Share your career tips!

Hi all! We've created this forum section for our users to ask questions and share advice about patent related careers. We have a wide range of job titles registered on Intellogist related to the patent information industry, so there's sure to be someone with the expertise you need. Ask away!

I am a librarian in the US Patents & Trademarks Depository Library Program, but I have no technical background or degree. I often wonder if it would be worth the time and money to go back to school and earn a technical degree in order to better qualify myself as a patent search professional.

I would be interested in hearing stories and tips from those who have made the career transition from librarian to patent search professional.

Thanks,
Martin

Hello Martin,

As a Patent Agent / user of patent search services, I would like to mention that the "worth" of your getting a technical degree depends upon how well that enables you to do a good job for me, not on whether it will help you get hired.

From my experience, you can't do a good job finding the most relevant prior art for something that you don't understand. You wouldn't know whether or not it is relevant.

So if you already have good technical understanding of a particular field (mechanical, electrical, etc) and just lack a degree to formalize your qualifications for being hired, then by all means get the degree. If not, it will be a waste of money and effort.

Derry Stauffer, reg. Pat. Agent

Hi all
I am now considering whether to take a job of saling patent searching tools in china. I know most companies in china dont have patent searching tools like delphion or patbase now, and I wonder how many companies % in USA or European buy Patent searching tools accouts, is this market very large? I assume US today may be China tomorrow.

Thanks

HI Everyone,

I am a PhD in life sciences who wants to pursue her career in the patent industry and also collecting information to register as a patent agent, Can anyone please guide me the right approach to enter the patent industry with my background.

Bhasin

Bhasin, if you want to become a registered patent agent in the United States, I’m sure you know that you’ll need to study for and pass the USPTO’s patent bar exam. Patent Resources Group provides some resources that may be of help to you. We have a free video on “How to Pass the Patent Bar: A Primer” that you can watch online on our Patent Resources Group Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1355272970671. In addition, we recently began posting sample Bar Review questions and answers weekly on our Facebook page. You can find the Patent Resources Group Facebook page wall at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Patent-Resources-Group/38970955942?v=wall – you can become a fan if you want to follow these Q&As. Patent Resources Group also offers classroom and home study versions of our Patent Bar Review Course – you can go to our website at http://www.patentresources.com/Courses.aspx?link=Patent+Bar+Review+%e2%80%93+Classroom+or+... to get more information about these courses. I hope this information is helpful to you as you pursue your career goals.

Dear Brubenking,

That was very informative. Can you also guide me as to first give a patent exam and become a patent agent only then you can join a law firm or there are some other technical positions/internships too offered to freshers before taking exam.

Thanks
Bhasin

Hi Bhasin,

That's a good question and I think is really dependent upon when and where you are looking for a position. I know in the past positions were available with law firms to individuals with technical degrees which would provide experience and training to become a patent agent. However, I do not know how the current economic situation has affected those opportunities. Perhaps there are some individuals working law firms that might have more information to share on this topic?

Good luck.

Hi Bbuehler,

I am trying to find any such position but I think economy is not so supportive for law firms to offer such positions otherwise it would have been a right approach. Do you have any idea what is the start payscale for a patent agent.

Thanks

Hi Bhasin,

Unfortunately, I don't know what the current starting payscale is. The USPTO is hiring experience IP Professionals with a salary range of $69,000 - $90,000. You can see the position announcement here:

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=85627686&JobTitle=Patent+Examiner+(*Gener...

Good luck with your search!

Hi Bbuehler,

Thank you for the link but the job announcement has expired so the page was blank. However, I got to know the range as you wrote. Can you tell me one more thing like if someone get training in a a different country (like China and India) for the patent preparation, searching will that experience be counted in states.

Thanks
Bhasin

Hi All,

This looks like a great site. I have just found it.
I was a Patent Searcher at the USPTO for 2 years before returning home to England. I loved the challenge of my job at USPTO and would like to do anything similar here in UK. However, I have not been able to find any such work. Can anybody help me, please? Thank you.

Hi Respink,

Just curious - did you already try

http://www.ipjobs.co.uk/

?

I haven't used the site myself but it looks like it might be relevant! it does say they post support staff positions, but I don't know how likely they are to post patent search jobs. Looks like you can request examiner jobs but nothing is posted at the moment.

I know PIUG also has an international membership, and jobs are sometimes posted on the PIUG wiki, if you have not already tried there.

Good luck!

Thank you so much, KWhitman.
Both of these resources are very useful.

Hi,

I've been seeing job openings for Patent Analyst in Landon IP website. I've degree in Electronics and communication and I've more 4 years of experience in patent search and analysis.

I was wondering if Landon IP would recruit professionals from India with matching profile. Anyone from Landon IP could throw some light on this. I would be very helpful.

Hi Patent.analyst,

Thanks for visiting Intellogist!

You are correct, Landon IP is definitely hiring Patent Analysts. We are specifically looking for people who are available to work in Alexandria, VA USA (Washington DC metro area) or Southfield, MI USA and meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a technical field such as Biology/Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computing, Electrical Communications, Electrical Engineering, Medical Devices, or Mechanical Engineering.
  

• In-depth knowledge of the technical literature available in the area of your subject matter expertise
  

• Highly skilled at developing a search methodology and in conducting searches
  

If you are planning to move to the Alexandria, VA or Southfield, MI area, and you meet these requirements, we'd love to hear from you! Please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your patent searching experience, areas of technical expertise, and salary requirements to careers@landon-ip.com (use "Patent Analyst" as the email subject line).

For more information about the position, please visit the Landon IP Careers Page.

We appreciate your interest!

Julie

Dear Julie,

Thank you for providing me the information. My profile perfectly matches your requirements and I'm willing to relocate Alexandria, VA. But I wanted to know if I'm found to be an eligible candidate will Landon IP assist me in obtaining visa? Your reply will be greatly helpful.

Hi Patent.analyst,

Yes, Landon IP will sponsor visas for the right candidates upon hiring them. If you are interested in a position with Landon, please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your patent searching experience, areas of technical expertise, and salary requirements to careers@landon-ip.com (use "Patent Analyst" as the email subject line).

Thanks!

Julie

Hi Everyone, I am writing to ask for advice on how to improve my credentials to become a patent searcher/patent scientist/researcher with a company or law firm or as a technoilogy tranfer officier at a university.

I have a PhD in biotechnology and 3 years experience working as an intellectual property analyst working at a non-profit organization in the US. As a IP analyst I learnt to use Delphion, Genomequest as well as many free patent search databases such as the national databases (USPTO, Auspat, Patentscope, eSpace) as well as free prior art search tools such as Pubmed and Google scholar. I also published articles relating to patents in the journals Nature Biotechnology and Vaccine.

In the long term I intend to study for the patent agent exam, however in the short term what do you recommend I can do to strengthen my resume. The most common questions I am asked is have I used STN software and what experience do I have with due diligence. Are their short courses I can do?

Also, are there more opportunities for this type of work on the east or west coast? Also, if I need a visa, would this be a detractant for employees?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Kerri

Hi Kerri –

I’d recommend reading Kristin Whitman’s post on the Intellogist Blog, “How I found my way in patent information.” She mentions some excellent product literature to read and also talks about the Patent Information Users Group (PIUG), an association of patent information professionals that could provide you with excellent insight into the profession and networking opportunities.

For educational opportunities, I’d also recommend looking at some of the courses available through Patent Resources Group, which offers both patent bar review courses and a wide range of continuing education courses for patent professionals. The Spring 2012 Advanced Courses program includes a course called the Art and Science of Patent Searching, which will help you learn the process of conducting efficient and thorough prior art searches.
Thanks!
Joelle