Tips and Trends
From Debra Wilburn, Career Services adviser to students and alumni in Science and Math
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Send me comments and questions at debra.wilburn@wright.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @dwwrightstate
Follow additional comments and discussions inside the LinkedIn group, Get Connected with Career Services at Wright State University.
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Talking to Psychology majors
Many Psychology majors visit my office, at various stages in their college coursework.
Some of you have your career goals figured out, some don't.
One thing is clear: you love your subject area.
Another thing I recognize, over and over again: for Psychology majors, it is critical to your later job search and career satisfaction that early in your college career you must examine options, determine goals, and pursue appropriate academic training.
The first question I ask Psychology majors: do you know there are two degree tracks in the Psychology major? In our Wright State program, you choose either a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree.
The course distinctions between these two tracks begins early. The outcomes and career opportunities for each of these tracks is different.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree requires courses in more advanced math and statistics. If you want to apply to medical school, teach psychology at the university level, or do research in psychology, this is the track recommended by the Psychology department (and me).
Psychiatrists are trained through medical school, as well as other types of doctors. If you expect to apply to medical school, you'll want to get early and ongoing advising through the Wright State Pre-Health Professions advising program (separate window).
Psychologists who work one-on-one with patients have gone through graduate school and earned a Ph.D. or a Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology). These psychologists work in a wide range of settings and practices, including private practice where they see patients one-on-one and assist them with a variety of issues.
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology
At Wright State there is also a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) track in Psychology.
With a B.A. track you might apply for graduate school programs in counseling, school counseling, law school. In these programs, you will pursue board licensure in addition to a degree. You might also apply for a graduate degree in business. This is not an exhaustive list of grad school choices, but a list of common ones.
With a B.A. degree, you may be eligible for Psy.D. programs, but you must be highly competitive in many other ways that show your competence for this specialty and your ability to achieve at the higher level of academic study.
Graduate programs may require minimum GPAs and will look for a demonstration of academic rigor in your undergraduate program.
With a B.A. in Psychology, you would be prepared in part to enter professions that draw on in-depth knowledge of human psychology, such as sales, marketing, public relations, promotions. In these professions, you must have related experience and not be relying only on the college degree.
Some jobs in social services settings are available to students with undergraduate B.A. degrees in Psychology, such as security monitor, business support staff, community outreach. You might aim to be a drug and dependency counselor, which would require specific drug and dependency certification.
Case manager and social worker titles in the social services setting require a different degree (Social Work) at a higher level (Master's) and often a specific licensure (LSW). Sometimes the requirements are more extensive.
A good way to learn the degrees, licensures and other requirements for specific job titles is to search for them on job posting boards and then review the postings.
Regulatory boards post details on their websites:
No matter what: get experience in your intended field, with your intended population
Whether your career goals direct you down the B.S. track or the B.A. track in Psychology, I cannot emphasize enough one critical factor affecting your post graduation plans: relevant experience in your intended career field.
Your success in sustained, paid work or volunteer experience, and experience with a variety of populations, will be an essential element of your application to any of the graduate programs I mentioned and to your application to jobs. Research experience is essential if you want to pursue a research-oriented graduate program.
Examples
In the Science and Math section of the online Career Services Résumé Workshop, I've posted sample résumés from actual students who have worked with me to apply their various experiences and training to their job search.
Review and compare these résumés to see the breadth, depth, and kinds of experiences that make candidates competitive.
Review sample résumé for B.A. Psychology student targeting a sales career (separate window)
Review all sample résumé and our complete Résumé Workshop
How to find opportunities
Get experience through sustained volunteering (over a period of time, not a one day gig), internships (one quarter or semester experiences), and co-ops (ongoing contract to work for an employer while pursuing study in related major).
Career Services has services and tools, including job postings, to assist you with your effort to find field-related, pre-professional experience.
Get information for students about co-ops, internships (separate window)
There are student job opportunities on and off campus that dovetail into a variety of career goals: working in research labs; tutoring; staffing summer camps, day cares and other educational or child care facilities; working in promotions or merchandising; providing assistance in geriatric facilities. These are just a few examples; the list of postings submitted to Career Services changes daily.
