© 2011 IBM Corporation

How to Be Competitive for Industrial Research Jobs

Yuanyuan TianIBM Almaden Research Center

© 2011 IBM Corporation2

Application

When to start applying?• Industrial research labs do hire year around, but the bulk is in spring• Try to send out your application before Feb, but the earlier the better

Application materials• Resume/CV• References• Research Statement

Where to send the application• Directly to the researchers of the lab• Applying online is usually not useful – gets lost in the flood

What gets you an interview?• Publications• Past internships or collaboration• References

© 2011 IBM Corporation3

Interview Format

Phone Interview• 30 minutes or 1 hour• About your PhD work and intern experiences

Onsite Interview• 1 or 2 days• 1 hour job talk on your PhD work (expect questions during the talk)• 30 minutes dedicated Q&A (grill time)• One-on-one with individual researchers, 30 to 45 minutes each

Usually about your PhD work and other experience Usually, people won’t ask you to write a sort algorithm on the white board

© 2011 IBM Corporation4

What are interviewers looking for?

Phone Interview• The candidate is the same person as on the resume• Communication is reasonable• No surprises

On-site Interview• Is the candidate smart? • Can the candidate stand by his/her work?• Will the candidate work well with people here?• Will the candidate be successful here?• Will the candidate be happy here?

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How to prepare the interview?

Know your stuff well• Practice your job talk• Think about what questions people will ask

Be honest when answering questions

Do some research on the lab• Who are the people working there, What are they working on,

especially your interviewers• Any chance to connect your work with their work?• Think about what questions you would like to ask

© 2011 IBM Corporation6

Interview is a bi-directional process

You are also interviewing the company

What should you look for?• Do you like the way they do things?• Do you like the work environment?• Do you like the people there?• Do you see yourself successful there?• Will this place help achieve your long-term goal?

Observe during your interview

Ask questions during your interview

Talk to people you know

© 2011 IBM Corporation7

We are hiring at IBM Almaden Research Center!

Full time and Post doc• Talk to me if you are interested• Or email me ytian@us.ibm.com