Alternative Careers in Physical Sciences (What are your options after your Bachelor of Science degree ?)

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 2 Outline of Workshop What services does CAPS offer? What can I do with my B.Sc. in Atmospheric & Oceanic, Chemistry, Earth & Planetary, Geography, Mathematics & Physics right after I graduate? What can I do with my studies in the Physical Sciences with additional education/training or experience? What are some alternative careers for BSc. grads? How am I going to make a decision about going onto grad studies or moving into the work force?

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 3 What CAPS Has to Offer JOB OPPORTUNITIES CAPS Job Listings Database for full-time, summer, part-time jobs & internships at On-campus recruitment in fall and winter Username: mcgill Password: careers CAREER EDUCATION PowerPoint presentation is on website under information by degree Individual advising Workshops Career Month: MAC Fair Feb. 3 rd. Panel discussions A & O (Feb.1) E & P (Feb. 9) Mentor Program PACE Program:Wed. Feb.9, 16, Mar.2, 9 Thurs. Mar. 10, 17,24, 31 Job Finding Club Career Resource Library

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 4 Potential Careers : Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences with a B.Sc. Meteorologist Operational & Weather Forecaster Aviation Forecaster Ocean Technicians Computer technicians/analysts/ programmers with Additional Training… Wind Resource Analyst Wind Project Engineer Account Manager Research CEGEP Environmental Teachers

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 5 Potential Employers: A & O Government: Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, Natural Resources Canada Media: Meteomedia Consulting Firms: Helimax, Enviromet Research Institutions/Laboratories Universities and CEGEPS (McGill, Dawson) Utility Companies (Hydro Quebec) Fishing industry, agricultural centres Chemical companies

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 6 Potential Careers : Chemistry What to do with a B.Sc. Laboratory Technician, Chemical Organic Chemist (junior) Technologist Research Assistant Technical Salesperson Quality Control Technologist Forensic Laboratory Technician What to do with additional training… Environmental Consultant Environmental Medicine Specialist Agricultural Scientist Quality Control Chemist or Manager Plant Manager Veterinarian Forensic Laboratory Technician Scientific Consultant Professor Pharmaceutical chemist Health Programs Operations Manager Physician Organic chemist (senior)

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 7 Potential Employers: Chemistry Chemical Industries Health Industries Textile Industries Pulp & Paper Industries Natural Resource Organizations Environmental Protection Agencies Chemical Equipment Manufacturers Food & Beverage Manufacturers Aerospace Firms Biotechnology Firms Law Firms Waste Management Firms Electronics Companies Agricultural Products Companies Oil & Gas Companies Pharmaceutical Companies Quality Control Laboratories Educational Institutions Libraries

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 8 Potential Careers: Earth & Planetary Science with a B.Sc…. Geologist/Geoscientist Geophysicist Petroleum/Mineral Technician Geographer Land Survey Technologist Physical Sciences Laboratory Technician Hazardous Waste Inspector Pollution Control inspector Soil Scientist Hydrogeologist Geochemist with additional training or experience… Resource Economist Professor Ecologist Seismologist Consultants

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 9 Potential Employers: E & P Mining & Petroleum companies Environmental Agencies Metallurgical Industry High Tech Companies Engineering Firms Hydroelectricity companies Non-governmental Agencies Geotechnical or Industrial Laboratories Research firms/universities Consulting Firms

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 10 Potential Careers: Geography What to do with a B.Sc. GIS Aerial Photo Interpreter Cartographer Environmental Researcher Remote Sensing (RS) Eco-Tourism Consultant Energy Researcher* What to do with additional training… Urban Planner Energy Conservation Engineer Forester Industrial Developer Market Research Analyst Professor Environmental Consultant

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 11 Potential Employers: Geography Environment Canada Market Research Firms Transportation Firms Planning Agencies Land Developers/Municipalities Map Publishers Public Utilities & Organizations

