Articles Written By Arunodoy Sur, PhD

Alliances in the biopharma sector have evolved, giving rise to multiple models of open innovation so organizations can reap maximum benefits. As the Open Innovation model becomes more prevalent, it influences how big pharma functions and restructures more broadly. As a result, Open Innovation programs exist today that would not have existed even 15 years ago. Knowledge in this area is essential for any PhD looking to transition into industry. The insider information in this article will help any PhD get hired at companies whose structure aligns with the PhD’s interests.

International PhDs do not have an easy ride to full-time employment if they want to stay in the U.S. You are competing with a growing number of foreign students for the same capped visas or hoping for a visa lottery win. To work in the U.S., you need to know your facts and be prepared so that when you leverage the value you bring to the company, the immigration piece seems less significant. In addition to networking and strategizing, give yourself ample time to learn about the visa options available to you and start the process before you graduate. Here…

Trying to find an industry job, satisfying your visa requirements, and completing your PhD as an international student is tough. Maintaining a positive attitude, getting the right information, and being patient will help you minimize the stress and anxiety of an uncertain and lengthy immigration process. Consulting specialized professionals while honing your industry skills and networking prowess will keep you focused and moving forward until you reach your goal of successfully transitioning into industry while juggling immigration challenges.

Employers are often untrusting of lifetime academics. They are untrusting because they want to know why a PhD, such as yourself, has finally decided to transition into industry. Are you simply frustrated with your academic advisor? Are you simply experimenting? Or are you legitimately ready to add value to their company? It’s okay to want out of academia. In fact, wanting out can keep you motivated in your job search. But this is not enough to out-compete the job candidate sitting next to you in the waiting room before an interview. It’s not enough to beat out the candidate with…

Do you know what business and commercial acumen skills means? Business acumen doesn’t mean the ability to say smart-sounding business words like “costs of goods sold” or “rolling forecast.” It refers to a deep understanding of current industry trends. The more you understand the trends in your industry, the better you can handle business situations. Non-academic industries are highly innovative and evolve at a rapid pace. To be successful, you need to be aware of these trends and the implications each trend has on a specific project. Here are 3 top industry trends to help you develop your business acumen.

Most PhD students don’t have a clue about what’s going on in industry. Do you? These PhDs do NOT understand the factors, innovations, and breakthroughs that are shaping the current markets in industry. Without knowledge of industry trends such as these, you can come across as naïve and inexperienced at job interviews. You can miss out on job opportunities that you are otherwise trained for. A survey by the Association of Graduate Recruiters found that 67% of employers rated “Commercial Awareness” as the top skill shortage among graduates. Here are 3 industry trends PhDs like you should know.

When it comes to getting an industry job, transferable skills are more important than your technical skills. No one wants to hire a candidate who is going to be difficult to work with. No one wants to hire a candidate who is going to be the new guy or girl on the team who is awkward to talk to and makes everyone feel uncomfortable. Studies show that hiring managers prefer to hire graduates who demonstrate strong transferable skills over graduates with demonstrate strong technical skills alone. You will not get hired into an industry role if you fail to develop…

Transferable job skills are essential for getting into any top industry position. The problem is most PhD students and postdocs do not fully understand what transferable skills are or how to develop them. More importantly, many of these PhDs are unaware of which transferable skills are sought after by biotech and pharma hiring managers and recruiters. Ignoring these skills can seriously hurt a PhDs chances of landing a job in the biotech or biopharma sector. A survey of major biotech and biopharma companies found that in spite of having the appropriate academic degree and academic qualifications overall, new graduates were…

Technical skills are not enough to get you hired in industry. You need additional, transferable skills to get hired. You need to develop knowledge and expertise beyond scientific research to set yourself apart from the competition. Most PhDs fail to develop the transferable skills they need to get an industry job. Instead, they make excuses like being too busy in the lab or being under too much pressure from their academic advisor. The truth is there are many ways to learn and nurture transferable skills while still in the lab. The key is that these skills are best learned first-hand,…

When choosing the next step in your career, be sure to consider not only the title and salary you want to have, but the lifestyle you want to live. PhDs should gain a thorough understanding of their non-academic career options. Otherwise, they will be forced by circumstances to take positions that are not in alignment with their long-term career goals. To help you avoid this fate, we’ve collated a list of the 10 hottest non-academic jobs today. Understanding which industry positions are on the rise will help you see what’s available to you outside of a traditional postdoc or professorship.…