Print

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

[bleedingpen]

Im worried about my ability to transfer because all of my grades were average except one A- and one C. I've heard that to transfer to any school you need to be in the top 1/3rd and I am only around the median. Not sure if it matters that Im trying to transfer laterally and down.

I dunno.  Transferring is very largely dependent on the school transferring to and how many transfers a particular school expects to lose.

[Gatorbull84]

well I got zero offers for interviews from the loyola patent fair. Its kind of weird because there is a guy who only has a bs in chemistry and he got interviews (not sure how many).

[virus_guy]

well I got zero offers for interviews from the loyola patent fair. Its kind of weird because there is a guy who only has a bs in chemistry and he got interviews (not sure how many).

Sorry to hear that. Don't be discouraged.

[Gatorbull84]

Not completely discouraged but I think Im going to take a leave of absence and see if I can get a job as an engineer. If I do I think Im going to stay away from the legal field. The job outlook just doesn't seem that great.

[virus_guy]

Not completely discouraged but I think Im going to take a leave of absence and see if I can get a job as an engineer. If I do I think Im going to stay away from the legal field. The job outlook just doesn't seem that great.

I think the job market outlook in general is not that great, not just in the legal field. My experience working in the legal field has been quite miserable so I think you made a good decision to take a step back and re-evaluate what you're doing.

[plex]

I'll throw out a little anecdote about the PLIP for me, I had 14 interviews for that, and I still only got one offer out of law school, and it low-balled a patent examiner's pay.  I don't think the engineering/science field is nearly as bad as the legal field, which has some extreme ups and downs imho.  I remember randomly getting calls from engineering recruiters in 2010, while the legal recruiters would not touch me with a 10-foot pole.

[IntelProp007]

For what it's worth, we are hiring a mechanical/electrical attorney and 75% of our applicants have biotech backgrounds, in fact one coming from one of the top pharma companies in the world. I am not sure why there is an apparent glut in biotech at this point of time. In two years, when you graduate, perhaps things will have changed. I only know one patent attorney in Florida, and he is semi-retired working part time for the firm he used to work for in DC. Keep working hard and keep your chin up.

[Gatorbull84]

Intelprop007,
Thanks for that but at the same time your post kind of scares me. It seems like the biotech background is searching for a job anywhere. If you don't mind me asking how often do you guys actually hire someone in the biotech field without a phd?

[virus_guy]

For what it's worth, we are hiring a mechanical/electrical attorney and 75% of our applicants have biotech backgrounds, in fact one coming from one of the top pharma companies in the world. I am not sure why there is an apparent glut in biotech at this point of time. In two years, when you graduate, perhaps things will have changed. I only know one patent attorney in Florida, and he is semi-retired working part time for the firm he used to work for in DC. Keep working hard and keep your chin up.

Wow, that does sound a bit scary if people with biotech backgrounds are vying for positions in the mechanical/electrical areas. Just out of curiosity, is your company even considering those people with biotech backgrounds? I have an organic chem/biochem background and have often been told by recruiters and HR people that I'm not a good fit for molecular bio, which I feel is closely related field. I don't know how biotech even comes close to mechanical/electrical.

[bleedingpen]

For what it's worth, we are hiring a mechanical/electrical attorney and 75% of our applicants have biotech backgrounds, in fact one coming from one of the top pharma companies in the world. I am not sure why there is an apparent glut in biotech at this point of time. In two years, when you graduate, perhaps things will have changed. I only know one patent attorney in Florida, and he is semi-retired working part time for the firm he used to work for in DC. Keep working hard and keep your chin up.

Wow, that does sound a bit scary if people with biotech backgrounds are vying for positions in the mechanical/electrical areas. Just out of curiosity, is your company even considering those people with biotech backgrounds? I have an organic chem/biochem background and have often been told by recruiters and HR people that I'm not a good fit for molecular bio, which I feel is closely related field. I don't know how biotech even comes close to mechanical/electrical.

We are in the same boat---- looking for ME/EE type and getting applicants with biotech degrees.  Their resumes go directly into the trash......

