Sandeep Dayal, NIDDK, considers applying for an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship. Melinda McFarland, NIMH, speaks with a representative from SAIC, Frederick, Md. Jennifer Seiler, NCI, discusses job opportunities with a rep from BioReliance (North American headquarters, Rockville, M

Activity around the FDA table Peter Choi, NIDDK, inquires about programs at The Biotechnology Institute, Arlington, Va. Fellows await their turn at the Genentech (headquartered in South San Francisco) table Ejaz Shamim, NINDS, hands out information about the Fellows Committee

More than 40 exhibitors–among them industry giants, local biotech companies, government agencies, professional societies, and foundations–were staffing tables and collecting résumés the third day at the Job Fair, the centerpiece of the third day of the NIH Research Festival.

Based on the comments of randomly selected fellows traversing those tables, one would conclude that preparation for the Job Fair had been on target and the array of potential employers and positions encouraging.

NIDDK postdoc Peter Choi was especially interested in a biotech and/or defense contractor research position and spoke to no fewer than seven different companies fitting those descriptions.

NCI postdoc Christine Horak arrived early, which gave her easier access to the much-visited Genentech table. Seeking a position involving oncological drug discovery and development in the pharmaceutical industry, Horak said the Genentech representatives were "extremely helpful, [taking] time with my CV and [telling] me exactly what their requirements are for hiring scientists."

NCI postdoc Jennifer Seiler checked out possible project-management positions and found several appealing prospective employers, including Discovery Logic Rockville, Md.), Lockheed Martin (headquartered in Bethesda, Md.), and the FDA.

In general, the fellows interviewed by the Catalyst said they were well-prepared for the Job Fair. They cited two seminars earlier that month sponsored by the Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) specifically designed to help fellows craft their C.V.s and résumés and to navigate the Job Fair in the most useful ways.

Choi, Horak, and others also remarked on the advisability of checking the online postings that are generally made available a few weeks before the Job Fair in order to know exactly what to ask representatives about specific job opportunities.

Thomas Paul, an NCI fellow and Job Fair committee co-chair with Catherine Kuo of NIAMS, declared the Job Fair a success, with a "record number of exhibitors, who were "thrilled with the quality and quantity of applicants."

Sponsored by OITE and the Office of Research on Women’s Health, the Job Fair is an annual event held in conjunction with the NIH Research Festival. It provides a "unique opportunity for NIH fellows to meet face-to-face with potential employers," Paul observed.

"In today’s environment, where most job applications are done online, the personal interaction and one-on-one networking fellows encounter at the Job Fair can make them stand out amongst a sea of applications that a company receives. . . . [not] just a résumé, but a person behind a body of work and experience," Paul said.

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