Transcript The things I learned work in Industry

The Things I Learned After 8+
Years in Industry
Corporate Research Laboratories
Exxon Research and Engineering Company (1996-1999)
Corporate Strategic Research Laboratories
ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (1999-2004)
Lesson #1 : things change over time …
Teamwork
People skills
• If you don’t like someone .. Tough luck!
• You must learn to coexist with others whether
you like it or not
• You will have to improve your interpersonal
skills
– Can not be dismissive
– Be constructive
– Be willing to help, but do so
judiciously
Getting things done
Sense of accountability
If something goes
wrong “someone” will
pay
… and “someone” will get fired!
Identify clear and relevant goals
Improve communication skills
So, what about the things I
learned in school?
• The most important thing you should have
learned in the last four years is how to think for
yourselves!
– No TA, no syllabus, no instructor, no solutions
manual, no textbook, no excuses!
– Snow day is not an excuse to miss work or not turn
in a report
Your learning ability is what
matters
• Chances are that what you will need to
know you will not know, you will learn it
there
• However, nobody will tell you how to
learn and how to think. That, you should
have learned at school!
• You will however receive
specialized technical training
What about an MBA?
• It depends on the company …
– Exxon’s CEO was a PhD Cheme, all presidents and VPs
are engineers
– Mobil’s CEO was an Applied Mathematician with an
MBA, most presidents and VPs were economics majors
– XOM’s current CEO is a Petroleum engineer (BS), most
presidents and VPs are engineers
Should you get a PhD?
Only if you want it !
Get a PhD because you want it!
• Don’t go to graduate school to make more
money, go because you want it
• In good companies management appreciates
actual work and not degrees
• Industrial research can be VERY REWARDING
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Good news … no teaching
Bad news … no teaching
Good news … don’t worry too much about funding
Bad news … less freedom to pursue new ideas
Corporations like to procreate
• Corporations have their own distinct character,
aka, Corporate culture
– You need to be aware of it!
• One of the drawbacks of advanced education is
that the more you know the more you think you
know. Therefore you become inflexible!
– Too much, too late …
• Your dreams, your strengths and the
company’s vision must intersect
• DO NOT COMPLAIN if you do not like something!
• BE PROACTIVE! LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT !
Recognize the corporate culture
quickly
before
after
Why is culture important?
• Teaches how to best succeed in the
corporate environment
• At XOM relocation was important for our
progress
– The culture of the company was that you
really have to know what is going on in order
for you to become a leader
– Our relocation options were horrible  but the
concept was absolutely correct
Should you go big or small
• The size of the company offers different
challenges and opportunities
• The decision should be based on the kind of
environment that suits you best
• In small companies more people are involved in
decisions, no training, fewer opportunities, higher
risk and rewards (possibly)
• In large companies structures are in place, you
will be given all you need, lower risks and
rewards (possibly)
• At the end, it is up to you …
Identify a mentor
• Recognize what you would like to achieve and
follow the footsteps of your role model
• Be careful!!!! Choose you role model wisely
• Define your goals and priorities clearly and work
hard to make things happen
Not all models are created equal
Figure out what you want
• Most companies have internal mechanisms
to help you do that …
… and they are amazingly similar!
To manage or not to manage?
• One of the things I enjoyed was the freedom to
move from technical to managerial work
– These moves have to be well calculated,
deserved and irreversible
– You can manage people but also research
• Be patient… First you have to learn the
business and then make your moves
– No free lunch!
• In management sometimes you have to make
tough decisions … such as letting people go
You will learn to appreciate …
Different companies, different
cultures, different environments
Some things you have to get
used to …
Academia vs. Industry: Are they
really that different?
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XOM
Ask for resources (boss, affiliates)
Management to please
Motivate people to work hard
Bureaucracy
Technical or managerial work
Part of team
Sometimes stressful
Sometimes busy
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Rutgers
Beg for resources (NSF, NIH)
Management to please
Motivate students to work harder
Bureaucracy
Technical and managerial work
Freelance & team
Always stressful!
Always busy!
Few things are definitely different
• In school both faculty and students tend to think that they
are the best …
• In big corporations there are no superstars and no room
for big egos
• In industry positions are irreplaceable but people are not
• It is very humbling to work for a $370B corporation, with
$40B annual profits, >80,000 employees in over 100
countries
Life is self-similar…so don’t
complain!
A PhD is not free !!!
On an annual basis a PhD is
equivalent to …
This is what a group meeting
should look like …