[virus_guy]

For what it's worth, we are hiring a mechanical/electrical attorney and 75% of our applicants have biotech backgrounds, in fact one coming from one of the top pharma companies in the world. I am not sure why there is an apparent glut in biotech at this point of time. In two years, when you graduate, perhaps things will have changed. I only know one patent attorney in Florida, and he is semi-retired working part time for the firm he used to work for in DC. Keep working hard and keep your chin up.

Wow, that does sound a bit scary if people with biotech backgrounds are vying for positions in the mechanical/electrical areas. Just out of curiosity, is your company even considering those people with biotech backgrounds? I have an organic chem/biochem background and have often been told by recruiters and HR people that I'm not a good fit for molecular bio, which I feel is closely related field. I don't know how biotech even comes close to mechanical/electrical.

We are in the same boat---- looking for ME/EE type and getting applicants with biotech degrees.  Their resumes go directly into the trash......

That's what I expected. At least I know it's not the way I speak on the phone that make HR people and recruiters say I'm not a good fit. Or is it?   

[Evil In House Counsel]

No no.... that was a poorly written post by me.

We are looking to hire an EE and have been for some time.  No luck.

We are looking for an EE patent attorney with a minimum of 3 years experience, starting base salary well over 100k, large yearly bonuses, great benefits. Can't find one.

EE market is still hot.

[plex]

That's because some EE engineering jobs start in the 80-90k, and patent examiners (a majority of which are EE's), start out making over $100k when you factor in the generous pension and using overtime to bring you up to the normal minimum required prosecution hours, way more time off, and telework.  Same with APJ's.  In-house hiring picked up too.  The only time firms were a clearly good choice was back before the economy blew apart. 

Additionally, EE attorneys at firms with 3+ years of experience have long been desirable, they don't need to be trained, but they aren't really expensive yet, most firms didn't drop them even when the economy was at its worst, they mostly dropped new hires and partners who weren't working out, 3-8 years exp has always been the sweet spot, a very narrow sweet spot at that.

[Evil In House Counsel]

That's because some EE engineering jobs start in the 80-90k, and patent examiners (a majority of which are EE's), start out making over $100k when you factor in the generous pension and using overtime to bring you up to the normal minimum required prosecution hours, way more time off, and telework.  Same with APJ's.  In-house hiring picked up too.  The only time firms were a clearly good choice was back before the economy blew apart. 

Additionally, EE attorneys at firms with 3+ years of experience have long been desirable, they don't need to be trained, but they aren't really expensive yet, most firms didn't drop them even when the economy was at its worst, they mostly dropped new hires and partners who weren't working out, 3-8 years exp has always been the sweet spot, a very narrow sweet spot at that.

first, note my name. i'm not in a firm; i am in house at a fortune 500 company. we pay better than all but the biggest of firms, and when you add up the difference in benefits, it's actually not all that far off. we'd start a 3rd year off around 140k with a 15%-20% yearly bonus, with much better health and retirement benefits than any firm. and we actually work normal hours, nothing crazy like at a firm.

all this and we can't find what we're looking for. just get a bunch of mechE and chemE's applying. as i said, EE market is hot.

[bleedingpen]

That's because some EE engineering jobs start in the 80-90k, and patent examiners (a majority of which are EE's), start out making over $100k when you factor in the generous pension and using overtime to bring you up to the normal minimum required prosecution hours, way more time off, and telework.  Same with APJ's.  In-house hiring picked up too.  The only time firms were a clearly good choice was back before the economy blew apart. 

Additionally, EE attorneys at firms with 3+ years of experience have long been desirable, they don't need to be trained, but they aren't really expensive yet, most firms didn't drop them even when the economy was at its worst, they mostly dropped new hires and partners who weren't working out, 3-8 years exp has always been the sweet spot, a very narrow sweet spot at that.

first, note my name. i'm not in a firm; i am in house at a fortune 500 company. we pay better than all but the biggest of firms, and when you add up the difference in benefits, it's actually not all that far off. we'd start a 3rd year off around 140k with a 15%-20% yearly bonus, with much better health and retirement benefits than any firm. and we actually work normal hours, nothing crazy like at a firm.

all this and we can't find what we're looking for. just get a bunch of mechE and chemE's applying. as i said, EE market is hot.

Evil, is your position one in which you write patent apps or just oversee outside counsel?