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.

What Are The Chickens in Your Life?

I recently heard a great story from a friend.  Seems he once had a summer job working on a farm, where some people had the job of moving live chickens from one place to another.  They had to collect 4 live chickens, 2 under each arm, and take them from one place to another.  My friend said that quite often he’d watch someone who got ahold of 4 chickens, started to move them, and then lost control of one chicken and it got away.  In almost every case, they would start chasing after the one they dropped, and in the process they almost always lost control of the other three.  They ended up with no chickens at all, starting all over again.

I have seen people do something similar during the course of their career path.  They have a job they enjoy, that matches their lifestyle and other values, and overall suits them quite well. Then something changes, and the job now has some parts that are not quite so much fun.  In some cases it’s a major change, like re-locating across the country, in other cases it might be relatively minor like now having to write extra reports.  Their first reaction is to jump ship, and start looking for a new position

By just focusing on that one new bad thing, they can lose sight of how good the fit is overall.  In some cases, they go so far as to leave that job for a new one, that may not be as good of a fit overall.  After the initial excitement of the new job wears off, they realize some of that is not as much fun as they thought, and they are off on the hunt again.

It does not have to be this way.  I don’t know anyone who loves every aspect of their job, but most of us realize that it’s the overall fit that is most important.  If we are lucky enough to enjoy what we do on a daily basis, and feel proud of our contributions on a regular basis, we can put up with a little unpleasantness every now and then.

So the next time there is a sudden change at work, stop and think before you react.  Evaluate if this is really a bad thing in the long run, or might it be an opportunity for you to learn a new skill, or grow in another way.  If not, then you can make a change.  If it is, you may find yourself not only with the four chickens you started with, but with something even better.

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.

Evaluate your Values

Over the past several months, many friends and collegues have sent me their resumes, asking for a critical review. The majority had been laid off, and had not updated their resumes in a very long time. In recent weeks, the tide has shifted. I’m now getting more job descriptions with “here’s where I’m applying”, and have noticed an interesting trend in the sought-after positions. A significant number of them are government jobs, or a return to the classroom as a teacher.

This is a significant shift from what I usually see, which is almost all industrial positions. I wonder if this is related to the “current economic conditions” (which we’re all tired of hearing about, I’m sure). As people are forced to downsize, re-evaluate, and re-focus their lives, some are realizing that what they have been doing has not been what they really wanted to do. Many are realizing that they’d rather have a job with more security and less money than a high-paying job that might go away at any time. Government has traditionally been a very stable place to work, and education can also be fairly stable – there will always be a new generation of scientists needing to be taught. As the world in general becomes less secure, many people are looking for more stability in their professional lives.

Security is one of the six values ACS describes when talking to scientists about their careers in the “Planning Your Job Search” workshop. The others are Advancement, Altruism, Autonomy, Balance, and Challenge. Balance is the probably the easiest value to understand as it relates to work. Do you need flexible hours to care for children or elderly parents? Do you need to be able to take time off in the middle of the day and then work late in the evening, or to keep travel to a minimum? Are the family-friendly policies just written on the books, or can employees take advantage of them without being penalized in subtle (or perhaps not so subtle) ways?

The other values are just as important, though perhaps less obvious.

Do you derive great satisfaction from solving difficult, challenging problems but don’t get to do that in your current job? Result: You will be bored.

Do you enjoy working on your own – taking ownership of a project or team, and making decisions to move the project to a successful conclusion – but your current supervisor insists on micro-managing every detail? Result: You will be annoyed.

Many times when you are unhappy at work, it’s because your values and the company’s values (or your supervisor’s values) are not aligned.

Take some time to think about which values are most important to you. Are they being met by your current position? Have your values changed since you started the position? Personal values change over time, but may people fail to notice the gradual shift until a major event (such as a lay-off) forces them to re-evaluate everything.

You can prepare yourself periodically reflecting on your values and how they have changed, as well as how the world in which you live has changed. This will allow you to pro-actively evaluate where you are in your career and set a direction for your future.

