The following post originally appeared on the GC board, but it applies equally to other areas of chromatography (and in fact, to other specialized analytical techniques), so I've re-posted it here as well.

-- "The Management"

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By GC user on Monday, August 16, 2004 - 08:05 am:

Very few people actually work in the field of GC, which to me means instrument development, sales and marketing, support, and research on fundamental separation theory. Most people using GC use the technique as a tool to solve problems, usually integrating knowlegde of the properties of the analytes and in many cases knowledge of the matrix or process to develop appropriate methods. Very few people are hired to just analyze samples using GC, most companies look for a good basic foundation in analytical chemistry and intruments in general, unless all they are looking for is an entry level technician. The broader your knowlegde base is the more likely it is that you will be able to get a job in the analytical field. 1 or 2 years experience in using an instrument is good, but there are many people out there who made their first injection 10, 20, or in my case 30 years ago (which I am sure is not a record for regular contributors to this forum).

For more than a repetitive entry level job you need to show problem solving skills, knowledge of many instruments and techniques, and an ability to apply the knowledge to real world problems. For the interesting positions companies are looking for problem solvers, not instrument techs.