David Bomzer DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Cover letters are not technically required when applying for a job, but you should approach them as if they were. A cover letter is the chance to create a one-page marketing brochure aimed at convincing the reader to hire you. It differs from a résumé in that, whereas a ré...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS In November, I told you how to find recruiters. That article talked about ways in which you can meet corporate recruiters. But just as there's more than one way to skin a cat, recruiters definitely look for talent in more than one place. I teach my recruiters to look for talent at sour...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Finding a job is a little like matchmaking. Graduates are looking for recruiters with jobs, and recruiters are looking for the best graduates. But meeting a recruiter is challenging and might take some effort. As with most relationships, however, if you make the effort to learn a bit a...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Writing résumés is difficult for Ph.D. scientists. That's a pretty bold statement, but as the person responsible for talent management at a Fortune 200 company, I have seen that technical candidates often fail to meet the challenge of writing a résumé that accurately represents both th...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Cover letters are not technically required when applying for a job, but you should approach them as if they were. A cover letter is the chance to create a one-page marketing brochure aimed at convincing the reader to hire you. It differs from a résumé in that, whereas a résumé is a lis...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS You will find when you are interviewing that most industrial and scientific companies have formal relocation policies. A 2003 Atlas World Group survey of corporate relocation policies found that 80% of respondents had such policies. When you consider a job offer, this--the relocation p...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Rapid technological changes, globalization, and evolving work processes highlight the need for new and enhanced skills. To be successful you need to anticipate the requirements of future positions. And if you can keep your skills inventory up-to-date you will always be ready to assume ...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Doing an internship or postdoc can significantly influence your job search. While there is no requirement that you do an internship or postdoc for many industry jobs, doing one can prepare you for entering the world of for-profit science. A National Science Foundation study, Science & ...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS There is a "War for Talent" going on at the moment, and many employers are doing whatever it takes to win. Employers are marketing a product--employment with them--to you, the consumer. And they want you to "buy" what they are selling. Competing for limited supplies of talent, includin...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Companies often promote scientists with very strong technical skills into managerial positions. Frequently, these individuals struggle with their new roles. But this is not just an industry issue--academic PIs must often toil to fulfill their new identities as advisers to graduate stud...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Most of us go to college with the idea of working for someone else, usually in academia, industry, or government. But a rather different--and increasingly viable--option is to become a consultant. Today, many financially challenged corporations and universities are not hiring permanent...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Scientists have a head start on many other job searchers because they have been trained in scientific research methods, and looking for a job is much like seeking the solution to a scientific or technical question. It takes planning, background research, experimentation, and data analy...
Tooling Up, David Bomzer DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Surveys indicate that 50% to 75% of people found their last job through networking. You can network several ways, including networking by phone, giving a presentation, or networking face-to-face. This article will focus on three types of face-to-face networking...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Like it or not, science is an increasingly competitive arena. And so too are the hiring practices for recruiting and selecting new scientists for most companies. I know this firsthand, because in my 16 years as a human resources executive, I've been responsible for efficiently and effe...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Prior to World War II, lifelong employment with one company was common. But the "one job, one employer" expectation has all but ended in most occupations. Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts those with a bachelor?s degree or higher can expect to change jobs approximately fiv...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS To land a job in today's corporate world, you'll need more than the technical skills and knowledge you've learned in courses and the lab. Success also requires a fit between your personal style and the company culture. The recent corporate meltdowns have put a spotlight on the importan...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS Surveys indicate that 50% to 75% of people found their last job through networking. You can network several ways, including networking by phone, giving a presentation, or networking face-to-face. This article will focus on three types of face-to-face networking: one to one, one to many...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS According to the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) 2002 Science and Engineering Indicators, the S&E workforce is becoming more diverse over time. More than half of all S&E-degreed workers are 40 years old or older; almost 30% of doctorate holders and 20% of master's degree holders ...
DAVID IS A HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVE IN THE AREAS OF TALENT RETENTION, ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT PREVIOUS COLUMNS According to a National Association of Colleges and Employers 2002 Job Outlook survey, employers identified job fairs as the third most preferred method of college recruiting (after internships and employee referrals). The number of discipline-specific job fairs, both on and off campus...
