Meet the Alumni: Melanie Nelson Shares Tips on Looking for a Job in Industry

By Cindy Brauer

Networking is a key strategy for successful job searching in industry, according to Melanie Nelson, Scripps Research Institute Kellogg School of Science and Technology Class of '99, who spoke recently at the Scripps Research Institute's California campus.

Now program manager and group leader for information management at Dart Neuroscience, Nelson shared job-hunting tips with graduate and postdoctoral students at an informal "Meet the Alumni" event sponsored by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office and the Network for Women in Science.

Nelson told the group she secured each of her jobs—including positions at Physiome Sciences, GeneFormatics, Science Applications International Corporation, and Ambrx—through networking.

"Having someone pass along a resume to a friend or colleague with the note, 'I know this person; you should talk to them,' sets you apart from the other applicants," said Nelson.

Acknowledging the first job is the hardest to land, Nelson recommended attending industry/science group and association meeting. She also encouraged volunteering for industry groups. When networking, Nelson advised expressing an interest in the particular industry or in the company's work with a statement like, "I'm interesting in talking to you about informatics and what role it plays in your company," rather than starting the conversation by asking for a job.

Nelson also advocated utilizing the LinkedIn online social media venue. "Facebook will never get you a job, but LinkedIn could," she said, advising job-seekers to check the online networking tool and other contacts to locate "someone who knows someone" in the company of interest. "Make your LinkedIn profile at least partially public," she said. "And complete the profile as much as possible, even posting a photo. The more complete a profile, the higher it comes up in a search."

Nelson also urged attendees, "Always be helpful to others—'what goes around, comes around.' Someday that person may be of help to you."

Cover Letter 'Extremely Important'

In other job-search advice, Nelson discussed including a cover letter with a resume. "A cover letter is extremely important, particularly if you are transitioning to a new field, and should be only one page," she said. "Make me want to talk to you." She also discouraged "spamming" a company—sending an application or resume for a single position to several people within a company. "When you know someone at the company, submit your resume and/or application to that person and HR," she said.

To secure that first industry job, particularly in more difficulty employment markets, consider applying for support positions, Nelson recommended. "For the first job, get into the company any way, shape, or form related to what you ultimately want to do. Once inside a company, it's easier to move up or into your desired position… And once you have industry experience, it's easier to move around in industry."

And, she said, "Don't get hung up on the title. Titles don't matter in the end. Look at the responsibilities the job offers."

Responding to roundtable participant questions, Nelson described the parameters of project and product management positions. Product managers, she explained, deal with such issues as what features are needed in a product. Generally, product managers in science-related industries hold PhDs. The scope of a project manager position involves organization, tracking, and people skills, said Nelson. "This is the person in charge of project timelines who must be a 'people person' because she or he will be managing and communicating with a wide range of people working on the project."

Nelson also discussed experiencing a company lay-off. Twice laid off herself, she said, "It happens. It's often due to some business or political cause." While companies often offer instructions on looking for a job and a severance package during lay-offs, Nelson recommends putting aside five to six months of savings to cover living expenses as a hedge against a lay-off, affording the job seeker time and flexibility to find a good fit for his or her next position.

For more information about the "Meet the Alumni" series and upcoming career-related events, contact Ryan Wheeler, rwheeler@scripps.edu or x4-9740, or visit the Career and Postdoctoral Services webpage.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

"Having someone pass along a resume to a friend or colleague with the note, 'I know this person; you should talk to them,' sets you apart from the other applicants," says Melanie Nelson, program manager and group leader for information management at Dart Neuroscience. (Photo by Cindy Brauer.)