or you are older, finding a job becomes even more challenging.                    

With this in mind, an article entitled “Get Hired Despite Red Flags in Your Story” by Susan Adams at Forbes.com provides jobseekers with obvious disabilities, troubled pasts or less than stellar resumes advice on how to present themselves to hiring managers. Much of the advice is obvious but there are other gems in the article that may be useful to some in particularly difficult hiring situations.

Getting Hired Despite Red Flags in Your Story

By Susan Adams

Debra Ann MacDougall advises job seekers with troubled pasts or obvious disabilities on how to present themselves to hiring managers.

When a job-seeker's challenges are highly visible, like some physical disabilities or a serious weight problem, MacDougall recommends a direct approach. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits job discrimination based on disability, it's nevertheless wise to be upfront about a potential employer's possible concerns.

A client of hers who had lost an arm in a motorcycle accident would routinely answer the ubiquitous first job interview question — tell me about yourself — by saying, "You may have noticed that I have only one arm." Then he'd proceed to explain how he coped, using a specialized computer keyboard on which he could type 85 words a minute. "He had a positive, can-do attitude that inspired other workers," MacDougall says. He landed a job as an administrative assistant at a large company in Los Angeles.

Older job-seekers should also consider potential employers' concerns, MacDougall says. Hiring managers might worry about an older person's health, his capacity to learn new systems quickly, his ability to adapt to technology and his energy level. MacDougall had a 59-year-old client who mentioned in interviews that she enjoyed running several times a week and participated in discussion groups on LinkedIn. MacDougall also advised her to get an updated haircut, if she didn't want to dye her hair, and a fashionable suit. She was hired as a sales manager in Denver.

For job-seekers with less obvious physical challenges, MacDougall recommends what she calls the "make them love you first" approach. For instance, if you have a vision problem that would require you to use a special computer screen or a bad back that makes it impossible to sit through long meetings without getting up, she recommends keeping quiet until you get a job offer. Before accepting, let the employer know about your challenge. "Tell the employer about it, but tell them after they already love you," MacDougall says. She explains that hiring managers are always weighing the benefits and risks of new employees. You want to convince your potential employer that you have a surplus of benefits before revealing your risks.

For more serious challenges like criminal convictions, MacDougall says you should be prepared to talk about what you did and how you've changed. She tells the story of a client she calls Chuck who had been jailed on drug charges. Chuck had a moment of clarity and life change when he had to tell his 10-year-old daughter that he would miss her soccer final because he was going to jail. MacDougall recommended that Chuck share that revelation with potential employers and talk openly about how he had remade his life. She also told him to volunteer to take regular drug tests. He is now clean and working, she says.

Job-seekers with criminal records, who are HIV-positive or have alcohol or drug issues do have legal protections, and there are nonprofit organizations that advocate for people who encounter discrimination. The Legal Action Center's website is a good resource, and the federal government has a site loaded with information about the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sometimes your serious struggles may be far enough in the past that you don't need to address them at all with a potential employer. For instance, if you were hospitalized for a mental illness years ago but you're now healthy and your work performance won't be affected, you don't need to discuss it. "The deciding factor is whether the employer will find out about it," MacDougall says. "If it's not going to affect your ability to do the job, because you've stabilized, don't bring it up." The same applies to drug and alcohol problems, she says.

If you've had a long period of unemployment, MacDougall recommends listing yourself as a consultant on your resume. Include both paid and unpaid experience. Nowadays, she says, employers are increasingly receptive to resumes that include long stints of consulting or freelance work. "They know what the situation is out there," she says.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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There is no question that Facebook is the de facto social network that almost everyone uses. It has become an important source of personal information and is routinely used by professional recruiters and corporate hiring managers to identify right-fit job candidates.

However, there are more nefarious individuals in the ether who may mine your social media data to steal your identity or burglarize your home.

According to Credit.com it is not a good idea to post your address online or your mother’s maiden name (the answer to security questions on many websites). Also the folks at Identify Theft 911 recommend that you don’t add status updates to your Facebook page announcing to the world that you are away from your home or on vacation! Also, they recommend not using applications on social networking sites quizzes, which could expose personal information to the applications’ developer.

Finally, it is not a good idea to mention on Facebook or other social media sites where you were born or security question clues like the names of your favorite song, your best friend or your first pet.

