Cheeky Scientist Radio Podcast

Join Isaiah as he explains why staying in academia for long is detrimental to PhDs and the strategies they can follow to get hired in industry  roles Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah discusses why staying in academia harms PhDs Next, Isaiah reveals new strategies that will help you get through the job search processFinally, Isaiah explores the answers to some quirky interview questions that PhDs might face From This Week’s Show…  Why PhDs In Academia Should Prioritize Their Industry Job Search Why staying in academia causes mental disorders? I am not talking about clinically diagnosed disorders. I am talking about the mental challenges, the struggles, the pain. PhDs in academia have an indescribable urge that they are not accomplishing anything or making any progress. How did that happen? This is a common disorder that happens to PhDs stuck in academia for long. As a PhD, when you come across a depressed postdoc it makes you ponder that being a PhD, you are highly skilled and intelligent, what went wrong? Clearly at that time you don’t understand how dark it is and how it actually damages a PhD’s career. However, at one point you realize that the…

Join Isaiah and Alessandra as they explain what business development is and the strategies PhDs can follow to be hired in this field Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah discusses how PhDs get hired into business development roles with PhDs panelists who now work as business development managersNext, Isaiah and Alessandra reveal how business development roles workFinally, Isaiah and Alessandra explain how PhDs can get hired into these roles From This Week’s Show…  Why PhDs Make For Great Business Development Managers Eventually, every single career track becomes a business development-based role. PhDs are rushing into these roles. There is a high demand for these roles. We will discuss what these business development roles are and how to be hired into these positions.   Business development manager roles comprise numerous cross-functional roles as connecting with clients and locating the appropriate clients while simultaneously working with the in-house teams. PhDs in this role have to work with the operations and R & D teams to generate study design. The experience gained as a postdoc and PhD is utilized to create the study design, analyze its scientific feasibility, and set timelines for flawless execution. It is the best of both worlds:…

Join Isaiah And James As They Reveal The Strategies You Should Follow To Be Hired As A Management Consultant Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah discuss the Management Consultant career for PhDs with panelists who have successfully transitioned into those rolesNext, Isaiah and James reveal the scope of Management Consultants in combating the job challenges that PhDs will face in 2021Finally, Isaiah and James explains how Management Consultants work to solve business problems From This Week’s Show… Why PhDs Make For Great Management Consultants This is one of the top career tracks, a lot of PhDs are getting hired in. We came from different academic backgrounds like organic chemistry and education but wanted to learn something beyond our academic horizons and once we started it fit like a glove. It does not matter what your background is or how certain you are about being a management consultant. As far as business acumen training is concerned, it is definitely crucial as it can get you hired into management consulting. But in order to acquire the business acumen or breakthrough in this field you don’t need an MBA. As PhDs, we basically have no idea, we are  always…

Join Isaiah as he reveals the best insights about the PhD job search strategy based on this year’s roundtables  Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah discusses the hiring trend for PhDs Next, he enlists the hurdles faced during the PhD job searchFinally, Isaiah explains the strategies to implement in order to overcome PhD career hurdles  From This Week’s Show…  Hiring Trends In The Pandemic Friction creates growth. All the challenges, disruption, and chaos that you faced, made you a stronger person. You have had to learn to rely on parts of yourself that you never knew before. You have had to think more creatively than you’ve had to think before. We are doing a roundup of some of the best insights of this year. We will focus on a few topical things, looking at which companies are merging, looking at some current industry trends, and emerging market trends to emphasize the importance of developing that business acumen. As PhDs, you have this incredible intellect, unmatched skill sets. You are meant to do a lot. Don’t let academia make you think that you have nothing to offer the world because that is not true. You need to see…

Join Isaiah And Monika As They Discuss The Job Search Strategies For PhDs Wanting To Get Hired In Clinical Research. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews a panel of PhDs who have successfully transitioned from academia to clinical research careersNext, the expert panel discusses how PhDs can break into the field of clinical research and what skill set gives them the advantageFinally, Isaiah and Monika explore the different aspects of  clinical research  From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow PhDs We are going to talk about Clinical Research Associate (CRA) and Clinical Research Scientist (CRS) positions, about Clinical Research Organizations (CROs) and their dynamics with clients and stakeholders. We will discuss with the expert panel about hiring PhDs as clinicians; what you can do to get hired in the clinical sector.  Let us talk about the possibilities of clinical research roles, does one need to have  actual clinical experience? What were the obstacles and how did you overcome them to get hired? What advice would you give to your former self? What gaps did you have in your knowledge and how did you overcome those knowledge gaps to get hired or since working in this…

