Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends
April 13, 2021
Given the change of course that has happened in the world, we wanted to provide expert opinions on what aspiring graduates can do to start off their careers in an uncertain economic climate. We wanted to know what skills will be more important, where the economy is doing relatively well, and if there will be any lasting effects on the job market.
Companies are looking for candidates that can handle the new responsibilities of the job market. Recent graduates actually have an advantage because they are comfortable using newer technologies and have been communicating virtually their whole lives. They can take what they've learned and apply it immediately.
We spoke to professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the job market for recent graduates is heading, as well as how young graduates entering the industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our Panel of Experts
Stephen F. Austin State University
University of New Hampshire
Drexel University
Villanova University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of California, Berkeley
Rutgers University
Arizona State University
California State University San Marcos
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Darrell Fry: Hiring among chemists and biochemists will remain stronger as compared to the average unemployment rate during the pandemic, in part because chemists and biochemists produce "essential" items. However, connecting with an employer will be more difficult. Traditional avenues for employers and potential employees to make contact, such as the biannual National American Chemical Society Meeting, have been radically changed during the pandemic. Moreover, travel for potential employees to the job site for an interview are problematic.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Associate Scientists?
Darrell Fry: Earning a degree from an University that takes time and effort to be accredited by either the American Chemical Society (ACS) and/or the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology(ASBMB) ensures the graduate will have marketable skills. Chemistry is a broad field, and there are numerous niches that a candidate can find; however, each niche has specialized skills. Younger chemists profit from being well read and having several mentors. Together, the candidate and their mentors, can build a marketable skill sets.
How have salaries changed over time for Associate Scientists?
Darrell Fry: According to the American Chemical Society (ACS) salary survey, salaries have increased over the past 15 years.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Stephanie Whitney: I expect quite the rebound in civil engineering, especially if some sort of infrastructure bill gets passed.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Associate Scientists?
Stephanie Whitney: For our students, having the FE exam under their belt along with our ABET-accredited degree is key.
How have salaries changed over time for Associate Scientists?
Stephanie Whitney: In general, they've been steadily trending upwards. Covid caused a decrease last year, but I suspect there will be a quick rebound.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Richard Knight Ph.D.: Based on a relatively small Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) class size (20-30 students), there appear to be an increased number of graduating students going into industrial rotational programs (Greene Tweed, J&J, etc.), and also of post-baccalaureate students pursuing graduate school opportunities, mostly PhD programs. Some employers offer financial support for graduate studies, such as a part-time technical MS or an MBA. These trends are likely to grow as employers seek to invest in new hires in order to add technical and business skills and also to retain new hires.
Jobs at larger, well established, companies are likely more attractive to current graduating students since they offer longer term job security than jobs in smaller companies. Startups are perceived as riskier, especially by students with loan repayments to make,
Drexel is a co-op school, and the majority of MSE majors complete three 6-month co-op jobs in industry during their 5-years of study, thus graduating with 18 months of hands-on, experiential learning. For the MSE class of 2020, 7 out of 9 students who had jobs prior to graduation reported them as being jobs with a previous co-op employer. Employers clearly value the relationships developed during co-op when hiring into full-time positions.
In terms of expectations from employers, undergraduate students with hands-on laboratory/research experience also tend to do well when seeking employment. Approximately 50 % of Drexel MSE undergraduates engage in undergraduate research during their studies, and some have co-author opportunities on journal publications.
Adaptability, flexibility and the ability to pivot quickly due to changing circumstances are also important skills. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with courses being taught largely remotely, Drexel students have been able to select a Pass/No-Pass option for grades as an alternative to the standard letter grade earned. While this obviously allows students protects a good CUM GPA it may not accurately reflect to prospective employers how well, or poorly, students have performed in their classes given that in many cases the Pass grade for a class can be as low as 50%. Students who have quickly adapted and embraced remote instruction and online learning, as imperfect as these may be, have, in general, done well and maintained good GPAs.
As ever, good written and oral communication skills are highly valued by employers, and can, to an extent, compensate for slight deficiencies in other areas. Enhanced "soft skills" will become increasingly important for new graduates, especially written skills. Employers are typically looking to hire graduates who will "fit in" with their existing corporate structures, and become good "team players".
Student mental health issues have increased noticeably during the pandemic, and are unlikely to abruptly cease upon graduation, so employers will need to become increasingly aware of and provide increased resources and support for new hires as they adjust/adapt to the working environment. One area of particular concern are students who receive ADA Accommodations (e.g. extra time on quizzes and exams, reduced distraction testing environments, etc.) in college. How well are these being handled in industrial environments? Are Universities doing enough to prepare students for the transition?
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Associate Scientists?
Dr. Richard Knight Ph.D.: MSE majors, at least at Drexel, typically do not complete the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam while in college. In the last 5 or 6 years only one student has done this. Few graduating students enter into careers in the Product Liability or Expert Witness areas for which PE licensure would be necessary. A small number of students have taken classes relating to lean manufacturing/Six-Sigma techniques, which are increasingly important in industry.
A significant number of MSE majors do, however, pursue a broad range of minors in addition to their MSE major. Popular minors include Chemistry, Business, Nuclear Engineering, and other Engineering disciplines.
How have salaries changed over time for Associate Scientists?
