Bio Career Center

Everyone has a dream job and most of us know we don’t have all the skills to make us successful in that position just yet. No matter what the level of the employment, a candidate that meets the criteria for the position and has additional skills the office can tap into when needed, is always more appealing to the company than an employee who is just minimally qualified. So what’s a young professional to do? How do you gain the critical skills that will ensure you are fully qualified when the time comes for you to put your name in the hat for consideration? How do you get considered for the jobs you really want to have, when part of the selection criteria is the experience you are trying to gain but don’t yet have? I offer you three steps that will propel you towards the broader skills you desire, as well as help you learn about additional career opportunities you probably were unaware of.

Expose Yourself! The leap from the academic arena into the corporate world is huge and often daunting. Over and over in your career search you will hear the phrases ‘corporate fit’ or ‘organizational culture.’ Simply stated, these terms refer to the fit between you and the organization you wish to work for. Are you best suited to be in a small non-profit organization where everyone knows each other, or would you be more comfortable in a large lab where no one knows your name? Do you want to work for an agency whose corporate vision most mirrors your personal values, or would you trade that for a strongly defined, transparent corporate ladder that offered a lot of room for growth? If you are like many other young professionals you have no idea how to answer these questions as you have not been exposed to different work environments.

Step one in gaining new skills is to expose yourself to many different types of employment venues. This is possible through volunteering, accepting short term work assignments, getting involved in corporate or government outreach programs, or just attending career events or seminars sponsored by different types of organizations. By exposing yourself to different employers, you will be able to see what types of skills they value and will then know where you can concentrate your efforts if you wish to work for them.

An example would be getting to attend a new product symposium at a large corporation. You will likely meet professionals at the event who can educate you about what types of software or hardware systems they use or where their main hurdles (funding, legislation, local environmental concerns) lie that they must overcome to reach production. By gaining this exposure, you may identify the additional skills that would be valuable to that employer and start working on gaining them. Perhaps you can volunteer to perform routine data processing work for them which will expose you to their software system, or hand out pamphlets at a town hall meeting that would allow you to hear the complex issues of environmental change.

Volunteer your time! There are so many volunteer opportunities, internships and fellowships available, surely you can find one that matches your interests with the ability to gain the skills you seek. I live near a Wildlife Refuge and recently stopped in to see what types of internships they provide to emerging scientists. I was truly amazed at the wide range of opportunities they offered young professionals. There was an internship for data management which allowed you to learn how all the scientific data pieces were collected, filed and cross referenced. Another internship concentrated on community outreach and environmental awareness, and a third developed fundraising events for scientific research. A fourth internship focused on lobbying for environmental protection reform at the legislative level. While any one of these opportunities could be tailored to meet your skills and interests, all will provide you with very real, highly desirable employable skills. Please don’t worry about your lack of time, most organizations can accommodate even the most casual of volunteers – you will just be assigned to assist in a task rather than be responsible for a stand alone program as a full-time intern might be.

When researching volunteer opportunities don’t just limit yourself to traditional work environments. There are many community based organizations (educational, religious, charity, public service) that rely on volunteers to meet their goals. Once you have found a comfortable fit with a group you feel passionate about, spend some time listening to the mainstays within the organization about their real issues. Brainstorm about a way to make a lasting difference for the organization. Once you have found an idea that incorporates their need with your strengths you will be able to make a positive, lasting impact that will outlive your tenure. This will provide true goal integration as you will have accomplished something quantifiable and increased your marketable skills. This experience will prove to be a great talking point with future employers where you can illustrate how your actions impacted someone’s real world business dilemma in a long-term positive way.

Seek additional challenges! No matter what your current status, you are involved in something that you could expand to gain new skills. Do you belong to club, professional organization or society? If so, have you ever taken the minutes of a meeting, prepared the notes for record afterward, organized a social event, arranged for a guest speaker, researched a new charter, established a new chapter, written a newsletter, maintained their website, designed an outreach campaign to boost membership, or sought donations for a charity drive? Consider running for office (school, club or community) of any organization you find interesting and believe you could make a difference. If you currently work in any capacity, seek out your supervisor and ask for additional responsibility. Ensure they understand you are not seeking additional compensation as much as you are trying to garner new skills. Remember, no matter where you work, every work setting has a budget (travel, equipment, training, or office supplies), policies, files, supplies, publications or regulations that need to be updated, and equipment that must be maintained. Having the knowledge to perform those functions, or oversee them, will also be considered a plus to future employers.

It’s difficult to feel the perfect job is beyond your reach because you don’t have the experience to be selected, especially when you feel confident you would perform well in the position. Expose yourself to different environments, volunteer for new opportunities, and accept every challenge you can find to enhance your professional skills. Along the way you will meet many professionals in your field that will see your potential and consider you for future employment.