Copyright © 2013 Quintiles

Get a Job!Oren Cohen, MD, FIDSA

Global Head, Early Clinical DevelopmentConsulting Professor of Medicine, Duke U.

8 June 2013

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Strategies• Try to understand your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes (and realize

this may change). > Setting – lab, clinical, epi, administration, teaching, industry> Personality – how many hats? Manage people? Write grants? Protected time?

Teaching responsibilities?> Geography> Financial

• The perfect job will never present itself to you on a silver platter! Take an opportunity and make it into your perfect job (see TED talk by Malcolm Gladwell on spaghetti sauce; there is no perfect job, there are only perfect jobs).

• NETWORK!• Goldilocks confidence – not too much, not too little, just right• Be open to possibilities• Be patient (and remain calm!)• Communicate effectively• Be your own advocate• Take a “due diligence” approach

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Where Do I Look?

• Journal ads• Websites – IDSA, NIH, Gates Foundation, Universities,

Industry• Search engines• NETWORK

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IDSA Website

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Academic Faculty

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Epidemiology

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Search Engines (1)

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Search Engines (2)

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Search Engines (3)63,701 ID Jobs – Really?

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Dark Matter > Ordinary Matter

• The “best” jobs may not be “posted”

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Preparing for the Job Interview

1. Know the background on your prospectiveemployer / those who will interview you.

2. Minimize and then be aware of the “red flags”in your CV.

3. Google yourself (it is likely your prospectiveemployer has done this).

4. Consider a “murder board” with your trustedpeers / mentors / colleagues.

5. Be ready with a few “stories” about yourself and your accomplishments.

6. Clarity of expression, economy of words.