Doing Your Due Diligence

In a competitive job market, you need to do everything you can to make yourself stand out from other candidates. Especially when you get to the interview stage, you know you are competing against other candidates that are also highly qualified.

So in preparation for the interview, you take your suit to the cleaners, arrange transportation and lodging (if needed), and practice, practice, practice your research presentation.

You’ve heard that you should do some research on the company, so you spend an hour or so looking through their web site, clicking semi-randomly on pages and links that may be of interest.  You don’t learn much, but at least you feel good that you did it.  Right?

I often ask hiring managers what candidates should do that most of them don’t do.  Almost every time, the answer is “do their homework on the company before the interview”.  I’ve had some tell me they want the candidate to know everything that’s on the company web site, and at least one thing that is NOT on the company’s web site.

I was reviewing some industry analysis reports from the financial world today, and it struck me that the questions they proposed for use in evaluating companies for monetary investment were very similar to the ones you might want to ask before a job interview.

• The first thing you want to research is their products – What specifically do they sell?   (For example, pharmaceutical products can be prescription or over the counter, innovator or generic, and so on)?  What do they currently have on the market, and what is in development?  A company’s products, and its pipeline of future products, are its lifeblood.  A solid pipeline of products is essential for success.
• Have their past research and development efforts been successful?  What portion of their operating revenues are spent on R&D?  Is that part of the company growing or shrinking?  Research and development are key to finding those new products to fill the pipeline.
• Have they been involved in any recent mergers, acquisitions, or other partnerships?  While these may increase stock prices, in the short-term they can have a negative impact on employee morale, internal efficiency, and cause customer confusion.  You may not want to discuss this with the interviewer, but you certainly want to keep your eyes and ears open during the day for possible problems.
• What does their international profile look like?  Have they just opened new facilities overseas?  Have they closed local facilities?  This may indicate long-term stability of the facility at which you are being offered a position.
• What do their financial statements, or SEC filings, say about their sales growth, profit margins, earnings…?  Are they making capital investments, or maintaining the status quo?  This is further evidence of the company’s long-term strategy and success.
• What is the background of the company’s managers? You want strong, capable leadership that is knowledgeable in the industry.
• With whom will you be interviewing, and working? You can ask for a copy of the interview schedule in advance (it’s usually available if you ask), then use Google and LinkedIn and scientific literature searches to learn about their background, interests and experiences.  The more you know about your interviewers, the better questions you can ask, and the more likely you are to connect with them.
• What is the corporate culture?  If you’re lucky, they publish it right on their web site like Merck does. To ensure long-term satisfaction, you want to work in a corporate culture that is consistent with your values. Values you might want to look for include commitment to innovation, quality, excellence, professionalism, teamwork, diversity, continual improvement, organizational learning, and so on.

Some of these questions you have probably  looked into before you applied for the position (hopefully!).  However, just before the interview is when you really want to make sure you have all the information you need to ask intelligent, probing questions that will allow both you and the company to evaluate your fit for their needs.

The financial/investment community is expert at determining the value of companies, and conducting extensive research and due diligence on specific companies and industries. Their systematic approach to company valuation is exactly what you do before you invest in a company – either with your money, or  with your time by seeking a job there.

This article was written by freelance scientific communication consultant Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006). She blogs on Career Development for Scientists.

Cultural Differences Provide New Opportunities

With all the bad news around lately, it’s nice when something positive shows up.  Perhaps that’s why my interest was piqued when I saw an article entitled American Graduates Finding Jobs in China in the New York Times recently.

According to this article, there is a new wave of Americans moving to China to be part of the entrepreneurial boom there.  With lower unemployment (4.3% in rural areas in China, as compared to 9.4% in the United States) and a gross domestic product that rose 7.9% in the most recent quarter (as compared to the same period last year), China looks to be a land of great opportunity.

In reading through the article, and the individuals mentioned therein, several things struck me.  First, several people mentioned being hired for their “familiarity with Western modern dance”, their ability to “communicate with the Western world”, or their understanding of the social and cultural nuances of the West.

Almost all of these people are being hired to facilitate relationships between Chinese companies and Western markets.  Their knowledge of how things work in Western societies is their most important skill, and the particular domain expertise is secondary.  Building relationships between companies in different cultures can be difficult, and the people involved need to have intimate understanding of at least one of the cultures, and some immersion in the other culture as well.

Another thing mentioned in the article is that the educational systems in the two countries are different, and tend to reward different personality traits. These different educational styles, combined with societal influences, mean that people from different backgrounds tend to approach problems differently.  In recent years, we have realized that having people from different backgrounds on project teams is extremely helpful – everyone brings their own way of approaching the problem, as well as their specific technical expertise.

Since we now work with people around the world on a regular basis, we have learned to take advantage of these differences.  While others may have different ways of approaching problems, they just might see old problems in a new way.

Anyone who has a small child knows that one of their favorite questions to ask is “why?”. Why do you do this or that, and why do you do it that way, or in that order?  While sometimes there is an explanation, often the answer is “I don’t know” or “because that’s the way I’ve always done it”.  And upon reflection, you may realize there is a better, or different, way that would work just as well.

People not familiar with your culture can do the same thing for you.  By constantly asking “why”?, they make you think about what you are doing, and why you are doing it that way.  And sometimes, by making you stop to think about it, they just may make you come up with a better way to do something.

So even if you don’t want to move across the world to experience another culture, you can learn from people with different backgrounds – not only how they approach things, but maybe even how you do.

This article was written by freelance scientific communication consultant Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006).

In Demand and Growing Green

CNN recently published a list of the Most Lucrative College Degrees. Twelve of the top paying 15 majors were various forms of engineering, and the remaining 3 were computer science, actuarial science, and construction management – all of which require a significant degree of math skills. According to their numbers, engineering and computer science make up only about 4% of all college graduates, while social science and history each comprise 16%. Simple supply and demand means that employers who need graduates with math skills will have to be willing to pay more for them.

The same is true of careers for chemists. In recent ACS salary surveys, the unemployment rate for chemists is usually about 65% of the national average unemployment rate. (However, long-term trend data suggests that this gap may be narrowing.)

While you certainly should not choose a major or a career based on what is currently most lucrative, it is encouraging to see that the math and science that we love is also a good place to make a living – better than average, in fact.

It is also encouraging to note that one of the few job sectors experiencing growth is green technologies, which according to the United Nations Environment Programme Green Jobs report, involves “work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development, administrative, and service activities that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Specifically, but not exclusively, this includes jobs that help to protect ecosystems and biodiversity; reduce energy, materials, and water consumption through high-efficiency strategies; de-carbonize the economy; and minimize or altogether avoid generation of all forms of waste and pollution.” Do any of these sound like they could use the input of chemists and chemical engineers?

So if you have these highly desired math and science skills, how do you go about moving your career in a green (or any other) direction?

Start by learning as much as you can about the new field. What terminology do they use? Are there certain certifications or educational requirements that are required for particular positions? What skills and abilities do they value, and how similar are they to ones you current have? Basically, you want to do background research on your possible new career, and do a gap analysis to determine the difference between what you have to offer, and what they need.

Next, figure out how to fill or bridge that gap. Are there books you can read, conferences you can attend, or classes you can take to obtain the missing knowledge? Can you use your current skills in another field to obtain a position related to your new field? Once you have a toehold in the new field, it will be much easier to move further into that field.

Figure out what accomplishments you have that will be relevant to the new field, and how to sell yourself. Companies are hiring you to do something, and the best way to prove that you can do it for them is by showing them how you have done just that (or something very close to that) already.

Finally, use the contacts you made while doing your initial research into the field to identify companies and departments that might have need of your particular skills.

This article was written by freelance technical writer Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006).

Getting the Most from Social Networks

These days the career advice I hear most often is “go online and join a social network if you want to find a job”. While it is true that many people are finding jobs online through sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and the ACS network, it’s also true that just starting an account is not going to cause employers to beat down your door. To make the most of networking sites such as these, you must make them an integral part of your professional life, as well as a great online advertisement for YOU.

First, decide which ones you are going to join, and use. If you just set up an account and never visit the site again, you are wasting your time. Just like sending out resumes, determine where you are most likely to have success, then concentrate your efforts in that area. Surf around, or lurk on, various sites for a little while, and you’ll quickly figure out which are personal, which are professional, and which ones will work best for your particular purpose.

Once you decide to set up a professional profile on one of these sites, make sure it is a good one. Fill in as much information as possible about your current and past positions, career-related volunteer activities, knowledge, skills and abilities. Include all keywords that an employer might possibly search on, and a photo that represents the professional you. Include contact information – you don’t have to include your home address, but at least a reliable email address that you check and use regularly. In summary, make sure the entry is as complete and accurate as possible.

If possible, go beyond the basic profile. Include recommendations for and from peers and colleagues, links to additional information about your work, and join groups relevant to your professional interests. (Note that not all site have all these features.)

Next, start building your network. Find current and former colleagues, and connect with them. Don’t forget bosses, clients, and people you volunteer with outside of work. Watch the site for news of your connections connecting to others, and you’ll be surprised at how often you know the new person also. Send them an invitation to connect – but instead of using the boilerplate invitation, personalize it a little. Remind the person how they know you, and your acceptance rate will go up.

Don’t stop at just making connections. Update your status on a regular basis, letting people know what you are working on – without giving away any proprietary information, of course. Think about what new skills and responsibilities you want others to know about, and highlight those in your updates. Pose questions, and provide answers, in the discussion groups to which you belong. Over time, the information you post will provide followers with a picture of who you are, and what you can do. It becomes you personal brand, your online persona.

It goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyway) that you should never post anything you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of the New York Times.

Finally, don’t let your information go stale. Revisit the site on a regular basis and update your profile as your situation, or your professional responsibilities, change. Remember, this is your online resume, so you want to keep it as current as possible. After all, you never know when someone out there may need exactly what you have to offer – so make sure they can find you.

This article was written by freelance scientific communication consultant Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006).

Resume Don’ts from Hiring Managers

I have been doing some research lately that has involved talking to a number of hiring managers in various scientific industries. In doing so, I have collected a list of a few things they don’t like. In some cases, these small things are enough to knock you out of the running for a position, no matter how good your technical qualifications are. Here, in no particular order, are things that have been mentioned to me.

Resume Portfolio

In the sciences, your “resume” is really more of a resume portfolio. It should include a cover letter, a resume customized for the particular recipient, a research summary, a patent/publication/presentation list, and perhaps other documents that the employer has requested. Depending on the type of employer, this may include a list of references, management philosophy (for senior industrial positions), teaching philosophy and research proposal (for academic positions), and so on. While the resume itself should only be 2 pages, all the supplemental material can bring the page count significantly higher.

For hiring managers, having all this information at the start of the process is a big plus. If they’re interested in you, they can dive right into the details instead of having to wait for more information. Having it electronically is also an asset – this makes it much easier to store and access from multiple places than paper copies.

However, if each piece is a separate document, this significantly increases the amount of overhead required to open and print each file, not to mention keeping them together and making sure each one has been read. Putting all the information in one file – with clear headers and delineations, makes it easier for the recipient to keep it together, not to mention being able to print and search the whole thing easily.

One hiring manager mentioned getting a resume in which the objective was a particular type of position in the pharmaceutical industry. That would be fine, except her organization is not in that industry – in fact, it’s a government agency and not an “industry” at all. She says she often gets resumes/cover letters that talk about wanting a position in “industry”, and those go directly into the trash can. After all, if you can’t be bothered to check the details on something as important as your resume, how can she expect you to be careful with details on the job?

I have often said that my claim to fame is that in the 15+ years I have been a volunteer consultant, I have never seen a resume in which I could not find at least one typo. Sometimes it’s just something that looks like a typo (for example, a strange formatting choice), but that’s almost as bad. Having a typographical error in your resume is another way to get a quick trip to the trash can…who wants to hire someone who does not pay attention to detail on something as important as their resume?

Always make sure to have someone other than yourself read your resume carefully. Pick someone who has an excellent command of the English language, whose opinion you trust, and who will give you honest feedback without worrying about hurting your feelings. Only that way can you make sure you are putting your absolute best effort forward, and have the best possible chance to obtain the job of your dreams.

This article was written by scientific communication consultant Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants, and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006).

Job Interviews….Trust Your Instincts

Over the years, I have been on both sides of the interview table many, many times. But the strangest job interview I ever had happened a few years ago, at an unnamed company in the midwest.

I arrived at the company at 9am, as requested, and was ushered into a small conference room right inside the front door. For the next several hours, people came in and out to ask me questions, but I never left that room. At about 1pm, my host escorted me out of the building, right past the company cafeteria. No tour of the facility, no seeing where I would work, no meeting all my potential co-workers, no giving a talk on my research. Being very hungry at the time, I could only assume I had not done well, and they were not interested in hiring me.

To my surprise, a few days later I received a call offering me the position. After I got over my shock, I asked if I could come back in and have a tour of the facility. My host reluctantly agreed, and a few days later I went back in. They didn’t have employees chained to the walls, and I could not figure out what it was that they had not wanted me to see. They also seemed very nervous during the whole tour, which also struck me as strange.

After the tour I went home and contemplated their offer. I had no other immediate options, but did not feel good about that company. Something strange was going on, but I did not know what. Eventually I made the decision to turn them down, and ended up starting my own consulting business. (Which has worked out very well, incidentally.)

I remained in that geographic area for several years, and became involved in the local section of the American Chemical Society. Over time, I met several people who worked at that company, and eventually even one in the department for which I would have been working. I was finally able to find out what had been going on – the company had been under a hiring freeze, and the department was trying to get me in without the human resources department finding out. That explained all the secrecy and nervousness on the part of the people with whom I interviewed! I’m still not sure how they were going to hire me if I accepted – probably into a temporary position that would not have been frozen.

I often wonder what would have happened if they had been honest and told me about the hiring freeze. I would not have felt so uncomfortable, and probably would have accepted the position.

Still, when I look back I am sure I made the right decision. I didn’t feel comfortable there, and working under those conditions would not have been pleasant. I learned that when evaluating potential employers, you should trust your instincts – if it doesn’t feel comfortable, it probably won’t be a good match, and you should let the opportunity pass. In my case, another option did come along, even though it took me awhile to recognize it. But that’s a story for another day……

This article was written by scientific communication consultant Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants, and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006).

Clean Up Those Cards

If you are anything like me, you came home from the recent ACS meeting with a stack of business cards collected over the week in Salt Lake City. With some of them, just glancing at the card instantly brought up the memory of who they represented, where I had met them and what we talked about. With others, I had been smart enough to jot a few words on the back of the card that reminded me of the person.

But once you have the stack of cards back home, what do you do with them?

You could leave them in a pile on your desk, collecting dust, until they get “accidentally” thrown away. You could put them in a drawer, or a other filing system, and trust that you will remember where to find the card for the guy you talked to at the YCC party, who worked for that instrument company…..what was its name?

Or, you could enter the data into your addresss book. Enter not only the name, company, and contact info, but in a comment field include where you met them (“ACS Spring 2009 SLC”, for example), what you talked about, and anything special you learned about that person. Their work area, hobbies, kids, volunteer role with ACS, or anything else you learned about them during your interaction. All those little details that you recall so easily now will fade with time, so the sooner you get them down on paper (or in silicon), the better.

Several of the cards I have collected at this meeting are memorable in their own right. I noticed many more are starting to use color, which does make the cards look more professional and less homemade. As the cost of color printing, and printing in general, continues to decline, this is going to become almost a requirement. One of the cards had a list on the back of “5 Things To Remember About Christin” – a great way for her to summarize what makes her stand out from every other chemistry graduate student at the meeting. Another card was from a chemist/author, and included a picture of the cover of his book. Instantly recognizable, very memorable, and I knew exactly what his interests were by the title of the book.

Now might be a good time to take a few minutes and critically evaluate your own business cards, and make sure they reflect the image you want to convey.

Does your name stand out?

Are the fonts clean and large enough to read?

Is there a professional logo or image?

Is there enough white space for both layout clarity and for the recipient to write notes?

Does the card feel nice, with a high quality, thick paper?

Would judicious use of color or an image make it stand out more?

Whether it’s your card or someone else’s, the information on it only matters if it is in a usable format. Suppose in a few months you meet someone and they mention they are thinking about making a career change into public policy. Will you be able to do a quick search of your electronic rolodex and and pull out the name of the person you met at the last ACS national meeting who has done just that, and might be able to provide advice for your new contact? Or will you have to look at the pile of dusty cards on your desk and say “I think I might know someone ….”

This article was written by scientific communication consultant Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants, and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006).

