I was mentioned in the 2007 December 11 issue of the Wall Street Journal. The article was As Drug Industry Struggles, Chemists Face Layoff Wave by Avery Johnson, talking about the Pfizer layoffs and closings. In it, she mentions a workshop I did for chemists in Detroit. At the end, Ms. Johnson says “Her message: Start thinking about different career paths.”
This message will not come as a surprise to anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis – you should always be thinking about what alternatives you have, and where else you might go. Sometimes exploring them will lead you to something you like better, other times you’ll discover that what you have is not so bad after all. In any case, you will have learned something, and will be better prepared for your future.
This incident has reinforced to me that you have to be careful of what you say at all times. I gave a talk 9 months ago, part of it ended up getting published yesterday, and I’ve gotten emails and calls from distant relatives and colleagues I have not talked to in more than 10 years because they read the article and recognized my name. Your words can follow you forever, so choose them carefully!