Quality Control? - (Jul/12/2013 )
Hello everyone, I am about to graduate with an A.S. in Biotechnology and am feeling a bit torn and confused. I picked this program because it was quick, was comprised mostly of lab time (very few "book" classes) and was supposed to teach me everything I'd need to know about following lab protocols and using fancy lab equipment.....everything I'd need to know to become a technician. Definitely not doing my own research but being involved in a decent paying position nonetheless.... But now that I'm about to graduate it seems that no matter how awesome your bench skills are, nobody will look at you if you only have a 2 year degree. Now on one hand I can't say that I blame them.... it's just frustrating to know that I'm just as good if not better than other people who are getting hired because they've read more textbooks but have ZERO bench time. I'd like to see their troubleshooting...but I digress....
ANYWAY..... I have an interview for a quality control inspector position at a pharmaceutical manufacturing company...NOT exactly what I had in mind...and I'm confused. Firstly, I'm not even sure exactly what a QC person DOES. Do I stand by a conveyor belt poking at things? Doesn't seem very exciting. Wondering if anyone has any insight? Should I hold out for a research job? Or is that simply never going to happen with my degree? Has anyone here ever worked in QC?
Thank you.
KirithSoldier on Fri Jul 12 17:46:37 2013 said:
Hello everyone, I am about to graduate with an A.S. in Biotechnology and am feeling a bit torn and confused. I picked this program because it was quick, was comprised mostly of lab time (very few "book" classes) and was supposed to teach me everything I'd need to know about following lab protocols and using fancy lab equipment.....everything I'd need to know to become a technician. Definitely not doing my own research but being involved in a decent paying position nonetheless.... But now that I'm about to graduate it seems that no matter how awesome your bench skills are, nobody will look at you if you only have a 2 year degree. Now on one hand I can't say that I blame them.... it's just frustrating to know that I'm just as good if not better than other people who are getting hired because they've read more textbooks but have ZERO bench time. I'd like to see their troubleshooting...but I digress....
ANYWAY..... I have an interview for a quality control inspector position at a pharmaceutical manufacturing company...NOT exactly what I had in mind...and I'm confused. Firstly, I'm not even sure exactly what a QC person DOES. Do I stand by a conveyor belt poking at things? Doesn't seem very exciting. Wondering if anyone has any insight? Should I hold out for a research job? Or is that simply never going to happen with my degree? Has anyone here ever worked in QC?
Thank you.
I can only tell you how it is on my country. With that degree you will never get a researchjob. You will only be hired as a lab tech and most often people would not really care about what you have to say (sadly enough because sometimes/often it might help). As for the job: in my country, I doubt they would hire people like you for such a job... So I find it strange you can apply for such a job. Especially since you dont really know anything about quality control. Or perhaps you are applying for a job in QC as a lab tech to do the tests to verify the quality? Is it this ?
Same for my country, I'm afraid. You wouldn't get a job in research with a 2 year tech degree, you just wouldn't be competitive. The research assistants in my department all have a BSc minimum (most also have honours also, which here is an extra research year on top of your basic degree).
You could get a job in industry though. And then perhaps with that experience you would be more attractive to hire?
If I were you, I'd take the QC job, and then keep looking for something closer to what you'd prefer to do. If nothing else, it will add to your CV? (and bank balance 
)