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Ryan Terry-Lorenzo, Ph.D.

One Postdoctoral Scholar finds the transition from academia to industry 'quite an odyssey'

Story:
“I figured my job search would be rather easy since I was looking for a research position in drug discovery – only a small shift from what I was already doing in academia.  This viewpoint was bolstered as I landed an interview on the second application I sent out.  However, 9 months, 10 phone interviews, 7 onsite interviews, and 3 offers (all at the last minute) later, I have learned that my transition from academia to industry was quite an odyssey!  I used to joke that I was an expert at looking for a job (not necessarily getting one), but now I realize this was not a joke, and job-seeking is a skill, or rather many individual skills, that have to be learned.  One of these skills I am quite grateful I was forced to learn is networking.  I have embraced the art of networking, and plan to network actively wherever I go, even if I find myself happily employed and in a stable position.  I found that 50% of networking is something I should have been doing all along – bouncing ideas off old friends and colleagues already in industry.  The other 50%, meeting and talking with new people, turned out to be extremely pleasant.  I think life scientists know how tough it is to get a job, so most of us appreciate that we all have to stick together!”

Ryan Terry-Lorenzo
January 2008