Hi Everyone,
This is my first experience blogging, so I have a feeling the semester is going to be a true learning experience for me. I consider myself computer savvy, but I never got into blogging for some reason. I guess I'm a bit of a "private" person and I don't want too much information about me just floating around on the internet. Although I do have a Facebook page, so any privacy I had was probably history quite a while ago...
About me...well, I grew up in Sheppton, Pennsylvania. Sheppton's a small town just outside of Hazleton. I graduate from Hazleton Area High School in 1997 and earned my bachelor's degree in chemistry from Bloomsburg University in 2002. While I was in college, I spent a summer living with my brother in Seattle, WA. He own's a landscaping business and needed my help doing the work when he injured his back, so I drove cross country to help him out. It was a great experience and I'd do it again if I could.
Since graduation, I've bounced around a bit between a few pharmaceutical companies for the past 8+ years and I've lived in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and back to PA. I started out in small molecule pharmaceuticals and got into the biotechnology sector with my last company. After three years at that company, another large pharmaceutical company purchased us and I was part of a layoff. I managed to find a scientist position with another biotech company, and everything pretty much worked out for the best.
I have to say, I'm really looking forward to this semester. I've only taken one other graduate course, and I had to take three undergrad courses during the spring and summer due to deficiencies in certain areas like accounting, finance, and marketing. (You don't get to take too many of those classes when you're a chemistry major) I was nervous about the MBA program at first, and I was really worried that I wouldn't find business classes interesting or I wouldn't do well because the concepts weren't science based which is what I am used to. I have to say, so far, I've really enjoyed all of the classes I've taken for the MBA program and I find that I can apply a lot of the concepts to my everyday worklife, which reinforces the notion that I've made the right choice.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI am also in the same boat you are, this is also my first time blogging. I suppose it is always good to learn something new. I was reading in your blog that you worked for a few pharmaceutical companies. Did you like working in that type of industry? I also was reading that you have had jobs all around the east coast. Did you like moving around the east coast? Would you ever consider moving to another area? I have always lived in Pennsylvania so I have not had much of a moving experience, just to school. I hope to be able to branch out and explore more places after school is over. What made you want to pursue your MBA? Is this something that you always thought about doing? My deciding factor for pursuing my MBA is to become well-rounded and to explore more aspects of the business world. I understand where you are coming from about being nervous about the MBA program at first. This is my first MBA semester so I am trying my best to keep my spirits high and the nerves to a minimum. Hopefully I will do a good job at that. Would you ever consider going on to get a second master’s degree or a doctorate? I really hope that the MBA program will be a good positive experience and I will learn a lot of different things that I can use in my business career. As I was reading in the blog, you really enjoy this program and I hope I have the same rewarding experience as you have.
Last semester was my first time blogging. Much like you, something I had always heard about, and seen, but never really wanted to put my stuff out there for others. It has definitely been an eye-opener to just how vast and effective blogging and using wikis can be.
ReplyDeleteChemistry is a very interesting degree. As I was reading your blog I was asking myself what kind of work you did, but as I read further, you answered my own question. As a scientist with pharmaceutical companies, what exactly is it that you do? You don't have to answer that, I am just curious.
Speaking from experience, you will thoroughly enjoy the MBA program and it will go faster than you think. I am at the end of my 2nd year and I cannot believe it is almost over. Enjoy!
I actually have a friend who recently graduated with a degree in bio-genetics at Rutgers University. He took a lot of Chemistry classes and he did quite well but he hasn't been able to find a single job. In the recession, everyone has been looking for more experienced employees and that has left him high and dry.
ReplyDeleteDid you experience or hear of any similar problems with Chemistry? Maybe you have some advice I can give to my friend!
Though you already have three comments, your comments about hesitancy in joining the MBA program versus staying in the sciences is the same choices I went through. I figured I'd rather have two different legs to stand on (science and business) than one strong focus in just science. Same required pre-requisite course in marketing, finance, and accounting.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to use your science background but also business/management on top of it should broaden the types of projects you can do along with job opportunities. I ran into some information silo problems while working. If you can speak the language of science and business (read financing costs, employee impacts, and marketing) you can competently discuss all aspects of a project making it an easier sell because you've covered more of the variables that get taken into account.
I had this whole long blog written out, and then my laptop decided to go into powersave mode because my battery was almost completely drained and I lost everything...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm going to try to sum up everything rather quickly and answer most if not all of your questions.
Moving around the east coast was an interesting experience. I didn't really like it much while I was doing it, but in hindsight, it was one of the best things I could have done. I really learned a lot about myself, and what it's like to be on my own, and I became very self reliant.
I've worked in quite a few pharmaceutical environments, big pharma, medium sized companies, small contract laboratories, and now biotech. Biotech is by far the most intersting and rewarding. My last company and the company that I currently work for both make antibodies that fight cancer. I think we all know someone (for me it was both of my grandmothers and my stepfather) who's life has been affected by this awful disease and it's very rewarding to know that I work on products that help fight it.
My advice for anyone trying to find a job in today's market is to be resilient, and try not to get discouraged. It took me 4 months and a lot of interviewing to finally land my current job. I was also referred by a friend of mine, so that was also a contributing factor. Job fairs are a great place to get facetime with hiring managers, and also asking friends and relatives if they know anyone in the industry may help. You never know when someone will be able to help you get your foot in the door.
Lastly, I chose to get my MBA because I'm starting to hit a plateau in my career. I have a bachelor's and 8+ years experience. I'm having to compete with a lot of people who have a master's +4 or a PhD +2. A bachelor's will only get you so far. Plus I didn't want to get a master's in chemistry. I'd rather be involved in the business end of the pharma industry, possibly project management or finance, and I think an MBA would fit that role best.
I hope I answered all of your questions!
So, I originally figured that I should comment on your post because we share a first name, if for no other reason. Come to find out that when I read your blog we don't just share a first name, but we're both chemistry majors who seem to be taking a very similar path through this MBA program. I've also been interested in the pharma field for quite some time, and would be really interested in talking to you about it. I'm looking foward to talking to you, and I'll see you in class tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteJeff, sorry I didn't get to speak with you in class today. I didn't check my blog before class so I didn't get this post until I got home tonight. We can talk next week if you like.
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