Learn about student employment on and off campus (separate window)
Your network - friends, family, professors, former colleagues and supervisors, peers - may be good sources of leads to gain experience, as long as you can clearly communicate what you want.
Clearly understand and communicate what you want for job and career satisfaction
So we are back at the beginning - think early, often, and to some conclusion about what you want to do.
Don't know how to figure that out? Career Services can help with that:
Use Career Services steps and tools to explore ideas about jobs and careers (separate window)
More information
Review the Psychology Department requirements for B.A. and B.S. degrees (separate window)
Visit the American Psychological Association website
Advice from Debra Wilburn, Career Services liaison to the College of Science and Mathematics
Send me comments and questions at debra.wilburn@wright.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @dwatwrightstate
Trending now: Tenacity
October 21, 2011.
In my one-on-one advising, in industry and trends newsletters, and in my own professional development, tenacity is the trending theme.
Never give up, stick to it, hang in there, be persistent, keep your hand in, follow up on all leads.
That's how it is being expressed. Tenacity wins.
There are a lot of talented people. There are a lot of people with good credentials. There are a lot of people with desire.
Right now, the experts say it's the ones with tenacity that win.
Be tenacious in your job search strategies. Remind yourself that sticking to it is vital to your success.
I read an article about a candidate who had a good college record, top school, all the right college activities - but since graduating six months before, had been sitting around the house during the day, watching TV. This candidate certainly wasn't finding leads and definitely wasn't getting job offers. What was left of their good profile was going stale fast. You don't want this to happen to you - and it won't, if you keep pushing forward.
Nourish your network, keep in touch with the contacts you have already cultivated. Be positive. Develop the relationships first, then explore how your contacts might help you (and vice versa.
Have something to say to them about what you are doing to stay current, active and vibrant in your field.
Unemployed? Volunteer with an organization relevant to your field of interest, take on a project that keeps your skills current and expands your network - but still allows you time to job search.
Join the local chapter of your professional association and become an active member - go to the meet ups, mingle with others, listen to what they are discussing and what issues keep coming up. Find a small way to be active as a first step, then grow your activity as you get to know the organization and they get to know you. Don't know what your professional associations are? An internet search on 'professional associations for [insert your career here]' will give you results. Then ask professors, peers, researchers in the field which ones they belong to. Many professional associations have student memberships at a discounted rate. Most have an online job center where employers post open positions. Often they have a website section with field-specific career advice.
Look for short-term certification classes that might be applicable to your field, free group gatherings to discuss timely issues, independent contractor opportunities or temporary employment that builds experience.
Keep growing, building, exploring, developing, reaching out.
And when you get that job you are after - keep doing these things.
Advice from Debra Wilburn, Career Services liaison to the College of Science and Mathematics
Send me comments and questions at debra.wilburn@wright.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @dwatwrightstate
GET WITH IT! Submit your résumé for Cargill On-Campus Interview consideration before 10/12 deadline
Let up on the mid-term test focus for a minute and listen up.
Cargill has two openings for Chemists and they are coming to Wright State campus to interview Wright State candidates:
Quality Management Chemist Intern,
Quality Management Chemist.
For both positions, Cargill wants to interview candidates from: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Clinical Lab Sciences, Environmental Health Sciences, Exercise Biology, Geological Sciences, Mathematics/Statistics, Physics, Psychology, Bioinformatics.
There are 7 interview slots to be filled for each position - SEVEN!
The window of opportunity to ask for an interview invitation closes on 10/12.
Other dates and details are all inside The Wright Search (which is FREE!).
Cargill has additional qualifying parameters for the job openings. You must meet all qualifying parameters to sign up for a Schedule.
Find out more through your account in The Wright Search:
- In The Wright Search, select the Schedules item from the navigation options - two options will be available, Qualified Schedules and Future Schedules.
- Select Future Schedules.
- Enter Cargill into Employer Name text box and select Search.
- Your search results window will feature the two Cargill interview opportunities.
- Open the Schedule ID link for the position that interests you.
- As a result, you will be Viewing Schedule for the interview opportunity that interests you.
- Select the Job ID link to find out all eligibility requirements, view job description and other details.
- Do you qualify for this job? Sign up for the interview by selecting Schedules item again, from the navigation options.
- Select Qualified Schedules.
- Select the Schedule ID link for the position that interests you.
- Select Request Interview.
- The résumé you have posted in The Wright Search will be sent to the Cargill recruiter for interview consideration.
The timeline for decision-making is posted in the Schedule. - You'll get an email to the email account you list in The Wright Search, telling you whether or not you get an invitation to interview.
- If you get an invitation to interview, revisit the Qualified Schedules page, select the particular Schedule ID, select the Session ID, and then select an interview timeslot.
Got that? I know it's a lot, but you'll catch on.
Okay, get started:
Get active and informed NOW with your account in The Wright Search (separate window)
Bonus Tip: Attend the Cargill Information SessionCargill will hold an Information Session on 10/20, beginning at 6:00 p.m., in Discovery Room A, Student Union.
Allow two hours for presentation, questions and answers.
More than Cargill inside The Wright SearchOther employers use The Wright Search to post jobs, hold interviews, come to Recruiting Days, or cruise through résumés to identify candidates and get contact information.
Freaked out about how to format a résumé?
Guess what? Career Services has a tool to help you with that!
Create and format an effective résumé using Career Services Online Résumé Workshop (separate window)
Advice from Debra Wilburn, Career Services liaison to the College of Science and Mathematics
Send me comments and questions at debra.wilburn@wright.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @dwatwrightstate
Talbert House has social services job openings and is coming to campus 10/25
Talbert House is seeking candidates majoring in: Psychology, Applied Behavioral Sciences, Criminal Justice, Counseling, Counseling - Rehab, Rehabilitation Service, Social Work, Sociology, Public Administration, Urban Affairs.
On October 25, at 10:30 a.m. and again at 4:00 p.m., the Talbert House recruiter will offer a general presentation session: "Conducting a Successful Job Search in Social Services," in E163A Student Union.
Come to the presentation to get a recruiter's wish list and helpful hints about desired skills, experience, certifications, licensures, and other factors. It's a good opportunity to ask general questions!
First or second year?
Learn what it takes!
Second and third year go-getter?
Get information to enhance and plan your coursework, co-ops, internships and certifications.
Fourth year or beyond, conducting your job search? Benefit from insider tips shared at this general presentation.
From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. the recruiter will have appointment-only, 15 minute, one-on-one meetings with Wright State students who are active job candidates, in Career Services, to discuss specific and current career employment opportunities at Talbert House, the application process, and questions regarding jobs in social services.
Learn more, sign up in advance for one-on-one meeting, in The Wright Search (separate window).
Advice from Debra Wilburn, Career Services liaison to the College of Science and Mathematics
Send me comments and questions at debra.wilburn@wright.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @dwatwrightstate
'We are actually hiring'
September 26, 2011
When I'm presenting to clients in groups, I make a point to say that what I share with you is derived from the collective wisdom of employers.
At Career Services Recruiting Days, September 20 and 21, I heard 'we are actually hiring.'
I heard 'we have immediate openings,' 'we need five new people,' and 'we are excited to have such a good hiring pool because it means we will be able to assemble a great team.'
Preparing for Recruiting Days, we had an employer waiting list for one event, full reservations for a second, and more employers at the third than we have had in the past.
650 students took advantage of the opportunities to connect with recruiters.
Be part of the optimism - keep your profile active, updated every 30 days in The Wright Search (separate window)
Employers are looking!
Plan to come to Spring Recruiting Days, February 14 and 15, 2012.
Advice from Debra Wilburn, Career Services liaison to the College of Science and Mathematics
Send me comments and questions at debra.wilburn@wright.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @dwatwrightstate
Find yourself first, then find your career
September 23, 2011
A trend emerged in my recent schedule of individual appointments: clients who have realized they do not like the path they have chosen.
How do people get to this place, pursuing things they don't really like?
They report picking a career path that they thought would offer job prospects and stability during the economic downturn; they were good at the subject in high school and 'everyone' told them to pursue it in college; dad or mom or both said 'do this.'
They chose their path as a result of external influences, without examining key internal predictors: interests, values, and personality.
Interests and values are important predictors of career satisfaction. Personality informs comfort level in various career situations.
When people find themselves devoid of interest and connection with their major or job, I work with them to examine what does bring them enjoyment, energy, fulfillment, and comfort, then advise them how to explore and build their career from that foundation.
Review 5 steps of career exploration (separate window)
Begin understanding yourself by asking questions
What interests you?
What activities do you like, what accomplishments make you proud, what have you done that you really enjoyed? Not just on the path where you find yourself now, but in earlier branches of your journey?
In your spare time, where do you invest your energy?
What zings you enough to make you jump out of bed in the morning?
Make a written list. Find that too hard? Talk it to a friend - and have them write it down.
This task may feel fun and the fun of it may make you suspicious, but enjoying what you do is the goal. I assure you that this exercise is a legitimate first step in identifying a wide variety of jobs and careers to match your interests and deliver satisfaction.
Identify and prioritize your values about work and life
Do you value job security, with predictable progression, stable salary, and retirement plans?
What, exactly, does 'securtiy' mean to you?
Do you crave
high visibility, power, and prestige?
Is it important to you to have a big bucks salary?
Is it meaningful to you to know you are helping people through your work, do you want to 'make a difference'?
Do you value opportunities to advance and progress, learning new skills and growing as you do?
Do you value flexibility in your schedule?
Are you seeking
a balance between work and family?
Consider key characteristics of your personality
Do you want to work alone or with people?
Do you like talking through challenges and assignments as you do them, or turning them over in your mind before you act?
Do you want to work with things or ideas?
Is your preference to explore the unknown, identify new systems, new processes, new products, or are you most comfortable following step-by-step directions for existing situations?
Do your prefer compromises that preserve the happiness of others, or is your priority on impartial analysis and egalitarian treatment?
Which brings you more comfort - identifying and committing to a defined plan for your future, or letting things unfold as you go along?
No single job matches all your interests, values, and personal traits
There is no one job that answers all these questions. The good news is that there are probably many jobs that will fulfill and satisfy you on many of these points. And statistically speaking, your first job will probably not be your last. You'll move through a career by moving through many jobs. Iif you examine yourself closely and choose accordingly, each job will provide internal satisfaction, reflecting what you like, what you value, and who you are.
Skills can be acquired
Probably everyone has unselfconsciously acquired skills in response to an outside situation or necessity. Have you ever worked in the fast food industry? Then you acquired skills based on a particular situation and probably the necessity of earning some cash. Did you think of it as skill acquisition? Probably not. But now you know you can do it.
In effective career planning, you'll identify the need for skills and acquire them intentionally as a series of choices made in response to deliberate, internally-driven career building.
When Reality Bites
There may be limits on skill acquisition. For example, math aptitude may affect a person's ability to complete certain classes associated with particular degrees. It's a bummer to come hard up against a real limit on skill acquisition. It's also an invitation to reposition yourself on the 5 steps of career exploration (separate window) and see what other majors and careers are a good fit for you, enlightened as you are by your new discovery about yourself.
Will you have to make concessions to the economy, the marketplace, relocation pressures and other external factors? Yes! That's also realistic. But those are shifting circumstances and don't make for a solid foundation.
For solid career building blocks, know and honor what interests you, what you value, and who you are.
Find more Career Services tools for Career Exploration (separate window)
Advice from Debra Wilburn, Career Services liaison to the College of Science and Mathematics
Send me comments and questions at debra.wilburn@wright.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @dwatwrightstate
Follow additional comments and discussions inside the LinkedIn group, Get Connected with Career Services at Wright State University.
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