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[smj212]

Hello All,

Toward the end of my two-year probationary period at the PTO, I got the "resign now or we'll terminate you" talk. It wasn't due to misconduct--my production was too uneven. Suffice to say, it's been a couple of months and I'm in the midst of a job hunt. I've had some interviews, but I wanted to reach out and see if anyone had any suggestions. My undergrad degree is a BSME and this was my first job out of school (save for a couple of internships). I can't even get an engineering job to call me back. So far I've interviewed for a researcher at a search firm, a coordinator at a university tech transfer office, and for IP Specialist positions at a couple of private sector companies. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, none of them have worked out. Recently, an IP firm called about a technical adviser position.

Are there any types of jobs that I should focus my search on? Any particular cities? I'm fine with relocating.

Also, what's the general outlook in IP? I find patent law interesting, but are career prospects dim? During my job search, I've unfortunately found myself a bit pigeonholed.

Thanks!

[Isaac]

Suffice to say, it's been a couple of months and I'm in the midst of a job hunt.

Two month only seems long.   It's no time at all in this market.   
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I can't even get an engineering job to call me back.

If your job hunt consists primarily of responding to advertised job openings, its likely that your problem is simple mathematics.   Your resumes are probably ending up in a stack 800 resumes deep from similarly inexperienced candidates.   You need some better techniques for finding employers looking to hire.

Recently, an IP firm called about a technical adviser position.

Are you prepared to answer difficult questions about why you left the PTO?

[smj212]

Nah, it's been more like 5-6 months (which is probably still somewhat short given the market).

Oh, I've tried it all. Not trying to complain, just figured I'd reach out and see if anyone had any suggestions. I've seemed to have the most luck with the job postings, actually.

I reached out to a couple of engineering recruiters. They said that the issue is that there aren't very many transferable skills from the PTO job (and doesn't help that I worked in a manufacturing art--not exactly a growth sector where I could argue that I had the exposure to the latest technology). Laid-off engineers with experience are somewhat easy to find, so they run to those first. I was also told companies prefer to get new grads for entry-level positions.

I did get some interest from strategy consulting firms that deal with government clients--they seemed like that I had the engineering background and some government experience. Any advice on how to market the PTO experience outside of the IP would also be much appreciated (I've heard this is a general problem with legal jobs in general FWIW).

I do think explaining why I "left" tripped me up on an interview. But I've gotten much better at answering that. Also, the reputation of the PTO even preceded itself in one interview. I answered why I left and then interviewer was like "Oh, I know a former examiner--he said it was a horrible place to work and that you guys were on quotas and there's a 50% retention rate and the management's terrible and [he went on for another couple of minutes]." I tried my best to be professional and not bash a former employer...and then other interviewer added his two cents about the bad things he had heard about it as a place of employment. It was an interesting interview to say the least.

[OMG IP]

Hello All,

Toward the end of my two-year probationary period at the PTO, I got the "resign now or we'll terminate you" talk. It wasn't due to misconduct--my production was too uneven. Suffice to say, it's been a couple of months and I'm in the midst of a job hunt. I've had some interviews, but I wanted to reach out and see if anyone had any suggestions. My undergrad degree is a BSME and this was my first job out of school (save for a couple of internships). I can't even get an engineering job to call me back. So far I've interviewed for a researcher at a search firm, a coordinator at a university tech transfer office, and for IP Specialist positions at a couple of private sector companies. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, none of them have worked out. Recently, an IP firm called about a technical adviser position.

Are there any types of jobs that I should focus my search on? Any particular cities? I'm fine with relocating.

Also, what's the general outlook in IP? I find patent law interesting, but are career prospects dim? During my job search, I've unfortunately found myself a bit pigeonholed.

Thanks!

It's not you, it's the economy, so to speak.  Best advice: keep all options open.  If you limit yourself geographically and/or salary-wise, you'll have much more difficulty.

[Isaac]

I do think explaining why I "left" tripped me up on an interview. But I've gotten much better at answering that.

In general, your interviewing skills will improve as you interview more.  Don't be leery of practicing on video tape and critiquing your own answers.

"Oh, I know a former examiner--he said it was a horrible place to work and that you guys were on quotas and there's a 50% retention rate

Just make sure your facial expressions/body language is not giving you away.  You might even want to refute some of this stuff.  No one is going to hire someone who hates their last boss.

Your PTO experience might play out a bit better outside of the DC area.  In the IP community here, former examiners seem to be a dime a dozen.   It may seem like thin consolation now, but once you get another IP job, you won't ever have to explain why you left the PTO again.  We'll assume you left because you wanted to be a practitioner.

Also, don't be afraid to network with other former examiners.   You aren't alone.

[horsechute]

"Oh, I know a former examiner--he said it was a horrible place to work and that you guys were on quotas and there's a 50% retention rate and the management's terrible and [he went on for another couple of minutes]."

He wasn't impolite, he was just under oath.