http://www.physicstoday.org/daily_edition/singularities/understanding_hidden_career_opportunities?goback=.gde_2075027_member_257085207 

 

Singularities

Understanding hidden career opportunities

Effective networking can uncover job openings, forge partnerships, and raise your professional profile.

July 10, 2013
Published: July 10, 2013

By Alaina G. Levine
I recently participated in a lively discussion on LinkedIn about the hidden job market, a subject I have touched on, but not yet detailed, in a previous column about social media. The virtual conversation reinforced for me the significance, power, and extent of hidden career opportunities in an overall career plan, no matter what industry you desire to join.
Understanding, accessing, evaluating, and ultimately harnessing hidden career opportunities are keys to surprising professional benefits for both you and your coworkers. You must constantly be alert to these finds.
But before you start looking into every nook and cranny for hidden jobs and other advancement opportunities, there are a few key aspects of hidden career opportunities that you must comprehend. First and foremost, know that game-changing career opportunities are everywhere, and come in many forms.
A career opportunity could be as direct as an invitation to apply for a job, or something that requires more cultivation, such as the chance to collaborate on a short-term project, serve on a committee, or simply engage in conversation.
Don't dismiss an invitation to go out for a cup of coffee as less valuable than an offer of a job itself. On the contrary, the chance to discuss mutual interests with a colleague can help you craft a strong partnership. As I discussed in my column on networking, such alliances can and do lead to actual jobs.
Sometimes an opportunity that appears open, such as a vacancy advertised on a company or university website, is in fact hidden. Many jobs are promised to candidates "under the table," but due to legal or other constraints, the organization must publicly advertise the position. The practice becomes noticeable when, for instance, a job ad is posted and then removed within a week. Did the organization really find and hire a qualified applicant in seven days? It is more likely that the successful candidate found out about and landed the position through the hidden market.
Here are some principles for entering and exploiting the arena of hidden career opportunities:

1. Don't try to quantify the hidden job market. Resist the urge to develop a statistics-based approach for pursuing and applying for jobs. Depending on which career expert you consult, you'll probably hear a different number as to what percent of the total job market is clandestine—anything from 40% to 95% of jobs and other career opportunities. My hunch is that the right number hovers around 90%, based on my own experiences and other factors (see below). Instead of spending valuable time trying to analyze exactly how much the hidden job market encompasses, I recommend that you simply recognize that it exists alongside the open job market.



2. You access the hidden market only through networking and reputation management activities. To find out about hidden career opportunities, you must make yourself and your brand (promise of value) known in your community or industry. Networking can do this. It is designed to build win–win relationships between parties, and the more you know about each other, the more you will realize what hidden opportunities exist that you can both seize. For example, you might meet someone at a conference and ask him out to lunch. While chatting over tuna salad, your lunch partner learns that you speak Spanish fluently. It turns out that he has a project in Buenos Aires and he is looking for someone with your technical talent and linguistic acuity. You have now uncovered a hidden career opportunity that you might never have known about. Look for opportunities to network and to demonstrate your experience, skills and expertise, such as giving talks, volunteering on committees or reviewing journal papers. As people get to know you, they will begin to offer you hidden opportunities.



3. You contribute to the hidden market, too. Like any other scientist, you have access to information, ideas, people, collaborations, and actual jobs. Given that networking entails exchanges of value between parties, you can provide access to hidden career opportunities for the people in your network. Doing so will help establish your reputation as a thought leader in your field and will encourage others to want to network with you. I discovered this firsthand recently after I learned about a number of fellowships for scientists and science writers, two of which included a $10 000 prize. I perused my groups on social media to see if anyone was promoting these and was surprised that others had not heard about them. (I had only accidentally discovered them myself while web surfing.) So I shared them on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. People thanked me for communicating these hidden opportunities. As a result, I could connect with people I might not have encountered otherwise. I could also demonstrate my commitment to my community, thus solidifying my brand.



4. The hidden market can allow you to create your own opportunities. Don't forget that the ultimate hidden career opportunity, the one that may bring you the greatest return on your investment of time and energy, is the one you create yourself. Bill Gates didn't apply for an advertised job – he made one himself and launched an industry. You should always be thinking entrepreneurially. If you need an opportunity, ask for it. If it doesn't exist, create it yourself. You may just start a revolution.

Every opportunity you uncover or create may lead to another, often better opportunity. I have seen this myself throughout my own career. Many years ago, I volunteered to serve on a committee, which led to be being elected president of the committee, which led to an invitation to apply for a job. Yes, it can be that simple!

Alaina G. Levine is a science and engineering writer, career consultant, and professional speaker and comedian. Her new book on networking strategies for scientists and engineers will be published by Wiley in 2014. She can be reached through her website or on Twitter at @AlainaGLevine.

對孩子最好的保護就是 不保護

文/洪蘭
一個朋友的孩子大學畢業半年了，沒有去找事，窩在家裡，白天睡覺，晚上上網。
最近跟他父母要錢，想去美國遊學，朋友來問我該不該讓他去？我望著他蒼蒼的白髮說：「你如果真的要為孩子好，讓他去，但是不要給他錢。」我想到了我妹婿的 故事。我妹婿是美國人，從小就想作水手，嚮往外面的世界，想先環遊世界再回學校念。 雖然他父親是醫生，家庭經濟環境許可，但是父母並不給他錢，他也沒向家裡要，高中一畢業就先去阿拉斯加伐木存錢。因為阿拉斯加夏天日照很長，太陽到午夜才 落下，三點多又升上來了。

