overview
DESCRIPTION
Alternatives to an Academic Career Career Services Student Union, 411 621.2546 www.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 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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; [email protected]