While all of these recommendations may seem obvious, it is very easy to divulge personal information when updating Facebook or tweeting away on Twitter. Unfortunately, there are bad people out there who are willing to exploit others any way they can for financial gain.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Tweeting (be careful out there!)

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In contrast with many of its competitors, which have layed off thousands of pharmaceutical employees over the past two weeks, Roche today announced that it was creating 500 new life sciences jobs at Oro Valley, Innovation Park in Tucson Arizona.

Roche already has a strong presence in Southern Arizona, having acquired Oro Valley-based Ventana Medical Systems in January 2008. The new positions will garner median salaries of $70,000 per year or more and new employees are expected to be added over the next year or so.

Oro Valley and, in particular, Innovation Park, is quickly becoming a regional hub for cutting-edge bioscience research. In addition to Roche, Sanofi-Aventis also has a research center at the 535-acre campus. Further, the University of Arizona recently acquired Sanofi-Aventis’ older, smaller lab space a few miles from the park. Plans for that lab call for drug research, but the lab will also be used as a business incubator.

Mix in the UA’s Bio5 Institute, which helps move research in science and engineering into the marketplace; and Tucson-based Critical Path Institute, which focuses on shortening the process it takes to bring medical innovations to the public, and there is a growing cluster of bioscience research taking place in the Tucson area.

While this may be good news for scientists and other white collar workers, it isn’t clear who will be responsible for maintenance and operation of these facilities given Arizona’s egregious and indefensible anti-immigration laws!

Until net time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!

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Over 70 percent of hiring managers and HR professionals routinely use Google to find out more about prospective job candidates. While many jobseekers know this and do everything possible to expunge deleterious and compromising information from a Google search on their names, some don’t know that Facebook profiles are a routine target of all Google searches. Consequently, hiring managers may have access to some personal information (including photos) that may jeopardize a job candidate’s prospects.  

Today, German government officials proposed a new law that would place restrictions on employers who want to use Facebook profiles to recruit and vet job candidates. The bill would allow hiring managers to search for publicly accessible information about prospective employees on the Web and to view pages on job networking sites like LinkedIn, BioCrowd and Xing.  But it would not allow employers to access or use information about job candidates on purely social networks like Facebook. The proposed law would also prohibit companies from secretly videotaping employees except in certain areas as long as they disclosed the fact.

The idea of crafting legislation to limit company access to personal information of job candidates found on social networks like Facebook, Ning and others reveals the underlying paradox of the social media phenomenon. That is that people publicly, voluntarily and willingly offer private and intimate information about themselves as part of their right to freedom of expression and then that information can be used against them! In other words, the transparency and inherent freedom of expression offered by social media can in reality hinder, restrict or inhibit the professional and social opportunities of those who use it. I highly doubt that legislation similar to the proposed German law would ever see the light of day in the US.

For now, I highly recommend that jobseekers continue to routinely Google themselves to see what information is “out there” about them. Also, continue to limit access to personal profiles on Facebook and any other “purely social” online networking sites that you may belong too. Both activities will help to insure that the photo of you in a compromising position or with a beer bong in your hand won’t eliminate you as a prospective job candidate.

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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In this week’s New York Times “Corner Office”, Aaron Levie, the 25 year old CEO of Box.net a Silicon Valley online file storage company had provided these valuable insights and tips about interviewing and hiring new employees. 

Q. Let’s talk about hiring.

A. One thing that’s really important is understanding what they’ve done in their career. Just walk me through how you got to where you are today. What are the factors that led to specific decisions — that can give you a level of insight into behavior and how they make decisions.

Energy and persistence are the two most important factors, in addition to just having a clean résumé where there’s nothing crazy going on.

Curiosity is another big thing and a way to identify who’s going to be energetic and have the right attitude.

Q. If you could ask a job candidate just a few questions, what would they be?

A. “What questions do you have for me?” That will help you see how they’re thinking about the challenges. A lot of times I’ll say, “When you’re thinking about Box as an opportunity, how do you compare it to other organizations? What do we have that you want to be a part of?” Getting them to articulate the values back to you about what kind of organization they want to be a part of can actually be very useful.