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).

Mature Workers have what Employers Want

The economy might be slowing but numbers show that the demand for the mature worker has not been impacted as much as you may think.  The number of workers 50 or older are growing while those 45 or younger in the workforce are declining.  The myth is workers who are 50 or older who have lost their jobs are finding it more difficult to find employment but the reality is that those workers are winning new jobs at the same length of time as their young less experienced counterparts.  Mature workers are viewed as being work-tested and experienced. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics reported “employment among mature workers grew by 3.7 percent from July 2007 to July 2008 while the workers ages 20 to 44 declined by an average of 1.3 percent during the same period.”  Congress has defined the mature worker as 45 or older.  Where does that put you? 

This new information dispels the long standing myth that mature workers have an even more difficult time securing employment in a down economy.  It has been suggested that companies are relying even more heavily on the experienced workers in this down economy placing a premium on knowledge and less on having to payout the increased salary and benefits.  Beyond the technical skills, employers are putting a premium on the soft skills, work ethic and business acumen that most mature workers have developed.

More good news is that the BLS data show that the biggest employment gains for the mature worker occurred within management, professional and related occupations. The numbers show that mature workers secured 659,000 new positions over the last 12 months.

The baby boomers age segment has been increasing with the number of Americans 55 or older by 2.7% over that last 12 months.  This compared to those under 45 whose employment growth is at 3.7%.  A Challenger quarterly survey reported, “The median length of job search for the mature worker 50 or older was about 4.2 months, compared to younger job seekers at 3.6 months.”  Only two week’s differential. 

The demand for older workers is particularly high in sectors that continue to experience growth despite the current economic conditions.  Most companies are reviewing the next few quarters and identifying their labor shortfalls.  Companies are looking to delay the exodus of retirees from their ranks.  Mature workers are having an increased concern on their ability to retire in the short term.  The AARP and other groups are reported in recent surveys that about 20% of retirees are delaying retirement due to the economic downturn. 

Even with the downturn some close to retirement are looking forward to new careers or start their own consulting firms.  The Economic Policy Institute reports that 43 percent of workers switch jobs after age 50 and 27 percent change occupations.  Mature workers are looking to their next career to be meaningful and impact the community or society.  The mature workers are most welcome in the healthcare, teaching, consulting or small business sectors. 

 

The good news is opportunities for the mature worker are widening as has not been the case in the past.  If you are in career transition you have more career choices than ever before; it is now up to you to expand your vision of desire.

 

This was written by Liane H. Gould, Manager of Career Services for ACS Careers, former employee with the AARP Foundation working on mature worker issues and a certified Life/Career Coach. 

 

 

 

 

The Finer Art of Salary Negotiation in a Downturn Economy

 

For the month of September the national unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.1 percent but was up from 4.7 percent a year earlier.  Raises are expected to remain stagnant with the economy showing no signs of a rebound.  Overall the outlook looks bleak and you are thinking it is probably not the best time to ask for a salary increase.  You may want to reconsider.

Pay raises may be harder to come by in the current business environment but if you prove that you are an indispensible part of an organization’s ability to survive the downturn and can help the organization to thrive during the next expansion you may have nothing to lose by asking.

The average pay raises were at about 3.8 percent in 2008 where in 2007 the average salary increase was 3.7 cited by the latest survey data by global consulting firm Mercer LLC. This is expected to remain the same in 2009.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics cited consumer prices have climbed 5.5 percent from July 2007 to July 2008. This is the fastest spike since May 1991.  Bottom line is salaries for American workers are not keeping pace with inflation.

Workers looking for an above average pay increase will have to prove their worth as many organizations targeting higher compensations for their top performers.  According to Mercer, high performer employees or about 14% of the workforce can expect to see about 5.6 percent pay increase.  Another 08 survey by Hewitt Associates shows top performer salaries grew by 10.8 % and may increase by another 10.6% in 09.