The Value of Virtual Career Fairs

It seems like everything we do in the real world can also be done electronically. We can send a letter, or we can email, We can call each other, or we can Skype. We can print photos to paste into albums, or we can post them on Facebook.

Like everything else, job searching has gone to bits and bytes. Now you can print resumes on nice paper and hand them to recruiters, or you fill out a form on the company’s web site and enter yourself into their database. The latest addition to the electronic world is virtual job fairs – expositions held entirely on the internet. Virtual career fairs eliminate the costs and hassles of travel, and allow participation on your own schedule.

At a typical job fair, candidates will peruse a list of openings, submit resumes for consideration, and request interviews with companies of interest. Employers will post a list of open positions, create agents to search a database of submitted resumes, and schedule interviews with promising candidates.

Virtual interviews can be handled a number of different ways. They can be conducted synchronously, with both parties using webcams to talk to each other in real time. Alternatively, they can be conducted asynchronously, where the company submits a list of questions, to which the candidate records answers, and the company then views them at a later time. Each method has its own advantages – synchronous interviews are more like live interviews, and tend to give a better picture of the individual’s personality. Asynchronous interviews can be more convenient, since everyone can do them on their own time.

After hosting 122 career fairs since 1948, the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting their first virtual career fair June 8-12, from 9 am to 5 pm Eastern time. Free to candidates, this event is a great way to find out what’s out there, practice your interview skills, and maybe even learn something at one of the workshops. Even if you’re not currently looking for a new position, career fairs can give you some insight into who is hiring.

A wide variety of companies will participate, so you can use this as an opportunity to stretch your horizons, and learn about new fields. Perhaps this can be a pointer to a new field you hadn’t considered before.

Just like with a traditional career fair, doing your homework is critical. Make sure you know which company’s values and scientific focus match your own, and determine how your skills and knowledge can add to their assets.

While you can do research and set up appointments in your pajamas and bunny slippers, you may not want to appear that way for interviews. Even if it’s only a telephone interview, dressing professionally and taking the call in a quiet office will go a long way towards making you feel professional, which will result in you making a professional impression on the company representative.

Even if you do not see immediate job offerings from a career fair, it can still be a good long-term investment and valuable learning experience. Continue to follow-up with companies of interest on a regular (but not too frequent) basis, so you will be uppermost in their mind when the right opening does come along. Practice answers to interview questions that surprised you. Refine your elevator speech, and work on ways to tailor it to various companies.

This article was written by Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. of Balbes Consultants. Lisa is a scientific communication consultant and author of: “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006).

Employment Websites for Retired Chemical Professionals

“The organization that first succeeds in attracting and holding knowledge workers past traditional retirement age, and makes them fully productive will have a tremendous competitive advantage,” wrote famed business consultant Peter F. Drucker in his book (“Management Challenges for the 21^st Century,” Harper Business, p. 48 (1999)). Employers are increasingly following this advice and seeking to tap the skills of retired professionals. At the same time, demographics, better health and personal financial concerns are increasing the ranks of highly skilled retired professionals eager to return to the workforce. How do companies find retired professionals such as chemists and technicians with the specialized skills they need? How can these retirees find positions that tap their skills?

More than 200 Internet websites specializing in retired professionals have sprung up to serve individual’s and employers’ needs. Different websites target different groups of retirees. For example, Alumni In Touch (spelled all one word) and SelectMinds target primarily former employees and retirees of large firms. Scientists and engineers are the primary focus of YourEncore^TM. RetiredBrains.com takes a broader focus listing retirees in 27 job categories including scientists and engineers.

Currently more than 30 large companies are YourEncore^TM clients. Retirees describe their experience and qualifications in a keyword-searchable database. Also, they check off categories of skills called “service offerings,” which they can provide to employers. While non-member companies are able to search the YourEncore retiree database, they pay higher fees than member companies.

Retirees work as YourEncore employees – usually either in the client company’s facility or in a home office. Retired professionals who have relocated sometimes work in home offices with a supervisor located hundreds or thousands of miles away and may travel occasionally for meetings.

Founder Art Koff calls RetiredBrains.com “a job board for seniors.” Retirees create free accounts classifying themselves by profession. He says that more than 30,000 retirees are registered. Employers pay to post job openings using the same classifications and to search the retiree database to identify employment candidates. The employer also is informed when a newly posted résumé contains the appropriate keywords matching the job posting.

Companies have begun encouraging their employees and retirees to register on their own retiree websites and provide contact information plus summaries of their work experience, accomplishments and skills. This enables their former employer to identify suitable candidates for both short-term and permanent positions. For example, more than 200 former Shell employees in North America, Europe and elsewhere registered the first day Shell’s AlumniInTouch website went online.

Chemical employers that have established AlumniInTouch databases include chemical, drug, and energy firms. If they can’t find a suitable candidate among their own retirees, companies can then search among the retiree listings for other employers. Retirees register on AlumniInTouch in their former employer’s websites. Retirees who have worked for more than one company can register on more than one AlumniInTouch website.

Don’t forget, retired ACS members can post their résumés on the ACS job site ChemistryJobs (http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/apply/advertise.cfm).

URL Addresses of Retiree Employment Websites (all free to retirees)

• RetiredBrains www.retiredbrains.com
• AlumniInTouch www.alumniintouch.com
• Your Encore www.yourencore.com
• SelectMinds www.selectminds.com
• Seniors4Hire www.seniors4hire.org
• JobsForRetirees www.jobsforretirees.com
• Senior Job Bank www.seniorjobbank.org
• Gray Hair Management www.grayhairmanagement.com
• Experience Works www.experienceworks.org
• Retired Worker www.theretiredworker.com

California Employment Development Department – Senior Workers www.edd.ca.gov/eddswtx.com

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Full-time science writer John Borchardt is an ACS Career Consultant and certified Workshop Presenter. As an industrial chemist he holds 30 U.S. patents and written more than 130 peer-reviewed technical articles.

Filling the Employment Gaps in Your Résumé

More than 90% of senior executives reported they would be concerned if a job candidate had long involuntary periods of unemployment according to a 2008 survey by placement firm OfficeTeam (Menlo Park, CA). Finding a new job fast, especially in a recession is no easy trick. So what can you do to prevent employment gaps appearing in your employment history?

Resist the temptation to “fudge” your dates of employment by adding a few months to your last job to make the gap disappear, advises Stephen Viscusi, author of the book “Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out on Top at Work” (Collins Business, 2008). Potential employers often contact former employers to verify dates of employment. If that information doesn’t match what’s in your résumé, most employers will immediately eliminate you from consideration.

Instead, keep up your skills by taking some courses. For example, if you are an analytical chemist, you might take a short course in a new analytical technique growing in popularity. This could significantly strengthen your position in the job market. You could also take courses to strengthen some of your soft skills or shift your career in a new direction. Online business skills courses from ACS and Harvard Business Publishing can help you do this at www.acs.org/professionaldevelopment.

You could also do some volunteer work in your field. Consider reconnecting with a former research advisor and working in his laboratory. Even if you don’t get paid, you could still work part-time to stay active in the field. Recent graduates might contact former academic research advisors and get permission to take the lead on writing research papers on unreported aspects of their graduate or post-doctoral work. Another possibility is to write a review paper, perhaps with your former research advisor.

Both recent, and not-so-recent graduates, could do volunteer work for the American Chemical Society or other professional organizations. Such work can put you in contact with people who could help in your job hunt. In particular, organizing a symposium could help you contact leaders in your field.

Mid-career chemists with some name recognition in their field could work as consultants. However, this should consist of more than just getting some business cards printed. Potential employers may ask you for the names of some of your clients. If you are consulting, treat it like any other job and list projects and accomplishments on your résumé. A good way to support your part-time consulting is to present papers at conferences and attend local ACS meetings where you can network with potential consulting clients as well as people who could be helpful to your job hunt.

Write a blog that’s related to your field. You could use your blog to support your consulting work. During employment interviews you can point to this as an accomplishment.

A temporary staffing firm can help you find temporary assignments while you’re looking for a full-time job.

Don’t be afraid to include these activities in your résumé and cover letter. Such activities show you have drive, initiative and creativity.

To make these strategies work best, use these ideas as soon as you lose your job or even before.

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Full-time science writer John Borchardt is an ACS Career Consultant and certified Workshop Presenter. As an industrial chemist he holds 30 U.S. patents and written more than 130 peer-reviewed technical articles.