Dr. Richard Knight Ph.D.: Starting salaries for MSE program graduates have increased steadily over time. Pandemic era starting salaries for 2020 and 2021 appear to be holding up reasonably well compared to previous years. For MSE majors who graduated in 2020, and for whom only their final term was impacted by the pandemic, more than 60% reported starting salaries in the $80-90k range. In contrast, MSE majors graduating in 2021, for whom the majority of their senior year was remote/online, and who already have a job, report starting salaries in the $75-80k range, somewhat lower. Over time, more packages include incentives such as signing bonuses, relocation expenses, assistance with finding accommodation, and competitive benefits packages.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Joey Neilsen: I think the biggest trend is going to be that employers, whether in the private sector or in academia, are likely to be more selective. This means they will be looking for additional distinguishing factors beyond completion of a particular degree program, such as internships or research experience. At Villanova, we strongly encourage our students to get involved in our research: it's great for developing analytical and professional skills, but it also helps students build career networks that can turn into letters of recommendation or job prospects down the line. Given newer uncertainties in the market, I think students should make sure to take advantage of any research opportunities they can. But Physics majors generally have strong employment prospects, and roughly 95% of Physics Bachelor's degree recipients are employed one year after graduation, according to the American Institute of Physics.
What technical skills for an Associate Scientist stand out to employers?
Dr. Joey Neilsen: I think programming skills and data analysis/statistics are especially valuable right now, while data science is so big. Our students take a year of Computational Physics in Python, and we integrate Python into some of our upper-level courses and labs as well. Our recent graduates, both in academia and the private sector, report using those skills on a regular basis. Two other skills that US Physics graduates report using regularly are technical problem solving and technical writing. This makes lots of sense from an employer perspective: you want to hire people who can identify and solve problems and then clearly explain the solution to your team. This is a great reason to let those lab reports shine!
How have salaries changed over time for Associate Scientists?
Dr. Joey Neilsen: Salaries for new Physics graduates are rising fairly steadily. For example, US Physics majors from the class of 2013-2014 reported making between about $42,000 and about $65,000 per year while working in private sector STEM jobs (that's the middle 50% of salaries). For 2017-2018 (the most recent years where national data are available), that same range is more like $50,000 to $70,000 per year.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Associate Scientists?
Paul Braun Ph.D.: In general no. The demands for highly educated workers remains strong, and while the details of the nature of the work may change, the demand for graduates with strong technical backgrounds remains robust.
What's a good job out of college for Associate Scientists?
Paul Braun Ph.D.: Most students in our major are able to find the career opportunities they desire.
What will help Associate Scientists increase their earning potential?
Paul Braun Ph.D.: A strong grounding in technology and the science underpinning technology is always important, as is the ability to lead teams of high performing individuals.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Dennis Baldocchi: We received 130 applications for a plant ecology position, with 70 who are postdocs. So supply is surely outpacing demand. We got a lot of people interested in below ground processes, so if there is a trend, connecting below ground is becoming more possible and more important. With all the dna sequencing we are starting. Another cohort is working on the Earth System modeling connection to Ecology and how ecosystems are responding to land use change, changing climate etc
How have salaries changed over time for Associate Scientists?
Dennis Baldocchi: I think 9-month appointments at Univ are vastly under paying these talented people, who I am sure do better at National Labs and Industry.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Jay Tischfield: In terms of the largest number of jobs, companies are hiring people familiar with medium and large-scale lab automation, quality assurance protocols and data
What technical skills for an Associate Scientist stand out to employers?
Jay Tischfield: Computational and data analysis skills. Quantitative analysis of biological data.
How have salaries changed over time for Associate Scientists?
Jay Tischfield: Salaries have increased for newish graduates with some experience.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Patricia Rankin: The pandemic has shown both the promise of remote work and the potential downsides. I anticipate that there will be more flexibility in the working arrangements in situations were this is possible (Zoom meetings will substitute for some meetings that formerly required travel, people may plan their working days to be on-site or off-site (home)). Some people may decide they want careers that allow this flexibility.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Associate Scientists?
Patricia Rankin: Experience with computing/computational physics is important (but also pretty standard for any physics degree). Work in a lab can help show ability to work independently/problem solve.
How have salaries changed over time for Associate Scientists?
Patricia Rankin: Salaries have been trending up - but there is a wide range and it depends on the level you look at e.g Bachelor's degrees or PhD's . If you have a PhD you earn more on average but the range is also larger (the AIP has some good statistics here e.g. https://www.aip.org/taxonomy/term/152 ). Physicists are generally at the higher end of pay scales and competitive with most engineering fields (not computer science). Physics graduates are problem solvers with excellent quantitative skills that puts them in high demand which helps protect salaries.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Associate Scientists?
Jacqueline Trischman Ph.D.: The most important attribute companies are looking for in our graduates this year is adaptability. Students who have been successful in the classroom and lab AND in the Zoom environment are highly sought after in our local industries. In fact, our local life science economy is booming as we have test kits, antibody treatments, and vaccines all being manufactured in San Diego County. Graduates are expected to transition easily between working in a COVID-safe environment on-site and working productively at a home office. Being open to trying new ways of working, maintaining a positive attitude, and handling adversity well will all rise to more importance in interviews this year.
What's a good job out of college for Associate Scientists?
Jacqueline Trischman Ph.D.: Research Scientist positions are the typical positions our students find, but there are sales, quality control, and production positions as well. Students who know what these jobs entail and know how their personalities work well in the position they seek will do well in finding a good job right after graduation. Students can increase their earning potential by seeking out a mentor in industry to help them know their unique talents, what they could and should ask for in their interviews, and know how to plan for the next step the moment they walk in the door.
