Navigating the Path to Industry: A Hiring Manager's Advice for Academics Looking for a Job in Industry

A bargain at this low price. Aimed at students but the tips are applicable to anyone looking to a job in industry. The biomed industry is emphasized but the material applicable to any STEM industry. Provides mentoring for jobs and careers not often covered on campus. -- Bob

I got the feeling that the author is sitting in front of me giving me advice. It's simple and to the point.

This book is the next best thing to sitting down with a hiring manager and getting the inside scoop.This short guide is a very useful tool for PhDs applying for non academic jobs. The section on writing and formatting a resume is incredibly helpful, for anyone applying for a job, not just academics. I am currently in a job-search and I have already implemented some of the steps outlined in the book and I will refer to it in the future, particularly as I format my resume and cover letter.The book is divided into 4 sections and is a quick read. I really enjoyed the author's conversational writing style.The advice in the book isn't easy or necessarily quick. The author actually advises in several places that the process may take a year or more. Still, I found the advice, particularly about networking, to be very relevant and feasible for someone looking to move into the private sector.Disclosure: I received an advance copy of the book.

I got a review copy of the book.This book is a really concise guide for navigating the job hunting process, particularly in transitioning from academia into industry and some of what to expect. From finding out what opportunities are available and exploring them to formatting your resume and what to expect in the interview process. Nelson writes clearly, and is aware of a lot of the fears, doubts, and uncertainties that academics exploring industry careers can have and fully acknowledges that everyone involved is human. Some career things I've seen expect any applicant to be a perfect superstar and that's not the presumption here, which is pretty refreshing to see.If you need a primer to help you with a job search, this is a great resource (and you can never start too soon with planning for the future of your career.

I'm a non-STEM academic with an academic partner in STEM, but nevertheless found this book full of practical job-search related advice. As someone who struggles with small talk, I found the tips on networking very valuable, as also the parts on converting an academic CV into a resume. Would not only recommend this to anyone moving from academia into industry, but also to people going on to the academic job market - it's a concise, quick, focussed read.

I reviewed an advance copy. I'm not an academic and so was not exactly the target audience, but much of the advice was universal. I appreciated having the perspective of a hiring manager. The tips are practical, and I loved that the author gives reasons when explaining why something was important (such as why grammar is important in written materials). Not a word was wasted, I felt. It's a concise, quick read, and I plan to refer back to it when I am next on a job hunt.

I really enjoyed reading this book and found the advice very helpful. I especially like the examples in the book and think that I might finally understand what "action words" on resumes look like after reading that section. I've been to quite a few "get a job" workshops and I think this book sums up a lot of what I learned in those sessions but additionally adds some concrete examples that make the advice easier to understand. I would definitely recommend it to anyone in academia who is looking for their first industry job.

This is an excellent, focused introduction to running a job search in industry. Its prime audience is students coming out of graduate school, seeking jobs in business or industry. Nelson's experience as a hiring manager guides first-time job seekers through the process of preparing resumes and cover letters, networking, and self-presentation. It's packed with clear tips. Very useful.