 

 

If you feel you deserve an increased you will have to justify.  The justification for increase should be based solely on your performance with established goals, cost saving strategies or new business development.  You will need to show that you have been an asset to the organization with numbers and specific examples.  Be prepared to answer questions and make a solid case. 

 

Some companies may not be able to provide a salary increase but you maybe able to negotiate on other benefits or put yourself in a good position for the future.  Be creative and always keep a good attitude.  Attitude can go a long way and companies appreciate strong team players.  

 

 

Here are a few steps to get you through the process: 

 

- Research your company to find out how well they are positioned in comparison to their competitors.  If your company is doing well use it to request a pay increase.  If not, with the company struggling, showing you understand can help eliminate resistance from your boss in response to your request.  But this can help set you up for future pay increases.

- Arm yourself with facts that support your request for a pay increase. Make a list of your achievements with any backup documentation from vendors, co-workers, management, etc.

- Research your salary within the organization and find out what other professionals in your field and/or location.  This will give you a starting point to bargain.  If you are below then can give you have a bargaining chip to use as a starting point.  If you are on target then position your value as an employee.

 

Whatever the outcome listen to your boss and show management that you are a top performer.  This could help propel you to new heights in the organization.  Remember, you are your best advocate so time to toot your own Horn.  No one else will care or take the time/energy as much as you will.

 

 

This article was written by Liane H. Gould, Manager of Career Services of the ACS Department of Career Management and Development.

Pharmaceutical Industry Outlook — International Employment Opportunities

ACS Industry Forum Teleconference with Dr. Carolyn Ribes from Dow Chemical in The Netherlands.

Today I listened in on a teleconference, where the featured speaker was Dr. Carolyn Ribes, Technical Leader, Core Research and Development, Dow Benelux BV. Carolyn is from the United States, but has worked in Argentina for a year, and is currently in her third year working in the Netherlands. The tile of her talk was “Working Seemlessly Across Borders”, and much of what she said applies to people who work across cultures, as well as those who want to work across the border. Below are some of the most important ideas I took away from the session.

Some general advice for professional career development:

1. Be adaptable and flexible
2. In industry, everyone must be a team player
3. Continuously learn
4. Must be well-networked both within the company and outside the company
5. Use information management tools

Communication is more than just speaking a common language – though that’s important! It includes many other features, most of which run along a continuum. You need to figure out where you are, and where the other person is, in order to communicate effectively and avoid insulting or offending the other person. For example:

1. how direct people are, being blunt vs. softening the edges
2. importance of saving face, accepting criticism
3. task or people oriented – get down to work or get to know each other
4. context sensitive information – how important is the surrounding information

Cultural Awareness means understanding the background and expectations of other people, and acting in a way that they expect. The golden rule is no longer “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, but ““Treat others the way they want to be treated”. A subtle, but real, distinction. Some characteristics you may want to think about when getting to know other people are:

1. what is other person’s culture, and what do they expect
2. importance of individual vs. part of a group
3. time is finite – work stepwise until reach goal, or work on multiple things until they’re done
4. share power – flat or hierarchical
5. take on or avoid risk
6. level of control they feel they have over their own lives

Do you thrive on diversity? Do you want to learn the language and culture of another country? If you decide you want to immerse yourself in another culture by moving to anther country for an extended period of time, start looking for those opportunities. Let your leadership know hat you area available for relocation, and get the skills and training necessary so you are ready to take on an opportunity when it arises.

Before accepting an overseas assignment, carefully it carefully. Will you enjoy the time spent in that position/country? Is this a step up for your career, or will it perhaps allow you to move up in the future?

Once you make the decision to go, there are a host of logistical issues to take care of:

1. visas and permission to work there
2. finances and taxes – in both countries, must keep good records
3. personal aspects – partner’s employment, children’s schooling,
4. cost of living, but money is not always the most important factor
5. getting an international driver’s license
6. Learn how to remain visible to colleagues back in US headquarters

For dual career couples, the odds of both finding jobs in the same place can be vanishingly small. They increase if both work for the same company, since the company will know you want to move together. For couples who don’t work at the same company, the best thing can be for one person to accept a position, then the partner find a job after the relocation has taken place. The partner will have more restricted degrees of freedom, but can do a more intensive search since they will already be in the new location. VISA issues can sometimes be expedited once you are in the new country as well.Working overseas can truly be the experience of a lifetime, if you let it. Even after returning to your home country, you will be looking at things through a new lens. Your old life may look very different to you than it did before you left.

She recommended the Peace Corp Cultural Training for further study in how to fit into a new culture.

For details of future talks in this series, or to download her slides, see the ACS Careers Blog.

Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. Scientific Communication Services since 1992, Balbes Consultants http://www.balbes.com/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabalbes -

Author of:  “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists,” published by Oxford University Press (2006)

Join us for the next ACS Careers Industry Forum:
Title: An Alternate Career Path: Starting and Running Your Own Chemical Company
Speaker: Dr. Michael Strem
President, Strem Chemicals, Inc.

Hear the experience of a successful industrial chemist who founded his own company immediately upon receiving his Ph.D. in chemistry.  Scheduled for 2 – 3 p.m. ET on November 13, 2008, the teleconference will feature Michael Strem, Ph.D., President of Strem Chemicals, Inc.  As an industrial chemist, Dr. Strem will speak on his experiences and lessons learned as the founder of a small chemical company that has grown since its founding in the 1960’s. There will be a 30-minute discussion with Dr. Strem followed by a 25-minute Q & A session.

Don’t miss out, register in advance.  For additional information about upcoming speakers, click on the ACS Careers Industry Forum tab located at the top of the ACS Careers Blog.

Patience Comes with Time

There is no quick and easy way to learn patience. Although the theory behind it can be illustrated and its benefits proven, people are not likely to adopt the concept until they are ready—until it is time.

“The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.”
Arnold H Glasgow

When I was a kid, I was always on my way to somewhere. I couldn’t tell you why that way, or the importance of getting there in an instant. However, I knew that I was missing something by not being on my way. It was important to me to find out all those things that others knew, and to see all of the new and exciting things in the world before they faded away.

I have to admit, I am still a little bit like the kid I once was. Now, I am bigger and taller, slower and more gray, but I still have an urge to rush to the front of the line. This propensity, however, seldom works in my favor. Early adopters of technology pay higher prices and suffer through more retrofits and patches than those coming behind.

In negotiations, the first person to loose their cool or to state a price will loose, because in doing so, they have furnished their opponent with a leverage point. In a salary negotiation, you should never state what you would take as your minimum salary, because that is the salary that you are most likely to receive.

In negotiations with vendors, many of you will have had at least one experience with customer service that is more laughable than affable. Where in every iteration of your request for service, you are baited calling your practices into question. Such cases require that you document their responses, perform a gap analysis, demonstrate why a complete fix is necessary, and stipulate why they are legally bound to complete the work. This process is tedious, but it generally results in a superior system.

My experiences with dealing with poor customer service have taught me many things about the people involved both on my side and on the other side. Those times where we were patient and persistent with well conceived processes for change were the times that we won. The times when we lost our cool reacting to our opponents taunts were the times that we lost. For every feature missing from our system or project, I can trace back to an impulsive and impetuous response. In being reactive, we lost our position of authority and in most cases our legitimacy.

People who are reactive are dismissed as irrational. They are not seen as agents for change and are seldom judged as being capable of making a difference. In fact, they are usually seen as damaged in some way — ostracized from their own group and ignored by their opponents.

Patience is one of the most valuable assets that a person can have. This is as true in life as it is in work. Those who lack patience often pay a penance, and those that have it reap the benefits. I am still working on my patience, but admittedly, the process is taking forever. I just hope that the time I’ve got left is greater than or equal to the time required to complete my journey.

“It is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.”
Elizabeth Taylor

Got to go.

