Propel Careers

The importance of your elevator pitch by Lauren Celano CEO Propel Careers

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:29:00 -0400

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. To see this link directly on the BioCareers site, see link: http://biocareers.com/bio-careers-blog/importance-elevator-pitch Have you ever been in the situation where you meet a person who you have never met before, and they ask you for a description about yourself or what you were looking for. They were in essence asking for your "elevator pitch," that is, key information about yourself delivered in a short amount of time. The information should be memorable. What you say will create an impression and will be what the person walks away from the conversation remembering you by. These elevator pitches are wonderful tools to open conversations and provide the person you are talking with a short snapshot of who you are, what you do, and what you are looking for. They should be short (~30 seconds) and highlight key points that you want to get across. They should entice the person you are talking with to want to learn more. They should be clear, concise, and focused. A key point to remember, if the person you are talking with wants to learn more, then can always ASK for more details. These should also be practiced ? you want this to come across as easy to deliver and seamless. If you remember anything from reading this article, remember, concise, focused, and practiced. As you deliver your elevator pitch, you want to be respectful of the listener's time and attention. Remember, people can only comprehend so much information at one time. Giving it to them in short snippets will help them remember what you are sharing with them. It will also make you look more prepared and savvy in the world of networking. When delivering your elevator pitch, don' t make the most common mistake of turning this into a 10 minute dialogue about everything you have ever learned, about your entire research focus, or about why you don't like what you are doing. If you barrage someone with too much information, it will probably turn them off and cause them not to engage in further discussion. Below is an example of an elevator pitch that could be used for a postdoc who is looking to move into industry. The parts that are underlined are ones that you could replace with your information allowing you to tailor this for yourself. Hello (PERSON YOU ARE TALKING WITH). My name is (INSERT NAME) I am a (postdoc) at(LIST University) studying (neuroscience ? specifically Alzheimer's diseases therapies). I will be finishing up in (6 months) and looking for a (research role) in a (smaller biotech) in the (Boston area). What is your background? At the end of the pitch, instead of just finishing up talking about yourself, ask them about their background. This will easily lead you into a conversation, and it seems seamless. Why does this example above deliver key elements about you? Well, it tells a few things. 1. Institutional Link: That you are a postdoc at a certain university. Maybe the person you are talking with also went there or perhaps knows people who are there. This could help with relationship building. 2. Thematic Link: It tells what you are focusing on ? in the larger context. People like to hear disease or therapeutic relevance as compared to something like ? I study intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Most people will have no idea what this means. More than likely, they won't know that this is related to Alzheimer's research. Start high level ? you can always dive deeper into specifics if the person you are talking with asks about it. 3. Timing Link: You mention when you will be finishing up which is helpful in case the person you are talking with knows of companies that may be looking for someone in ~6 months time. It's always helpful to give people an idea of when you may be making a transition especially if you are a student or postdoc. 4. Aspirational Link: You tell them what kind of role you are looking for ? Research. As compared to consulting, project management, etc 5. Preferred Organizational Link: You mention that you want to be in a smaller biotech. This enables the person you are talking with to start thinking about who they may know at smaller biotechs who they could potentially introduce you to. 6. Geographic Link: You mention location ? Boston ? great! Now the person can think about who they might know in Boston. What you don't do here is specifically ask for a job, which is wonderful. Asking specifically for a job makes the conversation awkward. If the person you are talking with knows of a potential opportunity, they will probably mention it to you if they like the dialogue that you are having. People generally want to be helpful and like to do so. But they can only do this if you make it clear what you are looking for. If you are not sure about what you want, perhaps you modify the elevator pitch slightly to: Hello (PERSON YOU ARE TALKING WITH). My name is (INSERT NAME) I am a (postdoc) at(LIST University) studying (neuroscience ? specifically Alzheimer's disease). I will be finishing up in (6 months) and looking for a (research role or a consulting role) in an(entrepreneurial company) in the (Boston area). What is your background? It's okay to mention that you are looking for a research role or consulting role ? this is your time to explore options. By being specific, though, you allow the listener to understand more about what you are looking for. Perhaps they know of people in both types of roles that they can introduce you to. By changing smaller biotech to entrepreneurial company you still show the listener that you are looking for something smaller. A smaller biotech is an entrepreneurial company, and there are many boutique consulting firms which are entrepreneurial. Good luck as you go through your process. If anyone has any great elevator pitches or stories about how your elevator pitch worked well, let me know.

May 22nd FILS Event - Clinical, Regulatory, and Medical Affairs Career Paths

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:12:00 -0400

On May 22nd, 2012, we will host our 5th Futures in Life Science Event of 2012. The focus of this panel is Clinical, Regulatory, and Medical Affairs focused roles within the life sciences area. We are fortunate to have an esteemed panel of leaders in the life sciences space who will share information about their career paths, what they do, and their insights for individuals starting in their career. The panel includes: Eric Silberstein, CEO, TrialNetworks, Joanne Lager MD, Project Head for PI3K Inhibitors, Sanofi Oncology, and Shawna Cullen, PhD, Clinical Trial Head - Oncology Translational Medicine, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc. Laurie Halloran, President and CEO, Halloran Consulting Group will moderate the panel. The link to register is here: http://fils52012.eventbrite.com/ The event will be held at the NEW MassBio Offices, at 300 Technology Square, 8th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139 from 5:30-8:00pm More Details about the Series: Propel Careers, MassBio, and the MassBioEd have joined together to organize a series of networking and panel events focused on raising awareness of career paths that exist in life sciences for individuals with advanced degrees. This Futures in Life Science program will bring together experts across a wide range of disciplines and functional areas within the life science industry, who detail their roles and provide a rich context for the audience to gain a clear understanding of the skills, aptitudes, competencies, and personalities that thrive in their particular functions. Attendance for this program is open to current graduate students, post doctoral fellows, and medical residents who are interested in careers in the life sciences industry. To see other events in the series, click here: http://www.propelcareers.com/index.cfm/events/ About the Organizers MassBio - MassBio, a not-for-profit organization that represents and provides services and support for the Massachusetts biotechnology industry, is the nation's oldest biotechnology trade association. Founded in 1985, MassBio is committed to advancing the development of critical new science, technology and medicines that benefit people worldwide. Representing over 600 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, research hospitals, and service organizations involved in life sciences and health care, MassBio works to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs and events, industry information, and services. To learn more, visit: http://www.massbio.org. MassBioEd - The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, founded in 2001, is a non-profit charitable organization committed to supporting science and biotechnology education in Massachusetts through school programs, workforce training, and lifelong learning. MassBioEd is closely affiliated with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and helps the Council in fulfilling its goals to nurture the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline in Massachusetts. To learn more, visit http://www.massbioed.org. Propel Careers - Propel Careers is a Boston based life sciences search and career development firm founded in 2009 to foster entrepreneurship and to cultivate leaders in the life sciences industry. Propel recognizes the importance of job creation and career development opportunities to the success of the industry as well as to next generation of industry leaders. The mission of Propel Careers is to make connections that fuel innovation, and we do this through placement, networking, coaching and mentorship. To learn more, visit http://www.propelcareers.com.