Although Mr Levie is only 25 years old, the things that he looks for in new hires and the type of questions that he asks during face-to-face (F2F) job interviews have stood the test of time!

For the complete interview, please visit.

Until next time

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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Some of you may have noticed that a new tab entitled “BioCareers” has been added to the BioJobBlog navigation bar.  If you click on the tab you will be taken to the BioCareers a new  job board and search engine agent created by Career Management Source and BioCrowd. 

BioCareers offers real time job listings, application tracking, and e-mail job alerts. Employers can post jobs, advertise jobs, search resume databases and have jobs listed on other jobs like Job Job-Job Health and Twitter jobs. 

The search engine that powers BioCareers automatically pulls life sciences jobs in real time and updates job searches when positions are filled or new ones become available. Candidates can search for jobs by location or job title. One of the nicer features of BioCareers is candidate e-mail alerts that are automatically generated when new jobs are posted or added in real time by the search engine.

To check out BioCareers click on the BioCareers tab or here.  We are in beta right now; so let me know what you think!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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While the layoffs at pharma and biotech companies continue, the good news is that fewer jobs are being lost in 2010 as compared with 2009. Despite the massive loss of R&D and sales and marketing jobs, many life sciences companies are beginning to hire again. In general, job opportunities at emerging growth public biotech and venture-backed start-ups appear to be growing while those at big pharma and big biotech are stagnant or shrinking. Specifically companies are looking to hire:

1. Clinical affairs managers and executives
2. Regulatory affairs personnel and executives
3. Commercial and operational expertise at all levels
4. Business development executives
5. Chief financial officers
6. Investor relations and corporate communications professionals
7. CEOs (venture capital investors are beginning to part with their capital again)
8. Board of directors candidates (especially those with specific functional expertise in clinical development, regulatory affairs or commercialization)

A quick perusal of the list indicates that most of these jobs are not traditional science-related jobs and many may require additional training and expertise; especially in business. That said, now may be a good time to re-evaluate whether or not a MBA may be in your future.

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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There are rumors that companies are hiring again and that pharmaceutical jobs may begin to make a comeback over the next six months to a year. This  may be a real possibility based on a new report released yesterday the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, Inc.

According to the report , 51,034 pharmaceutical employees lost their jobs by the end of May 2009. In contrast, by the end of May this year, only 34,157 pharma employees received pink slips. This represents a 33% reduction in the number of people being layed off as compared with the same time period last year. 

These data can be interpreted in a couple of different ways. First, fewer pharmaceutical employees are getting layed off which means that the economy may be getting better and the job market may be improving. Second, pharma companies can no longer continue to layoff employees at 2009 rates without impacting their with day-to-day operations.

Personally, as a half-empty kind of guy, I think the later hypothesis is more likely! Only time will tell whether or not the economy has truly turned a corner and when we can expect pharma companies to begin hiring en masse again.

Hat tip to Ed at Pharmalot.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting???

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While attending the Advanced Learning Institute conference “Social Media and Pharma” earlier this week I happened to sit down next to Laura Lindsay, a member of Tarrytown, NY-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ corporate communications team. Not surprisingly, we struck up a conversation and I learned that unlike most pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies Regeneron is looking to hire 500 new employee over the next year or so. Yes, you heard it correctly: 500 NEW EMPLOYEES. The company currently employs about 1,200 people.

Regeneron’s hiring spree is largely based on a lucrative research relationship with its partner Sanofi-Aventis and pending positive results from three Phase III clinical trials for several drugs that the company is developing to treat colon cancer, gout and macular degeneration. Industry analysts predict that approval of any or all of the three new drugs may allow Regeneron to Its products could eventually take on Roche Holding AG's $6 billion cancer drug, Avastin, and $3 billion Lucentis eye-disease medicine. The gout drug could attract annual sales of $500 million or more, analysts estimate.

Regeneron is currently not profitable and has one of the largest research budgets (in excess of $700 million) in the biotechnology industry. The 20 year old company sells only one product called Arcalyst; which was approved to treat rare genetic conditions such as Familial Cold Auto-inflammatory Syndrome (FCAS) or Muckle-Wells Syndrome (MWS). Arcalyst annually generates about $20 million in sales. Its current market capitalization is about $2.0 billion. Interestingly, I used to occasionally hang out with one of the company’s founders while I was a postdoc at Columbia Medical School.

While I don’t exactly know what types of jobs are available at Regeneron, you can easily find out for yourselves by visiting the company’s job search center. To learn more about Regeneron please click here.

If anybody out there knows of other life sciences companies that are hiring, please send me the information and I will post it!

Hat tip to Laura for the heads up!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (maybe things are really starting to turn around)!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Astellas, Japan’s second largest pharmaceutical company, yesterday announced that it will hire at least 300 new pharma sales reps in China as part of its ambitious plan to increase its global revenue stream by 17 per cent over the next five years.

Documents released by the company indicate that it expects sales to double in China by March, 2015 emphasizing the fact that emerging markets will likely drive the future growth of the pharmaceutical industry. Astellas hopes to expand the indications for Prograf, its top selling organ transplantation medication to include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus nephritis, ulcerative colitis and myasthenia gravis.

Earlier this month, Astellas revealed that it would purchase NY-based OSI pharmaceuticals for $4.0 billion. The purchase will provide Astellas with its first approved cancer drug (OSI’s Tarceva) and allow Astellas to establish a firmer footing in the US pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets.

Total worldwide net sales of Tarceva for 2009, were approximately $1.2 billion and OSI's share of those revenues were $359 million. In the first quarter of 2010, Tarceva sales grew 10%

While hiring 300 reps in China may be good for the Chinese economy, the OSI deal will likely result in job cuts and further exacerbate the growing unemployment rate in the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania region.

Unlike the US, there seems to be a growing need for pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D and sales employees in China and other parts of Asia. To that end, I hear that Beijing and Shanghai are lovely this time of year!!!!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting !!!!!!!!

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There was a troubling article in this past Saturday’s New York Times that revealed that an increasing number of employers are using job applicants’ credit scores to determine whether or not to hire them. Persons with poor or lower credit scores are assumed to be less reliable and trustworthy employees (despite experience and skill sets) as compared with those with good credit scores. Interestingly, while many would be employers subscribe to this notion, there are no data whatsoever to support the claim! In other words, there is no scientific or statistical evidence showing that people with weak credit are more likely than those with good credit to be bad employees or steal from their employers. Because of the recession, many people’s credit scores have been adversely affected. This has prompted legislators in 13 states to introduce bills to limit the use of credits reports as a factor in the hiring process. To date, three states have passed such laws.

Supporters of these laws contend that the use of credit checks to screen prospective employers unfairly targets a huge pool of individuals whose credit was damaged by layoffs, medical bills or other factors beyond their control. This caused one Connecticut legislator, who recently introduced legislation to curb the use of credit checks by employers to quip “Bernie Madoff had a pretty good credit score. And yet there is this consistent message that if you have a bad credit score, there is something wrong with you.” Finally, and perhaps most egregiously, the practice tends to disproportionately screen out prospective minority employees. 

Not surprisingly, companies that sell credit checks (Experian, TransUnion, etc) have mounted a vigorous lobbying campaign against any legislation limiting the use of credit check by employers in the hiring process. These lobbyists contend that preventing the use of credit checks could seriously jeopardize a company’s assets, reputation or security.

A survey released earlier this year by the Society for Human Resources Management revealed that 13 percent of employers used credit checks on all job applicants whereas 47 percent say they use credit checks for certain applicants. Among those surveyed, 54 percent said they use credit checks on prospective employees to prevent theft and embezzlement. Ninety0one percent they used credit checks for job applicants seeking positions with fiduciary or financial responsibility. Most of the proposed bills to curb the use of credit checks allow them to be used for positions that involve the handling of money or confidential and proprietary information.

Unfortunately, in the current economy, employers are looking for any excuse to not hire certain job applicants. In my opinion, the growing use credit scores to screen job applicants is offensive and demeaning and should not be a determining factor (unless handling money is involved) in the hiring process. It is an overtly discriminatory practice that can seriously impede hardworking people from securing gainful employment to provide for themselves and their families. Kudos to the legislators who possess the moral and ethical convictions to propose legislation that protects the rights of jobseekers who simply want to make a living.

In case you are wondering, my credit score is in the mid 750s. Conventional wisdom suggests that scores below 600 may be dicey. With this in mind, I highly recommend that you check your credit score before you go on your next job interview—it may give you some insight into whether or not to expect a job offer.

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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One economic downturn and it seems as though the pharmaceutical world has been turned upside down! Who would have thought a few years ago that emerging pharmaceutical markets in India and Asia will outpace the US and Western European markets in the very near future (I did but nobody listens to me). To that end, Ranbaxy Laboratories will hire nearly 1,500 marketing executives, expanding its sales team by at least 50%, to spur sales and regain its rank as India’s top drug maker. The recruitment push is among the biggest by an Indian drug maker in recent years.  Ironically, pharma sales reps are still being regularly layed off in the US.

The company plans to hire mostly medical representatives, regional managers and area managers by July to boost sales in the rural markets.  According to a Ranbaxy hiring manager “Ranbaxy is looking at new rural markets and deeper penetration in interior markets.”

Ranbaxy is owned by Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo which employs over 12,000 people in 46 countries.

Industry analysts suggest that Ranbaxy’s aggressive hiring push is a sign that the company is focusing on internal markets which are poised for exponential growth in the next few years. Also, Ranbaxy has had its share of legal and regulatory disputes over patents and generics drugs in the US and Western Europe signaling that the company may be pursuing those markets less aggressively than in the past.

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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Healthcare informatics (HCI) is one of the fastest growing professions in the US. This is because the Obama administration has allocated billions of stimulus dollars to create electronic healthcare records (EHR) in an attempt to reduce healthcare costs. 

To qualify for EHR stimulus monies organizations must develop a plan and then take steps to implement it! Not surprisingly, because of the short ramp up phase for EHR, the number of available jobs far outstrips the numbers of qualified and skilled employees to fill them. The acute shortage of qualified HCI employees resulted in a cover story in the December 2009 issue of Health Informatics entitled “Got People?” It is a great read and provides insights into the types of employees that HCI companies are looking to hire.  The EHR Initiative will likely create over 500,000 new jobs in the next few years. For those of you, who may be interested in pursuing a career in HCI, check out this list of the top 100 HCI companies to work for.

Finally, a group of bioinformatics and genomics PhD students and postdoctoral fellows approached me to help them find sponsors for a Health Informatics Career Development symposium that they are trying to develop for the 2010 Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB) conference that will be held in Boston, MA from July 9-13, 2010.  

If you are interested in sponsoring the HCI symposium please contact me.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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I think the economy must be improving because I am beginning to receive e-mail blasts from big pharma companies like Roche and AstraZeneca that they are hiring again (Please see the e-mail message below).  This may be a good sign for R&D scientists who have been struggling to find gainful employment.

In the spirit of full disclosure I have never worked nor am I am employed by AstraZeneca and I am not being compensated for this advertisement. I am simply a nice guy trying to help out my fellow scientists (hmm, I recall hearing something about nice guys.....)  However, I must warn you that just because companies advertise that they are hiring doesn't always mean that they really are.  Please keep that in mind when you apply for positions that AZ is advertising.

New R&D career opportunities at AstraZeneca. At AstraZeneca, your research and development experience can make a world of difference. That's because you'll be a part of a leading global pharmaceutical company with one of the most influential portfolios of innovative pharmaceutical brands. We continuously challenge, discover and develop new medicines in order to improve the quality of people's lives. It's an ongoing quest that involves the talent, ideas and growth of all our professionals, as we strive to advance the future of healthcare. Today, we're seeking qualified candidates to join our passionate culture in our Research and Development area. It's your opportunity to utilize your expertise for a greater purpose, while you're supported every step of the way. We encourage knowledge, respect growth and believe that there's always more to learn. It's one of the reasons why you'll become colleagues with some of the most talented and experienced professionals in the industry. As part of the Monster research and development professionals network, we invite you to learn more and apply for one of our research and development opportunities today. Sincerely, The AstraZeneca Human Resources team Learn More & Apply If you would like to stay current on AstraZeneca, you can sign up to receive more information here: www.IWantToAdvanceMyCareer.com AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer.

Good Luck!!!!!

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I was sitting around minding my own business (well sort of) and I received the following e-mail message. People must be reading BioJobBlog or something!