This article was written by David E. Harwell, Ph.D.,Assistant Director for Career Management and Development at the American Chemical Society.

Global Talent Wars

It is perceived that globally there is a skills shortage which is driving countries to ease immigration laws with the hopes of attracting highly skilled workers.  What does this mean for you?  It means increased employment opportunities globally for chemists and chemical engineers whose skills are in high demand. 

Traditionally, the US has been the global leader in attracting and retaining skilled workers.  Work visas have increased in the US but the supply of non-domestic talent is diminishing.  Students from around the world have traditionally come to US to study and have stayed here to work.  Recent tuition applications show that from 2001 to 2003, applications from foreign students to American universities dropped by 26% while they increased in the United Kingdom (36%), France (30%), and Australia (13%).

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that over the past five years, the U.S. attracted an average of 73,000 skilled immigrants annually, down from about 107,000.  The US has traditionally attracted 55% of qualified immigrants while Europe attracted only 5%.  The European Union is looking to change those numbers by approving a single work visa.  The Blue Card along with a global advertising campaign will be launched to attract highly skilled workers.  The card will allow skilled foreign workers to work and live in the EU’s 27 member states.  In addition, families can move with them after a 90-day application period as part of a programme designed to meet an estimated short-fall of 20 million skilled and non-skilled workers by 2030.

Other Countries are beginning to ease immigration laws with the goal of attracting high skilled labor.  The Australian government has recently announced its intention to increase immigration by approximately 60% in the next two years.   The emphasis is on skilled immigrants.  New Zealand, recently opened their immigration policies, followed by Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong.  The goals of all these programs are the same: to attract skilled talent and divert some of the talent that flows to the United States.

The supply of talent is simply not adequate to keep up with demand, here in the US or elsewhere. The U.S. produces the highest number of engineers per million residents of any country in the world, but that’s only about 15,000 chemists and chemical engineers with bachelors’ degrees every year.  Those that hold Master or Doctorate degrees with the right combination of skills and work experience may want to look to jobs beyond the US.  With overseas employment restrictions loosening this can give you the opportunity to expand your work experience. 

If you are considering working overseas you should join us for the ACS Careers Industry Forum teleconference on October 9^th from 2 to 3 pm EDT.  This series will continue with next month’s presentation by Dr. Carolyn Ribes from Dow Chemical in The Netherlands.  Dr. Ribes will speak on the international work environment and the lessons learned from the perspective of a US industrial chemist.  You should not miss this valuable opportunity to hear from a US chemist working for the world’s second largest chemical company (#1 in the US) on October 9^th at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.  For more information, please see our website and sign up now to participate.

 

 

This article was written by Liane H. Gould, Manager of Career Services for ACS Department of Career Management & Development.. 

 

 

 

 

Being “The Best” Isn’t Always The Best Recipe for Success

Albert Einstein. Pablo Picasso. Willie Mays. Michael Jordon. Viswanathan Anand. Most every Nobel Laureate. These luminaries succeeded in their respective fields by being the best at something.

 

But as I keep telling my 13-year-old, being the best is not necessarily the best path to success.

 

I wouldn’t say that I’ve ever been the best at anything, but most everyone I know says I’ve had a very successful career at a science writer. Certainly, I’ve managed to thrive in my adopted career despite the ups and downs of the journalism business, even as long-time colleagues – many better writers than I’ll ever be – have been forced to change professions as magazines and newspapers went out of business or dramatically pared their staffs. What’s helped me is that I’m very good at a writing for a wide variety of media and for a variety of audiences.

 

I have a cousin who’s a synthetic organic chemist, and he’s been at one large chemical company over 30 years now. Every time his company announces another reorganization or wave of layoffs, I expect to hear that he’s looking for a job, but he’s never the one to receive a pink slip. Why? He’s not the best synthetic organic chemist in the world, or even in his company, but he’s very good at it, and he’s demonstrated that his knowledge is general enough that he can adapt to any new project thrown his way.