Join Isaiah, Christopher, And Regina As They Discuss The Job Search Strategies For Interdisciplinary PhDs. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews a panel of interdisciplinary PhDs who successfully transitioned to diverse industry careersNext, the expert panel discusses the special skill set that interdisciplinary PhDs possess and gives them an added advantage in industry positions Finally, Isaiah, Christopher, and Regina explore the different career tracks available to interdisciplinary PhDs.  From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow PhDs Interdisciplinary PhDs form this umbrella term which is relatively new. Depending on your department, university, or country your PhDs may be classified as social sciences in one location and humanities in another. They often consider themselves second-class citizens when it comes to job search. But in reality, they have a special skill set that gives them an advantage over other PhDs in certain positions as User Experience Researcher.  I am an anthropologist by training but have actually worked at the intersections of social finance and the humanities. I also have a certificate in gender and race studies, and was initially trained by the humanities land team, to be a social scientist. Interdisciplinary PhD is borderless to a large extent as…

Join Isaiah as he discusses the emotionally draining aspects of the job search for PhDs and how to overcome them. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah sheds light on how the PhD job search can be emotionally overwhelmingNext, he points out the issues that lead to such scenariosFinally, Isaiah lists the solutions to overcoming these emotionally taxing hindrances to successfully get hired in industry From This Week’s Show… I am going to walk you through the 11, most emotionally draining parts of your job search that you need to overcome in advance for getting hired quickly. You can save a lot of your time by understanding what can drain your energy during your job search and how your brain can come up with excuses to divert you from your goal. It is really painful. It is a different kind of pain but is good for you. You have a series of emotional cold showers that you need to go through in order to get hired. Do not let your brain trick you with the excuses that diverts you from working towards your resume, cover letter, or networking, things that can help you in getting hired. The…

Join Isaiah and Alex Woychek as they reveal how to get hired as an Application Scientist or Application Specialist Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah and Alex discuss what the Application Scientist role entails Next, they enlist why this role is growing in popularity in industryFinally, Isaiah and Alex give an overview of how the Application Scientist/Specialist role is different from R&D and sales rep roles and the 5 things you need to get hired for this role From This Week’s Show… Why PhDs Make For Great Application Scientists/Specialists This is one of the most popular positions PhDs are getting into; industry demand for this position is peaking, especially in November and December. This is a No. 1 non-bench position PhDs are hired into, yet most PhDs do not understand it or consider it until someone contacts them about this role. It is one of the fastest ways to get hired from any branch of science. It is the position we recommend you to get into, if you are skeptical about the right position for you, as it is also the easiest position to leave. It is a known transitory position by industry professionals, so even when…

Join Isaiah as he reveals what to expect from the PhD job market in 2021 Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah discusses the reasons behind the trend of year’s end hiring surge  Next, he goes on to enlist what PhDs should do to get hired before the year’s endFinally, Isaiah gives an overview of  the top careers of 2020, the PhD profile that fits these, and the 7 goals every PhD should attain From This Week’s Show… The Year’s End Hiring Surge Already Started We are seeing the largest hiring boom of the entire year. Although the year 2020 has been uncertain, we have been able to stay ahead by watching financial markets, the hiring and spending freezes in academia, and hiring patterns within Global 500 partners.  During the beginning of the year, companies want to focus on staff training, virtual recapping the previous year, financial forecasting, and laying out the plan for the upcoming year: not an ideal time to be hired.  We are going to walk you through a couple of months. What you can do to make sure that you are in the best position to take advantage of all the extra budgets the…

Get Hired By Passing The Data Scientist Interview Exams  Join Isaiah and Kasey Hemington as they discuss the Data Scientist hiring process for PhDs. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews a panel of PhDs who successfully transitioned into Data Scientist careers. Next, the expert panel discusses what it takes to transition from a PhD to a Data Scientist.Finally, Isaiah and Casey explore the intricacies of the data scientist job hiring process, such as building  an impactful portfolio and the seven keys to get hired. From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow DSS Associates While dealing with big data, I suddenly found myself intrigued with its importance, which made me rethink my original objective of pursuing a PhD. This rendezvous inspired me to explore and teach myself the technical skills needed for the data science position.  Coming from a background in bioinformatics, I needed to find a position in industry where I could use my skillset. After a lot of soul searching and, following the CSA advice of trying to find my desired lifestyle. I zeroed in on the data scientists arena and then started gunning for it.  I faced initial challenges, especially because I felt I…