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 12 Potential Careers: Physics with a B.Sc…. Lab Technician Technical Salesperson Physicist Engineering work Computer Scientist/Systems Analyst Mathematicians Financial Analyst Satellite Data Analyst Forensic Scientist Meteorologist with additional training… Environmental Consultant Biophysicist Researcher/Professor Astrophysicist

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 13 Potential Employers: Physics Engineering Firms High Tech Companies (Mitec Telecom, Xerox) Environmental Consulting Companies Weather Bureaus Government (Federal: Public Service Commission) Educational Institutions Research Laboratories (Atomic Energy of Canada) Financial Firms/Banks

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 14 Potential careers: Mathematics What to do with a B.Sc. Statistician Underwriter Mathematician Research Associate Investment Analyst Actuary What to do with additional training… Accountant Financial Manager Transportation Planner Purchasing Agent Aerospace Engineer Banking Manager Computer Consultant Financial Auditor Air Traffic Controller

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 15 Potential Employers: Mathematics Bank & Trust Companies Contract Research Organizations Public Service Commission / Statistics Canada / Revenue Canada Insurance Companies Computer Consulting Firms Research Institutions

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 16 Alternative Careers Education & Communication Informal Science Educators (Mad Science, museums) Scientific/Medical Illustration and Imaging Science and Technical Writing, Editing, Publishing Broadcast Science Journalism: TV, Radio, Electronic Media Reporter Producer Editor Broadcaster Executive Producer Web developer/producer Informatics

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 17 Alternative Careers Business Venture Capitalist Science-Based Investment Advisor Analyst/Investment Banking Business Development Entrepreneurship Sales & Marketing Executive Search Regulatory Affairs Consulting Law (Intellectual Property Law Firms) Technology Transfer Science Policy, Advocacy, and Regulation

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 18 How are you going to make a decision about going onto grad studies or moving into the work force? To help make this decision, it is important to do some self-assessment: – What are my interests, values and goals? – What are my skills? – Why did you do your degree? – What motivates you? What makes you happy? – What is your dream job? – What is important to you? – What are your ambitions/goals for the future?

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 19 What are my interests & values? (Soul-searching) Different people require different exercises – Personality tests – Feedback from family, friends, colleagues – Personal exercises

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 20 Transferable Skills People, ideas, information, data & things Working Conditions Geographical Preference Special Knowledge Personal Traits How much are you worth? Goals, Purposes and Values People Environment This exercise is best done in pairs – with a friend or your partner. For each of the categories at right, make lists

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 21 What are my skills?: What did I learn at McGill anyway? Technical (hard) skills Transferable (soft) skills – Analytical / Critical Thinking / Problem Solving – Ability to synthesize / Deal with Complexity – Technical Writing / Report Writing – Research Methodology / Data Analysis Techniques – Computer Skills / Simulation – Organized / Thorough / Precise / Detail Oriented

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 22 Make the decision The self-assessment that you undertake is very valuable and will help you whatever your decision To be successful, both grad school applications and job applications require that you know yourself very well

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 23 What are the best strategies to use to get an employer to hire me or a grad school to accept me? 1. Know what you have to offer: – your interests (do some soul-searching) – your skills (technical & transferable) – be able to express them in your CV and at an interview 2. Research the employers/schools to find out what they are looking for 3. Make the match between your skills and their needs 4. Network, network, network

McGill University Career and Placement Service (CAPS) 24 CAPS Contact Information: Susan Molnar Catherine Stace ext ext NSERC - The NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) in Universities program is meant to stimulate interest in research in the natural sciences and engineering, and the pursuit of research careers in these fields. Recipients of the award are engaged in a research and development activity under the supervision of a professor holding an NSERC grant. It is an opportunity to gain research experience in an academic setting, while receiving financial support for summer Application Deadline: January 28th ISM - ISM Summer scholarships are offered to undergraduate students in mathematics and statistics who are registered in one of the ISM member universities. They allow selected candidates to carry out research under the supervision of a Postdoctoral Fellow affiliated with one of the ISM member universities. Application Deadline: March 7th