 

My wife, known in her field as the Monoclonal Queen, was certainly one of the best at making monoclonal antibodies to virtually any protein, but that only helped her career to a limited extent. When her small startup merged with a larger biotech company, which was subsequently bought by an even bigger one, her skills were less valued. Eventually, being the best at making monoclonal antibodies was something she could be proud of, but it ended up doing nothing for her career prospects with her new bosses. So much for being the best.

 

I have a friend who was among the best glycobiologists around when we were finishing graduate school. Fat lot of good it did him, because nobody at the time gave a hoot about glycobiology, and for a while it looked as if he was destined to be a career postdoc. What saved his career was that with each postdoc position he took, he became good at another area of biochemistry, and eventually, he was well-rounded enough to secure a faculty position. Of course today, glycobiology is a hot field and my friend’s expertise there serves his well now, but what’s really distinguished his career to far is his emphasis on chemistry and cell biology approaches – things at which he’s good, but not the best – to the field of glycobiology.

 

The lesson here, I think, is not to stop trying to be the best – I would never discourage anyone from that goal. Instead, I advise students that while striving to be the best that they not forget to become very good at more than one thing. If your very good at being a chemist and very good at communicating what you do – or very good at understanding the business or legal side of the research world – you’ll increase your odds of career success.

 

This article was written by Joe Alper, a freelance science writer and technology analyst in Louisville, CO.  

Follow Your Dreams

Where would we be without our dreams?

 

As the father of a 13-year-old, I hear my daughter talk about her dreams of playing goalkeeper on the Olympic soccer team, owning a horse, becoming a biologist, and studying African wildlife. I wonder which of her dreams will come true, which will fall by the wayside, and which will motivate to achieve great things or take her on paths unimaginable today.

 

Regardless, I see her dreams affecting the choices she makes regarding the electives she’s taking (French vs. Spanish, for example, because there’s not much of the latter spoken in Africa) and how she spends her free time (working on her soccer ball juggling instead of reading books 24/7).

 

When I was a boy growing up in suburban Chicago, I dreamed of curing cancer and playing professional baseball. I dreamed of traveling to exotic places and owning a soft-serve ice cream machine.

 

I never became a cancer researcher, or the starting catcher for the White Sox, but pursing my dreams took me to the University of Illinois, where I planned to major in some type of science. There, I took first-year organic chemistry from Douglas Applequist, now an emeritus professor of physical organic chemistry, who opened my eyes to the beauty, logic, and excitement of The Central Science. That led to a new dream, of becoming the first in my family to go to graduate school, which I did at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. A serendipitous discussion during a softball game there led to a new path, one away from bench science to a career as a science writer.

 

Too often, we dismiss our dreams as just that, dreams.Too many of us, burdened by the pressures of school or career, start thinking that “follow your dreams” is advice for children or for someone nearing retirement, not for the rest of us responsible adults. Who has time, after all, to chase after dreams?

 

You do. It just takes careful planning. And action.

 

Do you dream of moving into management but think that your chemistry degree isn’t going to get you there?

 

Do you dream of switching research fields but believe that you’ve been pigeonholed?

 

Do you dream of teaching chemistry at a small liberal arts college but can’t imagine how you’d handle the pay cut?

 

In reality, identifying your dream job is half the battle to achieving it. Next, you’ll have to do your homework. Spend some time every day defining your dream, perhaps while you’re coming home from work or instead of playing a couple of rounds of Minesweeper on your computer.

 

Search the Web for stories of others who have had a similar dream. Read their stories and learn from their experiences. From those tidbits of information, map out a plan to achieve your goal, with milestones you can hit along the way. Develop a budget for your plan. Then, establish a start date for pursuing your plan.

 

And remember, people make their dreams come true all the time. So can you.  Love to hear from you on what your doing to make your dream come true. 

 

This article was written by Joe Alper, a freelance writer in Louisville, CO, who writes frequently for the ACS journal Analytical Chemistry and was the editor of Chemistry Magazine when it succumbed to old age.