It goes without saying that expertise and execution are essential for the success of any new startup. But these represent only part of the equation. One cannot underestimate the importance of personal attributes to the success or failure of a founding team. Vision, drive & personality are at the core of any good team.

Vision and the ability to clearly communicate one's vision are of the upmost importance. What does the company want and need to be? What does success look like? You can't fill in the details without the big picture. You are selling your vision, so you better be able to communicate it effectively.

Drive is that elusive force which picks you up when you have been knocked-down and pushes you to succeed where others have failed. It is the greatest enemy of adversity, and there is plenty of that to go around in any startup.

Personality is comprised of a many qualities including self-awareness, interpersonal skills and flexibility. Strong self-awareness helps you surround yourself with co-founders and early team members that compliment your strengths and support your weaknesses. This is very attractive to investors. Strong interpersonal skills allow you to create positive environments with open communication, teamwork, and a strong culture. This is attractive to employees. Flexibility, allows founders to react quickly and effectively as their business or market needs change. This quality is especially important as companies evolve through various stages which may lead to management realignments or reorganizations for the betterment of the company. This is very attractive to investors, employees, and customers.

Obviously there are many things to consider in any startup, but the above core attributes will help maximize the probability of success. To learn more, join The Capital Network for the Life Science Venture Fast Track on Feb 12th 2013: http://www.thecapitalnetwork.org/programs/life-science-venture-fast-track/ where various topics to create a successful company, including Building the Team, will be discussed.

By Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers

Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers wrote this blog for Bio Careers as part of her monthly contributions. To learn more about Lauren's Blogs for Bio Careers, see link: http://biocareers.com/blog/lauren-celano

How do you define your ideal role? What factors in the role or company are most important to you? Which ones are a must have vs. a nice to have? Answers to these questions will help you sort through the thousands of jobs available to uncover a handful that are a match for your interest, background and expertise.

The variety of job openings at any one time can make starting your search overwhelming. To manage this, create a checklist of preferred criteria in a role as soon as your search begins. This will help you maintain focus. Things to consider may include: the preferred responsibilities in a role, preferred title, level, reporting structure, salary, culture, management style, location, and group/team size, among others. Think carefully about what you do not want in a role as well as what you are ambivalent about. Also consider whether you want growth potential in the role, travel opportunities, management responsibility, a flexible work schedule, or benefits such as tuition assistance, a lot of vacation, or a good work/life balance. Answers to these questions matter and can dramatically impact your search.

Your list may include preferred and non-preferred responsibilities, and considerations such as, is the role customer/people facing or internally focused, is it hands on or does it only involve assessing the work of others, , is it very quantitative or qualitative, is it team based or individualized, and it is administrative, operational, or strategically focused? Does the role involve managing people, projects, budgets, or collaborations? Does it require travel or working late hours when deadlines need to be met? Is the role clearly defined or a little more fluid? Either can be fine, it is more important to know which you prefer.

To create the checklist, use a spreadsheet such as excel to organize your questions and preferences. This checklist may start small, but will grow over time as you become more and more aware of that which is truly important to you. As you read a job description, compare it to the checklist. If the job description meets what you are looking for, then apply. Otherwise, don't. Remember, every second you spend applying to roles that are not a fit for you, is time you take away from your search.

This checklist can also be used to evaluate companies that you may be interested in working for. As you identify these companies, network and try to do an informational interview with someone in the company or close to the company to determine if the culture, management style, structure, and growth potential are in line with your interests. If so, add this company to your target company list. Then when a role arises there that is a fit for you, you are ready to apply.

Throughout the job search process, your goal is to efficiently sort through the thousands of jobs listed to identify the handful which are a true match for your background and expertise. The job search checklist is a valuable tool that can teach you a lot about yourself, and help keep your search focused, and efficient. Remember time is one of the most valuable assets we all have.

Lauren wrote this for BostInno – see link to article: http://bostinno.com/channels/the-life-sciences-industry-needs-more-than-just-scientists/

To build successful companies, the life sciences industry needs more than just biologists, chemists, and other scientific types. The industry needs lawyers, accountants, finance, human resources, operations (especially Six Sigma-trained), facilities, information technology, supply chain, manufacturing, marketing, and sales people. Science alone does not build a company, people do.

