Nontraditional Careers for Chemists/Scientists: Thinking Outside the Beaker
Dr. Lisa Balbes Balbes Consultants LLC
Host: Ames Section ACS, Burnett
A chemistry background prepares you for much more than just a laboratory career. The broad science education, analytical thinking, research methods, and other skills learned are of value to a wide variety of types of employers, and essential for a plethora of types of positions. By understanding your own personal values and interests, you can make informed decisions about what career paths to explore, and identify positions that match your values. This talk will discuss a variety of nontraditional careers for chemists, including chemical information, patent work, technical writing, education, human resources, sales and marketing, and much more. We will discuss typical tasks, education or training requirements, and personal characteristics that make for a successful career in each field, illustrated with specific examples. Valuable tips and advice about planning career transitions will also be provided.