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It's a Game, Not a Formula: How to Succeed as a Scientist Working in the Private Sector
You've spent years mastering the scientific method, but what if succeeding in industry isn't about following a formula? In It's a Game, Not a Formula, scientist and industry veteran David Giltner offers an honest, eye-opening guide for scientists transitioning from academia to the private sector. Drawing from his own 25-year career and countless conversations with fellow scientists, Dr. Giltner shows that thriving in industry isn't about being the smartest person in the room. It's about learning the rules of a different game. This book isn't a checklist or a how-to guide, it's a catalyst for a transformative mindset shift. In this concise, conversational book, you'll
Why working in industry feels so different—and how to adapt without losing your scientific identity.
The five critical habits of successful industry scientists.
What hiring managers and corporate teams really value ( it's not your publication count).
How to deal with ambiguity, decision-making under pressure, and the need for speed in a business setting.
Why many scientists struggle in industry—and how to avoid those traps.
Dr. Giltner's writing is direct, personal, and full of the hard-earned wisdom of someone who's lived through the transition. Whether you're a postdoc considering your next step, a mid-career researcher thinking about a pivot, or a mentor guiding students toward non-academic paths, this book will help you see the private sector in a whole new light. Because industry isn't just another career path; it's a different game. And the good news? Scientists make great players... once they know the rules.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Why working in industry feels so different—and how to adapt without losing your scientific identity.
The five critical habits of successful industry scientists.
What hiring managers and corporate teams really value ( it's not your publication count).
How to deal with ambiguity, decision-making under pressure, and the need for speed in a business setting.
Why many scientists struggle in industry—and how to avoid those traps.
Dr. Giltner's writing is direct, personal, and full of the hard-earned wisdom of someone who's lived through the transition. Whether you're a postdoc considering your next step, a mid-career researcher thinking about a pivot, or a mentor guiding students toward non-academic paths, this book will help you see the private sector in a whole new light. Because industry isn't just another career path; it's a different game. And the good news? Scientists make great players... once they know the rules.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Audible Audio
Published May 31, 2024
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About the author
David Giltner
2 books2 followersDavid 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 30, 2024
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!”
“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!”
August 10, 2024
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.
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.
October 29, 2024
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!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews