career advice

LinkedIn for Early Career Scientists: Advice from Promega’s Interns

Posted on by Sara Christenson
Laptop computer displaying logo of LinkedIn, an American business and employment-oriented service that operates via websites and mobile apps

In today’s world of social networking, LinkedIn has emerged as the clear winner for professionals in all industries. With its powerful networking capabilities and innovative career development features, LinkedIn has revolutionized how individuals connect, collaborate and advance their careers.

In this blog you will hear from some of Promega’s interns as they share valuable advice for early career scientists looking to expand their network, establish meaningful connections and propel their career forward.

Meet the Interns

Simone Shen
Position at Promega: Research Scientist Intern
University: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Area of Study: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Academic Year: 4th year PhD student

Rachel Carrier
Position at Promega: Product Marketing Intern, Genomic Solutions
University: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Area of Study: Operations & Technology Management and Life Sciences Communication
Academic Year: Undergraduate Senior

Kendra Hanslik
Position at Promega: Cell Health & Functional Analysis Marketing Intern
University: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Area of Study: Neuroscience
Academic Year: 5th year PhD Student

Jorge Antonio
Position at Promega: Research Scientist Intern, R&D Assay Design
University: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Area of Study: Reproductive Physiology
Academic Year: PhD Candidate

How do you see other Scientists/Professionals using LinkedIn?

Simone: “LinkedIn is kind of like professional Facebook for scientists. As an example, instead of posting pictures about their beloved pets or reposting funny viral videos, people are posting pictures of themselves in front of their poster at a scientific conference or reposting career or professional development opportunities on LinkedIn.”

Rachel: “I see my network of emerging young professionals using LinkedIn to showcase their accomplishments, spread ideas and voice opinions. It’s a great platform to stay connected with people and see what they’re up to in their career development journey. I’ve loved staying up to date on my peers’ accomplishments and goals, while also learning about other fields outside my typical interests through the content they share.

Many industry leaders I follow post about new developments in the science and technology field, process improvements, and product launches, which helps to keep my knowledge current and well-rounded outside of academia and the news. Those who are more established in their career sometimes take on a role of spreading helpful tips and industry knowledge which helps inspire and inform those earlier in their career.”

Kendra: “Scientists and other professionals use LinkedIn in a variety of ways. It is a great place to keep in touch with previous colleagues and to follow their career progress. After all, you never know when you will need to recruit for a position or be interested in getting your foot in the door with a company they’re working for down the road. LinkedIn also provides a space for you to share your scientific research and to elaborate on your professional experience, which is helpful for employers who may not be asking for a CV and want to know more. I have seen scientists share job postings on LinkedIn too, so it is a place to consider for job searching.”

Jorge: “Networking is everything, and LinkedIn is a platform that helps individuals connect with colleagues, researchers, industry professionals and potential collaborators. I think it is a very easy way to connect with colleagues and explore potential collaborations. The platform also offers some interesting discussions in science specialized fields.”

Why Should an Early Career Scientist use LinkedIn?

Simone: “We often hear people say that it is important to “network,” but for early career scientists, where can we even start? LinkedIn can be a great place to start. [LinkedIn] can be especially beneficial for early career scientists to start building their network since it can be a lot less daunting to shoot someone a message on LinkedIn versus knocking on someone’s office door. Besides that, LinkedIn is also an easy way to search for job openings and professional development opportunities.”

Rachel: “It’s a great platform for staying engaged in career development outside of your organization and forming meaningful connections. I’ve found that by building and staying connected with my LinkedIn network, I’m able to develop meaningful relationships that help guide me in the direction I want to go in my career. From developing mentor/mentee relationships with people whose work I’m inspired by to staying connected with past employers, LinkedIn is an extremely useful tool for anyone early in their career looking to explore and learn.

LinkedIn also has a learning platform where you can take short courses and earn certificates from industry leaders in a variety of disciplines. This is another great benefit if you’re looking to dip your toe in the water of other skills outside of your field or strengthen ones you already have.”

Kendra: “As a budding scientist, it is crucial to make connections as these may turn into collaborations later in your career or provide you with a professional development opportunity in the future. With science becoming increasingly collaborative, LinkedIn is necessary for expanding your professional network and broadening your future career opportunities.”

