A Young Scientist's Guide To Gainful Employment: Recent Graduates' Experiences And Successful Strategies

Abstract

Securing a job after completing a graduate degree is among a graduate student's most rewarding (and most stressful) experiences. The job hunting process, from submitting an application to signing a contract, varies greatly among individuals. It is difficult for any applicant to anticipate what will be sought and expected from him or her during the process. A panel of seven newly minted ecologists and environmental scientists was assembled for a half-day workshop titled, “Job Hunting Experiences Of Recent Graduates,” at the 2007 U.S. Chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology meeting in Tucson, Arizona. All panel members (i.e., authors of this paper) have completed their graduate education since 2002, and occupy a variety of positions as scientists. Panelists prepared responses to questions focusing on their job hunting experiences, comparisons between perceived and actual job responsibilities, and advice for graduate students entering the job market. The topics that emerged from the workshop discussion are broadly applicable across ecological disciplines.