The long-awaited 3rd annual Bioscience Talent Connection took place at the USC Leonard Davis, School of Gerontology courtyard on February 23rd. Despite the gusty wind and unusually cold weather in LA, 30 representatives from fourteen companies and over 100 job-seekers enthusiastically gathered together for the 3rd annual career development day.
The BCLA team opened the program by stressing that one of BCLA’s goal is to connect talent with local companies and academic institutions to shape the future of life sciences in LA. Our supporting organizations, Keck School of Medicine Postdoctoral Council and Graduate Women in Science LA Chapter highlighted job-related guidance and networking opportunities that they offer for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Seth Almaraz, AVP at GQR Global Markets, shared invaluable insights into how to polish LinkedIn profiles and broaden job search on LinkedIn platform, from a recruiter’s perspective. Seth followed by urging people to step out of their comfort zones and expand their professional network. Our second invited speaker, Nick Pyzow, Director of Business Development at CBIZ MHM, presented a thought-provoking workshop on building a personal brand with effective communication. Nick started by introducing a “hands-on” activities to show how to win the first impression in 20 seconds – a wonderful way to warm up and connect with people sitting right next to you!
Following the morning sessions, three fast-growing local companies, HemaCare, Xencor, and Charlot Biosciences showcased their most recent advanced achievements. Not only was this a great opportunity for attendees to understand their companies’ recent progress, but also a rare chance to learn the essential elements of a successful company spotlight pitch. After lunch, the life science career fair officially started. Job-hunters interacted with representatives from all companies, some of which have open positions at multiple levels. Many PhD level job candidates managed to leverage their technical specialties and soft skills in the two-hour career fair, thanks to the tips learned from Seth and Nick.
We hope this event helped you to feel inspired and empowered during your job search chapter. We are grateful for the strong support of our volunteers. And a heartfelt thank you to all of our fantastic exhibitors and sponsors:
Gold Exhibitors: HemaCare, Xencor, Charlot Biosciences;
Silver Exhibitors: NanoCellect Biomedical, Lab Launch, Nantworks;
And Sponsors: GSG, AMI USC, USC Pharmacy