Jorge: “LinkedIn is free and easy to use. Academic institutions, research centers, and other companies use LinkedIn to advertise job openings and recruit talent. Scientists can explore career opportunities, receive notifications about relevant positions, and showcase their skills and expertise to attract potential employers. Scientists can also follow trends in their field of interest.”

How are you using LinkedIn to build your network and/or showcase your scientific work? 

Simone: “When I go to conferences, I would include a QR code for my LinkedIn profile on my poster, so if people who stop by my poster are interested in my work, they could connect with me. LinkedIn is a great way to stay in contact with people. You never know when one of your connections could help you land an interview for a position at a company.”

Rachel: “I’ve stayed diligent connecting with those I meet throughout my academic and interning journey over the years as a way to build my network for gaining advice, mentorships, and keeping up to date on what companies are up to.”

Kendra: “I primarily use LinkedIn to connect with professionals I may want to contact in the future. I add connections that I meet around campus and at professional development events. To me, LinkedIn is kind of like a phone book. They are contacts you can come back to when you may be looking for a new position or a career change. As a graduate student, I found it helpful for setting up informational interviews to get a better grasp of what I want to pursue post-graduation.”

Jorge: “LinkedIn helps me to stay connected to individuals who live far away or whom I haven’t seen in a while. Posting about my research is a way I can show my academic progress and leadership skills.”

What advice would you give to an early career scientist trying to build their network and/or showcase their scientific work on LinkedIn?

Simone: “I would recommend keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date and don’t be afraid to send people an invitation to connect. Additionally, following companies’ LinkedIn pages can be another way to stay informed on potential career opportunities.”

Rachel: “I would advise early career professionals to take advantage of all the features LinkedIn has to offer. It’s easy to fire off a connection to someone and forget about it a few hours later, but starting a conversation and engaging with the people you connect with can help foster a much more meaningful connection. Especially for those of us who are very early in their career development, many people are eager to give advice or share their experiences.”

Kendra: “Building a network can be scary, especially for those who tend to be introverted. You tend to get into your head about the entire interaction. Well, the truth is that we’re all humans looking to connect and people really like to share their story. So, ask questions and listen, just be a normal human who cares and is curious to learn from others. Never hesitate to ask someone to grab a coffee so you can learn about their career path. The best advice to remember is that “the worst they can say is no.” You take yourself out of the equation immediately if you don’t ask.”

Jorge: “Be proactive and serious about professional connections on LinkedIn. Ask for connections with colleagues and mentors. Reach out to colleagues, classmates, professors and mentors from your academic and research circles.

LinkedIn is a great place to show your values and career goals. Make your LinkedIn profile honest, not perfect. Showcase your educational background, research experience, skills and achievements. Include keywords related to your field of expertise, but don’t forget to update these if your career changes direction.”

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of creating a profile and building your network, take this final piece of advice from Kendra: “Take baby steps and don’t overthink it. If you are just starting to focus on building your LinkedIn profile, choose a goal then break it down into smaller tasks that you can conquer over time.” 

Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to an impressive profile, meaningful connections, and countless new opportunities.

Leveraging LinkedIn: A Guide for Early Career Scientists

Posted on by Sara Christenson
female holding iPhone with LinkedIn screen. LinkedIn helps build portfolio and look for a new job

As an early career scientist, you may have already realized that the key to a successful career is not just an impressive resume or CV, but a strong professional network. In today’s interconnected digital age, there is no better platform to build this network than LinkedIn. With more than 930 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for connecting with professionals in your industry, exploring job opportunities, and building your personal brand. 

In this blog, I’ll cover everything you need to know to establish a strong presence on LinkedIn and achieve your professional goals.

Creating a Strong Profile

Your profile can either make or break your success on LinkedIn. A well-crafted profile has the potential to create lasting impressions and open doors to new career and networking opportunities. Below are a few tips to help you create a profile that is sure to impress potential connections and employers:

Continue reading “Leveraging LinkedIn: A Guide for Early Career Scientists”

From Forensic Analysis to Taco Thursday: My Experience as a Promega Intern

Posted on by Promega

Today’s blog is written by guest blogger, Kali Denis, an intern in our scientific applications group. You’ll find her bio at the end of the article.

