Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[billyandted]

Hello everyone,

I have an upcoming interview with a company that specializes in prior art searching and patent analytics.  They do not actually prosecute applications, but provide support services to those who do.  I am wondering whether taking a job as a patent searcher, should they offer me a position, would be a wise career move for someone who eventually wants to become a patent agent or attorney.

First, a little background on my situation:  I have been working as a patent analyst for a little over a year in a very small prosecution firm, where I've had experience with infringement and patentability searches, analyzing and responding to OAs, writing opinion letters to clients and foreign associates, converting European specs and claims to US format, and drafting patent applications.  Although I've come a long way since I started, I'm not at the level yet where I feel comfortable writing and prosecuting patent applications on my own.  Unfortunately, due to the firm's financial situation, my hours have been drastically cut over the past several months, so I'm not getting the experience I need to grow as a patent professional, nor am I even making enough to get by.

So, while the patent searching job would provide me with some experience a more steady income, I am worried that the lack of prosecution experience would "pigeon-hole" me professionally, and make it more difficult in the long run to become a patent agent or attorney.  As I see it, my other option is to focus on passing the patent bar as quickly as possible, and try to find a job somewhere else as an agent.  However, if I pursue the second option, I'm worried that my lack of experience (most agent jobs I've seen require 2+ years) and low undergrad GPA (in mech. e) means it might take a while to find a job as an agent, even after passing the USPTO exam.

For you seasoned professionals out there, what would you recommend?  Thank you in advance for any advice.

[UVAgal4]

If you are already working as a patent analyst (doing the things you say you are) then it sounds like switching to patent searching would be a step back, unless you have no other choice (ie your company is going out of business or something). If you weren't in the field at all I would say that it might be an okay place to start, though not the best.

If you really want to do patent prosecution as an agent, I would say pass the darn bar already and keep plugging away at your current job.

[smgsmc]

I agree with UV.  It looks like you've already gotten experience with many of the activities that a patent agent would do, so you won't be a total newbie when it comes time to interview as an agent.  If it looks like your current position is about to fold, then I would take the patent searcher job to pay the bills, and study for the exam.  Having some experience as a searcher would be a plus on your resume, but I wouldn't stay on for more than 6 mo (1 yr tops).  Good luck.