Good Afternoon Geographers and Sustainers – There are still a few one-on-one sessions and group sessions available in Handshake for the career mingle today (details below). Remember to treat this as a fact-finding opportunity to learn about a wide variety of potential career paths. Don’t expect the attending organizations to be actively hiring (but you are welcome to ask how to learn more about internship opportunities, what skills their organization is looking for with new graduates, how to keep up with newly posted job openings, etc). We recommend that you ask questions like those asked during an informational interview (sample questions from UTK Center for Career Development). While you can certainly ask about what opportunities exist for internships and new graduates, you may benefit more from learning about trends in their specific industry, what skills do they recommend someone develop interested in pursuing this field, what resources should you explore, what do they really enjoy or dislike about their organization or career, etc. Below are some specific questions that may help. Keep in mind that these interviews are only 10 minutes long. If you want to learn more, ask the person for their contact information so you can set up a time to follow up.

 

Be curious, ask questions, and have fun!

Background and Training

• What kind of education and/or training prepared you for your current position?
• What other jobs have you held? How were they related?
• What skills are the most important for this field? How did you acquire them?
• What has been the most helpful to you in reaching your present position?
• What other occupations did you consider before you chose this one? Why did you choose this occupation rather than one of the alternatives?

Present Position

• What types of activities do you complete during an “average” day or week? What percentage of your time is spent on each?
• What types of interaction do you have with other people?
• What are your responsibilities?
• What do you like most and least about your position and about the industry?
• What professional associations are related to your industry?

Other Questions

• What would you do differently if you were just starting college?
• What advice would you give someone like me who is considering the field?
• What kinds of opportunities do you think this field offers new professionals?
What do you think is the best education, training, or experience to enter this field?

Available One-on-One Sessions as of 12:45 pm ET

• 1 available session with Paul Lemieux, NOAA Physical Scientist
• 2 available sessions with Brandon Wasilewski, NWS Meteorolgist
• 3 available sessions with Mimi Thomas, EAS Professionals (consulting firm) Director of Business Development

Available Group Sessions as of 12:45 pm ET

• USGS with Kyle Landolt and Matthew Walker
• ESRI with Jordan Brasher
• ORNL Emergency Management and Meteorology
• National Park Service with Taylin Spurlock

 

Michael Camponovo

GIS Outreach Coordinator and GIST Program Director

Department of Geography and Sustainability, University of Tennessee Knoxville

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https://gislab.utk.edu/