A few months ago, I stood in front of my freezer at home, holding a bag with a tube full of gum that I chewed. The freezer was overflowing, as we had just done our weekly grocery shopping, so I ended up stuffing the bag next to some frozen fish sticks. I wondered how long it would take for one of my roommates to question just exactly what this gross-looking bag was doing in our freezer. I doubt they would have ever guessed that it was for a project at my internship!

Continue reading “From Forensic Analysis to Taco Thursday: My Experience as a Promega Intern”

Tales from the Trenches: Career Growth in Biotechnology

Posted on by Darcia Schweitzer

Building a successful career in the biotechnology industry is really just a series of transitions from one role to another. But the devil is in the details—when to make a change, how to create opportunities and who can be your champion as you pivot. So how do you navigate these factors to keep your career goals on course?

Bob Weiland answers a question posed by Michele Smith at the MS Biotech Alumni Symposium.

I recently attended a symposium (presented by the University of Wisconsin Master of Science in Biotechnology Program, of which I’m an alum) that addressed this topic through the lens of one individual with a storied career in the industry. Bob Weiland currently serves on the Board of Directors for CymaBay Therapeutics. He has held various roles, from sales and marketing to operations and strategy, within large, established companies (Abbot, Baxter, Takeda) and smaller ones (Pacira Pharmacueticals). He drew on this wide-ranging experience to provide advice to professionals at all career stages.

Bob began the talk by declaring that there will be points in your career when you reach a “hard spot” and will need to transition, whether to a new role, company or even industry, to meet your career goals. He suggested a good starting point is simply to be thinking about making a change. But in the same breath he emphasized, “What are you doing about it?” He identified four distinct actions that you can take to ensure role changes and career transitions support your professional growth and development.

Continue reading “Tales from the Trenches: Career Growth in Biotechnology”

In the Face of Failure, Create Your Own Path

Posted on by Darcia Schweitzer

Do you ever wonder whether you’re on the “right” career path? If you’re in academia, the trajectory you should follow can seem pretty rigid—undergrad degree, PhD, postdoc, PI, and then the elusive tenure. Have you considered that there isn’t a single “correct” path?

The hosts of HelloPhD, Josh Hall and Dan Arneman, interview Promega Science Writer Julia Nepper for their podcast.

That’s the message one of Promega’s Science Writers, Julia Nepper PhD, emphasized when she was interviewed recently on the HelloPhD podcast. The HelloPhD podcast offers advice to help students, postdocs, faculty and scientists navigate the hard questions they face every day related to graduate school and careers in science.

In Episode 121: A Teenager Goes to Grad School, Julia offered her insight on dealing with failure and finding a scientific career path that’s right for you. She also shared her unusual story of starting grad school at age 17 and some of the unique experiences she had along the way that led her to choose a career in scientific communications.

To listen to this podcast and learn more about HelloPhD, click here.

Related Posts

Building a Career in Science: Academia or Industry?

Posted on by Darcia Schweitzer

If you’re a student in a research lab, discussing career options with your PI can be a tricky topic to navigate. Whether real or perceived, many students feel they cannot bring up the subject of a career in industry with their PI because they will lose credibility as a serious researcher. In labs where thinking about careers outside of academia is taboo, students can’t get all the information they need to decide what career path is right for them.

This dilemma became very clear a few weeks ago when I served as a panelist for a career workshop about jobs in industry at the iGEM 2018 Giant Jamboree. The workshop participants were extremely engaged, and we fielded questions well after the official end time. Since I know there are other students who could benefit from information about science-related careers in industry, I’ve compiled some of the questions and answers from the workshop. Continue reading “Building a Career in Science: Academia or Industry?”

Interview Day Checklist

Posted on by Becca McKnight

Ribbon to rememberI’m a list person. You may know people like me—we are the ones who start compiling a list of items to pack for vacation a month in advance; we wouldn’t be caught in a grocery store without a carefully curated grocery list (often organized by department), and we have been known to write down previously completed items on our to-do list just to experience the satisfaction of crossing them off. The internet is full of lists and I love comparing other people’s checklists against my own to make sure I have what I need.

