How to Succeed in Industry

Forbes published a great article by Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd last November.  In the article, he gives nine tips for communicating science to non-scientists. This list is also excellent advice for any scientist or engineer who wants to be more effective working in industry. If you are a scientist or engineer who […]

How to accelerate your technical career in industry

 in Career Design / Productivity at Work  tagged career coach / communication / Engineers / leadership / productivity / Scientists by
We’ve all heard that first impressions are critical, and the general consensus is that you have less than 30 seconds to make that impression.  Unfortunately, many of us with technical backgrounds don’t put enough thought into what we say in that 30 seconds.  As scientists and engineers we are trained […]

You have 30 seconds. Start with why.

 in Career Design / Job Search Advice / Networking Skills  tagged first impression / genuine networking / networking / start with why by
I talk about networking quite a bit, because it’s critical to building a rewarding career. Building real relationships that you maintain through your entire career will bring tremendous value. These relationships start with a first impression, and much of the time the first impression is based on that ubiquitous icebreaker […]

So, what do you do?

 in Career Design / Interview skills / Networking Skills  tagged Career / Engineers / jobs / networking / Scientist by
No, really. It’s true. Let me illustrate this with a story: Earlier this week I was at a local networking event. I was talking with a few guys I know about to startup one of them had launched. This guy was developing specialty cameras for precision measurement in a variety […]

Finding a job is like dating…

 in Career Design / Job Search Advice / Networking Skills  tagged Career / dating / finding a job / genuine networking / job search / jobs / networking by
People often ask me why I enjoy working with students and early career professionals as much as I do. I tell them that it’s so unbelievably rewarding to share what I’ve learned with people who are just embarking on the amazing career path I’ve been walking for the last two […]

Five reasons why giving back is awesome 

 in Career Design / Job Search Advice / Networking Skills  tagged Career / giving / networking by
Here are five job types that I have found can be an excellent fit for a physicist: System engineer Reliability engineer Project manager Engineering manager Process development engineer That’s right, they all have either ‘Engineer’ or ‘Manager’ in the title.  The fact is, few jobs in the private sector will […]

5 great industry jobs for a physicist:

 in Career Design / Job Search Advice  tagged Career / jobs / Physics Jobs / Scientist by
Many early career scientists and engineers wanting to build a career in industry approach it with some trepidation because they worry that their experience working an a university research lab won’t be seen as relevant to a hiring manager who needs people to design hardware for sale. This is a […]

Tell better stories with the same facts

 in Career Design / Interview skills / Networking Skills  tagged interview skills / jobs / networking / stories by
Broadly speaking, there are three types of jobs: A job where your task is to do what someone else tells you to do.  These jobs are typically paid by the hour.  Many involve physical labor.  For doing this job, you are typically paid $. A job where your task is […]

Three types of jobs

 in Career Design / Job Search Advice  tagged Career / jobs by