Resume or CV? What’s the Difference?
I frequently hear early-career scientists and engineers use the term ‘CV’ (abbreviation for Curriculum Vitae) when they are applying for an industry job. This is incorrect terminology, and will likely […]
Here’s the best way to impress an interviewer
Picture this: You are sitting in an interview with a company you’ve had your eye on for months. You’ve done your research, and you know what this company is all […]
Here’s how to make that hard decision
Being a leader means having to make hard decisions at many stages, but this is where the real value lies. Many times the decision is made hard due to the […]
Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable
I’m a planner. I’ve always been a planner in my personal life, but I can trace my organizing tendencies in my professional life back to an manager from early in […]
What would Dave and I have done?
Product development can be hard… When faced with a challenge at work, I often find myself thinking ‘What would Dave and I have done?’ This frequently helps me come up […]
How to accelerate your technical career 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 […]
You have 30 seconds. Start with why.
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 […]
What is TurningScience all about?
Building Rewarding Careers in Industry TurningScience provides career advice to scientists and engineers who want to build rewarding careers in industry. I started the project back in 2009 when I was […]
Should I get a PhD?
When I speak to undergrads, I always get asked: “Should I go straight into industry with just my Bachelor’s degree, or should I get a PhD first?” This was a […]
Musings on a lame staff meeting (AKA: Valuable leadership lessons)
Several years ago I spent about eight months in an engineering group that had a very ineffective manager. His inability to provide strong leadership for the group was most apparent […]
So, what do you do?
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 […]
Big company or small company. Where do I fit best?
People often ask me: “Should I look for a job at a big company or a small company?” This is an important question, as people tend to be wired to […]