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We are all pursuing careers, and we could all use some good advice. Bookstores
have entire sections devoted to providing career guidance, but most are general
and do not speak to the unique challenges facing nascent scientists.
This special Geomedia section highlights several books written for young scientists
(one written by a geoscientist). The accompanying On the Web section contains
brief descriptions of career-oriented sites that contain useful data and suggestions.
Whether your own interests are in academia, government or the private sector,
you should find in these sources what you need: some good advice.
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Put
Your Science to Work: The Take-Charge Career Guide for Scientists by
Peter S. Fiske. American Geophysical
Union, 2001. ISBN 0-87590-295-2. |
This book is the second edition
of Fiske’s popular To Boldly Go: A Practical Career Guide for Scientists,
published by the American Geophysical Union in 1996. As Fiske notes, the landscape
of science employment changed dramatically between the two books’ publication
dates — the miserable job market in the mid-1990s giving way to low unemployment
at the millennial turn. While the recent economic slowdown promises yet another
cycle, Fiske’s advice is equally applicable to both the highs and lows, emphasizing
the breadth of scientific training even in the face of the hyper-specificity
that characterizes much academic research.
Fiske is a geoscientist who until recently was on the staff of Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory; he now works for a high-tech start-up that he co-founded.
Fiske emphasizes that young scientists have a “huge range of career opportunities
in front of them if they are willing to consider their training more broadly.”
The book is geared toward helping readers understand how their skills and training
are transferable to a wide range of pursuits. Chapters include such topics as
the challenge of facing change, writing cover letters, going on job interviews
and knowing the difference between a CV and a resume. The middle section of
the book discusses career planning as a four-stage process, only the last of
which involves job hunting. The other stages include self-assessment, exploring
the world of work, and focusing in on specific opportunities.
The book is for both master’s and doctoral graduate students, although the examples
tend to lean more heavily on the latter. The significance placed on a graduate
degree may also sway a few undecided undergraduates who are contemplating when
to face the real world. Fiske writes in a breezy, readable style that could
relax even the most stressed-out graduate student fretting about the future.
With an extensive reference list and short reviews of other resources, this
book is a great first stop for any geoscience student.
David Applegate
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Guide
to Nontraditional Careers in Science by Karen Young Kreeger. Taylor
and Francis, 1999. ISBN 1-56032-670-0. |
Whether you are in the early stages of your science training or in the middle
of your career, you’ll find Karen Young Kreeger’s Guide to Nontraditional Careers
in Science a rich resource for looking at a wide range of opportunities. Excerpts
from interviews with scientifically trained professionals are intertwined with
sidebars to help the reader easily navigate the pages for specific information.
Each chapter highlights a general profession, such as business or science education,
delves into specifics on the types of careers available in the field, and provides
contact information. Even before venturing into the professions, Kreeger offers
two chapters of general information on how to mentally prepare for changing
career paths, and she also outlines the actual steps required for a successful
transition to a “nontraditional” job.
Margaret Baker
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Careers
in Science and Engineering by the National Academy of Science. National
Academy Press, 1996. ISBN 0-309-05393-5. |
This book is billed as “a student planning guide to grad school and beyond.”
Although its examples are devoid of geoscientists, the book still proves useful
for undergraduate and graduate students contemplating a science career. Produced
by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences, Careers in Science and Engineering
emphasizes the importance of out-of-the-box thinking in terms of career goals.
It is a resource for information on graduate school and job hunting as well
as advice on specific career-change scenarios. The book uses real examples of
scientists who bridge gaps between science and other professions.
As the job market continues to become more competitive, an interdisciplinary
approach to education and training is valuable for all geoscientists. This book
offers suggestions and examples of an interdisciplinary job search. Several
examples of both professional and graduate career obstacles are discussed, followed
by sound career advice. And the guide stresses that tailoring your education
to reach career goals is key.
Heather Golding
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Alternative
Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, edited by Cynthia Robbins-Roth.
Academic Press, 1998. ISBN 0-12-589375-2. |
Ever wondered how a science-trained Ph.D. ended up in investment banking or
how to build your strong writing skills? These queries, and many others are
tackled in Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower. Chapters
present personal accounts from more than 20 people who moved from academic science
to “nontraditional” positions. Their stories run the gamut from science writer
to venture capitalist to patent agent. Each author discusses what they do, how
they made the transition, and what skills they need for their job, and answers
other questions readers might have who are looking for different ways to use
their scientific knowledge.
Margaret Baker
 |
A
Ph.D. is Not Enough! A Guide to Survival in Science by Peter J. Feibelman.
Perseus Books, 1993. ISBN 0-2016-2663-2.
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For those interested in a research career, Feibelman’s short and good-natured
book offers advice specifically for careers in scientific research. Feibelman,
a physicist at Sandia National Laboratories, sets out to provide the survival
skills necessary to make the transition from student to professional researcher,
emphasizing the need for and importance of mentoring. His book offers chapters
on career paths and job interviewing one would expect in a career book, but
Feibelman also dispenses advice on choosing the right advisor and thesis, giving
talks, publishing papers and getting funded. While the book does not stray beyond
research careers, Feibelman’s scope does include government as well as academic
positions and, to a lesser extent, industrial research. Although this book was
published eight years ago, the research environment has not changed substantially,
and the book does not feel dated.
David
Applegate
International Relocation: A Practical Guide to Living and Working Overseas
by Marc Bond with Rita Bond. American Association
of Petroleum Geologists, 2000.
Although not strictly about careers, this pragmatic guide is timely given the
increasingly international focus of the petroleum and mining industries, two
traditional geoscience employers. Written by two experienced expatriates, International
Relocation focuses on the obstacles that scientists and their families are likely
to face as they pursue overseas opportunities.
Tomorrow’s Professor: Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering
by Richard M. Reis. IEEE
Press, 1997. ISBN 0-7803-1136-1
Peter Fiske calls this weighty tome “without a doubt the best resource for those
considering a career in academia.” Reis discusses critical decisions and strategies,
from beginning graduate school to securing a position to finding success in
research and teaching. Tomorrow’s Professor should prove a good investment for
any graduate student or professor aspiring for success in an academic research
or teaching position.
Human Resources: The Missing Piece of the Energy Puzzle by William L.Fisher
and Sarah Seals. Interstate Oil and
Gas Compact Commission, 2001.
For those working in the energy sector or for students who are considering jobs
in the oil patch, this report uses historical trends to provide some perspective
on the current employment situation.
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