Certainly, when companies are formed, science is the core focus. Therefore many of the first hires are people with strong scientific backgrounds. As the companies grow, the "non-scientific" functional areas become extremely important and growth in these areas often outpaces the scientific hires. This creates tremendous opportunity for individuals to apply their skills and join very exciting innovative organizations.

While therapeutic companies may take years to develop their compounds; diagnostics, medical device and especially healthcare IT firms have shorter timelines to develop and launch their products. Some of these businesses look and feel more like high-growth software companies than cost-heavy mammoth organizations, and therefore individuals who have experience in the online and IT sectors may find the life sciences very attractive. Many individuals with consumer goods and financial services backgrounds also find homes in the life sciences industry as they look to apply their transferable skills.

For those of you who have experience in sectors outside of the life sciences industry, I hope that you will consider applying your skills to this industry. Not only will you be able to utilize your financial modeling, cost accounting, public relations, or corporate law, among other skills, you will be able to make a real difference in alleviating human suffering from disease. This last point alone is one of the strongest reasons why people join this industry. You will contribute to building successful companies, you will grow professionally and personally, and you will strengthen the industry.

Numerous career opportunities abound in the life sciences industry. The career paths are plentiful and passion is everywhere. No matter the role, in a life sciences company everyone contributes to making a difference in the lives of patients.

Lauren wrote this article for MassBio's Blog - http://massbiohq.org/2012/11/20/top-10-tips-for-job-seekers-part-2-guest-post-by-lauren-celano-of-propel-careers/

This is continued from part 1: http://massbiohq.org/2012/11/13/top-10-tips-for-job-seekers-part-1-guest-post-by-lauren-celano-of-propel-careers/

Top Tips for Job Seekers #6-10

Separating yourself from the pack of job seekers is critical so that employers can determine whether you are the right fit for a particular role they want to fill. While the job search process can be daunting and overwhelming, below are a few tips to accelerate your search and increase the chances of landing the right job for you.

6. Develop an elevator pitch

Everyone should have an elevator pitch. For the job hunter, this is even more important. You need to be able to clearly and efficiently articulate what you are looking for. Without this, it is difficult for individuals to make introductions or referrals since they won't feel confident that you know what you want to do.

7. Network. Network. Network.

Many jobs come through networking and personal connections. In Boston, there are hundreds of networking events every month from intimate gatherings of 10-20 people to larger events with several hundred. Get out there and start making your search personal.

8. Practice Interviewing

Make sure you can nail interview questions to make a strong positive impression. Practice short stories for typical interview questions/prompts such as: Why do you want to work for us? Tell me about your background. What are the key strengths that you bring to our company? Describe a time when you were proactive to obtain the resources needed to complete a task. How do you get up to speed when learning new things? How do you prioritize tasks? What management style do you prefer? Tell me about your teamwork skills. What are your weaknesses? What are your career plans for the next 5-10 years and how can this role get you to where you want to be?

Have questions to ask the interviewer. Nothing halts an interview process faster than having nothing to ask the interviewer when they ask if you have questions. If you are serious about the company and role, you should have questions.

Prepare a list such as: What are the most critical tasks for the first 90 days after I am hired? Can you elaborate more on the major research techniques used in the lab? What is the culture of the company? What is my future boss's management style? What growth opportunities exist in this role? What type of people thrive here? What is a typical week like?

9. Set goals

Every job search is difficult and takes time. Staying confident, focused, motivated, and excited throughout the process is a challenge, so set goals. For example add 10 news companies a week to your target list. Identify 4 people a week for informational interviews to learn about their company or role. Attend two networking events a month. These types of goals will help you stay focused and on track. You may also find you even enjoy the activities.

10. Be positive

Lastly, be positive. Don't take rejection from the job search personally. Remember, you are looking for a good fit, just as the company is looking for a good fit.

Good luck!

Lauren wrote this article for MassBio's Blog - http://massbiohq.org/2012/11/13/top-10-tips-for-job-seekers-part-1-guest-post-by-lauren-celano-of-propel-careers/

Top 10 Tips for Job Seekers Part 1: Top Tips #1-5 By Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers

Separating yourself from the pack of job seekers is critical so that employers can determine whether you are the right fit for a particular role they want to fill. While the job search process can be daunting and overwhelming, below are a few tips to accelerate your search and increase the chances of landing the right job for you.

1.Become self-aware

I often recommend that job seekers read "What Color is your Parachute?" by Richard Bolles, to help identify their true passions and "transferrable skills". This helps narrow down which career paths might be a good fit. It also enables you to clearly articulate what you bring to a company and why you should be hired. I also recommend "How Will You Measure Your Life?" by Clayton M. Christensen, which can also help you find your passion, meaning, and what impact you want to make with your life. The more you know about what you want, the quicker you can go after it and be on your path to success.

2. Do informational interviewing

If you don't know what you want to do, i.e. project management, product management, consulting, or research, then identify people in roles that interest you and engage them in an informational interview. Talking with people who are living and breathing your "potential new role" will help you clarify which roles are the best fits for you.

Ask questions such as: What is your day like? What skills do you find helpful for your role? How did you get into your role? What growth opportunities exist in your role? What do you like best about your role? What would you change about your role? What is your company like? How is your company different from other companies?

Through this process, you will check roles off your list and maybe even put others on that you previously had not considered. This is critical and will allow you to focus your time and effort only on roles that are relevant to you, instead of stretching yourself too thin.

3. Develop your personal brand

Your personal brand matters. Your resume, LinkedIn profile, Twitter feeds, Facebook, and blog(s), comprise your personal brand, positive or negative. Employers consider what they see very carefully when evaluating a candidate. A sloppy resume or unprofessional Facebook profile does not leave a good impression. If you are serious about your career, make sure you create a positive personal brand. Put a professional picture on LinkedIn and Facebook, build out your LinkedIn profile to add details about your experiences, create two Twitter accounts, one for your "professional side" and the other for your "personal side," and make sure your resume looks clean and is well formatted, free of spelling mistakes, easy to read, and tailored for the job you are applying for. After seeing your information, you want people to say, "Wow – I need to hire this person."

4. Write quality Cover Letters

Include a tailored cover letter indicating your relevancy to the job and the skills required, along with your resume, when you apply to a job. Without a tailored cover letter, you rely on the HR person to essentially guess if you are relevant. If you are a 100% fit based upon your background, this is an easy yes. If you are a stretch for a role, you will most likely be passed over unless you provide more context for why you should be considered for the role. Why would you leave your job search to chance?

5. Take initiative to learn the skills required to break into a new field

If you are looking to break into a new field i.e. R&D bench research into project management or a Ph.D. program into consulting, be proactive about your career change. Companies want to see that you are serious about your chosen career path. Take steps to develop the skills and insight needed to know that this "new career path" is what you want to, and are qualified, to do.

If you are bench researcher looking to move into project management, start to take initiative to organize and lead activities in your lab. This demonstrates an interest in doing more than just bench research and develops your other skills. If you are a Ph.D. or post doc who wants to move into consulting, become involved in your institutions consulting club, do business plan competitions or intern for startups. All of these experiences build your skills. You can also sign up for specific courses or certificate programs to gain skills needed if they are required for the role.

Stay tuned for Lauren's Top Tips for job seekers #6-10!

Lauren wrote this for the Global Business Hub. A link to the article is below. http://www.boston.com/business/blogs/global-business-hub/2012/11/how_to_evaluate.html. Lauren Celano is the CEO of Propel Careers and a BWP connector.

A number of people, especially graduate and postdoctoral students, have asked me recently," how do I evaluate entrepreneurial companies during my job search?" They have little to no track record, compared to larger more established companies and many seem to have innovative technology, strong research, and passionate founders. What parameters can be used as a metric for potential success and what differentiates one startup over another?" I have outlined a few considerations below as a starting point to address this complicated question.

Founder(s)

Research the founder(s). Review press releases, LinkedIn, Google Scholar, USPTO and other sources of information to learn about them. Founder(s) of previously successful companies, have a track record, which could be an indicator of future success. Founders who are distinguished and well respected in their given field, even if they have not previously founded a successful company, are definitely worth consideration.

Senior Management

Are the senior members of the management team leaders in their given areas? Do these individuals come from successful companies, institutions, or pedigrees? How well do the skills of the senior management team complement one another and how well do they work as a team? If the answer is clearly well, this is a big positive.

Board Members

Are the board members successful distinguished individuals in their respective fields? Board members are especially important for first time entrepreneurs and are very helpful in setting strategy for an organization. If a first time entrepreneur is able to attract experienced talent, this is worth noting.

Scientific / Technical Advisory Board

Who is involved in the SAB? Are they leaders, either academic or industrial, in their respective areas? Founders who can attract a strong SAB are more likely to have a solid scientific foundation.

Strong Science

Is there a solid scientific foundation, and is it backed up by publications in high quality journals? If so, this is worth noting. That said, some technologies are intentionally kept out of the public eye to allow time for development.

Investors

Research the investors. Investment firms come in all shapes and sizes, and are often quite specialized. Make sure that the investors are well suited for the opportunity at hand, and bring the right amount of experience and money to the table to help ensure long-term success. If top tier organizations put their money towards an idea, there's a reason.

Success is never 100% guaranteed, but you can look for patterns indicative of success. This will help you make a more informed decision regarding the company(s) that you join throughout your career. Entrepreneurial firms can be extremely exciting and full of opportunity. Take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available to choose the right one for you. This will get you on the path to success.

Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers wrote this blog for Bio Careers as part of her monthly contributions. To learn more about Bio Careers, see link: https://biocareers.com

When you apply to a job, the details listed on your resume provide your "future employer" with information about the type of job you are looking for. The key words you include, the way you phrase your accomplishments and experiences, how you order your bullet points, all of this matters. These details build your brand.

I have been asked numerous times for guidance on what should be included in a resume. Below are a few thoughts on this important topic.

RESEARCH ROLES

If you are looking for a "bench research-based" role, make sure you include major research techniques used during each of your roles, as well as a separate section listing all of the research techniques you have ever used and know well. An HR person and hiring manager will want to see both the current techniques and previous ones since this indicates how you have developed over time. Whether you are a post-doc, or an industry professional, listing these details is important to show growth.

Many companies use resume-parsing systems to input a candidate's resume details into their database. Companies then scan resumes against job descriptions to see which candidates could be a fit. Resumes without details listed won't come up as matches when scans are done. Therefore, even if you have the relevant experience, companies won't be able to tell. You will be passed over in favor of candidates who have listed the relevant skills.

Include research techniques on your resume from the job description, when applying to a job only if you have experience with them. Customize the resume for each job. Don't just list a general term like molecular biology techniques. Elaborate on exactly which technique you have experience with, such as molecular cloning, recombinant DNA methods, PCR, site directed mutagenesis, DNA isolation, purification, and sequencing, Southern blotting, and Northern blotting. Don't rely on a hiring manager to guess that you have the right experience. Clearly indicate what you do and have done. Don't be afraid to take too much space when listing skills; you can recover some of the space through clever formatting: by using a smaller font for the list, as well as going from a vertical bullet point list to a horizontal one. The important part is to be thorough and specific in listing your skills.

NON-RESEARCH ROLES

Resumes for non-research roles should not include significant details about research techniques, since these are not typically relevant to these types of roles. Usually, disease and/or therapeutically-relevant experience is important to highlight, especially if you are considering a role in clinical research, or as a medical science liaison. You can include high-level information about techniques you know under each of your experiences, but it is not needed to include an entire research techniques section. Sending a "research-focused" resume to a non-research role will indicate to the potential employer that you are not sufficiently interested in the role that you are applying to because you did not bother to tailor your resume to the job. Non-research based roles prefer to see more transferable skills and experiences such as: leading teams, managing collaborations, working with clients, managing projects, strong communication and writing experience, and mentoring, rather than specific laboratory skills and techniques. For a non-research role, extra-curricular (i.e. blog writer or teaching assistant) and community service activities (i.e. president of a particular charity) should also gain more prominence on your resume. These activities highlight your transferable skills, especially if your previous job/academic experiences are heavy on the laboratory research exposure and not much else.

