It's a Game, not a Formula: How to Succeed as a Scientist Working in the Private Sector

by David Giltner

Scientists tend to look for the 'right way' to do things. We are used to chasing after formulas and theories that describe the behavior of the universe, and this expectation that there is a 'right answer' tends to permeate much of what we do.

But the world outside the controlled environment of the science lab doesn't work that way. The most successful scientists who enter the private sector approach their work as if it were a game, with rules that need to be followed but with no clear 'right way' to do things. They take risks, make decisions quickly, and don't overthink things.

This book presents valuable insights from experienced and successful industry PhD scientists who have shared their valuable stories to help you succeed in the private sector and build that rewarding career you are seeking.

This is also a great book for tech company executives who would like to better understand how their scientists and engineers think and how to help them be more productive.

220 pages, Paperback

Published October 12, 2021

About the author

David Giltner has spent more than twenty years developing cutting-edge photonics technologies into commercial products in the fields of optical communications, remote sensing, directed energy, and scientific instrumentation. His experience has spanned the corporate spectrum with roles including technical contributor, R&D management, product management, and business development. This broad experience has taught him to function well in both highly technical and business circles where he often plays the role of interpreter between the scientists and the executives. In 2017 he started TurningScience to provide support for scientists of all disciplines seeking to work in the private sector as employees, collaborators, or entrepreneurs.

David is the author of the books Turning Science into Things People Need and It’s a Game, not a Formula and is an internationally recognized speaker and mentor on the topics of technology commercialization, product development, and career design. David has a BS in physics from Truman State University and a PhD in physics from Colorado State University. David holds seven patents in the fields of laser spectroscopy and optical communications.

Reviews

[Mary Geer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this to any academic (especially phd student) considering a job in STEM industry. This book will give you the perspective you don’t get in the academic department setting.

“Why spend your time looking smart when you could be getting smarter?”

The title, “it’s a game not a formula” is a lesson in itself. Unlike academia you won’t get hired just based on how smart you are, or fellowships you hold. You need personality, problem solving ability, adaptability, work ethic, speed, communication, etc! Is this obvious to non-phds?😅

“Continuing to collect more data and further analyze the problem is simply procrastination. “

I was surprised to learn so much - the stereotypes of a PhD in industry, how to break the bad habits drilled into you by your advisor by seeking help and being a team player, and how to play to your strengths.

“The value is not in having the right answer, it’s in finding the right answer quickly.”

My favorite part of this book was that each “pro tip” was supported by stories of REAL scientists with experience in both academia and industry. And you can google and learn more about them!

Thank you, David Giltner for equipping me with the “game plan!”

[Cold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book addresses an important problem given the collapsing Ponzi scheme that is academia. Universities train too many PhD students and these students must then work to transfer their skills to industry, typically unguided by their professors who never had to do this.

Giltner provides a practical guide for this move, written in the self-help style. He assumes industry is a pragmatic game, and that PhDs are idealistic truth seekers. Most of the advice focuses on teaching a “playbook” to succeed in industry.

The advice is broadly useful. For example, he advises that consensus is built before small group meetings, and that big meetings are largely ceremonies with little focus on truth seeking. This is useful for the naive scientist who asks questions like the meeting is a seminar with time for Q&A.

Less positively, some of the playbook advice is overly specific. He tries to offer a checklist for which projects would be high-priority in industry (e.g. those that increase revenue or cut costs), and those that wouldn’t (e.g. trying to understand something). I’m sure there’s some scientists who make these mistakes, but I doubt the checklist is all that useful. Ultimately, those kind of decisions come down to judgement, and anyone who can match a project to his checklist would’ve already known whether it was a high value project.

He draws a lot on his experience coaching people making the transition from academia to industry, and includes quotes from these people. I found the quotes not useful, but the experience clearly helped him write the book.

In terms of scope, he seems to be focused on PhDs who had lab experience and then transition to companies that create physical goods. I don’t know how well this would apply to a social science grad, or even for someone transitioning into a software engineering role.

Overall, it’s a useful and efficient book. But I haven't read enough other books in this genre to know how good it is.. It's a either a 4 or 5* book, but I went for 5* because I'm the third reviewer.

[Jeron Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

for full transparency, I received a copy from the publisher for review. As someone who has graduated and made it into the private sector, this book does go over good pointers that would be useful for current grad students. However, it is not particularly insightful especially for those who are in a similar situation to mine. Odds are, you have already managed to figure out these insights by yourself!