Medical Writing is a career safety net for PhDs wanting to transition into industry. Join Isaiah and Evguenia Alechine as they discuss medical and scientific writing careers for PhDs. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews PhDs from different backgrounds who successfully transitioned into medical writing careers. Next, Isaiah and Evguenia discuss why medical writing is a great career for PhDs no matter their background.Finally, Isaiah and Evguenia explore the PhD-level different positions that make part of the medical writing umbrella. From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow PhDs At first, Medical writing did not jump out as a career trajectory that I would find myself on. After joining Cheeky Scientist’s Medical Writing Organization, I realized that this field would fit my lifestyle and take me to that place where I could actually play a role in changing how people viewed a particular medicine, area of therapy, and give knowledge to patients or healthcare practitioners, among others. One thing that may be surprising for a lot of us is how in-demand medical writing is and what the umbrella term means. Not only do you not need clinical experience. “Medical Writing” is how high-level technical writing is referred…

The unique job search process of international PhDs  Join Isaiah and Brian Getson, JD while they discuss the newest U.S. immigration laws & guidelines. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews international PhDs who have successfully navigated the visa processNext, Isaiah and Brian discuss the immigration landscape during a pandemicFinally, Isaiah and Brian look at how best to handle the process and what to expect From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow PhDs During the final days of my PhD, I was applying for jobs and a lot of recruiters did contact me about open positions, but they wanted someone who could start immediately. And I still had to wait for OPD. You just have to let them know that you have a specific date when you can start working, so they can keep it in mind and get back to you after that. You definitely have to follow up with the recruiters. Particularly in my position with my company, I got lucky because they are willing to sponsor me. They do understand the problems of international students.  The way I got this job was through networking. As it is the Cheeky Scientist mantra, you have…

MSL Careers Require A Different Set of Skills Join Isaiah, Elizabeth Thatcher, and Yuri Klyachkin as they discuss an MSL job search blueprint that includes designing a resume and crafting your interview presentation. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews PhDs who have successfully transitioned into MSL positions.Next, Isaiah, Elizabeth, and Yuri discuss the soft skills needed to be an MSL.Finally, Isaiah, Elizabeth, and Yuri review the presentation standards set forth for MSLs. From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow PhDs [We are talking to] successful professionals in the MSL career path, they’ve made the transition into industry, and there’s plenty of positions out there for PhDs, you’re just invisible to employers. The MSLA group has been really valuable in terms of that network, understanding what the MSL position is, and helping me with the interview. Knowing how to present is key. That’s the number one point that you need to kill in your interview process because the presentation is just absolutely crucial.  The MSL career is slightly different and understanding those different aspects is very important. However, you can get into this role as a PhD, no matter what background you have. You need to…

PhDs Should Negotiate Their Salary To Get Paid What They Are Worth And Be Respected By Industry Professionals Join Isaiah And Don Asher As They Discuss The Negotiation Plan You Should Follow When Transitioning Out Of Academia Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews PhDs who have successfully used Don’s strategies for salary negotiation.Next, Isaiah and Don discuss why it is so important for PhDs to negotiate their industry salary, no matter the industry or position.Finally, Isaiah and Don go over some negotiation scripts you can use to show you are a professional deal maker. From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow PhDs What would you say are some of the most helpful strategies you’ve learned from Don? If you could look back to the gaps you had in your knowledge in terms of negotiation in every aspect of business, every aspect of your job search, and then how has Don helped you close those gaps? To me, it was never seeing yourself at a cap. Never think “I’m only worth 90” or “I’m only worth 70.” The sky’s the limit. You should see yourself as a resource that has no limit, you keep your value…

No Need To Wait Years For That Management Position. Join Isaiah and Ramya Raman as they discuss 10 Business Skills to put on your resume. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews PhDs who have successfully transitioned into management and business positions.Next, Isaiah and Ramya discuss why it is so important for PhDs to showcase their business skills when looking for an industry position.Finally, Ramya and Isaiah Share some business skills that PhDs should leverage in their job search. From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow PhDs Today we are talking about career transitions and how to skip the entry level positions by highlighting business skills on your resume. You need to learn the business language. They don’t care what you’re doing for science. They want science for their product. So, that was a huge aspect that I had to learn going into my current position. Understanding how to translate technical data to business data is crucial. It’s scary for some people because as scientists, we’re trained to look at business people as they just care about money and that’s not true. They care, but we have to guide them a little bit to care about…

Looking to sharpen your business acumen and/or transition into a management consulting career as a PhD? In this episode of the Cheeky Scientist podcast, Isaiah interviews James Wadsworth. He will give you the industry insight you need to transition into a management consulting career. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, hear from PhDs who recently transitioned into management consulting careers Next, Isaiah and James will discuss what is a management consultant Finally, Isaiah and James share exclusive insights on interviewing for management conslutant roles.  From This Week’s Show… Why PhDs Should Choose Management Consulting Roles They generally ask you for your point of view POV and you have to be very fast and sharp. It is normally very time sensitive. It’s very critical for you to answer the moment. We’re really good at reading books and comprehension. It is a strength of all PhDs, or you wouldn’t have got your PhD or come this far. But behaviorally being able to competently make a recommendation on your feet or confidently talk through a problem when there’s pressure is a different story. So go from that data to what does this mean and what does this mean in the context of…

Project Management roles are estimated to increase 33% by 2027. Join Isaiah and Orly Levitan as they discuss 9 recession proof project management skills and tools. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah discusses what is project management and why PhDs are perfect for this career.  Then, Isaiah and Orly talk about the skills you need to get a project management position.Finally, Isaiah and Orly share the top tools project managers are using today. From This Week’s Show… What is Project Management? Today we are talking about the nine recession proof, project management skills and tools to save your PhD career with a senior industry project manager, Orly Levitan.  And then there is a really big aspect that we don’t encounter so much in academia is managing people. Being able to manage a project in academia does not necessarily mean you can manage a project in industry. This [project management]  is a great transition point. Not just because you can get into any career path after being a project manager, it’s literally the one role that requires the skills required for every other role in industry.  It’s also in very high demand; 33% worldwide increase in project …

Research and Development encompasses a lot more careers than you may think.  Join Isaiah and Elliot as they discuss 11 research scientist & project management roles PhDs can get into within the R&D umbrella. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews a few PhDs who’ve successfully transitioned into R&D careers. Next, Isaiah and Elliot dive into the many career paths that PhDs can follow in the R&D field. Finally, Isaiah and Elliot discuss the major project management roles. From This Week’s Show… Advice From Fellow R&D Associates Today, we are going to talk about 11 research scientists and project management careers for PhDs. Research and Development is a rapidly growing market. It was predicted to grow at 8.7% after the pandemic. It’s predicted to grow at 21% or beyond, depending on the metrics you look at. The first thing I had to just overcome was that I was capable and able to get an industry position. Then I took the next step and started learning how to speak the language. You might be invisible to employers, but you’re very valuable. Focus on the broader transferable skills, your ability to do research and analysis. I have always had…

Data Scientist is a surging career track for PhDs, even during the recession, but you have to be able to navigate the unique hiring process in order to transition into this field. To get the inside information on the data scientist hiring process, join Isaiah as he interviews Shobeir Mazinani, PhD. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews a few PhDs who’ve successfully transitioned into data scientist roles. Next, gain vital advice on what it takes to become a data scientist.Finally, Isaiah and Shobeir walk you through the data scientist hiring process. From This Week’s Show… Advice From A Data Scientist I’m very excited about today’s show. We’re going to bring on a panel of data scientists to talk about this exciting career track. You can get hired into a data scientist role and learn on the job. So one of the biggest things I did was I chased the technology at the beginning. The biggest help came from one comment. She basically told me don’t follow the technology, follow the principles.  I would say, talk to people who are more experienced because they have made a lot of mistakes that you don’t need to do and…

Regulatory Affairs can be a hard field to transition into if you don’t have the right information. Join Isaiah as he interviews Rebba Boswell-Casteel PhD, and gain vital information you need to successfully transition today. Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode… First, Isaiah interviews a few PhDs who’ve successfully transitioned into regulatory affairs positions. Next, Isaiah and Rebba discuss the current trends in regulatory affairs.Finally, Rebba reveals the 13 essential skills required to transition into regulatory affairs. From This Week’s Show… Trends in Regulatory Affairs I’m very excited about today’s show because we are interviewing Rebba Boswell-Casteel PhD. Rebba is an evidence evaluation manager at Smith and nephew. She is an expert in the regulatory affairs field, as well as the medical affairs. Today we’re talking about regulatory affairs, what the position holds, why PhDs are valued for this position and what skills specifically you need to get into this role. Your background does not matter, yet as PhD’s we kind of fall back on describing our background just because we’re so used to it in academia. No matter what your background is, you can get into regulatory affairs. The top skills I will look for are technical writing,…