The Results-Oriented Biotechnology Workplace

Biotechnology jobs, whether developing or manufacturing products or preparing information databases, are involved in a lot of detail. When biotechnology people are so engrossed in the details of their jobs, it's easy for them, for anyone actually, to lose sight of the job's major contribution.

A Results-Oriented Biotechnology Job Description is different from a traditional job description because it focuses an employee on the several job results that answer the question: What results must this biotechnology job accomplish for the organization?

Biotechnology Job Standards added to job expectations tighten management controls by clarifying how well and when results must be accomplished.

Biotechnology Job Objectives establish management and employee plans by highlighting important current and future results needed.

Job-specific Biotechnology Employee Management Forms maintain consistent and legally sound management actions by basing manager-employee interactions on job results.

The Purpose of Biotechnology Jobs

Stated in a results-oriented, three-line style, biotechnology jobs--

DEVELOP PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES BASED ON LIVING ORGANISMS by

designing and conducting research projects; examining and verifying project results; applying research findings to practical product and process development; organizing information for useful analysis and retrieval.

Types of Biotechnology Jobs

Some biotechnology jobs measure elements, compounds, fluids, and mixtures and operate laboratory equipment while other jobs identify opportunities and needs for discovering, analyzing, and managing biological data.

Another group of jobs develops data collection techniques, organizes results for analysis, and identifies differences in relationships among sources of information. Still other jobs set-up, clean, operating, and maintain production equipment. And, of course, somebody has to manage and supervise the biotechnology people and processes.

Biotechnology Job Management Tools

Here are actual job examples of how biotechnology job actions can be focused on results and kept on track using each of our job management tools:

Results-Oriented Biotechnology Job Descriptions form the foundation of all job management tools. Our uniquely structured job descriptions focus on the result to be accomplished first and prominently, followed by the duties performed in order to accomplish the result. For example,

RECOMMENDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

Biotechnology Job Standards sharpen employee attention and management control by defining and communicating how well the biotechnology results must be accomplished and what benchmarks will be used to measure job results. For example, for the job result above, the job standards might be:

• Biotechnology situations are correctly understood.
• All options are identified and evaluated.
• Biotechnology recommendations are ready when needed.

Biotechnology Job Objectives point the direction for employee actions by focusing job efforts on current and future biotechnology issues. Job objectives are written in the three-line, results-oriented structure. For example, for the job result above, a job objective might be:

SPEED-UP DECISION MAKING by

reducing time to deliver biotechnology recommendations by 10% by (date).

Biotechnology Employee Management Forms tied specifically to each biotechnology job description are more helpful (and legal) than generic forms used for all different kinds of jobs. Job-specific forms are used to state job qualifications, guide job interview questions, orient new employees, plan job training, and appraise job performance.

Biotechnology Job Qualifications are stated in the same terms used in the job description. They are not translated into generic (typically behavioral) terms. For example:

RECOMMENDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

Biotechnology Job Interview guide questions are inserted directly below each job result in the job description: For example:

• "What specific job responsibilities have you had in this area?"
• "Where did you have these job responsibilities?"
• "When did you have these job responsibilities?"
• "How did you go about accomplishing these responsibilities?"
• "What accomplishment in this area gave you the most pride?"
• "In this area, what were some of your biggest challenges?"
• "How did you overcome the challenges?"

The Biotechnology Job Orientation guide reformats the job description sequence so that job explanations, policies, protocols, processes, and procedures are logical and complete and can easily be checked off. For example:

RECOMMENDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

The manager might say: "Here's the procedure and format we use to analyze and present biotechnology recommendations."

The Biotechnology Job Training plan guides a thorough examination of actual job knowledge, skills, and abilities as described in the job description that need improvement or that might be enhanced. For example:

RECOMMENDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

The manager might say: "Analytical skills would be improved by enrolling in a statistical analysis class."

The Biotechnology Job Performance Appraisal guide is a job-specific form. It is not a universal form used for all jobs. The guide adds an appraisal scale below each job result in the job description so that attention can be drawn to each job requirement and expectation. For example:

RECOMMENDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

__ Great! Just want we wanted.
__ We have a problem.
__ Improvement is needed.
__ Much, much more than we asked for.

Comments: _________________

Biotechnology Résumé Template

Potential employers want to know what a job applicant has accomplished in his/her biotechnology work career. They don't want to be bored with minor details. Our Résumé Template provides:

• an outline to help assemble personal background information.
• a Results-Oriented Job Description to provide the biotechnology job language-focused on results-needed to write an effective résumé.
• Biotechnology Job Objectives to orient thinking in terms of accomplishments.
• instructions on how to use a Results-Oriented Biotechnology Job Description and Biotechnology Job Objectives to express job accomplishments.

Use the biotechnology job description responsibility statement as a base:

RECOMMENDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTIONS by

analyzing system controls.

Select the biotechnology job objective that fits your experience:

REDUCE COSTS 10% by

improving biotechnology processes.

Combine the two into a résumé statement:

Reduced costs 10% by analyzing, identifying, and recommending new biotechnology system controls.

Biotechnology Career Links

National Health Museum, health and bioscience-related fields

Career guides and interviews with people in a variety of career paths at different stages in their careers.

North Central Regional Educational Materials Project, Biotechnology

Biotechnology information series--definition; careers; impact on human health careers, education and law enforcement; other resources.

Biotechnology Institute, Careers

Educational information for teachers, students and the public about the promise and challenges of biotechnology.

Massachusetts Biotechnology Industry Directory

Information on jobs in the medical therapeutics sector.

Career Voyages, Biotechnology

Collaboration between the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education to provide information on high growth, in-demand occupations along with the skills and education needed to attain these jobs.