Cover Letters That Get the Call
Cover letters are one of the least favorite parts of the job searching process for most applicants. Cookie-cut cover letters will not get a second glance, and writing a specific letter for each position is time-consuming. Yet, cover letters give you the opportunity to set yourself apart from other candidates. A well-written cover letter will demonstrate to your future employers that you are willing to go the extra mile to research how your background fits their needs. Once you get some practice, writing cover letters will become second nature.
Some cover letter templates will suggest that you tell potential employers how you found out about the position and why you are interested. The truth is, employers do not care much about this. Employers are looking for the person who will solve their problems. The purpose of a cover letter is to convince your employers that you have the ability to meet their needs, and you are willing to go the extra mile to do so.
Let's begin with the salutation. Which letter would you be more inclined to read if you were hiring manager: One that begins with "Dear Sir or Madam" or "Dear Dr. (Your Last Name)? An applicant who puts your name on top has demonstrated that they have done the research to find out who the hiring manager was. This is not always possible, particularly in the case of Internet job ads, but as an applicant it is a good idea to find out who would be hiring you and what their background is.
Second, you need an eye-catching introductory paragraph. Good ways to start your letter include referrals (e.g. "I got your contact information from XYZ, who suggested that I contact you because"), or references (e.g. "I read your article about" or "I saw your presentation about", or "I know your organization is looking to grow in the field of XYZ, and with my experience in X I can make significant contribution to your university/company.")
Next, you need to research the organization and find out more about their areas of growth and how you would fit in. Thus, the bulk of the cover letter should consist of "Here is what I can do for you." For example, "I know you are looking for someone with mass spectrometry experience, and I have X years working with this technology. Specifically, I optimized the protocols for X., and I was able to decrease the analysis time by half. I also published several peer-reviewed papers in the following journals" Of course you need to insert your own experience, but you need to give very specific examples that will catch the hiring-manager's eyes. This section should be at least two paragraphs, with examples from your research experience, and leadership/teaching roles.
Finally, give them a way to get in touch with you, such as email and phone number. If they do not call you back, follow-up with an email, or even a phone call. This way
Wishing you the best,
Dora Farkas, PhD, Founder, PhDNet
Author: "The Smart Way To Your PhD:200 Secrets From 100 Graduates."
Now Available in Kindle and Softcover!
The Impostor Syndrome in Graduate School
I write a biweekly Q&A blog on Benchfly.com, and I frequently get questions from desperate students who believe they are not "smart" enough for graduate school (to read the Q&A blogs go to: http://www.phdnet.org/deardora.html). They all think they are the only ones who do not belong there. Graduate school is just way over their heads, and they never should have applied in the first place.
Graduate school can indeed by an intimidating and frustrating experience. What if the admissions office made a mistake by accepting you and now they are stuck with you? Believe it or not, these feelings are so common among graduate students, that they actually have a name. Dr. Valerie Young, a life coach with a Ph.D., named this the "impostor syndrome." (www.Impostorsyndrome.com). The "impostor syndrome" refers to the feeling that you are not good enough, and that other people might soon discover that you are not as intelligent as they thought you were.
Sounds familiar? I hope not, but if it does, you are certainly not alone. When I heard about the "impostor syndrome" (years after I graduated), I smiled immediately, because there were times when I wondered whether I could ever finish. At the time, what helped me the most was to talk with other students, because it helped me to understand that I was not the only one feeling frustrated, or rather, super-frustrated with no idea what the next step should be.
If you ever experience these feelings, remember that a Ph.D. is meant to challenge you. Professors will grill you (and possibly embarrass you as well), but this is considered the "rite of passage" to the Ph.D. world. Consider the following statistics. Each year, over 40,000 students earn a Ph.D., and more than 1,300,000 people have earned a Ph.D. since 1920-all in the United States alone. If they can do it, why not you?
Of course, there are cases where students make a decision to leave graduate school for reasons such as finances or change in career plans. But these decisions should not be based on not being "smart" enough. If you are ever frustrated, feeling alone, remember how many students have earned their PhD's before you, and many of them probably faced the same challenges as you. Most of the time, a candid conversation with your peers and supervisors can help you make decisions about your thesis and career plans so you can move forward more confidently.
Wishing you the best,
Dora Farkas, PhD, Founder, PhDNet
Author: "The Smart Way To Your PhD:200 Secrets From 100 Graduates."
Now Available in Kindle and Softcover!
Social Networking & Job Searching in the Life Sciences
When we think of social networking and job searching in the same context, LinkedIn immediately comes to mind. While LinkedIn is the number one professional networking site, there are several others that can be very useful for job seekers. In this blog, I would like to introduce you to two new networking sites for life scientists. Both of them were founded by Clifford Mintz, a life scientist himself, who is also a former Professor (University Of Miami School Of Medicine) and industry Research Scientist.
The first site is BioJobBlog (http://www.biojobblog.com/), which focuses on training and career development issues that are facing scientists and other bioprofessionals. The blog offers career development ideas and advice for bioprofessionals and also provides insights into hot topics and debates taking place in the life sciences industry. Clifford started the blog because of the career difficulties he faced while making the transition from an academic scientist to freelance science writer. Cliff hopes that by sharing his experiences with others they may be able to more easily navigate their own career paths which is often difficult, frustrating and emotionally- draining!
