Career Options and Job Resources. Tianna Hicklin, Ph.D.

Transcription

1 Career Options and Job Resources Tianna Hicklin, Ph.D.

2 The Science Story A History of Excellence Founded by inventor Thomas Edison in 1880 Published by AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Groundbreaking research human genome, HIV, protein dynamics, and other special edition issues High impact news and commentary interviews with high profile politicians and researchers, and research funding budget analyses

3 Advancing Science, Serving Society Science NetLinks 400 free online science lessons for teachers Kinetic City award winning, innovative, online after-school club for kids ages 8 through 11 Project 2061 variety of benchmark tools for teaching science R&D Budget Analysis analysis of the U.S. Federal R&D Budget by agency Science & Technology Policy Fellowships places Ph.D. level researchers in government AAAS Human Rights Action Network fighting for the protection of scientists worldwide For more details go to aaas.org

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5 A free print and online career resource for researchers that will guide you from your first job to your last Updated daily with career advice articles Science Career forum: a forum to ask questions regarding career advice Over 3,000 jobs posted per month Career development tools Career webinars and booklets

6 How Do You Find the Right Career? Be Proactive and Creative Research your options Take self-assessments Make a career plan Build new skills Start job searching

7 Traditional Path for Scientists Research Careers Academia Industry

8 What do scientists do outside of research? Business development Academic administration Journal editors Program administration Career development K-12 teachers Technical writers Community college professors Science writers Curriculum development Tech transfer Educational research Information science/libraries Museums/science Venture capital centers/aquariums Marketing/sales Public policy Public relations Patent agents and attorneys Funding agencies Finance Professional associations Regulatory affairs Scientific/medical illustrator Entrepreneurship and more

9 Research Your Options: Find Resources Speak with career counselors Read about career paths ScienceCareers.org Advice articles and careers forum Books Alternative Careers in Science - Robbins-Roth Put Your Science to Work - Fiske So What Are You Going to Do With That? - Basalla & Debelius Nontraditional Careers for Chemists - Balbes Ask other scientists (informational interviews)

10 Research Your Options: Ask Other Scientists What attracted you to this field? What do you like most or least about this position or field? Describe a typical day or week. What steps did you take to break into this field? What skills are most helpful in your job? How can I develop them? To what professional associations do you belong? What advice would you give somebody interested in your line of work?

11 Self-Assessments Informally: Journal Pro and con lists Lists of skills and values Formally: Individual Development Plan FIND YOUR PASSION!

12 Self-Assessments: Ask Yourself What do you like to do? What energizes you? What type of tasks and activities make you completely lose track of time? Do you want to do lab work? What would you miss about being in the lab? Where do you want to work? What do you want to wear to work? How often do you want to change projects? Would you like to work independently or as part of a team?

13 Self-Assessments: IDP myidp.sciencecareers.org

25 Make a Career Plan: How? Start on a path Choose a career direction that sounds interesting to you Determine what skills you have Determine what skills you need Seek out new experiences and build new skills Start applying for jobs

26 Make a Career Plan: Identify Skills You Have PhDs are often trained in: Data analysis and management Project management Communication Computer and technical operations Teaching and leadership Teamwork Problem-solving and critical thinking Technical knowledge

27 Make a Career Plan: Identify Skills You Need Become a competitive candidate What are the main skills needed for the positions you are interested in? What skills do employers want? How do you make yourself a good fit?

28 Academic Research Independent Researcher Quality publications Establish yourself as an expert Build connections with colleagues in your field Speak at conferences Find funding Committee work Manage students Teaching skills

29 Industry Research Similar to academia, but also: Team oriented Good communication skills Juggle multiple projects Detail oriented Budgeting skills Can work on tight timelines You enjoy change; it s the nature of the industry

30 Writing or Editing Two General Directions: Technical/Scientific Non-technical Strong writing and editing skills Writing/editing samples Good communication skills To interview scientists Collaborate with experts to write technical papers

31 Build New Skills Seek Out New Experiences Try the job informally Volunteer Pursue fellowships Attend conferences, workshops, classes Internships Part-time or temporary jobs Committee work

32 Job Searching Typical Ways Employers Fill Vacancies From within From a friend or colleague Using an agency they trust Using an ad they ve placed Using an unsolicited resume Job boards

33 Job Searching Finding Job Openings Networking Professional organizations and conferences Job boards Institution/company Professional and scholarly journals Career fairs

34 Job Searching: Job Boards

35 Job Searching: Keep Your Options Open Look Broadly Geographically Sector Career paths

36 Job Searching Conclusions Finding your personal job chemistry is important for your career development There s no one path for all PhDs Build new, transferable skills Keep your options wide open Job searching takes time (especially when transitioning) Stay positive!

37 Thank You for Listening! Resources Science Careers Forum and 4,000+ articles sciencecareers.org Career Booklets sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/tools_tips/ outreach/booklets

38 Thank You for Listening!