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Industry Transition Spotlight: James Morris, PhD

What is your name, your full job title, and the full name of the company you work for?

James Morris, I mostly use “consultant” as my job title, I work for AgileBio LLC, and I have been there since May 2016.

What is your biggest or most satisfying career goal you’ve reached since transitioning into industry?

I have learned more about science in the last several months than I did in all my time as a graduate student and postdoc. The pace in industry is so fast and the people do a much better job of working together.  

How is your current industry position different from your academic postdoc or experience as a graduate student?

At my postdoc, I had to get everything I did approved by my boss and our budget felt tiny.  Here, there is a general expectation that doing our work costs money. There is also a much more cohesive team atmosphere, even though most of my coworkers are on the other side of the world. So, we are very proactive in making sure to communicate thoughtfully and frequently.  

If you could go back in time, to before you received your job offer, and give yourself one piece of advice or encouragement, what would it be?

The time you spend between jobs has a lot to offer. Do not waste this time. Taking advantage of the availability you have between jobs can lead to interesting opportunities.  

What do you see as the next step in your career?

At the moment, the company is growing and that growth should open up many possibilities for me to grow within the company.

How can the Association and the Association’s members help you continue to achieve your career goals?

I watch the group and scan for interesting articles or advice. There is something relevant to look for every week.

Now that you’ve spent some time working in industry, what is the biggest takeaway(s) you’d like to share with those who are still executing their job search?

Making contacts is very important. The value of networking cannot be understated. Getting to know people in the company, or that do business with the company, is important. Being friendly and helpful goes a long way.

To learn more about how you can transition into an industry career like Kristy, including instant access to our exclusive training videos, case studies, industry insider documents, transition plan, and private online network, get on the wait list for the Cheeky Scientist Association.

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ABOUT ISAIAH HANKEL, PHD

CEO, CHEEKY SCIENTIST & CAREER SUCCESS MENTOR

Dr. Isaiah Hankel is the Founder and CEO of Cheeky Scientist. His articles, podcasts and trainings are consumed annually by millions of PhDs and other professionals in hundreds of different countries. He has helped professionals transition into top companies like Pfizer, Tesla, Amazon, Pearson, Google, Apple, Intel, Dow Chemical, BASF, Merck, Genentech, Home Depot, Nestle, Hilton, SpaceX, Syngenta, the CDC, UN and Ford Foundation.

Dr. Hankel has published 3X bestselling books and his latest book, The Power of a PhD, debuted on the Barnes & Noble bestseller list. His methods for getting PhDs hired have been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Nature, Forbes, The Guardian, Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine and Success Magazine.

Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Here's What Others Are Saying

"I picked the Planet job! It ended up being the better fit for me... Thanks for all of your help!"

Emily Martin

Emily Martin

Hardware Systems Engineer

at Planet

"Good news...I've secured a job! Thank you for your support during the job search process and for giving me the courage to transition from academia to industry."

Marlyn Brookins

Marlyn Brookins

Regulatory Submissions Coordinator

"The decision is final - it is Cormetech!"

Carlos Vargas Garcia

Carlos Vargas Garcia

at Cormetech

"I am happy to share that I'm starting a new position as a European Portfolio Manager at Scientific Instruments!"

 Shikha Acharya

Shikha Acharya

European Portfolio Manager

at Scientific Instruments

"I signed the offer today! I am will be working as a technical support manager - it is what you call a field scientist within Cheeky. I am super excited and already feel welcomed!"

Maria Terra Terra

Maria Terra Terra

Technical Support Manager

"Thank you for your advice, Isaiah! I’m super excited and grateful! I would never negotiate the salary and the other details of the offer if it weren’t for Cheeky Scientist. Thank you again"

Marta Silva

Marta Silva

Policy Analyst

at Health Canada

"I just accepted an offer for a position at one of the top pharma companies...I can't tell you how relieved I feel, I'm very excited for what's to come!"

Nahed Jalloul

Nahed Jalloul

Computational Biologist

"I started working with you all back in October 2022 and it took me about four months to secure my new role. I actually had two six figure salary offers in the learning and development arena! One was from a prestigious HBCU and the other one was with a scientific research organization. I signed my six figure offer letter for a Head of Talent Development role with the scientific research organization on March 1st. I negotiated and received a $7,500 increase in salary and I also received an increase in my relocation package. I cannot thank you all enough!"

Dr. Rhonda Anderson

Dr. Rhonda Anderson

Head of Talent Development

at Southern Research

"I aced the interview, I signed yesterday and begin next month!"

Sinduri Vuppala

Sinduri Vuppala

Field Application Specialist

at Bruker Daltonics

"Extra thrilled...I now have a full-time job lined up before I even graduate. Yay! Cheeky Scientist helped me get my internship, 3 offers, and the offer I wanted at a competitive salary because I had other offers to leverage. All before I even graduated."

Srishti Dasarathy, PhD

Srishti Dasarathy, PhD

AI Research Engineer

at Lockheed Martin

"The made an offer and I accepted it. I am excited and nervous to start a new job and leave academia!"

Valentina Dallacasagrande

Valentina Dallacasagrande

Sr. Scientific Advisor

at reVision Therapeutics, Inc.

"I just accepted an offer to be a Clinical Researcher Coordinator for a pain clinic near me. I'll be helping them run their clinical trial that uses a device to stimulate nerves to relieve patients pain. I start next Wednesday. So excited! I wanted to say thanks to Isaiah and all the members of the Cheeky team for your help! I really appreciate it!"

Natasha Fowler

Natasha Fowler

Clinical Research Coordinator

at Columbia Pain Management, P.C

"I'm happy to share that I'm stating a new position as Medical Science Liaison at Celltrion Healthcare Co, Ltd.!"

Tammy Virdi

Tammy Virdi

MSL

at Celltrion Healthcare Co, Ltd

"Thanks to Cheeky Scientist, I now have an offer letter in my hand and a new career in the industry, which makes me incredibly happy and excited for the future. The training Cheeky Scientist provided was successful since it helped me to carefully consider my skills and improve how I approached my job search. I gained more confidence talking to recruiters and engaging in on-site interviews thanks to the many training modules and live sessions Cheeky Scientist offered. I had a lot of back-and-forth interactions with prospective employers as offers came in, and Cheeky Scientist helped me be a good negotiator. Through Cheeky Scientist, I could ultimately search for, negotiate, and select my best career route."

Vishnu Modur

Vishnu Modur

Clinical Trial Associate/Manager

at Medspace

"I am happy to share I am starting a new position!"

Mary Hidde

Mary Hidde

Clinical trial manager

at Medspace

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