sources of non-academic jobs?

[Guest321]

Where does one search for a non-academic job? Are there good general databases that will allow one to specify the type of job, or do you have to have specific places in mind already (e.g., a specific research institute, Census Bureau, etc.)? I don't have much knowledge about non-academic jobs and don't know where to begin, but am interested in exploring possibilities.

[gov jobs]

usajobs.gov is a good source for jobs with the federal government.

[yeah, no]

an extremely small % of people will ever make it much further than the time suck they put in to USAjobs. Its basically a smokescreen. You're better off looking at individual HR sites at think tanks and policy institutes. What is your research area though? That will also help identify if there are other resources. good luck. its not easy to find jobs but there are some (I have one) and I love it.

[silvestra]

yeah, no is probably more right than wrong, although I question his/her assertion that the costs outweight the benefits of using usajobs.gov.

I talked with someone at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and their take was that usajobs is worth doing, but you should not bank on getting a job through it. You increase your chances of getting a job if you supplement usajobs.gov with some kind of personal introduction to the person running the office for which you are applying to (e.g. e-mailing them your resume). If you can get some kind of introduction from someone they know that would be even better.

But it is possible to get a job through usajobs.gov without the benefit of social networks. I can't say if the probability is "extremely small".

[Post_academic_life]

Hello,

Just an FYI, I did make it past the "smokescreen" of USAJOBS. The site is not bogus. I applied for a fed job, and even got called in for an interview for two cities. I did not pursue it, b/c I had just started a new job in the state where my wife and I are from, and thus, not worth moving again. In terms of getting an interview, there are a few things that can hep your application (and which I think, helped me):

1. Use the exact language in the USA JOBS job advert, in your resume and in your responses to questions (when possible). I know that sounds like BS, but when you have a machine reading your application, and it is trained (programmed) to pick up on certain phrases (and it helps to incorporate on more than one occasion in your job app), You better do it.

Okay, now onto my lecture about non-academic jobs. Here are few things I have learned. Just an FYI- I have a PhD in Sociology, yet, I decided not to purse academia b/c I was burned out, could not get a job a liked (although I did receive an offer as Prof in a Southern city), and well, longed for my home state. So, here is my yearly brain dump that I post on this site, I hope, hope it helps someone.

1. Network your @ss off. It is who you know that often gets you a job. Yes, this runs against my bit of text above about USAJOBS, well, in that case I was lucky to get interviews. Yet, my current job (which pays a family wage, and I live in a location I like, and have great job security), came from knowing someone in this agency. You never know who can help you out with a "heads up" about an open position.

2. Don't burn bridges. Most PhD grad students think they are the sh*t, and get cocky, and act like @ssholes, and treat people horribly because they think they are going onto a tenure track job with a 2/2 load. Well, you never know who you will see on the way down, when you're trying to get an adjunct job and work at CVS, to pay back loans and make rent. So, be nice on the way up, b/c you never know who will wind up at sweet private corporation or in a govt think tank, and may be able to get you an interview. It just may be the person in one of your classes, who you thought you were smarter than, so, do you get it??

3. LinknedIn is really, really important. I got snooped on that site by my now current job, by their HR department. So, make a profile that has marketable skills.

4. Oh yeah, take stock of your time in grad school, and develop a list of the skills you have. Grad students are very skilled, but most often do not know what they are skilled in, as it relates to "real world jobs". Sites like Versatile PHD, and many, many post academic sites are around, so google them.

5. Join an alumni association for your undergrad school, and your grad school after you leave the PhD program. These are great places to network and meet others, who could help you find a non-academic job.

6. Most likely, you dissertation committee, and most of the faculty in your program will be ill equipped to help yo with your job search. I hear this a lot form other grad/former grad students, and saw this in my own experiences. So, beware.

7. You school's career services center will suck in their attempts to help you. They gave me very, bad advice, such as "oh, you have a PhD, you're allowed to have a 2-page resume", um, not YOU ARE NOT! A 2-page resume will be the first in the garbage. I know, I have been on several job committees at my new gig, and yes, those are a pain to read, especially when you have 90 applications for one position. So, beware.

8. Write your resume to the job advertisement, don't just have a standard resume you toss out for each application. It will wind up in the garbage can, it will.

9. Use the site "Indeed" to search for jobs. It pulls up jobs for all the major job posting sites.

10. Look at the job site for local govt in your sate, that is a good resource.

11. Volunteer as unpaid help in a place where you want to work. You get skills, get to make contacts (network!), and you help keep your mind off the job hunt.


Okay that was my brain dump. So, it was a bit off topic, but I think it held some valid points for the non-academic job hunt. I wish you all luck.

[2 page resume]

Just a minor correction on resume length - my partner does hiring, and 2 pages might be appropriate at this stage of your career if you have relevant things to list. Some of us are going to be mid-career after the PhD. If you have gone straight through to the PhD, maybe not, but for example if you did consulting work during the PhD, and/or you want to also list publications when applying to a think tank, that would probably be OK. Just don't put anything important on that 2nd page, use it to put substantiating information.

Also, if you want to apply for government jobs, there is a thing called a "federal resume" - google it. Making one will be a serious PITA, but as we know from studies of norms and conventions, taking the time to do that can help to convey that you understand said norms and are not a n00b. I have a theory about how they make them so involved because they want to create a credible barrier to entry, but that's neither here nor there.