Alternatives to an Academic Career

Career ServicesStudent Union, 411621.2546www.career.arizona.edu

Overview

• Changing focus• Value of a non-academic career• Resources for decision making• CV to resume• Employers fears about PhD’s• Attributes PhD’s bring to employers• Resources for job searching• Next steps

Changing Focus

• Assess – Why changing focus– What is your best fit– Realities of the job market– Using your PhD – do I need it?– The value of your graduate degree– Look at your life as a whole and where

you can express who you are

Changing Focus

• Gather Information– New career options– New potential employers

• Seek assistance– Faculty/department: pros and cons– Colleagues– Friends– Professionals

Value of a Non-Academic Career

• Wide variety of potential organizations to work for

• Many meaningful ways to make a contribution• Share knowledge and expertise to a wide

“audience”• Opportunity to interact and work with a

diverse group of people• Potentially higher income• More choice of where you live and who you

work for; opens up a whole world of possibilities

Resources for Decision Making

• Career Services– Counseling– Strong Interest Inventory– DISCOVER– What can I do with this Major/Degree

Resources for Decision Making

• Counseling– Alternate career choice decision making– Targeted job searching– Can adapt resources and information to

your level– Assist with transforming CV to a resume

Resources for Decision Making

• Strong Interest Inventory– Information on an individual’s interest in

broad occupational areas, school subjects and activities

– Comparison of an individual’s interests to those of happily employed people

Resources for Decision Making

• DISCOVER– Computer assisted guidance tool– Inventories on interests, values, skills– Occupation information

• What Can I do with This Major/Degree– Website of undergraduate majors– List of potential occupational areas and

employers– Strategies for getting into the field

CV to Resume

• Purpose of a CV– To provide in-depth information and

details about your history and qualifications

– Very detailed document; a full history– An on-going process– Used for academic, scientific, research

or medical positions; submitting manuscripts for publication; tenure review and applying for grants or fellowships

CV to Resume

• Purpose of a resume– To interest the employer – Your marketing piece– A snapshot of what you have to

offer– An on-going process– Used in business, industry, government,

non-profit sectors for non-research positions

CV to Resume

• CV characteristics– Audience is fellow academics

knowledgeable about your field– Focus is on representing your academic

achievements and scholarly potential– Essential that it have everything related

to your academic/scholarly history– Activities unrelated to academic pursuits

are extraneous– References are included in the document

CV to Resume

• Resume characteristics– Audience is a variety of employers seeking

to hire for a variety of positions (not necessarily knowledgeable about your academic work)

– Focus is on any experiences, accomplishments and skills that relate to the position

– Complete list of publications, presentations and course titles are extraneous

– References go on a separate sheet

CV to Resume

• Tips– Consider who is reading your resume

and target it appropriately– Do not forget unpaid experiences to

demonstrate your skills– Reframe your academic work to

demonstrate your skills and experience– Don’t forget your “soft” skills:

teamwork, communication, etc.– Avoid academic jargon

Employers Fears about PhD’s

• They are overeducated and under socialized

• Too independent to work well in teams• Cannot make and meet deadlines• Cannot communicate in simple, direct

ways• Will be “the absent-minded professor”• Think they are smarter than everyone else

Attributes PhD’s Bring to Employers

• Intelligence, knowledge, creativity• Analytical, critical thinking skills• High level problem solvers• Ability to learn almost anything very quickly• Self motivated, hard working • Oral and written communication skills• Ability to work with a wide variety of

individuals• Prestige to the organization

Allaying Employers Fears about PhD’s

Your job is to show that you are a team-player, communicate well with a variety of people, make and meet deadlines, follow through on projects and assignments, and

are approachable and accessible, while you demonstrate the relevance of your education,

experience and skills to the position – all communicated with confidence!

Search Methods

• Use a variety of methods• Career Services campus interviewing• Campus career fairs• Advertised positions in print or on web

sites• Networking in person and online

(LinkedIn)• Informational interviewing

Informational Interviewing

• To learn about career fields• To learn about specific jobs• To develop contacts for networking• Be prepared with questions• Business casual dress, if in person;

behave professionally in person or online

• Ask for contacts• Thank you letter

Organizing your Search

• Keep your materials organized• Prioritize your list of positions to

target• Target your resume and cover letter• Follow up• Interview well• Evaluate offers and make informed

decisions• Get assistance from Career Services

Resources for Job Searching

• Career Services– CV/resume checks– Campus interviewing/resume referral– Career fairs– Website

Resources for Job Searching

Campus Interviewing/Resume Referral• For internship or other career-related

experience opportunities. No fee. Open to all UA students.

• For graduating students seeking full-time professional employment. One-time $25 fee.

• Eligibility:– Begins 2 semesters prior to graduation– Alumni can participate for two years post

graduation for $50 a year

EASY ONLINE ORIENTATION

Resources for Job Searching

• Career Fairs– UA Fall Career Days – September– UA Graduate School Day – November – UA Spring Career Days – April – UA Teacher Career Day – April or May

MANY OTHERS ON CAMPUS FOR SPRING!

Resources for Job Searching

• Career Services website– Guides for resumes, interviewing, job

search– Career exploration– Articles & events– Calendar of activities– Internships.com

Resources for Job Searching

• Career Services website– Wildcat JobLink – job listings & campus

interviewing “portal”– Career Search– Going Global– Web Resources– Interfolio

Resources for Job Searching

• Internship.com– Search by geographical region, major,

and compensation– Listing includes: description of

internship, requirements of applicants, application procedures, and contact information

– Option of online resume submission to recruiters via the website.

Resources for Job Searching

• Wildcat JobLink– Exclusive on campus and off campus job

and internship listings– Federal work-study and non work-study

jobs– Full-time post graduation employment

for entry level and experienced– National and international– Open access to general listings for all UA

students with brief login– System also houses the campus

interviewing database

Career Search

• Searchable database of organizations• Organized by industry type and location• Searchable by major and keyword• Over 3 million organizations in U.S.,

Canada and other countries• Profiles with organization description,

contact names, contact information• Salary wizard and other information

resources

Resources for Job Searching

• Going Global– Country Career Guides contain a wealth

of information about 24 countries – Key Employer Directory contains

corporate profiles for 25,000 worldwide companies

– Job and Internship listings for any country in the world

Resources for Job Searching

• Web Resources– Annotated “library” of websites– Information on careers & job listings– Main subject headings:

• Career exploration• Career related experience• Job search tools & strategies• Career information for diverse groups• Career information by field

WEB RESOURCES

Resources for Job Searching

Interfolio:

• Open letters of recommendation• Confidential letters of

recommendation • Resumes • Curriculum Vitae • Statement(s) of Purpose • Writing samples • Transcripts

Resources for Job Searching

Benefits of using Interfolio:

• Easily build a portfolio of all your important documents

• Deliver every document needed for your application in one complete, professional package

• Low cost• You have control of your portfolio• Lightning-fast delivery• 24/7 access

Next Steps

• Soul searching• Making career choices• Researching options• Researching organizations• Transforming CV to a resume• Seeking assistance

Questions?

Lizzie Schloss; schloss@arizona.edu