How to Build a Career in IP
How to Build a Career in IP - Insights from an Expert
Building a career in any field can seem daunting, especially for those just starting out. The world of Intellectual Property (IP) is no exception. With its blend of technology, law, research, and business, IP may appear complex to navigate at first.
This article is summary of a session by Govind Kedia (link in the end). The aim of this post is to demystify common myths and provide practical tips to kickstart your journey in IP.
Why Consider a Career in IP?
IP protects creations of the human mind like inventions, brands, artworks, and designs. It is the fuel that powers innovation and economic growth globally. With digital transformation, IP awareness has increased substantially over the years.
An IP professional contributes to building IP assets and using them strategically to drive business success. Your role directly impacts value creation for companies, encouraging more innovation.
In India, the still-nascent IP field faces acute talent shortage. Businesses desperately need subject matter experts to handle their expanding IP operations. Therefore, skilled resources have abundant promising job opportunities across various roles.
The Competency Iceberg Model
When applying for jobs, you may hear abstract terms like skills, attitude, knowledge, etc. tossed around. What do these actually mean in the context of your career? How do they relate to professional success?
The Competency Iceberg Model breaks down these visible and hidden aspects. Like an iceberg, only knowledge and skills are visible above the surface. But self-image, traits, motives lie beneath, influencing your work significantly.
Understanding these personal elements creates self-awareness to align your career path properly. Review them with respect to your IP journey:
Knowledge - Patent laws, searching databases, MS Office skills
Skills - Drafting specifications, prior art searching
Self Image - Technical expert, IP strategist
Traits - Meticulous, persuasive communicator
Motives - Problem solving, supporting innovation
This model sets the foundation to identify strengths, development areas and career fit.
Exploring Career Opportunities in IP
The scope of Intellectual Property is vast, covering patents, trademarks, copyrights and designs. For simplicity, we will focus specifically on patent-related roles.
Based on my experience, typical options fall into four buckets:
1. Technical Roles
Key Skills - Technical subject expertise, research skills, attention to detail and strong technical writing capabilities.
Background - Most require a technical undergraduate degree (B.Tech/B.E) or higher.
Growth - Become a patent agent, specialize in niche areas, transition into people management.
2. Procedural Roles
Key Skills - Organizational abilities, communication, legal understanding
Background - Graduate degree with decent academics
Growth - Build expertise to enter legal roles like an attorney, become a client relationship manager
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3. Sales & Marketing Roles
Key Skills - Basic grasp of IP, selling skills
Background - Mix of business development, sales and IP
Growth - Specialize in an area of interest through certifications
4. Consulting Roles
Key Skills - Deep knowledge in a specific IP domain
Background - Technically qualified with specialised expertise
Growth - Remain focused on a niche through continuous learning
As you analyze these options, reflect on your priorities - Do you enjoy deciphering technical concepts? Do procedures and organizational tasks energize you? Or are you more inclined towards high-level strategy and client interactions?
Align your natural strengths and interests to the role requirements to achieve a fulfilling career.
Recommended Education for IP Careers
While specific qualification requirements differ across companies, some foundational education areas help prime you for IP roles:
A combination of these domains imparts well-rounded perspective to excel in IP careers.
Building a Successful Career in IP
The learning journey for any skill follows definitive stages. Most people stall at the Doer or Doer + Trainer phases. But to truly master your craft, you must continue innovating as an authority in that skill.
The Learning Cycle
Getting stuck in a rut is common. The ideal approach is to always compete with yourself - "Am I better than yesterday?" Challenge any constraints, push your limits and progress to subsequent levels ruthlessly.
Developing expertise takes immense patience and perseverance. But the results are incredibly rewarding, both financially and emotionally. As you gain prominence in niche areas, abundant job options open up.
Remember, building a thriving IP career is a lifelong quest for excellence. If you consistently better yourself and provide value, success is guaranteed to follow.
Call to Action
If the IP field intrigues you, take the first step by honestly assessing where you stand today across knowledge, skills, traits and motives.
Construct a learning plan to strengthen any gaps or constraints holding you back. Leverage available information resources like online courses, books, podcasts and industry experts to broaden your understanding of IP.
Most importantly, align your natural capabilities to potential roles and take a leap of faith! IP promises a challenging yet stimulating journey for those driven by continuous learning.
I welcome you to reach out with any questions or need guidance to progress ahead. Wishing you the very best in kickstarting your IP career.
Govind Kedia is the Managing Director of Arctic Invent. He enjoys advising companies and innovators on building strategic IP assets. You can connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/govindkedia/
Watch full video on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2sRY-ME-8w&t=1s