Scientists have a lot of skills. They just don’t always know how to market those skills, especially when they’re trying to get their careers off the ground or feel they’ve hit a dead end. That’s what the “Achieve Your Career Goals” workshop aims to change.
“There’s not a lot of information for seismologists about how to build a career for themselves,” says Alaina G. Levine, President of Quantum Success Solutions and author of Networking for Nerds: Find, Access and Land Hidden Game-Changing Career Opportunities Everywhere (Wiley, 2015).
“That in-depth knowledge about how careers unfold and how people make decisions for career opportunities just isn’t stressed while they’re in school or training as postdocs.”
Levine will help 2019 SSA Annual Meeting attendees realize their skill sets as the host of the “Achieve Your Career Goals” workshop, which takes place from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, 23 April – the first day of the meeting. There will also be a handful of private, one-on-one consultations available after the workshop.
In Levine’s experience, one of the biggest challenges scientists face is how to value themselves.
“Scientists, especially early in their career tend to undervalue and under-market themselves for career opportunities and jobs,” she says. “This is almost comical, because scientists are absolutely brilliant and have an exceptional amount of skills and talents.”
Having a degree or specialization in seismology shouldn’t limit a person to being a seismologist. Levine points out that their diverse skill sets make them marketable for a range of careers in academia, industry and beyond.
This includes technical, scientific skills, as well as the unique perspectives and mindsets that come with being a scientist.
“It even includes some business skills,” Levine adds, “because as a scientist you’re managing projects, or you’re managing people and money.”
Her goal for the workshop is to share with seismologists at all stages in their careers – from undergraduate student to doctoral candidate, postdoc to established professional – that they have what it takes to achieve their career goals.
The one-on-one consultations will allow for a more personalized career review.
“My expertise is helping scientists and engineers find, create and keep their dream job, so when you meet with me one-on-one, I’m going to learn about what your specific goals and needs are, and I’m going to customize my consultation to your specifications.”
Consultations vary from a brief CV review – “People come and ask, ‘what are my options? What can I do with my seismology experience?’” says Levine – to serious work-related issues.
“I’ve had people talk to me about having a budget or funding issue that’s constraining the work they’re doing, or they may have a toxic boss or a dysfunctional team that they have to escape from,” she says.
“We’ll go into details about how they can plot their escape from a zombie boss or zombie colleagues and move into a direction that is more productive.”
Attendees will also have an opportunity to have professional headshots taken.
Registration is limited to SSA members only and only 25 spaces are available. Registration fees are $35 for SSA Student or Early-Career members, $50 for regular SSA members. Sign up for the workshop when you register for the 2019 SSA Annual Meeting.
This workshop is limited to current SSA members only. Not a member yet, or need to renew? Join SSA today!
The “Achieve Your Career Goals” workshop is funded by SSA’s Kanamori Fund.
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