Promoting The Progress Of Science
For over 200 years, the basic role of the United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) has remained the same: to promote the progress of science
and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive
right to their respective discoveries (Article 1, Section 8 of the United
States Constitution). Under this system of protection, American industry
has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones
discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans.
The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective
mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and
creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores
the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs.
The USPTO is at the cutting edge of the nation’s technological
progress and achievement. The USPTO is a federal agency in the Department
of Commerce. The USPTO occupies five interconnected buildings in Alexandria,
VA. The office employs over 8,000 full-time staff to support its major
functions—the examination and issuance of patents and the examination
and registration of trademarks.
The USPTO has evolved into a unique government agency. Since 1991—under
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990—the agency
has been fully fee funded. The primary services the agency provides
include processing patent and trademark applications and disseminating
patent and trademark information. Through the issuance of patents, the
USPTO encourages technological advancement by providing incentives to
invent, invest in, and disclose new technology worldwide.
Through the registration of trademarks, the agency assists businesses
in protecting their investments, promoting goods and services, and safeguarding
consumers against confusion and deception in the marketplace. By disseminating
both patent and trademark information, the USPTO promotes an understanding
of intellectual property protection and facilitates the development
and sharing of new technologies worldwide.
The USPTO’s mission is to foster innovation and competitiveness
by:
€Providing high quality and timely examination of patent and trademark
applications;
€Guiding domestic and international intellectual property policy;
and
€Delivering intellectual property information and education worldwide.
Workforce Diversity For Engineering And IT Professionals magazine asked
Steve Smith, Chief Administrative Officer, USPTO to advise college students
and young professionals on how to manage a successful job search and
the agency’s efforts to promote a diversified workforce.
WD: How can the college experience be helpful in a future
career?
SS: College offers students the opportunity to develop skills such as
organizing tasks, priority-setting and time management, reading, memorizing,
researching, Web-based research, and writing. Outside of academic pursuits,
collegiate hobbies or interests—such as sports teams or clubs—may
enable you to develop leadership and teamwork abilities. These are part
of the package of skills employers seek in their new hires.
I would encourage college students to take the opportunity to gain real-world
professional experience, which is also attractive to employers. Whether
the student spends a “day in a life” of a particular profession
or actually participates in that profession as an intern, nothing pays
off more than experience. For the student, it is a chance to examine
a work culture and the different styles that come along with it—how
to work in a team or alone, how to dress, or how to work under deadline
pressure.
WD: What is the most effective way to find a job (i.e.
on-campus college recruiter, job fair, help-wanted ads)?
SS: It has been our experience that networking, communicating, and connecting
with others is still the most effective job-search method to utilize.
This goal can be done in a number of ways. We are a big believer in
participating in job fairs to meet and recruit potential new hires.
We participate in university and professional career fairs, and we hold
our own career fairs for patent examiners on the USPTO campus and select
cities on a quarterly basis. A new addition to this strategy is the
implementation of a virtual career fair on April 1, 2008, and virtual
interviewing should follow in the near future.
Jobseekers shouldn’t overlook advertisements as a means of identifying
job opportunities. The USPTO has found advertising an effective way
to reach potential hires, and uses a targeted approach by incorporating
the use of interactive and print media to promote positions to diverse
applicants.
WD: What is a successful strategy for upward-mobility (i.e. continuing
education, oral and written communication skills, and professional organizations)?
SS: It’s a given that a track record of high-quality work is important
in your career advancement. But one thing that many young professionals
don’t realize is how important it is to pay attention to their
own professional image. They must become comfortable with making themselves
visible and promoting their own skills and accomplishments. This task
can be done in a number of ways, such as writing articles, serving on
boards and committees, and seeking out speaking opportunities and leadership
opportunities. These strategies will help you become important to the
people who are in a position to influence your advancement.
WD: What is the future outlook for the patent and trademark
industry?
SS: The outlook is very bright. Intellectual property (IP) is worth
$5.5 trillion, which is about half of our gross domestic product, and
greater than the gross domestic product of any other nation in the world.
What’s more, IP-based companies make up the largest sector of
our economy.
All signs point to U.S. intellectual property continuing to grow at
a strong pace. Between 1997 and 2007, the number of patent applications
filed each year doubled. During that same time period, the number of
trademark applications for registration filed per year went up approximately
75%. The USPTO has implemented a number of practices to address this
rapid growth. The good news for jobseekers is that one of those tactics
is massive hiring. We are hiring more than 1,200 patent examiners each
year for the foreseeable future, as well as hiring in other key areas
of the agency.
WD: How has USPTO aided people in the workplace and provided a user-friendly
environment?
SS: The USPTO workforce is drawn from all segments of American society.
The USPTO aids people in the workplace by providing several work-life
balance options, such as flexible work schedules, an onsite childcare
facility and fitness center and several telecommuting options. With
special programs, such as, Black History Month, Community Day, Women’s
Equality Day and our Trademark Expo, we maintain a positive environment
for our workforce and surrounding community. All agency programs and
facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
WD: How can individuals deal with job discrimination?
SS: The regulations of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
provide an administrative complaint process for most civilian federal
sector employees designed to address allegations of employment discrimination.
In addition, many federal employers, including the USPTO, have aggressive
training and zero-tolerance policies prohibiting discrimination. USPTO
policies, for example, prohibit discrimination in employment based upon
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual
orientation, marital status, and/or political affiliation. No employee
or applicant for employment is subject to retaliation for opposing any
practice made unlawful by anti-discrimination statutes or for participating
in any stage of administrative or judicial proceedings under those laws.
Like many employers in the federal sector, the USPTO maintains a continuing
affirmative program to identify and eliminate discriminatory practices
and policies, including discrimination in the agency's personnel policies,
practices, and working conditions. Additionally, the agency’s
officials, managers, supervisors, and other employees will be held accountable
for discrimination, civil rights violations, and related misconduct.