What you decide to include on your resume is important. The details tell a story and indicate what type of position you are looking for. Be focused and strategic. The effort will pay off!

By Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers

Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers wrote this blog for Bio Careers as part of her monthly contributions. To learn more about Lauren's Blogs for Bio Careers, see link: http://biocareers.com/blog/lauren-celano

Consulting firms provide Ph.D. and post-doctoral fellows with a wonderful opportunity to apply their scientific, analytical, and problem solving skills to solve real world problems. Individuals hired as consultants obtain exposure to many different aspects of business which can greatly accelerate one's career growth. Jobs in consulting are highly sought after and fiercely competitive. I decided to write this blog to provide insight into what these firms look for since Propel works with a number of boutique consulting firms to source and identify Ph.D. and post-doctoral talent.

Consulting firms look for people who have a passion for developing technologies and a genuine interest in the business side of science. They look for excellent communication, presentation, and writing skills and a strong network. They want someone driven who has demonstrated a career progression towards consulting.

Other qualities that are extremely important include being able to wear many hats, synthesis data and learn new things quickly, work successfully in a team setting, prioritize tasks, strong time management skills, an interest in learning new areas especially ones outside of your comfort zone and the ability to see both the big picture and in depth details.

Most important, these firms want someone who has given thought to this career path. They do not want someone who is pursuing consulting just because they could not get a postdoc or any other job for that matter. Consulting is not a fall back plan. It is a chosen career path. When consulting firms review resumes and interview people, they prefer to see the following activities/qualities. These generally show that a candidate is truly interested in pursuing this career path.

Involvement in a consulting club at your school:

Consulting firms like to see involvement in activities that build a working, understanding of consulting, and experience with the types of projects that a typical firm might handle. If your school does not have a formal consulting club, then create an informal club or identify other sources of clubs such as the consulting club at the MBA School associated with your institution.

Networking and leadership qualities:

Being president of the postdoctoral association, an officer in the entrepreneurship club, or membership director for the local chapter of a national organization such as AACR, demonstrate that you can lead, and be actively involved in an organization (as compared to sitting on the sidelines). This also shows that you have a network (which is very important to consulting firms), and that you, generally speaking, are more than just your research.

Internships or short term projects:

Taking the opportunity to do business focused short term projects or internships during your Ph.D. and post doc, are incredibly helpful, especially if these are done at consulting firms, investment banks, entrepreneurial life sciences companies, or venture capital firms. Even if these internships are done for 15 hours a week for a few months, they help one gain business experience, industry knowledge, and an invaluable network. Equally important, this experience may help you decide that a certain career path is not a good fit. If such experiences help to confirm your interest in consulting, you know have your answer when an interviewing firm asks "why are you interested in consulting?"

Take business courses:

Many academic research institutions have MBA or MPH programs. Taking a course such as commercializing science, finance, or entrepreneurship, will show that you are not just interested in science; it will demonstrate your business interest. This will also enable you to build a network of "business types" which will be helpful as you grow in your career.

Network. Network. Network:

Attend networking events at your institution and externally, and become involved with a chapter of a national or local group of interest to your research (i.e. AACR, AAPS, ACS, etc). In Boston, where Propel is located, there are countless events every month for Ph.D. students and post docs to attend to network and also learn about commercial applications of science. We have created a link on our website to highlight a few of these: http://www.propelcareers.com/index.cfm/events/other-networking-events/

Community service:

Organizations like to hire people who give back and care about bigger causes than just themselves. Many firms do community service for team bonding and to give back to the community.

There are many different ways to gain experience and shape your career path. Be proactive and build your skill set. Find ways to get involved and give back. These activities will go a long way. Remember, consulting firms want to see that you are more than just a scientist interested in only scientific things. They want to hire someone who is well rounded, active in their career development, and who will make the company stronger.

Lauren wrote this article for BostInno - to view the article on their site, click here: http://bostinno.com/channels/cultivating-your-network/

Your network is one of your most important assets. A robust network can play an integral role in both your personal and professional development. Below are a few tips to help you create, cultivate, and maintain a productive network.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a wonderful tool, and when used strategically it can play a major role in developing and maintaining your network. Build out your LinkedIn profile so that people can see your background. Include information about your positions, companies that you have worked for, professional activities outside of work that you have been involved in, papers you have published and your educational background. Add a professional picture so that people can associate a face with your name. When you meet people at events and send a LinkedIn invite, be sure to mention where you met them, and customize the note with information about your conversation so that you are memorable. This way, you won't get lost in the abyss of people who just use the general LinkedIn connection template. Many individuals who network frequently may have tens or even hundreds of LinkedIn requests. Finding ways to stand out is Key.

Use the "Share an update" feature on LinkedIn for important updates, so that your network is informed. This can be used to share information about an upcoming presentation that you are giving at a national conference, a milestone for your company, such as a large grant award or partnership, or a high-profile paper that you authored, which was just accepted.

Find ways to connect with industry leaders

Finding ways to keep in touch with your network will go a long way to cultivating meaningful relationships. Stay on top of news and important information by reading sites like Mass High Tech, Xconomy, Innovation Economy, etc. When you see news of interest to your network, send them a short email about it. For example, maybe a connection of yours works for a company that just received venture funding. Write them a congratulations email. Maybe another friend just published a paper in a high profile journal such as Science, Nature or Cell. Send them a note to show them your interest and congratulate them. If you see that one of your connections is speaking at a large conference and you will be there, send them a note about connecting for a coffee during the conference.

With today's tools, there are many ways to keep in touch. Leverage them, and watch the quality of your relationships grow as you build a strong and robust network!

Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers wrote this blog for Bio Careers as part of her monthly contributions. To learn more about Lauren's Blogs for Bio Careers, see link: http://biocareers.com/blog/lauren-celano

This blog provides insight into what human resources professionals are looking for in a resume. Hopefully this information will be useful as you craft your resume and tailor it for specific jobs.

First and foremost, your resume is a marketing and branding tool that shows your experience, expertise, and other relevant information. This document should be concise and focused, and should tell a story about your background. The reader forms an opinion about you, positive or negative, based upon what they see.

Resumes should tell a story. The person reading your resume is looking to see how you have developed over time, what skills you have learned, and the challenges you have tackled. A resume is not a comprehensive accounting of your life's work. Instead, a resume hits the high points. What critical information does the hiring manager need to know about you? A typical resume should provide a detailed yet easy to read summary of your accomplishments in just one to two pages. For some, the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently is a challenge, however, in the workplace, this is a valuable commodity. A cluttered wordy resume simply says, I am unorganized, inefficient, and a poor communicator. It's that simple. This is certainly not the image the typical job seeker wants to portray and not what the hiring manager wants to see. A well written, succinct and easy to read resume, on the other hand, demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail. This is the type of person that companies want to hire.

Tailor your resume for the job. When the same generic resume is submitted for multiple, often significantly different positions, it says the applicant is not serious enough about the position. Readers of untailored resumes generally put these into the "no-call back pile" in lieu or someone who took the time (and therefore appears more serious) to tailor their document. Tailoring a resume can be as simple as including information, such as research techniques, from the job description when you have this experience or highlighting your therapeutic experience, i.e. oncology, when you apply to oncology focused companies. Don't assume the company representative will know that you have these skills just based upon your degree or previous title.

If you apply for a bench scientist role, you should highlight research and technical skills since these are critically important to this type of job. On the other hand, if you are a scientist applying for a business focused role, in addition to your scientific skills, you should focus on other experiences including business experience/exposure, communication, leadership, management, etc. If you apply for a business role with a technical resume, you will probably be overlooked. Formatting matters. Lastly, Formatting and ease of reading is critically important. The font should be legible, i.e. not size 7 font to ensure that you can fit every last detail. Bullet points should be aligned, and be the same size and color. All of the font should be the same style. The resume should be either 1 or 2 pages, but not 1 and ¼ page. That just shows that you are not detail oriented or particular enough to get everything to fit into a single page or two full pages.

Remember, HR professionals generally spend 20-30 seconds on each initial resume they review due to the volume of resumes they receive. Make this time count when they get to yours!