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Alternative Careers in Science
Leaving the Ivory Tower
2nd Edition - August 26, 2005
Editor: Cynthia Robbins-Roth
Paperback ISBN:9780125893763
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 5 8 9 3 7 6 - 3
eBook ISBN:9780080454986
9 7 8 - 0 - 0 8 - 0 4 5 4 9 8 - 6
Many science students find themselves in the midst of graduate school or sitting at a lab bench, and realize that they hate lab work! Even worse is realizing that they may love… Read more
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Many science students find themselves in the midst of graduate school or sitting at a lab bench, and realize that they hate lab work! Even worse is realizing that they may love science, but science (at least academic science) is not providing many job opportunities these days. What's a poor researcher to do !?This book gives first-hand descriptions of the evolution of a band of hardy scientists out of the lab and into just about every career you can imagine. Researchers from every branch of science found their way into finance, public relations, consulting, business development, journalism, and more - and thrived there! Each author tells their personal story, including descriptions of their career path, a typical day, where to find information on their job, opportunities to career growth, and more. This is a must-read for every science major, and everyone who is looking for a way to break out of their career rut.
* An insider's look at the wide range of job opportunities for scientists yearning to leave the lab * First-person stories from researchers who successfully made the leap from science into finance, journalism, law, public policy, and more. * Tips on how to track down and get that job in a new industry * Typical day scenarios for each career track * List of resources (websites, associations, etc.) to help you in your search * Completely revised, this latest edition includes six entirely new chapters
Graduate students and professionals in all disciplines of the life sciences
CONTRIBUTORS
PREFACE
Chapter 1: A SCIENTIST GONE BAD: How I Went from the Bench to the Board Room
Publisher Summary
SO HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
HEADING OUT OF THE LAB
COMMUNICATION SKILLS BECOME IMPORTANT
ONCE MORE INTO THE FRAY—GOING INDEPENDENT
PUBLISHING GETS ADDED TO THE MIX
ALTERNATIVE CAREERS
Section 1: Science and Information
Chapter 2: TECHNICAL WRITING: Making Sense Out of Manuals
Publisher Summary
WHAT IS A TECHNICAL WRITER?
WHY TECH WRITING IS A GREAT MOVE
COMMON PERSONALITY TRAITS OF TECH WRITERS
A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK
COMPARISONS WITH THE ACADEMIC WORLD
HOW TO BECOME A TECH WRITER
WHERE TO FIND TECH WRITING JOBS
WHERE CAN YOU GO AFTER TECH WRITING?
RESOURCES
Chapter 3: SCIENCE WRITING: Communicating with the Masses
Publisher Summary
SHOULD YOU BECOME A SCIENCE WRITER?
A CHALLENGING FIELD
WHO NEEDS SCIENCE WRITERS?
HOW DO I BECOME A SCIENCE WRITER?
WHAT IS A TYPICAL WORK DAY LIKE?
IT IS SCIENCE, BUT IS IT NEWS?
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN DNA IN THREE SENTENCES?
DO SCIENTISTS LIKE REPORTERS?
WILL ANYONE READ WHAT YOU WRITE?
THE LOGISTICS
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
SOME INSPIRATION
Chapter 4: CREATING A PUBLISHING EMPIRE: How I Gave up Academia and Became an Entrepreneurial Editor
Publisher Summary
HOW IT ALL STARTED
ON OUR OWN
SO HOW DO YOU GET THIS JOB?
WHAT DOES PUBLISHING PAY?
WHAT IS NEXT IN MY CAREER PATH?
Chapter 5: BUSINESS INFORMATION SERVICES: Providing the Data for Industry
Publisher Summary
HOW MY PATH CHANGED DIRECTION
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WHERE THE TIME GOES
WHERE BIOABILITY IS GOING
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Section 2: The Financial World
Chapter 6: BECOMING A VENTURE CAPITALIST
Publisher Summary
STARTING IN THE LAB
GETTING A TASTE FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE
EVOLVING INTO A BANKER
DAILY TRANSACTIONS
FINALLY, VENTURE CAPITAL CALLS
WHAT THE JOB IS LIKE
Chapter 7: INVESTMENT BANKING: Dreams and Reality
Publisher Summary
THE PLAN
THE MENTORS
THE FIRST BREAK
THE SKILL SET REQUIRED BY AN ANALYST
A TYPICAL DAY AS AN ANALYST
WHERE I HOPE TO GOFROM HERE
Chapter 8: HOW I BECAME AN ANALYST: Science-Based Investment Advising
Publisher Summary
THE EARLY YEARS
BEGINNING A CAREER
THE BUSINESS OF SCIENCE
THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME
WHAT DOES A BIOTECHNOLOGY ANALYST DO?
POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES
HOW TO BECOME AN ANALYST
MY CAREER SINCE SBC WARBURG DILLON READ: MOVING TO THE BUY-SIDE
Section 3: The Corporate World
Chapter 9: ENTREPRENEUR AND COMPANY FOUNDER: Starting Your Own Company and Surviving
Publisher Summary
HOW DID I GET HERE?
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CEO
A TYPICAL WORK WEEK
WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN THE SHOW
THE PROS AND CONS OF BEING THE BOSS
HOW CAN YOU GET THIS JOB?
THE CURRENT SITUATION
Chapter 10: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Making Deals with Science
Publisher Summary
MY EVOLUTION
WHAT IS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT?
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
HOW DO YOU GET HERE?
Chapter 11: THE GROWTH OF A MANAGER: From Pure Research to Policy Administration
Publisher Summary
WHAT IS ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT?
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?
WHAT DOES A POLICY ADMINISTRATOR DO ALL DAY?
COMPARING THE WORK
WHAT’S NEXT?
UPDATE: 7 YEARS LATER
Chapter 12: REGULATORY AFFAIRS: Keeping Product Development on Track
Publisher Summary
WHAT IS REGULATORY AFFAIRS?
REGULATORY AFFAIRS IN A BIOPHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY
WHAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE IN REGULATORY AFFAIRS?
HOW DO YOU GET INTO REGULATORY AFFAIRS?
Chapter 13: PATENT LAW CAREERS: Protecting the Intellectual Property of Science
Publisher Summary
PATENTS AND PRACTITIONERS
MY (CONVOLUTED) CAREER PATH
A TYPICAL DAY
ATTORNEY VERSUS AGENT
JOB RESOURCES
Chapter 14: ENTERING BIOMEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC CONSULTING
Publisher Summary
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE OF ACADEMIA
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
A FOCUS ON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
WOULD YOU MAKE A GOOD BIOMEDICAL CONSULTANT?
ADVICE ON BECOMING A BIOMEDICAL CONSULTANT
Chapter 15: SALES AND MARKETING: So You Want to Sell?
Publisher Summary
HOW DID I GET HERE?
WHAT DO I DO?
HOW MUCH DO I MAKE?
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THIS SORT OF CAREER?
CAREER MOBILITY
WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL?
WHAT COMPANIES HAVE SALESPEOPLE?
WHAT SKILLS ARE NECESSARY?
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF THE JOB?
HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE A HAIR-ON-FIRE DAY?
WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 7 YEARS
Chapter 16: FROM DOING RESEARCH TO MOVING RESEARCH: My Life in Tech Transfer
Publisher Summary
OFF TO THE CORPORATE WORLD
THE NEXT STEP: FINANCIAL CONSULTING
BACK TO ACADEMIA BUT NOT TO THE LAB!
THE LIFE OF A LICENSING OFFICER
DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: THE BUSINESS OF IP
Section 4: Providing Services to Companies
Chapter 17: CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS: Helping Companies Sell Their Stories
Publisher Summary
MAKING THE MOVE
HOW DO I BREAK INTO THE PROFESSION IF I DON’T HAVE THESE SKILLS?
YOU HAVE THE JOB! NOW WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
WHERE DO I GO TO FIND OUT ABOUT PR?
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR A JOB INTERVIEW?
THE PERSONALITY PROFILE
DIFFICULTIES AND PLEASURES
WHERE CAN I FIND A PR JOB?
Chapter 18: EXECUTIVE SEARCH: The Hunt for Exceptional Talent
Publisher Summary
BECOMING A RECRUITER
RESPONSIBILITIES AND ATTRIBUTES
A TYPICAL DAY
DAILY FRUSTRATION LEVEL
COMPENSATION, EXPERIENCE, AND ADVANCEMENT
THE REWARDS OF BEING IN THE EXECUTIVE SEARCH BUSINESS
WHY THIS INDUSTRY?
HOW TO ENTER THIS INDUSTRY
PERSONAL COMMENTS
Chapter 19: CONSULTANT TO THE STARS: Advising CEOs for Fun and Profit
Publisher Summary
MY PATH INTO FINANCE
BECOMING A CONSULTANT
IT’S ALL ABOUT REPUTATION
Chapter 20: BIOMEDICAL CONSULTANT: Specializing in Technology Assessment, Strategic Planning, and Grant Writing
Publisher Summary
HOW I GOT THERE
MOVE TO INDUSTRY
BECOMING A CONSULTANT OVERNIGHT
WHAT DOES CONSULTING PAY?
PROS AND CONS OF THE JOB
SKILLS FOR SUCCESS
MENTORING
BLURRING THE BOUNDARIES
WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER OPENS
Section 5: Science Careers in Government
Chapter 21: SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY: Translating Between Two Worlds
Publisher Summary
THE NEED FOR SCIENCE IN POLITICS
MAKING THE SHIFT
MY OWN PATH: TURNING A CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP INTO A CAREER
GETTING STARTED: WHAT SKILLS DO YOU NEED AND WHERE DO YOU GET THEM?
POINTS OF ENTRY INTO A SCIENCE POLICY CAREER
WHERE DOES A CAREER IN SCIENCE POLICY LEAD?
EARNING POTENTIAL
CONCLUSIONS
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Chapter 22: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR: Building a Biotech Industry for an Entire Country
Publisher Summary
A JOB I COULD NOT HAVE PREDICTED
HOW I GOT HERE
OFF TO NEW ZEALAND
WHALES LEAD ME INTO A POST-DOC
INTO GOVERNMENT SERVICE
I ENTER THE ENTREPRENEURIAL WORLD
LURED BACK TO GOVERNMENT
WHAT DOES AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR DO?
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO THIS JOB: HAVE YOU KISSED THE BLARNEY STONE?
A DAY IN THE LIFE…
HOW DID SCIENCE TRAINING HELP?
Chapter 23: GOVERNMENT AGENCIES: Directing Science in the Military
Publisher Summary
HOW I GOT HERE
A TYPICAL DAY
WHERE CAN YOU GO FROM PROGRAM MANAGER?
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST IN THE MILITARY?
SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCEED AS PROGRAM MANAGER
THE PROS AND CONS
HOW TO GET THIS JOB
APPENDIX: INFORMATION RESOURCES ABOUT ALTERNATIVE CAREERS FOR SCIENTISTS
INDEX
No. of pages: 320
Language: English
Published: August 26, 2005
Imprint: Academic Press
Paperback ISBN: 9780125893763
eBook ISBN: 9780080454986
CR
Cynthia Robbins-Roth
Cynthia Robbins-Roth, Ph.D., left academia to pursue a science career in the then-emerging biotechnology industry. Her career detoured through business development before her entrepreneurial spirit compelled her to start up her own biotechnology consulting and publishing business, BioVenture. Because of her scientific insight, irreverent manner, and ebullient nature, Dr. Robbins-Roth is a popular speaker on alternative careers for scientists, as well as a recognized biotech industry expert.