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Industry Transition Spotlight: Asjad Ali, PhD, Agricultural Scientist

Industry Transition: An interview With Asjad Ali, PhD, Agricultural Scientist

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

Asjad Ali, Plant Breeder/Agricultural Scientist, Department of Agriculture & Fisheries – AustraliaCompany: Sygnature Discovery

2. What is your favorite part about working in industry?

It’s a very good work-life balance as well as office-field activities balance with more independence in conducting experiments. My job requires me to go to the field station and work on plants to develop new hybrids and I really enjoy doing that.

3. What does a typical day at work look like for you?

These days Covid-19 has affected most of the routine activities; however, my day usually starts with smiles and greetings in the office. I see my “To-Do List” for the day, spend part of the day in the office, and the rest in the lab and/or in the field to perform experimental work.

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

Research is not much different, but independence to design and conducting experiments is much better. Teamwork is an advantage here compared to my postdoc position. At least I have a clear path to move on in my career.

5. 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?

Never ever lose hope and continue modifying yourself with the industry trends. Believe me, there is light after every dark night.

6. What was the most important thing you did during your job search that enabled your success?

Identifying my future job/career, including the job title, and targeting the respective industry through all means of communication.

7. What is the most memorable moment for you (so far) as a Cheeky Scientist Associate?

The most memorable moment was to see so many PhDs with a common goal (industry focused jobs) in a platform where everyone supports each other without seeking personal gain.

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

I am passionate to develop a new variety and play my role in food security. I hope in the near future I will be leading a team of my own.

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

I think the network is extraordinary. I would like to get better connected with fellow associates to share ideas/stories and learn from everyone. Especially participating from live Meetups, which enhance confidence in doing things and I’m missing this part so far. I hope to join some live meetups soon to enhance my confidence.

10. Now that you’ve spent some time working in industry, what is the biggest piece of advice you’d like to share with those Associates who are still executing their job search?

My experience-based advice to new fellows would be, don’t waste your time in Postdoc contracts, prepare yourself as early as possible for industry. Use the Cheeky platform to polish your ideas and strategies for your targeted job. Every company has a different culture, so explore it before your interview and always show enthusiasm.

Ready to make your own industry transition? The Cheeky Scientist Association is the world’s premier PhD-only industry job search training platform and PhD-only industry job referral network. When you become an Associate, you get access to our proven job search blueprint, which includes 200+ training videos, interviews with industry PhDs working in the most popular 100+ careers for PhDs, lifetime access to a private job referral network of 8,000+ PhDs, and much more.

You get instant feedback from our trainers 24/7 on any job search-related question so you can be 100% confident in your decisions about your job search and your overall career. To learn more about how to make your own industry transition, including instant access to our exclusive training videos, case studies, industry insider documents, transition plan, and private online network, get on the waitlist for the Cheeky Scientist Association.

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ABOUT ISAIAH HANKEL, PHD

CEO, CHEEKY SCIENTIST & SUCCESS MENTOR TO PHDS

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 PhDs transition into top companies like Amazon, Google, Apple, Intel, Dow Chemical, BASF, Merck, Genentech, Home Depot, Nestle, Hilton, SpaceX, Tesla, 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'm happy to share that I’m starting a new position as an associate computational scientist at md anderson cancer center!"

James Jennings

James Jennings

Associate Computation Scientist

at MD Anderson Cancer Center

"I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Founder at Relearning Earning!""

James Wadsworth

James Wadsworth

Founder

at Relearning Earning

"'....all the modules and associates really helped me understand the job and interview aspects really well. Meera specially helped me a lot prepare for the 8 interviews (written, analytical, on-site, assessments). She was very prompt in responding to my questions and concerns and really helped me keep my morale whenever I felt I might loose this position.... This is something I was looking for in a job so it is perfect for me."

Haymanti Bhanot

Haymanti Bhanot

Editorial

at Elsevier

"Hi Isaiah, I hope you are good....I did receive and accept a job offer!"

Debadrita Pal

Debadrita Pal

Scientist

at Sanofi

"I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Senior Actuary, Pricing at HDI Seguros!"

Claudia Wehrhahn

Claudia Wehrhahn

Senior Actuary, Pricing

at HDI Seguros

"I proceeded with the offer we were discussing and i signed the contract a few days ago. I would like to thank you so much for your support throughout this process. it was really helpful and beneficial!"

Samir Tohme

Samir Tohme

Project Engineer, Optical Development & Simulation Expert

at EDL Rethschulte GmbH (FEV Group)

"I’m happy to share that I started a new position as Medical Science Liaison at Ashfield this January, part of UDG Healthcare (now Inizio) supporting Avita Medical. Thank you to all my mentors, colleagues, and friends who have been incremental in making this dream possible for me.....It is an exciting space/time and I can’t wait for the future."

Mimi Borrelli

Mimi Borrelli

Medical Science Liaison

at Inizio

"I am deeply grateful for all the incredible support, professional and personal, I got here and was essential for me to get here. I just completed 4 months at my present company and successfully transitioned, from the training process to working full-time in the team in the team I was hired for, this last week! I never fully thanked Cheeky for all the help they gave me in the training in the job search process, in a way that I was able to realize succes on one of the first jobs I applied for, only a bit more than a couple of months after joining the association. I heard and was told it was possible to have such quick results,but I never believed that it would happen to me; for this I am deeply grateful for you all! Joining CSA was one of the best decision I have ever made, and is something that will still help me for many years to come, for as long as my career goes on!"

Jose Hugos Elsas

Jose Hugos Elsas

Geophysical Researcher

at CGG

"I'm happy to share that I am starting a new position as Senior Scientist at Eikon Therapeutics!"

Hank Cheng

Hank Cheng

Senior Scientist

at Eikon Therapeutics

"Going with Nyxoah! Thank you for all your help Isaiah!"

Pratik Chhatbar

Pratik Chhatbar

Senior Clinical Research Scientist

at Nxyoah

"I'm excited to share that I'm starting a new position as Senior Filed Application Scientist at NanoString Technologies, Inc.!"

Alex Woychek

Alex Woychek

Senior Field Application Scientist

at NanoString Technologies, Inc.

"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'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Clinical Scientist at Arvinas!"

Ana Luiza C. Zaninotto

Ana Luiza C. Zaninotto

Clinical Scientist

at Arvinas

"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 have been quiet here for a while but happy to finally share that I've transitioned! It was a long and challenging journey towards transition, being at another full-time job plus being a toddler mom, but I am so thankful I found this supportive community that has helped me and motivated me throughout."

Shobana Sekar

Shobana Sekar

Senior Bioinformatics Scientist

at Roche

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