The North-American physicist David Giltner gave a seminar titled “How to be more employable in the Private Sector”, on February 24, at Técnico – Alameda Campus. The session was moderated by professor Susana Relvas, a researcher at the Centre for Management Studies (CEG-IST).

He asks questions and waits for an answer. He is quick to react. “Why did you come? Everyone wants an exciting job”. “Working in industry is amazing” and “the university teaches you to be an academic”, says the founder and president of TurningScience.

The main differences between working in academia and industry are explained right after, along with the recipe for success in the latter.

In order to succeed in industry, the focus must be on “helping the company make money” and not on “knowledge”. It’s important to find “what matters and what doesn’t matter”, being smart is not enough “one must be effective”. Science is not exact: “there is no right answer”, but it is necessary to “make a decision quickly”, even “with limited information”. And, despite the uncertainty, it is necessary to “persuade” others to follow it.

David Giltner warns: “It’s a game, not a formula”.

This event took place under the partnership between Técnico and the US Embassy and falls within the scope of the American Corners Portugal programme.