April 17th FILS R&D Career Paths Event Blog by Benjamin Leung

Tue, 01 May 2012 22:51:00 -0400

Of all the careers available in the life science industry, research and development often seems the most attractive and straightforward point for academic researchers to enter the private sector. But what are the differences between academic and industrial research? What is the best way to get a job at a biotech or pharmaceutical company? What are the differences between working at a startup compared to a large biotech/pharma? A distinguished panel of PhDs from a number of local companies discussed these questions and many others at the Futures in Life Sciences Series held at the new MassBio offices in Technology Square, Cambridge, on April 17th, 2012. The panel discussion/ networking event series, organized by Propel Careers, MassBio, and MassBioEd, was designed to raise the awareness of individuals with advanced degrees to the variety of career paths in the life sciences. The panelists included Kenneth J. Olivier Jr., Ph.D., Director of Toxicology, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Erin Whalen, Ph.D., Lab Head and Project Team Leader, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Greg McKenzie, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Sample6 Technologies, and Heather Blanchette, Ph.D., Director of Nonclinical DMPK and Bioanalysis, Cubist Pharmaceuticals. The discussion was guided by Lauren Celano, Founder and CEO of Propel Careers. Emmanuel College, Averica Discovery Services, and the Massachusetts chapter of the Association of Women in Science sponsored the evening's event. The experience of the panelists, which spans the industry from startups to established mid-sized companies to pharmaceutical giants, gave the audience valuable insight into how to succeed in these distinct environments. A major difference between academia and industry is the focus on teamwork. Therapeutic development is a more complex, more expensive, and more regulated endeavor than academic research; it requires the coordinated efforts of hundreds of people. Success in industry includes not only performing your assigned responsibilities efficiently, but also facilitating the success of others as much as possible. Companies have a more pragmatic view on data generation: speed and efficiency are more valued than aesthetic perfection. What are the critical elements for obtaining a position in industrial R&D? Technical competence is the minimal qualification. Unlike academic institutions, companies are focused on delivering tangible products under financial constraints so qualified candidates will already need to have specific skills before applying for a position. As equally important as technical competence is culture fit. As previously mentioned, the team is the functional group of industry, so working well with others on a daily basis is paramount. Nowhere is this more apparent than at a startup, where the success of a fledging company rests on the ability of a very small group of people to overcome challenges large and small, together. In this environment success entails ignoring formal job descriptions and doing even the most menial tasks to advance the big picture as fast as possible. Teamwork and communication skills play an equally important role in larger organizations. At larger companies individual responsibilities tend to be more compartmentalized than at smaller companies, so teamwork involves working with people not only in different departments, but also at sites often physically removed from your own. Outsourcing and strategic alliances with other companies are becoming more commonplace so the ability to listen and empathize with others is critical. Given the emphasis on soft skills and teamwork in industry, obtaining relevant experience though volunteering in student organizations, professional associations, or even part-time internships is invaluable for enhancing your resume. These activities also serve as an important source of networking contacts. The panel unanimously underscored the importance of networking to their professional survival. Like many business sectors nowadays the biotech and pharmaceutical industry is facing economic challenges that have permanently altered the concept of job security. While the industry remains healthy, the new reality is that lifelong employment at a single corporation is a relic of the past, and everybody needs to have a network to call on at all times. While jobs are advertised publicly, hiring managers often fill them based on "warm" personal recommendations from colleagues rather than "cold" resumes. While network connections get you consideration, ultimately the quality of your work and your professional reputation ensures your longevity. Conversely, negative associations are difficult to escape in the closely linked Boston biotech/pharma community, so avoid burning bridges. In addition to general networking events like the Propel/MassBio/MassBioEd Futures in Life Sciences Series, there are also more specific ones organized by professional discipline that are good places to develop contacts in your field of interest. The next event in the Futures in Life Science Series, on careers in Clinical Development, Regulatory, and Medical Affairs, will be held on May 22nd at the MassBio offices in Technology Square. To register, see link: http://fils52011.eventbrite.com/. We look forward to seeing you there!

The importance of tailoring a resume when applying for jobs

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:39:00 -0400

April 17th FILS Event - Research and Development Career Paths

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:29:00 -0400

On April 17th, 2012, we will host our 4th Futures in Life Science Event of 2012. The focus of this panel is research and development focused roles within the life sciences area. We are fortunate to have an esteemed panel of leaders in the life sciences space who will share information about their career paths, what they do, and their insights for individuals starting in their career. The panel includes: Kenneth J. Olivier Jr., PhD, Director of Toxicology, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals; Erin Whalen, Lab Head and Project Team Leader, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research; Greg Mckenzie, Senior Scientist, Sample 6 Technologies; and Heather Blanchette, Director of Nonclinical DMPK and Bioanalysis, Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Lauren Celano, CEO of Propel Careers will moderate the panel. The link to register is here: http://fils42012.eventbrite.com/ The event will be held at the NEW MassBio Offices, at 300 Technology Square, 8th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139 from 5:30-8:00pm More Details about the Series: Propel Careers, MassBio, and the MassBioEd have joined together to organize a series of networking and panel events focused on raising awareness of career paths that exist in life sciences for individuals with advanced degrees. This Futures in Life Science program will bring together experts across a wide range of disciplines and functional areas within the life science industry, who detail their roles and provide a rich context for the audience to gain a clear understanding of the skills, aptitudes, competencies, and personalities that thrive in their particular functions. Attendance for this program is open to current graduate students, post doctoral fellows, and medical residents who are interested in careers in the life sciences industry. To see other events in the series, click here: http://www.propelcareers.com/index.cfm/events/ About the Organizers MassBio - MassBio, a not-for-profit organization that represents and provides services and support for the Massachusetts biotechnology industry, is the nation's oldest biotechnology trade association. Founded in 1985, MassBio is committed to advancing the development of critical new science, technology and medicines that benefit people worldwide. Representing over 600 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, research hospitals, and service organizations involved in life sciences and health care, MassBio works to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs and events, industry information, and services. To learn more, visit: http://www.massbio.org. MassBioEd - The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, founded in 2001, is a non-profit charitable organization committed to supporting science and biotechnology education in Massachusetts through school programs, workforce training, and lifelong learning. MassBioEd is closely affiliated with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and helps the Council in fulfilling its goals to nurture the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline in Massachusetts. To learn more, visit http://www.massbioed.org. Propel Careers - Propel Careers is a Boston based life sciences search and career development firm founded in 2009 to foster entrepreneurship and to cultivate leaders in the life sciences industry. Propel recognizes the importance of job creation and career development opportunities to the success of the industry as well as to next generation of industry leaders. The mission of Propel Careers is to make connections that fuel innovation, and we do this through placement, networking, coaching and mentorship. To learn more, visit http://www.propelcareers.com.

Nanotechnology is on fire in Worcester, MA

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:14:00 -0400

This blog post is written by Yuly Fuentes-Medel PhD, Propel Careers Intern On Saturday, March 17th, 2012, the NanoWorcester group had their second annual NanoWorcester Symposium hosted by the Worcester Polytechnic institute (WPI) in Worcester, MA. Since last year, the attendance doubled, and the attendees joined together to focus on their common scientific interest, nanotechnology. This symposium was organized to exchange ideas on nanoscience, nanotechnology and nanomedicine and to focus on creating new possibilities and cross collaborations in the New England area. Students had the opportunity to share their work not only by showing their scientific work in a open poster session, but also by sharing their ideas in an elevator-speech format that resulted into a great learning experience for them and for the people in the audience. Please look at the following link to look up the future leaders and finalist of the event. http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/Physics/AFM/2012.nanoworcester.summary.html NanoWorcester is a group of faculty members within the Colleges of the Worcester Consortium (COWC) who share an interest in research related to nanotechnology. The goal of the group is to promote interactions and collaborations within the field of Nanotechnology. This year committee members are: Nancy Burnham (WPI-PH), Jianyu Liang (WPI-ME), Reema Zeineldin (MCPHS-Pharma), Alice Gardner (MCPHS-Pharma), Arshad Kudrolli (Clark-PH), Sergio Granados-Focil (Clark-CH), Robert Bellin (Holy Cross-BIO), Ananta Adhikari (Assumption-Natural Science)and Eihab Jaber (WSU-CH). The day started with Dr. Nancy Burnham the leader of this year organizing committee and associate professor at the department of Physics at WPI. She welcomed everyone, encouraged students to ask questions and provided the logistics for the day. Then Dr. Jianyu Liang an assistant professor at the department of mechanical engineer at WPI introduced Dr. Selçuk I. Güçeri, Dean of Engineering at WPI. He welcomed everyone and thanked Dr. Burnham for taking the led on this initiative. He referred to the historical perspective of the field of nanotechnology and encouraged the group to reflect on what things can we do that we couldn't do before. Also, Dr. Karen Kashmanian Oates, Dean of Arts and Sciences also shared her enthusiasm and support for this initiative. She wished the best to students for choosing this exciting field as their future. The morning program included a variety of different topics. Dr. Christopher Lambert, from the Bioengineering Institute at WPI started the session with his talk titled "Self-Assembled Monolayers as Chemical and Biological Sensors". The second topic was presented by Dr. Evelyn Kurt-Jones from UMass Medical Center. The title of her talk was "Size and Shape Matter: Studying the Immune Response to Synthetic Microparticles". She was followed by Dr. Gerard D'Souza, from MCPHS Boston, who presented "Organelle-Targeted Intracellular Delivery". All of this exciting science is being developed in the local laboratories of central Massachusetts. In addition, this year, the symposium had two invited speakers. Dr. Thomas Vogt, from the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at USC, share his new findings in this talk, "Imaging at the Nanoscale". His talk amazed the crowd with imaging data and analyses at the level of single atomic resolution. He was followed by Dr. Heinrich Hoerber, from the University of Bristol, UK. He presented his work titled "Molecular Motors and Force Microscopy". His findings and research lead to a model of the way motor proteins interact in the cellular environment. The afternoon was mastered by the talent of students who shared their ideas with the audience with enthusiasm and joy. Congratulations to this inspiring group for enabling the students to dream and make science happen. Just like last year, this was an amazing opportunity to learn from the presenter's scientific ideas and enthusiasm. Their vision to foster the advancements of science within the central MA area is admirable.

March 20th FILS Business / Commercialization Career Paths Event Blog by Benjamin Leung