In the middle of the worst national job market since the early 1980's, Roche Pharma Research in Nutley, New Jersey is hiring. Specifically, this world class R&D center is seeking to hire 40 scientists to strengthen its research efforts to develop drugs to combat inflammatory diseases like arthritis and asthma.

In addition to Inflammation, Nutley continues to be the headquarters for Roche's Oncology Disease Biology Area, as well as RNA Therapeutics (an emerging area in understanding how genes are turned on and off in cells).

Focusing on drug discovery and non-clinical development, the site has a long tradition of discovering innovative new medicines.

Marcie Geremakis of Roche HR is available to discuss the efforts to recruit the new scientists and why Nutley is an outstanding environment for scientists.  A number of scientists are available to discuss the following:

• Roche's cutting edge scientific approaches to drug discovery focused on meeting the demands of the emerging need for personalized healthcare.

• Roche's intent to provide its scientists with the environment necessary to push forward novel ideas while challenging old paradigms.
• The ability to use state-of-the-art technology and collaborate with Roche's world class scientists across the globe engaged in biomarker discovery, novel biologics platforms, RNAi and diagnostics.

With well over 100 projects in research and more than 60 New Molecular Entities in development, Roche’s pipeline is among the best in the pharmaceuticals industry.

Please call me at 212-468-4306 or e-mail me at jillian.chertok@mslworldwide.com if you would like any additional information, or are interested in scheduling a time to speak with Marcie or one of the scientists at Roche. 

I must disclose that I have no financial arrangement with this agency nor have I ever done business with them before.  But, I figured if there are jobs to be had in this economy I ought to pass them on to folks who are looking.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!

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Back in the late 1990s, applying for jobs online was all the rage! The technology was new and fresh and applying for jobs online was fast and easy. Companies raced to build corporate websites for prospective job applicants, major job boards like Monster and Careerbuilder were launched and human resources professionals though they were ushering in a “new era of employee recruitment and retention.” While applying for jobs online once seemed like a panacea for both job seekers and corporate employers, it never has lived up to all the fanfare and hype!

There is no question that applying for jobs online is quick, easy and most importantly emotionally gratifying. Paradoxically, these are the very qualities that have almost rendered the practice useless when it comes to finding a new job. Before applying for jobs online became de rigueur, large numbers of qualified, prospective employees were hired into new jobs. Unfortunately, these days’ most corporate websites and job boards are swamped by unqualified applicants who submit their resumes when ever and where ever they can! This has prompted many companies and job board site to automate their applicant screening processes—which, in many cases, fail to discriminate between qualified and unqualified job applicants. Frequently, because of the sheer volume of applicants, many companies no longer acknowledge receipt of job applications. While this practice is unprofessional in my opinion, it sends a subliminal—if not obvious message—to applicants that the likelihood of winning the job is remote. It is not uncommon for job applicants to never hear from a company after they have hit the send button to submit a job application.

So, if applying for jobs online isn’t the answer, what should jobseekers do to find gainful employment? Like it or not, the best way to find a new job is through networking. The advent of social networking sites like Facebook, Linked In and BioCrowd makes networking less daunting than it used to be. However, it is important to note, that online networking alone won’t be sufficient! Unfortunately, (for some of you anyway), interacting with people in real life will be required! The best way to begin networking is to use Google (or your favorite search engine) to identify companies or institutions that are looking for applicants with your skills and qualifications. Next, work hard to find a contact at a company who is willing to support your application or at least, forward it to an appropriate hiring manager. If you don’t know anybody at the company ask friends or relatives if they do. If this doesn’t work, post a notice on Facebook or Linked In asking if anybody in your network can provide a contact name or phone number of a hiring manager at the company you are interested in. If this also proves to be unsuccessful, you can run at Internet search on a particular advertised position or go to a company website to find the name of a hiring manager. However, to avert an avalanche of inquiries about online job postings, many companies no longer list the names of hiring managers on their websites. If all else fails, you can always put in a call into human resources and ask for more information about a job with the hope of getting the hiring manager’s name.

Once you obtain the name of a hiring manager, send an e-mail message indicating your interesting the position along with an attached resume/curriculum vitae. One note of caution; managers are usually inundated with e-mail messages (many which remain unanswered) and often have their spam filters set on high. Consequently, it may be prudent to also send a hiring manager an old fashioned cover letter and curriculum vitae authority using traditional or overnight mail delivery.

While networking to get an employee referral for a job remains the best way to get your “foot-in-the-door” at most companies, the referral channels, like almost all others, are also extremely clogged. This may require a direct phone call to a hiring manager to inquire about whether or not to apply for a job or to check on the progress of an application. That said, use this approach wisely—some managers may think that this shows initiative (and will pull your resume from the resume heap) while others may be offended or annoyed by your boldness. Nevertheless, once you make the call, DO NOT call back unless you are advised to do so. If the company is interested in you as a job candidate, they will contact you after they have had sufficient time to review your application.

While companies continue to advertise positions, the best way to land a new job is through word of mouth. This is because many companies don’t advertise all open positions and some companies run ads even though they are not hiring. Nevertheless, building a solid network of contacts and friends (both online and in real life) is critical for successful job searches.

In today’s difficult economy it may be prudent to employ a multifaceted job search strategy that includes a mix of networking, job boards and online applications. Also, it is important to cast as wide a job net as possible and not limit your search to a specific job type—especially if you have skills  and qualifications that cut across disciplines. Finally, I always tell prospective job candidates that looking for a new job must be a “full time endeavor.” Devoting less than a full time effort to your job search will likely yield disappointing results!

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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The US economy has lost about 7.1 million jobs since December 2007 and nationwide unemployment is hovering around 8.5 percent. Despite the lost of  about 80,000 pharmaceutical jobs over the past three years and unprecedented consolidation taking place in the life sciences sector—Merck-Schering Plough, Pfizer-Wyeth and Roche-Genentech—the job prospects for scientists at biotech companies, medical devices and diagnostics, and government appear to be stronger than anticipated. While drug discovery and sales jobs may be scare, there are rapidly emerging opportunities in the fields of medical communications, regulatory affairs, biomanufacturing, clinical trials management , bioengineering, medical devices/diagnostics and website development and management.

President Obama’s promise to restore science to its rightful place, his reversal of the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and an unwavering commitment to alternate energy technologies suggest that the future may be very bright for bioscientists. For example, there are massive hiring initiatives at federal agencies like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Unites States Department of Agriculture (UDSA) — as the Obama administration attempts to overall these agencies— and funding levels at the National Institutes of Health are on the rise (aided in part by a $200 million Challenge Grant stimulus program).

While the road to economic recovery may be a long one, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are currently engaged in life sciences research should “stay the course and not jump ship just yet.” The life sciences industry is more recession proof than others and it will be one of the first to experience an economic turn around. And, when it does it is best to prepared to find a job!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it wants to hire 1,300 biologists, chemists, medical officers and others over the next several months. The agency currently employs more than 10,000 people and wants to add 600 new employees and backfill more than 700 that have been vacant by October. The new hires will triple the number hired from 2005 to 2007. Roughly 30% of all regular FDA staffers and approximately half of FDA managers are already eligible to retire.

An FDA spokesperson said that 400 of the new jobs will be related to drug application review and another 150 will be hired as inspectors to inspect drugs, foods and other related items. The agency will rely on user fees from drug companies to pay for all drug review jobs and about 100 other positions. The rest will come from the funds that were recently appropriated by Congress.

In addition to drug reviewers and inspectors, FDA is seeking consumer safety officers, nurse consultants, statisticians, epidemiologists, pharmacologists, pharmacists and veterinarians. Most of the positions are in the Washington D.C area but some are overseas and in other parts of the US.

This is one of the largest hiring initiatives in FDA’s history. It’s about time that Congress realized that the agency has been seriously under funded and understaffed ever since Bush was elected in 2001. I suspect that the impetus for the additional funding and hiring initiative has a lot to do with the beating that the agency has taken over the past few years. As we all know, FDA has been blasted by consumer advocates and lawmakers for lax oversight and inefficiency.

I can’t recall whether I said this before, but FDA is a great place “to be from”. Many of my colleagues who worked at FDA for three or more years are now highly paid regulatory consultants charging the companies that hire them about $3,000 to $5,000 per day. That said, as a bit of career advice; opportunity is knocking—don’t dither and wait too long before you apply.

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (at FDA)!!!!!!!!!!

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