The employment market for chemists has deteriorated sharply over the past year. Unemployment among American Chemical Society members who wanted to work hit a 30-plus-year high of 3.3% in March of this year. It had been just 1.5% a year earlier. And since chemical employment is a lagging rather than a leading indicator of U.S. economic health, it may be a while before the situation turns around.

On the plus side were the salary gains posted by chemists already in or just entering the workforce. The median base salaries of ACS members who were full-time employees in March of this year were almost 5% higher than they had been a year earlier. The 2001 class of newly minted Ph.D. graduates was getting 8% more than had been offered a year earlier, and master's recipients earned 7% more. However, B.S. graduates--perhaps a harbinger of things to come--saw their median salaries drop slightly, from $34,000 to $33,600.

There are still jobs out there, but the competition is stiffer and the job hunt in 2003 will be more difficult and lengthy than it has been in previous years. That will be true for chemical engineers as well as for chemists.

When asked to evaluate their 2002–03 hiring plans, industry recruiters contacted by C&EN replied with similar answers: "There is not aggressive growth, but we are maintaining our current resources." "I wouldn't say we are scaling back significantly, but we are definitely scaling back." "We're by no means in a hiring freeze, but we are certainly off our normal pace." "We're hiring now at about a third the rate we historically average."

Even pharmaceutical firms, which had been hiring large numbers of new chemistry graduates in recent years, are cutting back on their hiring plans. "I don't know of any big company that is considering any significant hiring over the short- to immediate- term," says David M. Floyd, vice president for drug discovery at Bristol-Myers Squibb's Pharmaceutical Research Institute.

But there are some bright spots. Smaller biotech and drug discovery companies are hiring, as are academic institutions and DuPont.

One key to a successful job hunt is a successful interview. To help chemists get off on the right foot, this edition of C&EN's annual Employment Outlook offers a close-up and personal look at that crucial job interview from the employer's point of view. Chemical recruiters lay out their interview strategies and techniques and their lists of dos and don'ts for the job seeker.

Whether one is a recent graduate seeking that first job, a victim of one of the waves of layoffs coursing through the chemical industry, or a professional thinking about making a career change, health insurance is a critical issue. C&EN looks at the available options, ranging from the relatively straightforward short-term health insurance to the bewilderingly complex provisions of the alphabet soup of federal programs--COBRA and HIPAA to be exact--designed to ensure continued insurance coverage for those whose job status changes. The key is to stay informed about your benefits, do your homework, and remember that gambling on your continued good health is the most expensive option of all.

Finally, to ease the job hunt, C&EN offers a summary of self-assessment and job-hunting tools designed to help the new graduate as well as the seasoned chemical professional find or build a rewarding career.

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INTRODUCTION - EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK 2003

DEMAND

The year ahead is shaping up as even tougher than this one for those seeking employment in most fields of chemistry. Jobs are available, but the hunt is likely to be long and arduous.

WANTED
Scientists Needed To Help Secure The Homeland

BEYOND GRAD SCHOOL
When Jobs Are Scarce, Some Seek Postdocs

SALARIES & EMPLOYMENT

The unemployment rate for chemists climbed to 3.3% in 2002, the highest rate measured in more than 30 years' worth of ACS surveys. But for chemists already in the workforce, the salary situation remained quite strong.

WORKFORCE
Societies Look At Changing The Face Of Science & Engineering

THE INTERVIEW

Seasoned chemical industry recruiters describe what works and what does not, plus a list of tips for the interviewee.

HEALTH INSURANCE

What employees need to know about ensuring continued coverage when their employment status changes.

CAREER-PLANNING RESOURCES

A guide to sources of job and career information well suited to chemical scientists seeking industrial, academic, or government positions or looking to change careers. Some of the most comprehensive resources can be found at the American Chemical Society.

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK 2003

Chemical & Engineering News
Copyright © 2002 American Chemical Society