Clifford created a second site, with co-founder Vincent Racaniello, called BioCrowd (http://www.biocrowd.com/), which is online networking site for scientists and other life sciences professionals. Built on a flexible and highly interactive social networking platform, BioCrowd was designed to foster scientific and business relationships between its members. While science is the main driver of their community, it takes a host of other bioprofessionals in addition to scientists to create successful life sciences ventures. To that end, BioCrowd provides its members with immediate access to world class academic researchers, industrial scientists, consultants, recruiters, venture capitalists and other life sciences professionals. The goal is BioCrows is to provide a socially-interactive "one-stop-shopping" solution for bioprofessionals who are interested in advancing their careers or seeking new business opportunities in the life sciences industry.
If you decide to try either one of these sites (or have tried them already), we would love to have your feedback. Simply click on the orange "Reply" button (must be logged on to see the button).
Wishing you the best,
Dora Farkas, PhD, Founder, PhDNet
Author: "The Smart Way To Your PhD:200 Secrets From 100 Graduates."
Now Available in Kindle and Softcover Edition!
Coffee: Friend or Enemy?
The average American consumes 1-2 cups of coffee a day, and it is not going out of style anytime soon. Coffee has become part of the standard American diet due to its energy boosting effects, which is much needed in our sleep-deprived society (including graduate school). Yet, we sometimes wonder, is coffee good for us?
The answer is a surprising, yes, but:
Coffee, much like chocolate, is actually loaded with antioxidants. In fact, it has the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the "standard" American diet (e.g. sugary cereal, bagel, eggs with bacon, donuts, you get the idea).
The "but" part is due to a few reasons. First, the more processing coffee goes through, the fewer antioxidants it retains. Regular coffee was actually shown to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as Dementia and Alzheimer's. But how many people drink regular coffee when triple-chocolate and caramel lattes are available? Besides the added calories, these drinks have lost a significant portion of their antioxidant effects.
The other reasons for the "but" are due to caffeine sensitivity in some people. Even small amounts of caffeine can cause gastrointestinal discomfort for sensitive stomachs, and coffee is contraindicated for those with GI problems. Others might not get a GI reaction, but the effects of caffeine might be so strong that they interferes with sleep. How much coffee is too much? It turns out that the beneficial effects of caffeine have their limits.
In a scientific study volunteers were asked to consume caffeine corresponding to 0, 2, and 4 cups of regular coffee. While those who consumed 2 cups of coffee performed better on cognitive tests than those who consumed none, 4 cups of coffee actually weakened cognitive abilities compared to placebo (Kaplan et al. J Clin Pharmacol. 1997 Aug;37(8):693-703). The lesson? If coffee helps you to stay awake (but does not interfere with your stomach or sleep) you can now feel better about drinking it. But it is important to pace yourself and not drink too much, else your judgment could be impaired.
To read more about the benefits of coffee and other brain foods, visit:
http://www.brainready.com/blog/thetop5brainhealthfoods.html
Wishing you the best,
Dora Farkas, PhD, Founder, PhDNet
Author: "The Smart Way To Your PhD:200 Secrets From 100 Graduates."
Now Available in Softcover and Kindle Edition!
Arm Yourself for Your Job Search
It is no secret that jobs don't fall in your lap these days. "A few years ago, one only needed 1 to 2 interviews to get a job. Now you need 5 or 6," a PhD-level scientist commented after his recent job offer. If you want a job, you need to pursue your job search very assertively and confidently. The problem is that most graduate students are not trained in job searching and, in fact, many of them never had to write a resume or C.V. beforehand.
Newly minted Masters and Ph.D. students face a challenge in the job market for two reasons. First, there are fewer positions due to downsizing. Second, the laid off people are also looking for jobs, and they have more experience than recent graduates. Furthermore, if a position opens up in their own companies, they have priority as internal candidates. The pharmaceutical industry alone laid-off more than 100,000 people in the last few years. Imagine the competition for those few jobs that do open up.
Ideally, employers are looking to hire someone who can solve their problems tomorrow. Generic cover letters and resumes will no longer do the trick - they will probably end up in the recycling bin. Instead, you need a laser-focused application package where you highlight what you can do for the employers.
Not to worry, others have done the research for you. Jay Conrad Levinson and David Perry share their job-searching strategies in their recent book "Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters." For those of you who are newcomers to guerilla marketing, this unusual method relies on unexpected and creative ways of marketing yourself to potential employers. What does guerilla job marketing entail? Recruiters typically review hundreds of resumes a day. Standard resumes are typically tossed aside in favor of the unique ones that get employers to reach for the phone. In their book, Levinson and Perry show you how to draft outstanding resumes and cover letters specifically for each job.
Even if you become an expert at guerilla marketing yourself, resumes and cover letters alone are probably not be enough to secure a job. First, you will need to convince a reliable convince a reliable contact to get your resume to the right person. For this reason, establishing an online presence and networking in person and over the Internet are crucial elements of your job search. This book probably has more tips that can follow, and it is a great start to get into the mindset of joining the outside world. What I liked most about Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters" was that it shows you not only how to pursue a job, but how to get (and even create) a position that will be a great fit for you.
Wishing you the best,
Dora Farkas, PhD, Founder, PhDNet
Author: "The Smart Way To Your PhD:200 Secrets From 100 Graduates."
Now Available in Softcover and Kindle Edition!
