Military life means uprooting professionally
On her drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to her new home in Massachusetts, Elizabeth Sawicki applied for jobs nightly on her computer, with one promising phone call in particular: While she was cruising through South Dakota, a Boston recruiter called her about a product support position. But as with other leads, the opportunity didn’t pan out.
“I feel like it’s very competitive out there right now,’’ said the Methuen native, who started working on her bachelor’s of science degree at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and had internships at Boston Scientific before following her husband, an Air Force lieutenant, to California four years ago. She completed her degree and more internships.
Among Sawicki’s job search techniques, she has posted her résumé on Device Space, a top online community for the medical device and diagnostics industry. And like all military spouses, Sawicki has access to Military Spouse Corporate Career Network, a service that helps military spouses and veterans connect with potential employers. She has even been volunteering to help the program.
But three months into her job search, with no results after hundreds of applications to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies, Sawicki says she “has become completely discouraged.’’
So, she applied for a Boston Globe Career Makeover. As she met with career consultant Patricia Hunt Sinacole, president of First Beacon Group, a human resources consulting firm in Hopkinton, Sawicki wanted to know how to make her job hunt more effective. She also was wondering whether her husband’s military affiliation — he’s been reassigned to teach Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at MIT — is working against her: Do recruiters assume she will be relocating soon?
“Sometimes recruiters ask why I moved to California,’’ said Sawicki. “I always mention that my husband is in the Air Force — and then they might ask how long we live in a location before transferring, which is usually three to four years. I am proud to be a military spouse, but sometimes I think I should edit that detail out.’’
As Sawicki discussed her job search with Sinacole, they agreed that the best way to handle the relocation issue was not to refer specifically to the military, but, if asked, to mention that the move was for career opportunities or because of a spouse’s job.
“Technically, it’s nobody’s business,’’ said Sinacole. “It’s OK to be vague or general about why you needed to pull up roots. The important thing is to establish a sense of stability and assure employers of your commitment to the job.’’
Although the lagging economy hasn’t hit the life sciences as hard as other sectors, the recession has still taken a toll, especially as the biotech-based drug discovery sector loses investors. The good news for Sawicki is that by aiming for a salary of $40,000 to $70,000, she is searching in a range that is turning around a bit (versus $100,000 and up).
“We’re seeing some cautious hiring now in the biosciences,’’ said Sinacole, who contributes to Boston.com’s Job Doc blog.
Sinacole said Sawicki should use her husband’s MIT connections and check biotech-specific websites such as MassMEDIC and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, two prominent industry trade groups. LinkedIn subgroups such as Boston Women in Biotech and Medical Device Careers could also provide valuable networking leads.
“You can never predict where a job might come from,’’ said Sinacole. “It’s like playing pinball, you’ll never know where the ball will go.’’
Other advice from Sinacole:
■ Summer is a slow recruiting time. Sawicki shouldn’t stop her job hunt, but she should continue to look with patience and persistence, understanding that it might take longer for e-mails to be answered or interviews to get scheduled. Work schedules typically resume after Labor Day. “We’re entering into July and August, and everyone is on vacation or downtime,’’ Sinacole said.
■ Have a business card. If Sawicki attends biotech networking breakfasts through organizations such as Mass. Biotech, she should have a business card ready to hand out.
“It makes you appear more professional,’’ said Sinacole. The card should include name, address, contact information, as well as LinkedIn or Twitter accounts.
■ Keep in touch with headhunting and staffing companies, even if a position doesn’t work out. “Leave no stone unturned,’’ said Sinacole, who said monthly e-mails or phone calls to previous contacts can help with outreach.
■ Consider getting a certificate in clinical research or clinical research coordination to help open doors to opportunities in drug development and protocols, patient coordination, and the regulatory environment.
“Earning a certificate in this area could allow you to work for health care organizations, for-profit biotech, or drug discovery companies,’’ Sinacole said.
To be considered for a career makeover, send an e-mail to careermakeover@globe.com. 