Some call my list-making zeal a curse, some call it a gift. Whatever you call it, I’d like to share with you my suggestions of items to bring to your next onsite interview (in list form, of course). Whether you are as passionate about lists as I am or not, I think it can help. Packing for an onsite interview in advance can help you feel calm, confident and prepared; which is exactly what an interviewer wants to see. When getting ready for an interview, be sure to pack: Continue reading “Interview Day Checklist”

14 Things to Give Your Career a Boost in 2014

Posted on by Becca McKnight

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Want to continue improving your performance at work? Want to make your boss and co-workers truly appreciate you?  Lucky for you, tis the season for resolutions and I have some ideas for you.  Check out the list below for some easy ideas that can make you and your boss happier in 2014. Do you have more ideas about how to rev your career engine? Share them with us in the comments!

  1. Ask for feedback often. And not just during the company’s formal review period.
  2. Actively build your network on LinkedIn.
  3. Bring a positive attitude to work.
  4. Build a cross-functional network of people within your organization who can help you get things done.
  5. Find and follow some good blogs related to your field. By reading this blog you already have a head-start. Good for you!
  6. Update your resume, even if you aren’t looking. It’s good to have a running list of your accomplishments.
  7. Tell your manager about your career goals.
  8. Be punctual. It’s a small thing, but arriving on time for work and meetings shows respect.
  9. Identify and take on a project to improve your team.
  10. Make friends. People are happier and better employees when they have friends at work.
  11. Organize your life. Check out Getting Things Done by David Allen, and then actually implement the solutions.
  12. Learn to be a cheerleader for your co-workers. This will help create a supportive community.
  13. Take a vacation. You’ll be happier and more productive when you return.
  14. Update your facebook account so it is private to anyone except for your friends (your potential future boss does not need to see your selfies).

Advice to Young Scientists: Obey the Passion

Posted on by Kelly Grooms

Do you remember what it was that first inspired in you your life’s passion for science? Was it collecting bugs, frogs or other creatures as a child? Or maybe that first chemistry set—the one that had your mother hovering behind you with a fire extinguisher. Perhaps it was a parent or teacher that first sparked something in you that never dimmed. Whatever, or whoever, it was that first kindled your interest in science, no doubt there have been times when you wished that someone would offer you some advice on how to navigate through the modern, rapidly changing world of science.

Written letterOn this past Saturday, I took a trip to my local library on a quest to get just exactly that. To be specific, I was going to check out a copy of Edward O. Wilson’s Letters to a Young Scientist (1). Although I haven’t had time to read more that the first chapter, the advice that he offers at the end of that chapter struck me as good advice to any young (or not so young) person:

It is quite simple: put passion ahead of training. Feel out in any way you can what you most want to do in science, or technology, or some other science-related profession. Obey that passion as long as it lasts. Continue reading “Advice to Young Scientists: Obey the Passion”

The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching

Posted on by Becca McKnight

Part 1: Resumes

As a recruiter I’ve seen a lot of, ahem, interesting job search and interview techniques—everything from wearing  a tuxedo print T-shirt to the interview to misspelled names on resumes. Mistakes happen and small mistakes will most likely not cost you your dream job. I’d like to help you eliminate those mistakes. This is the 1st post of a 4-part series on interviewing and job searching. The suggestions below come from many different recruiters who have seen it all.

Creating a resume is typically the first step in a job search.  You want a resume that catches manager’s eye, highlights your skills,  and convinces recruiters of your superhuman powers (or at least your ability to excel at the job)—in short, you want a Resume Masterpiece. Like all masterpieces, it’s going to take some work. While I can’t do the work for you, I can provide a roadmap to help you avoid the common pitfalls.  Previous blog posts have provided some valuable resume suggestions: see the related posts below.  Despite the information out there, people are still confused about how to create a stellar resume. Hopefully the list below will help clear up that confusion. Read on for things to avoid so that you can create your very own Resume Masterpiece.

Continue reading “The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching”