Hosted by Johnson & Johnson
This fall, we will be featuring blog posts written by PhD students who participated in Career Services’ Career Exploration Fellowship (CEF), a program that helps doctoral candidates explore their career interests through networking opportunities with advanced degree professionals. Click here to learn more about CEF.
Describe your experience working with your host.
I was paired with Dr. Sheng Gao at Johnson & Johnson, and we met one-on-one every two weeks throughout the program. Our conversations covered a wide range of topics: preparing for the transition into industry, tailoring my resume for biotech/pharma roles, and navigating the broader landscape of discovery and translational research. Dr. Gao was approachable, thoughtful, and generous with his time. What stood out most was his genuine willingness to help—he didn’t just offer advice, he actively worked with me to identify paths forward and build confidence in the direction I’m headed.
What did you learn from this opportunity (about yourself, potential career fields, the job search, etc.)?
The most valuable thing I learned was that I’m more prepared than I give myself credit for. I had assumed I’d need to completely retool for industry, but Dr. Gao helped me see that it’s about repositioning what I’ve already done to align with industry expectations. Strategic communication of skills and impact matters more than I thought. I also realized that while it’s great to have a clear goal, staying open to new opportunities, especially those I hadn’t previously considered, is just as important. Our conversations helped me think more broadly, without losing sight of what excites me most.
How did your CEF experience influence your future career plans?
Before CEF, I was interested in industry, but I struggled with internal doubts—which is something I think many PhD students face—about whether moving into industry meant stepping away from what academia implicitly defines as the “default” or most respected path. This experience helped me move past that hesitation. I now see industry as a deliberate, impactful career direction in its own right—one that creates value and drives innovation in ways that are different from, but just as important as, the work being done in academia. Through my conversations with Dr. Gao, I gained clarity on how I can contribute meaningfully in that space.
What was the most valuable part of your CEF experience?
The most valuable part was the personalized mentorship. Unlike broader seminar series like “Beyond the Professoriate,” CEF offers something more intimate and actionable: direct access to someone who has been through the transition and is working in a role I aspire to. Having honest, practical conversations, not just about job titles but about how people think and make decisions in the industry, was something I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. That relationship made all the difference.
Top reason PhD students should apply to the CEF program?
CEF gives you something that’s incredibly rare in PhD training: tailored, one-on-one guidance from someone working in the kind of job you’re curious about. If you’re unsure how your academic skills translate to industry—or if you just want to see what’s out there beyond academia—this program helps bridge that gap. It gives you clarity, confidence, and connection. And in a job search, those are everything.
