Beyond Academia: Navigating a job Search in Business, Government, and Nonprofit Organizations Katherine Eriksen, Assistant Director of Career Services The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Career Options for Mathematicians Applied mathematics (e.g. biomathematics) Computer science and software development Business/Financial analysis and modeling Cryptography Operations research Actuarial science Public policy Technical writing We often think in terms of “linear” career paths, particularly for advanced degree holders. It’s expected that a PhD secures a tenure track position or finds a career which allows he/she to directly apply their skills and knowledge. While this may be the case for some, others will have careers outside of their research specialty. Rather than thinking in terms of The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Career Options for Mathematicians Applied mathematics (e.g. biomathematics) Computer science and software development Business/Financial analysis and modeling Cryptography Operations research Actuarial science Public policy Technical writing Rather than thinking in terms of defined career options, think about the skills, values, and interests that can help you to identify and pursue the best work environment for you. The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Graduate Student Skills Consider transferrable skills related to: Research projects Teaching experiences Coursework Leadership and service Extracurricular activities The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Getting Started Before you begin your job search, consider: What careers or organizations would you prefer? How does this fit into your long term career goals? Do you have geographic preferences? Do you have a partner who also needs to secure employment? When will you realistically be prepared to begin a full-time position? Are there expanded career options you would like to consider? The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1. Determine your priorities Industry Job responsibilities Location Company size Type of organization Your priorities may also relate to your values, such as work-life balance.

2. Do your research Focus on specific field or industry Investigate specific companies Find where to look for jobs in this field

Research tools LinkedIn Vault Wetfeet LexisNexis (Hoover’s Reports) Company websites Professional organizations Networking RSS feeds Versatile PhD Are there other tools that you might use?

3. Tailor your materials Research field, organization, position Determine your important experience Highlight relevant skills

4. Apply! Use multiple job search techniques Stay focused and motivated Competition – competing against equally qualified people here, not always realistic Should always diversify and conduct an independent job search We will focus on the independent job search today: you identify and contact companies

How do I find a job? Advertised jobs Contacting organizations Online job postings Career fairs and on-campus recruiting Advertised jobs Sending unsolicited résumés Contacting organizations Very successful! Networking Many jobs are never posted and are filled internally Internal hiring The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Finding jobs in Business and Industry Most popular Most competitive Advertised Jobs 70-80% of jobs are not posted How to break into the hidden job market Hidden Job Market Preparation and Research Ask questions Career Fairs Informational interview, internships, and network are the best ways to access the hidden job market. The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Finding jobs in Nonprofits Hiring Practices Less centralized postings No regular hiring schedule Often positions are unadvertised Ways to succeed Networking is even more important! Show your relevant experience Get experience from the inside The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Finding jobs in Government Federal Hiring Federal jobs posted at www.usajobs.gov Federal resumes should be detailed Some applications may have questionnaires Application Tips Focus on a few agencies of interest Follow the directions carefully Include all relevant experiences See: makingthedifference.org The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign