Dorothy Rodmann, a career-services consultant at the Washington, D.C.-based American Chemical Society (ACS), is seeing transitioning becoming a necessity for an increasing number of chemists. "In light of what has been happening in the job market -downsizing and strategic changes in direction [among chemical companies]--many chemists are looking at ways to move in different directions, and use their chemical knowledge and skills, often in nontraditional careers," she reports.
The need to identify alternative career tracks extends beyond chemistry. And one area beginning to attract scientists is sales.
On the surface, traditional scientific training may not seem to provide any skills necessary for a career in sales. But a personable scientist who has conducted research, trained students, lectured--and even, once upon a time, successfully sold fast-food burgers or Girl Scout cookies--might just have what it takes to sell the tools of the scientific trade, according to recruiters, sales managers, and scientists ...
