Katherine Eriksen, Assistant Director of Career Services The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign What questions did you have? How are the non-academic job descriptions different from those you have seen for faculty positions? What challenges did you encounter?

The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Applied mathematics (e.g. biomathematics) Computer science and software development Business/Financial analysis and modeling Cryptography Operations research Actuarial science Public policy Technical writing

The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Applied mathematics (e.g. biomathematics) Computer science and software development Business/Financial analysis and modeling Cryptography Operations research Actuarial science Public policy Technical writing

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

The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 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?

Industry Job responsibilities Location Company size Type of organization

Focus on specific field or industry Investigate specific companies Find where to look for jobs in this field

LinkedIn Vault Wetfeet LexisNexis (Hoover’s Reports) Company websites Professional organizations Networking RSS feeds Versatile PhD

Research field, organization, position Determine your important experience Highlight relevant skills

Use multiple job search techniques Stay focused and motivated

The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 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 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

The Graduate College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 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 Federal Hiring Federal jobs posted at 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 Topics from exploring careers to negotiation grad.illinois.edu/CareerServices go.illinois.edu/JobTalk (LinkedIn group) Web resources Visit the Graduate College webpage for a complete list! Workshops Weekly drop in hours at 204 Coble Hall Schedule an appointment: Individual advising