If you use your school days
wisely, you'll be able to build a network of professional
contacts that can help launch your career. They
can offer advice about the industry, share stories
about their missteps and triumphs and maybe even
help you land your first job.
These contacts can include
professors, graduate students and career counselors
at your university, alumni who participate in
school affairs and professional chemists you meet
at conferences or during internships.
"Networking is something
that we try to get students to understand very
early on," said Dr. Kelly O. Sullivan of Washington
state's Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, operated by Battelle
for the U.S. Department of Energy. "Your professional
network starts before your career starts."
Networks are most useful when
they have variety. Rather than just getting to
know people at your school, or at an internship,
or at a conference, try to build relationships
with people from different places and backgrounds.
These people may hear of a
job opportunity, or they may be willing to write
a recommendation if you apply for graduate school.
They also may be able to steer you away from mistakes
or help you understand what kind of job might
suit you.
"The more you're networking,
the more buzz you get in terms of what jobs are
out there," said Mary Harty, academic adviser
at the University
of Washington's chemistry department. "What
have other people tried? What worked for them?"
Harty recommends helping a
professor with research or finding an internship.
Both experiences offer opportunities to build
knowledge and contacts.
Internships give you a chance
to meet and observe professional chemists. You
can learn about the company's mission and ask
researchers what projects they're working on.
You can ask whether they like their jobs, how
they ended up at the company, and whether they
have advice or suggestions for you.
After an internship, write
your supervisors periodically to keep them posted
on your life and your academic progress.
"Don't e-mail me, and don't
call me," said Sullivan, who manages Pacific Northwest
Laboratory's university relations and fellowship
programs. "Write me an actual letter."
She said a letter indicates
more thought and personal attention than a hasty
e-mail or call. Sullivan said she's more likely
to share a letter with other employees, perhaps
during a staff meeting. A letter also signifies
less expectation for a reply than an e-mail or
telephone call.
Conferences present another
networking opportunity. Sullivan suggests that
students choose a conference or two that interests
them and attend that conference every year. Students
can use these conferences to develop and maintain
a network of associates. You'll meet other students
who could become future colleagues. You'll also
be able to introduce yourself to researchers and
ask about their work.
Small, regional conferences
may be less overwhelming for beginners than national
ones. "It can be very intimidating, especially
as a student, and the best thing to do is start
as soon as you can," Sullivan said. "Some people
are just rude. You can't take everything personally.
If you're brushed off, just say, `Thank you for
your time,' and move on."
Sullivan also recommends that
students begin presenting their own work as soon
as possible. Conferences often offer poster sessions
where undergraduates can display their work and
respond to questions. Your work may catch somebody's
interest and establish you as a serious and thoughtful
chemist.
But preparing for these presentations
is key. Don't speak too long or ramble because
those mistakes can damage your reputation. If
someone comes up to look at your poster, offer
to explain it. If someone asks a question that
you can't answer, just reply, "That's very interesting.
I hadn't thought about that."
Networking can help students
form an opinion about a particular company. As
you gather information, don't just focus on impressing
recruiters. Try to figure out whether their company
would be a good fit for you.
"Hiring is sort of like dating,"
said Dr. Alvin Lavoie, who directs technical staffing
and oversees campus recruiting at Rohm
and Haas Company. "There are two parties and
both want to get something mutually acceptable
that's good for both of them. You're trying to
get the best match you possibly can."
Lavoie described networking
as "pre-dating." You can build a relationship
with a company and evaluate your interest. "Is
there even an attraction?" he asked.
Networking doesn't stop when
you start work. As chemists advance in their careers,
professional networks become even more important.
Sullivan said that she begins her hiring searches
by asking associates whether they know someone
who might be a good fit.
Rachel Smolkin is a Washington-area
freelance writer. She previously worked as a national
reporter in the Washington, D.C. bureau of the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Toledo Blade and covered
issues such as health care and education. She
also worked at Scripps Howard News Service as
a national education reporter and as the Washington,
D.C. correspondent for The Albuquerque Tribune
in New Mexico and the Birmingham Post-Herald in
Alabama.
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