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 23:58:00 -0400

On March 20th 2012, over 100 graduate students, post docs and medical residents joined us at Genzyme Center in Kendall Sq Cambridge for the 3rd Futures in Life Science Event of 2012. To view a picture video from the event, click here: http://video214.com/play/NhVWW108Sbi20irU03SPQw/s/dark. Below is the blog writeup from the event. Many people involved in academic medicine and research are interested in shifting to more business-oriented positions in the private sector. However, the path to such careers is unclear. How do you convince prospective employers of your qualifications in a discipline with which you have limited experience? The March gathering of the Futures in Life Sciences Career Panel, presented by Propel Careers, MassBio, and MassBioEd, discussed these questions and more. It concentrated on Marketing, Product Management, and Business Development careers. The panel included Catherine Thut, Ph.D., Director, Strategic Alliances, Ophthalmology, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Eric Olson, MBA, MS, Senior Associate, Genzyme Ventures, Frank Deane, Ph.D., Founder, Lumleian, LLC, and Maude Tessier, Ph.D., Licensing Manager, Technology and Innovation Development Office, Children's Hospital, Boston. John Hession, J.D., Partner, Cooley LLP, contributed his wealth of experience to the discussion as well as moderated the panel. The answer to the primary question, "How do I get into a business-related position from academia?" is in short, networking. While there are many jobs posted on the Internet, a significant number of the desirable ones are not. Getting an interview "cold" by simply submitting a resume online is difficult when you are qualified, but as an academic with limited business experience it is even harder. A "warm" connection through a personal referral is much more likely to get your resume the attention you want. For hiring managers a referral reduces the burden of choosing amongst similarly qualified applicants. It also indicates that a candidate has the basic interpersonal skills necessary and motivation to navigate the business world. It is worth keeping in mind that networking is not only about finding potential job leads; it is also about meeting potential mentors or advisors or future colleagues. Conversely, as part of a network you should endeavor to "pay it forward," by offering assistance wherever you can. Another common question for academics looking to transition to business roles was "How do I get the business experience that hiring managers want?" Taking classes in a business school is one possibility, but there are more informal avenues to gaining knowledge. Seminars offered by the MassBio committees on finance and business development are one route. John Hession is in the process of organizing a "Business Development for Scientists" seminar series through MassBio that will begin this May. Another method for academics to obtain some relevant experience is to intern at your institution's technology licensing office. Are there advantages or disadvantages to working for smaller startups vs. larger, more established corporations? Simply put, the tradeoff is typically opportunity for stability. Since younger/more entrepreneurial companies operate with only critical staff, there are opportunities to assume responsibilities outside your experience level. At a larger company you may not have as many chances to expand your competencies and upward mobility may be slower, but you are more likely to receive formal training and guidance. Alternatively, choosing to work for smaller divisions at a large corporation may provide some of the experiential advantages of a startup. For your career development, try to get involved in projects that involve many different internal groups to maximize your exposure to different business aspects and build your network within the company. Regardless of your organization size, it is important to understand how you add value to the greater enterprise. Do not just focus on your assigned responsibilities, but try to see where you can make the greatest contribution overall. While technical competency is important in business positions, "soft" people skills are even more important. Every panel member affirmed the importance of being able to understand people's needs, listen, empathize, and communicate with others to execute their responsibilities. Business is a human enterprise, which means you need to convince people of your viewpoint and build consensus in a group. The next event in the Futures in Life Sciences Series, on careers in Research and Development, will be held on April 17th at the new MassBio offices in Kendall Square. To register, follow this link: http://fils42012.eventbrite.com/

Focus. Focus. Focus. A Career blog post written by Propel Careers for MassBioHQ

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:12:00 -0400

Lauren Celano, CEO of Propel Careers, wrote this blog post for MassBioHQ to provide career insights for individuals in their job search. To see the original post, click here: http://massbiohq.org/2012/03/13/guest-post-by-lauren-celano-of-propel-careers-focus-focus-focus/ Quite often, people ask me for advice regarding their job search and, in particular, whether there is something universal that companies look for. In my experience, there are a few universal qualities aside from the obvious (e.g. honesty, intelligence, hard work). One that comes up over and over again is "Focus." Focus is one of the most important characteristics that companies look for when evaluating potential hires. Moreover, focus is critical for all aspects of your job search, from start to finish. Focus is more than applying for the right job. Focus is about knowing what you want to do, why you want to do it and, most importantly, being able to articulate your thoughts. This focus should be evident in your resume, cover letter, and social/on-line presence. If you can't make it perfectly clear why you are a good fit for a particular role, chances are you won't get a second look. Focus Your Goal As you approach your job search, you need to constantly be asking yourself what it is you want to do and why. This will go a long way in keeping you focused on your search. Self-awareness and situational-awareness are critical to all successful job searches. Take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses, the pros and cons of potential career paths, and your long term goals. This will help you stay focused on relevant roles and accelerate your career search. If you are not sure what you want to do or if you are choosing between a few different options (i.e. research or project management), then conduct informational interviews with people who are actually in these roles. Informational interviewing is a wonderful way to find out if a specific role or company would be a fit for you. If an interviewer asks why you are interested in the company or the role, he/she will respond positively if you mention that you did a lot of soul-searching, networking, and informational interviewing which provided you with the context to know why this opportunity is a perfect fit. I cannot stress enough that companies want to hear that you know what you want to do and that you are focused on what you are looking for. Focus Your Passion When you apply for jobs, companies want to see that you are passionate about the position that you are applying for. They want to see that you are eager to join their team and excited by doing the activities of that position. I know this sounds incredibly basic, but so often, it is hard to assess whether people who are applying for roles are really interested and relevant. It is also important to think about the types of people you would like to work with, including but not limited to: - Ideal management style - Your preferred company culture - Size/stage of company Attention to this type of detail will allow you to focus your search on only those opportunities that could be a fit for you. (Every minute you spend applying for positions that are not a good fit is time that you could have spent perfecting your application for the position you really want. If you are guilty of sending out resumes with generic cover letters in bulk, hoping that something will magically stick, STOP.) Focus your efforts on positions you are truly interested in and, equally important, that are a good fit. Focus Your Scope Try not to apply for multiple types of jobs within the same company. This will make you look unfocused and could discredit your application for any and all of the jobs. For example, if you apply for a research job, a project management job and a business development job, within the same company, with the same resume and cover letter, the company will wonder if you are actually serious about any of these. Instead of contacting you, they will most likely contact other applicants who seem much more focused in their search. Focus on Relevancy As you begin applying for different roles, apply only for ones that you are relevant for. If you are applying for a role that is a reach, explain why you are relevant. Don't just gloss over it and assume that this will be obvious to the HR person(s) reviewing your resume. Trust me, it will not. Focus Your Resume When applying for jobs, ensure that your resume and cover letter are tailored for each role. I can't stress this enough. If you are applying for a research role, make sure your relevant research experience/techniques are front and center. If you are applying for more business focused roles, send a resume that reflects more of your business experience and training. You want companies to see that your background is a fit. If you have the right skills to fit their job description, then make it clear and tailor your resume and cover letter to the job. It's that simple. Focus Your Presence LinkedIn is important. Don't give mixed messages. If you apply for a research role, an HR person may look at your LinkedIn page after you apply to learn more about you. If they do this and see that most of the emphasis is on business development, finance or other non-research areas, they might doubt the sincerity of your research interest and go with a stronger research-focused candidate. Your LinkedIn profile should reflect your job interests. Focus Your Pitch My last piece of advice for today is that everyone should have a 10-30 second "elevator pitch" ready when someone asks, "What do you want to do?" If you cannot come up with a succinct pitch, then you should do more research to solidify what you want to do and why. People generally want to help individuals get connected and find the right opportunities, but it is really difficult to do this if you cannot articulate to them what you want. In Conclusion... The key to any successful venture, including looking for your next big thing, is first and foremost FOCUS, second FOCUS and finally FOCUS! Finding a new career can be daunting, but it can also be a wonderful opportunity to discover your passion for an exciting new career. With focus comes tremendous opportunity!

March 20th Futures in Life Sciences (FILS) Event Focused on Commercial Career Paths

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:16:00 -0400

Join us on March 20th 2012 for our next Futures in Life Sciences (FILS) Event which will discuss an overview of Life Sciences Career Paths in the commercial side of the industry. These areas include Marketing, Product Management, and Business Development. This event will occur at Genzyme, located at 500 Kendall Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 from 5:30-8:00pm. To register: http://fils32012.eventbrite.com/ Background on the FILS Series: Propel Careers, MassBio, and the MassBioEd have joined together to organize a series of networking and panel events focused on raising awareness of career paths that exist in life sciences for individuals with advanced degrees. This Futures in Life Science program will bring together experts across a wide range of disciplines and functional areas within the life science industry, who detail their roles and provide a rich context for the audience to gain a clear understanding of the skills, aptitudes, competencies, and personalities that thrive in their particular functions. Attendance for this program is open to current graduate students, post doctoral fellows, and medical residents who are interested in careers in the life sciences industry. Meeting Agenda: 5:30pm-6:00pm ? Registration and Open Networking 6:00pm-6:10pm ? Introductions, Overview, and Recognition of Sponsors 6:10pm-7:30pm ? Panel Discussion Moderator: John Hession, Partner, Cooley LLP Panelists: Maude Tessier, PhD, Licensing Manager, Technology and Innovation Development Office, Children's Hospital Boston; Eric Olson, Senior Associate, Genzyme Ventures; Frank Deane, Founder, Lumleian, LLC; Catherine Thut, Director, Strategic Alliances, Ophthalmology, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research 7:30pm-8:00pm ? Open Networking About the Organizers MassBio - MassBio, a not-for-profit organization that represents and provides services and support for the Massachusetts biotechnology industry, is the nation's oldest biotechnology trade association. Founded in 1985, MassBio is committed to advancing the development of critical new science, technology and medicines that benefit people worldwide. Representing over 600 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, research hospitals, and service organizations involved in life sciences and health care, MassBio works to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs and events, industry information, and services. To learn more, visit: http://www.massbio.org MassBioEd - The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, founded in 2001, is a non-profit charitable organization committed to supporting science and biotechnology education in Massachusetts through school programs, workforce training, and lifelong learning. MassBioEd is closely affiliated with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and helps the Council in fulfilling its goals to nurture the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline in Massachusetts. To learn more, visit: http://www.massbioed.org Propel Careers - Propel Careers is a Boston based life sciences search and career development firm founded in 2009 to foster entrepreneurship and to cultivate leaders in the life sciences industry. Propel recognizes the importance of job creation and career development opportunities to the success of the industry as well as to next generation of industry leaders. The mission of Propel Careers is to make connections that fuel innovation, and we do this through placement, networking, coaching and mentorship. To learn more, visit: http://www.propelcareers.com

Feb 21th FILS Consulting Career Paths Event Blog by Benjamin Leung

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:23:00 -0400

Do you like being presented with new challenges on a weekly basis? Do you want to make immediate contributions to real-world problems? Do you enjoy immersing yourself in the details and the big picture at the same time? Then maybe you should consider a career in consulting! The February meeting of the 2012 Futures in Life Science Seminar Series, organized by MassBio, MassBioEd, and Propel Careers marked the start of career panels focused on particular disciplines in the industry. To see a picture video of the evening, click here: http://video214.com/play/GDmq7c9b9CW5jKMvu7NW1Q/s/dark. Career paths in consulting was the topic of discussion in the Whitehead Institute auditorium in Kendall Square, and consultants from five different life sciences/health care consulting boutiques shared their insights into the profession to an attentive audience of over 110 participants. The panel, expertly moderated by Rob Lowrance, Senior Recruiter, Life Sciences, Collaborative Consulting, included Claudio D'Ambrosio, Director of North American Operations, Deallus Group, Joseph Feingold, Senior Associate Consultant, Putnam Associates, Marc Hochstetler, Director of Decision Science, Lumleian LLC, and Gary Gustavsen, Manager, Health Advances. The Deallus Group and Lumleian LLC were generous enough to sponsor the evening. The term "consultant" can mean different things to people. Deallus, Putnam, Lumleian, and Health Advances are boutique firms that provide strategic advice to the life science/pharmaceutical/health care industries. They differ from large management consulting firms like Bain and McKinsey not only because they focus on the life science industries, but also in the kinds of problems they solve for clients. The difficulties and costs of discovering therapeutics and diagnostics, as well as the unique constraints imposed by the FDA and health insurance companies require unique knowledge and experience that specialist consultancy firms are better positioned to provide than larger management consulting firms. Life science consultants are hired to advise clients on how to position their product research, development, and marketing resources to best minimize risk and maximize return. Some projects the panelists have worked on include determining the market and competitive landscape for a vaccine for a rare disease, determining the commercialization and regulatory strategy for bringing a circulating tumor cell detection platform to market, and advising companies on the best way to bring preclinical drug candidates through clinical trials. Panel members universally touted the variety and breadth of their work for clients and the collaborative work environment as favorite aspects of their profession. Projects typically last a matter of weeks so new challenges arise frequently and must be approached as teams to meet tight deadlines. Many of the panel members described their consulting experience as equivalent to an earning an MBA in a compressed, accelerated manner. Due to their smaller size, boutique firms tend to offer less formalized training than their larger counterparts and expect employees to learn on-the-job. Time-management and multi-tasking are important, as consultants at these firms must work on multiple projects simultaneously. However, boutique firms also tend to offer a better work/life balance than general consulting firms because of more reasonable hours and less travel. A cooperative approach and excellent communication skills are central to success as a consultant. The ability to navigate the uncertain and imperfect information of the business world with an easily conveyed, logical approach is also important. Good consultants balance an appreciation for specific detail and nuance without losing sight of the client's "big picture" goal. Often much of the value-added proposition of life-science consulting is given to clients through presentations and meetings, so interpersonal skills are of paramount importance. Like most professions nowadays, networking plays an important role in obtaining a job at a boutique consulting firm. Boutique consulting firms have different cultures and approaches so learning about as many as possible increases the likelihood of a complimentary fit for both the firm and a job candidate. Participation in a graduate consulting club is helpful to learn the "case study" methodology that is common to the profession. The next event in the 2012 Futures in Life Science Seminar Series, on Commericalization (Marketing, Product Management, and Business Development Career Paths) will be held in Kendall Square on March 20th. To register for this event, or learn about the other events in the series, check our events calendar at: http://www.propelcareers.com/index.cfm/events/ About the Author: Ben Leung is currently a postdoctoral associate in the Neurobiology department at UMass Medical School.

LinkedIn tips to increase probability of a successful job search. By Lauren Celano, CEO Propel Caree

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:30:00 -0400

Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers wrote this article for Bio Careers as part of her monthly contributions. To learn more about Bio Careers, see link: https://biocareers.com/ In today's competitive marketplace, the ability to differentiate yourself is critical to stand out from the crowd. LinkedIn is such a useful tool for branding yourself, showcasing your background, building connections and job searching in the online world. We are so fortunate to have this tool ? it's hard to think how people functioned without it... Many people have asked for my advice on how to best use LinkedIn to search for jobs. Therefore, I decided to write this article to provide tips on how to leverage the value of LinkedIn so that you maximize the value of this tool. Tip #1: Build out your PROFILE When you build your profile think about who will be reading this information. Your profile should explicitly explain who you are, what experience you have, and what skills you master. Potential employers and also people who you ask for informational interviews, will almost certainly review your LinkedIn profile. The more professional you can make it, the more attractive you become as a candidate. This shows that you are serious about your career and your personal brand. Especially if you are looking for a job, your profile should include additional information such as lab techniques you know, presentations you have given at large conferences, publications you have, etc. Many companies and recruiters use LinkedIn to search for individuals who have specific skills. If you have these in your profile, then you increase the chance of being "found" by an HR person when they search. If you do not have details listed, then your chance of being identified, is almost 0. LinkedIn is a powerful tool, but so many people do not use it to their advantage. For example, just listing, "Research associate, X Biotech company" or "Ph.d student, X school", without any details about what you have done, provides the reader with little context about your background. If you are a student or postdoc, list information about when you think you will be done. Without this, companies may be reluctant to contact you about jobs since they won't know when you will be done. Recruiting is extremely time consuming for companies, so the easier you can make it for companies to know what you want and when you will be available, the better. To learn specifics about building and taking advantage of your LinkedIn account, use the LinkedIn learning center (http://learn.linkedin.com/what-is-linkedin/ ) Don't forget, your online presence is often the first thing that potential employers see, so don't lose the chance to make a positive first impression. Tip #2: Have a PROFESSIONALLY LOOKING LinkedIn picture. In general people are extremely visual and usually remember faces more than names. For example, if you meet a person at a networking event and send a LinkedIn invitation afterwards, your profile picture will immediately help them to connect your name with your face. Sometimes people may attend a few networking events throughout a day or week, so pictures are so much more helpful than only names. Your image is part of your brand ? you should make the effort to have a professional photo that will be noticed by your colleges and perhaps your future employer. Ideally you should have a professional take your photo, but since most digital cameras work well enough for this purpose, digital cameras can usually work. Have a friend take your photo, stand against a blank wall, avoid objects of distraction in the photo, have a professional outfit on, and smile. This extra effort will go a long way. Tip #3: Make sure that your name on your LinkedIn Account is the same as your resume Potential employers will almost always look at an individuals LinkedIn account as they are reviewing resumes. If they cannot find you on LinkedIn, it can create a red flag. If the name on your resume is different than the name on your LinkedIn account, you should modify one of them to make them the same so that you are easily found. Tip #4: Link into people that you know. As you grow your LinkedIn network, you should only connect with trusted contacts. In this way, your network becomes personal and actually useful for you as you grow in your career. Aim for quality not for quantity. Adding a lot of people just to increase your numbers actually dilutes the value of your own personal LinkedIn network. Tip #5: Do not send a LinkedIn invitation to a hiring manager right after you submit your resume Oftentimes, people seem to use LinkedIn so casually. When you apply for a job, it is not recommended to link in to the hiring manager. They usually don't know you, so why would they connect with you? People, especially as they become more senior in their career, are very careful and selective about their LinkedIn connections. People like to have individuals in their network who they know and have something in common with ? perhaps they worked together, went to school together, did a project together, etc. If you ask someone to link in to you who does not know you, it may make them uncomfortable and may even hurt your application chances. Tip #6: Join groups to be updated on areas of interest If you are looking to learn more about a certain area, join a group in that area on LinkedIn. There are thousands of groups in LinkedIn. When you are new to the job search process, using this feature is extremely valuable to get a lay of the land in your particular field. To find groups, you can search for them by keyword under group categories. Use the following link to learn more about groups in your LinkedIn profile http://learn.linkedin.com/groups/. You may be surprised by how many groups may be relevant to you. Also, you can become an active member or a group and share your expertise's. This can build thought leadership. Tip #7: If you send someone a LinkedIn request, mention where you met them or why you are connecting with them. People are busy and have a lot of things in their mind. The easier you can make it for people to remember how they met you or what you are looking for from them, the better. If you met someone at a international networking event and are following up with a LinkedIn request, say in the subject line, "international networking event follow up" and in the body of the LinkedIn request, say, Dear X, It was a pleasure meeting you at the international networking event on DATE. To follow up, I would like to link into you so that we can keep in touch" or something like this. It is amazing how many times people don't do this. I wonder how many LinkedIn requests do not get answered because people cannot remember the context in which they met someone. The connections you develop over time are a valuable part of your professional career, respect your network, be responsive, and finally, "keep it human".

Feb 21st 2012, FILS Event: Overview of Life Sciences Consulting Career Paths

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:58:00 -0400

On Feb 21st, 2012, about 100 post docs, medical residents, and graduate students, will convene at the upcoming Futures in Life Science event to learn about career paths in life sciences consulting which exists for individuals with graduate degrees. The event is being held at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, MA from 5:30-8:00pm. To register for the event, click here: http://fils22012.eventbrite.com . The agenda and speakers are listed below: 5:30pm-6:00pm ? Registration and Open Networking 6:00pm-6:10pm ? Introductions, Overview, and Recognition of Sponsors 6:10pm-7:30pm ? Panel Discussion: Moderator: Rob Lowrance, Collaborative Consulting; Panelists: Claudio D'Ambrosio, Deallus Group; Joseph Feingold, Putnam Consultants; Mark Hochstetler, Lumleian, LLC; Gary Gustavsen, Health Advances 7:30pm-8:00pm ? Open Networking More information about the speakers and organizers are below: Propel Careers, MassBio, and the MassBioEd have joined together to organize a series of networking and panel events focused on raising awareness of career paths that exist in life sciences for individuals with advanced degrees. This Futures in Life Science program will bring together experts across a wide range of disciplines and functional areas within the life science industry, who detail their roles and provide a rich context for the audience to gain a clear understanding of the skills, aptitudes, competencies, and personalities that thrive in their particular functions. Attendance for this program is open to current graduate students, post doctoral fellows, and medical residents who are interested in careers in the life sciences industry. About the Organizers: MassBio - MassBio, a not-for-profit organization that represents and provides services and support for the Massachusetts biotechnology industry, is the nation's oldest biotechnology trade association. Founded in 1985, MassBio is committed to advancing the development of critical new science, technology and medicines that benefit people worldwide. Representing over 600 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, research hospitals, and service organizations involved in life sciences and health care, MassBio works to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs and events, industry information, and services. To learn more, visit: http://www.massbio.org. MassBioEd - The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, founded in 2001, is a non-profit charitable organization committed to supporting science and biotechnology education in Massachusetts through school programs, workforce training, and lifelong learning. MassBioEd is closely affiliated with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and helps the Council in fulfilling its goals to nurture the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline in Massachusetts. To learn more, visit http://www.massbioed.org. Propel Careers - Propel Careers is a Boston based life sciences search and career development firm founded in 2009 to foster entrepreneurship and to cultivate leaders in the life sciences industry. Propel recognizes the importance of job creation and career development opportunities to the success of the industry as well as to next generation of industry leaders. The mission of Propel Careers is to make connections that fuel innovation, and we do this through placement, networking, coaching and mentorship. To learn more, visit http://www.propelcareers.com.

Jan 17th FILS Blog Writeup by Benjamin Leung

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:44:00 -0400

What do a board-certified neurologist, a medicinal chemist, a physicist, a pharmacist, and an immunologist have in common? They have all gone beyond their original training to establish successful careers in the life science industry, and they shared their insight and experiences at an event series designed to help others make a similar transition. The opening event of the 2012 Futures in Life Science Seminar Series, organized by MassBio, MassBioEd, and Propel Careers, held on January 17th, introduced an overflowing audience to science professionals in venture capital, consulting, health care, and biotech/pharma. Unlike subsequent events, which focus specifically on consulting, research, clinical/medical affairs, bioinformatics, commercialization, finance, legal, and operations, the panelists at this gathering had a wide range of technical backgrounds and professional responsibilities. The panelists included Kiran Reddy, Principal, Third Rock Ventures, Kevin Sprott, Senior Director, Chemistry, Verastem, Iya Khalil, Executive VP and Co-Founder, Via Science and GNS Healthcare, Dennis M. Meletiche, VP, Health Outcomes and Market Access, EMD Serono, and Katherine McLaughlin, Associate, Health Advances. John Hallinan, CFO, Cytel, moderated the panel. A major topic of the evening's discussion centered on what skills and knowledge an academic needed to acquire to thrive in the corporate environment. Foremost on the panel's list was interpersonal skills. Beyond simply cooperating with your peers, panel members emphasized the importance of empathy, appreciating and embracing differing perspectives. Unlike academia where the "working unit" is the individual or small group, in industry the cost and scale of projects necessitates much larger teams cooperatively executing a common plan of action. The team will not only include scientists with differing expertise, but also business professionals with little formal scientific training. Productive face-to-face communication between scientists and business professionals is important to a project's success, and those that can bridge the two disparate cultures are often successful in the life science industry. How does one refine or acquire these "soft" skills? Like any skill, practice as much as possible--networking events like the FILS series are ideal places to improve your interpersonal skills. Actively seek out and observe people that excel at relating to others. Implicit in teamwork is trust. You must have faith in your colleagues' judgment and skills, even if you disagree. In a large endeavor it is neither practical nor productive to do everything yourself, so you must assume that other team members are doing their parts with the same diligence that you are. Another theme of the evening's discussion was the mutability of the modern professional's career path. Gone are the days of lifelong employment at a single company performing the same duties the entire period; the new paradigm is a constantly evolving series of positions and responsibilities. All of the panel members have positions for which they have no formal training--how did they acquire these skills? They availed themselves of all their resources--formal ones like business classes at their academic institution or seminars at professional organizations like MassBio--as well as from informal sources like networks and mentors. Panel members universally credited mentors as instrumental in their professional development, and each repaid the favor by mentoring others in similar fashion. Throughout the course of the evening the importance of networks was reinforced. Panel members used contacts for everything from learning about entrepreneurship and writing business plans to looking for recommendations to fill job vacancies. LinkedIn is the networking tool of choice, not only for maintaining contacts, but also as a tool for identifying new contacts. A good approach to develop contacts in an industry you want to enter is to use LinkedIn to reach out to people who are in positions that you are interested in. The next event in the 2012 Futures in Life Science Seminar Series, on Consulting Career Paths in the Life Science Industry, will be on February 21st at the Whitehead Institute at Kendall Square. To register for this event, or learn about the other events in the series, check our events calendar at http://www.propelcareers.com/index.cfm/events/. To see pictures from the last event, click here: http://video214.com/play/NUqXkCVP0HqH8Hz4H9ooCw/s/dark. About the Author: Ben Leung is currently a postdoctoral associate in the Neurobiology department at UMass Medical School.

Jan 17th Futures in Life Sciences Event - Overview of Life Sciences Career Paths

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:41:00 -0400

On January 17th, 2012, we will kick off our 2012 Futures in Life Science Seminar Series at the MassBio Offices located at One Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142. The event will occur from 5:30-8:00pm. To Register: http://fils12012.eventbrite.com/ Meeting Agenda: 5:30pm-6:00pm ? Registration and Open Networking 6:00pm-6:10pm ? Introductions, Overview, and Recognition of Sponsors 6:10pm-7:30pm ? Panel Discussion Moderator: John Hallinan, CFO, Cytel, Inc; Panelists: Kiran Reddy, MD, MBA, Principal, Third Rock Ventures; Kevin Sprott, PhD , Sr. Director, Chemistry, Verastem; Iya Khalil, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Co-Founder, GNS Healthcare; Dennis M. Meletiche, PharmD, Vice President, Health Outcomes & Market Access, EMD Serono, Inc; Katherine McLaughlin, Ph.D., Associate, Health Advances 7:30pm-8:00pm ? Open Networking Propel Careers, MassBio, and the MassBioEd have joined together to organize this series of networking and panel events to focus on raising awareness of career paths that exist in life sciences for individuals with advanced degrees. This Futures in Life Science program brings together experts across a wide range of disciplines and functional areas within the life science industry, who detail their roles and provide a rich context for the audience to gain a clear understanding of the skills, aptitudes, competencies, and personalities that thrive in their particular functions. Attendance for this program is open to current graduate students, post doctoral fellows, and medical residents who are interested in careers in the life sciences industry. The event will focus on the various career options within life sciences and will set the stage for the next 7 events which are deep dives into the various areas of life science including business and commercial, consulting, research and development, clinical, bioinformatics and systems biology, reimbursement, pharmacoeconomics, patient advocacy, and finance, legal, and operations.

Importance of tailoring a cover letter - Don?t let people guess if your skills are relevant

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:42:00 -0400

Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers wrote this article for Bio Careers as part of her monthly contributions. To learn more about Bio Careers, see link: https://biocareers.com/ As you undergo the challenge of applying for jobs, setting yourself up for success is critical. A tailored cover letter makes a huge difference, but in order to write a good cover letter it is essential that you understand the following: 1. Why you are writing this letter. 2. Who is going to read it. 3. How you will ensure that it captures the attention of the reader to get you to the next review phase. This process is not only about sending your materials in for a position, it is about showing why you are relevant for the position. This is your chance to shine. Below are a few tips to give you some understanding of how to respond to a job posting effectively. In many cases when people apply for jobs, it seems as if the sender just replaces the "To" and "Company" names, sending the same generic cover letter for many different listings. If your letter lacks the specifics of why your skills are relevant for each specific job, the chances of accomplishment (i.e. moving to the next phase in the review/interview process) are pretty low. When people send a generic resume and cover letter, they are relying on the recruiter's and/or the hiring manager's ability to determine that their skills match up. Relying on the potential for someone to guess that your skills are relevant certainly decreases the odds that you will be called for an interview, even if you are qualified. When companies provide a job description, they are providing you with a listing of what they are looking for. Instead of just blindly sending in a resume and cover letter, take a little time to customize how you describe your background for the precise role to which you are applying. Just because you have a molecular biology degree does not mean that you have experience with yeast and e.coli, just like having a bioinformatics degree may not mean that you have experience with Perl, R and Python. By clearly highlighting your skills and experiences, and how they relate to the job description, you make it easier for the hiring manager and HR to see that you are relevant. Because companies get so many applicants for roles, most won't write back to you asking for more info if they are not sure that you fit. They will default to putting you in the "not a fit pile," meaning that you won't even be called to clarify your skills. This is a huge missed opportunity for you. One important point to keep in mind through this process, though, is that even before you take the time to write a tailored cover letter and resume, you should reflect to make sure you are focusing your energy on the right positions for you. By doing an honest self-evaluation prior to your job search, you should have a good idea of what type of job you are qualified for, what size company you want to work for, and a realistic expectation of how far you are willing to move/travel for work. Making these decisions ahead of time can prove helpful for understanding whether a job posting is for a fit for you. For example, if we look at a job description, a few points are important to be aware of. Company Description This tells you a lot about the potential company. If the company says they are a start-up or entrepreneurial, they will (most likely) be looking for you to show an interest in entrepreneurship or experience with an entrepreneurial setting, be able to multi task, learn quickly, and assist with projects that may be outside of your job description. Location If the job is located in an area different from where you live, the company will be looking for a reason why you are (or have an interest in) moving to their area. With all of the things to worry about when onboarding a new hire, a company does not want to worry that you won't be a fit for the area to which you are moving. Job Description The company either wants to see previous experience with the type of job, or a reason why your skills are relevant for the job for which you are applying. Be explicit and use the space wisely as your share your information. Job Requirements This is where you have huge power to indicate your skills and show relevance to what the company is seeking. Don't be shy here! Indicate what you know/have experience in and how this relates to what the company is looking for. For cover letters, I recommend using a table format which can be as simple as this below: Job Requirement My Experience. Experience with PCR - List your experience with the technique Experience with Yeast and E.coli - List your experience with these systems Experience with transfection - List your experience with the technique Experience with cloning - List your experience with the technique Interest in working in an entrepreneurial environment - List your experience and reason for being a fit here By thoroughly addressing each of these job description aspects within your cover letter, the person screening your resume can see why you are applying and that you are relevant to this role. If you don't have the full range of experiences for which the company is looking, then list why you think you could do a certain task or experiment. List your transferrable skills and/or interest in a particular area. When you customize your cover letter, make sure you are also customizing your resume as well. Many times, a cover letter is separated from the resume after the first evaluation of the cover letter and resume. It's important to also show these skills and experiences on your resume. Otherwise, when people are interviewing you (if they have a non-customized resume of yours), they may wonder why you are applying! By taking time to tailor what you are sending to companies and only applying to roles that are relevant to you, you increase the chances of being interviewed for a job, which increases your chances of being hired. Preparation on your side will go a long way. Good luck with the applications to find the right fit for you!