Understand what Employers look for

Recently I was contacted by a job recruiter about a position.  They were looking for someone with an environmental catalysis background Masters or Ph.D. but they wanted someone with industrial experience that was not heavy on research and development.  That struck me as somewhat odd because many Ph.D.’s have had some heavy components of research and development, although some choose different career paths after the Ph.D. schooling process.  

In this tough economy, it is important to understand what employers are looking for and what is a good fit for you.  Although many people are in a position where bills must be paid immediately and jobs that may not fit their ideal position will suffice, it is important to only resort to this tactic last if possible.  

In the environmental career area there are many situations where it is looked upon as a necessary evil instead of an area that adds money to the bottom line.  Regulations typically enable someone in the environmental career area to gain opportunities by leveraging their skills to clean up waste or reduce harmful emissions.  These skills must be presented in a way that shows employers that you can reduce cost and add money to the bottom line significantly and on schedule.  

Demonstrating that products can be safe, liability reduced, and new business areas created is always a major selling point for employers beyond academia.  This can show that you understand delivering science and engineering solutions in a business/financially constrained world.