他一天如果工作十六小時，伐一季木的工資可以讓他環遊世界三季。他在走遍世界兩年之後才回大學去念書。因為他是在自己深思熟慮之下才決定念的科系，所以三 年就把四年的學分修完，出來就業。他工作得很順利，可以說平步青雲，一直做到總工程師。有一次，他告訴我一個小故事，說這件事影響了他一生。
他在阿拉斯加打工時，曾與一個朋友在山上聽到狼的嗥叫聲，他們很緊張的四處搜尋，結果他發現是一隻母狼腳被捕獸器夾住，正在號嚎。他一看到那個奇特的捕獸 器，就知道是一名老工人的，他業餘捕獸，賣毛皮補貼家用，但是這名老人因心臟病已被直升機送到安克瑞契醫院去急救了，這隻母狼會因為沒有人處理而餓死。他 想釋放母狼，但母狼很凶，他無法靠近，他又發現母狼在滴乳，表示狼穴中還有小狼。所以他與同伴費了九牛二虎之力找到狼穴，將四隻小狼抱來母狼處吃奶，以免 餓死。他把自己的食物分給母狼吃，以維持母狼的生命，晚上還得在母狼附近露營，保護這個狼家庭。因為母狼被夾住了，無法自衛。一直到第五天，他去餵食時， 發現母狼的尾巴有稍微搖一搖，他知道他已開始獲得母狼的信任了。
又過了三天，母狼才讓他靠近到可以把獸夾鬆開，把母狼釋放出來。母狼自由後，舐了他的手，讓他替牠的腳上藥後，才帶著小狼走開，一路還頻頻回頭望他。他坐 在大石頭上想，如果人類可以讓凶猛的野狼來舐他的手，成為朋友，難道人類不能讓另一個人放下武器成為朋友嗎？他決定以後先對別人表現誠意，因為從這件事中 看到，先釋放出誠意，對方一定會以誠相報。(他開玩笑說，如果不是這樣，那就是禽獸不如。）因此，他在公司中以誠待人，先假設別人都是善意，再解釋他的行 為，常常幫助別人，不計較小事 。
所以他每年都升一級，爬得很快。最重要的是，他每天過得很愉快，助人的人是比被助的人快樂得多。雖然他並不知道聖經中有「施比受更有福」這句話，但是他的 生活證明了這一切。他對我說，他一直很感謝阿拉斯加的經驗，因為這使他一生受用不盡。的確，只有自己想要的東西才會珍惜，下過霜的柿子才會甜，人也是經過 磨鍊了才會成熟領悟到對孩子最好的保護就是不保護如果一個人大學畢業了，還不知道自己要什麼，那麼應該要讓他去外面磨鍊一下。不要給他錢，讓他自食其力， 重要的是父母要捨得放下！給他一個機會去證明自己、體驗人生，相信他也能從中得到一個對他一生受用不盡的經驗。如果不能使工作少一點，就讓快樂多一點！

經典八問

孩子犯錯了，不用批評，只要和孩子講八句話就可以了2013-5-28 05:56 閱讀(23) 轉

孩子長大的過程中，免不了會遇到各種問題。作為家長這時不要急著插手，可以先問孩子八個問題，聽聽他們有什麼想法。而往往問不到幾個問題，事情就已經很清楚並得到解決了。家長不妨可以一試。
第一個問題是：“發生什麼事情了？”
這個問題看起來不起眼，但是非常重要。許多成人碰到突發狀況時，會習慣性的太快下判斷：“一定是你先打他，他才會打你。”“一定是你做錯事，老師才會處罰 你。”如果我們不讓孩子從他的角度說說事情的經過，很可能冤枉孩子。況且，讓孩子有機會說話，即使真的是他的錯，他也會因為有機會為自己辯解而比較甘心認 錯。

第二個問題是：“你的感覺如何？”
事情經過是客觀事實，當事人心裡受到的衝擊純然是主觀的感受，無所謂是非對錯。很多時候，我們只是需要把自己的感受說出來而已。一旦說出來，哭一哭，罵一 罵，心情就會好多了。腦科學研究表明，當一個人情緒強烈的時候，外在刺激不容易被腦部吸收。也就是說，當一個人還有情緒的時候，別人說什麼他都會聽不進 去。總要等到他心情平靜下來，才可能冷靜思考。所以如果我們希望孩子能夠聽得進去我們的意見，我們就需要先同理他的感情，讓他的情緒有個出口。
孩子夠冷靜之後，可以問他第三個問題：“你想要怎樣？”
這時不管孩子說出什麼驚人之語，先不要急著教訓他，而是冷靜的接著問他
第四個問題：“那你覺得有些什麼辦法？”
在這個階段，不妨跟孩子一起做腦力激盪，想各種點子，合理的、不合理的、荒唐的、可笑的、噁心的、幼稚的……腦力激蕩的重點就是允許任何看似無稽的想法。這時候不論聽到什麼，都暫時不要做批評或判斷。
等到再也想不出任何點子的時候，就可以問他
第五個問題：“這些方法的後果會怎樣？”
讓孩子自己一一檢視，每個方法的後果會是什麼？你可能會很訝異的發現，大部分的孩子都明白事情的後果。如果他的認知有差距，這時候就可以跟他好好討論，讓他明白現實真相。這是一個很好的親子溝通機會，但是要避免說教，只要陳述事實就可以了。
然後問他：“你決定怎麼做？”
孩子一定會選擇對自己最有利的狀況，如果他了解後果，通常會做出最合理、最明智的選擇。即使他的抉擇不是成人期望的結果，也要尊重孩子的決定。成人一定要 言而有信，不能先問他怎麼決定，然後又告訴他不可以這麼決定。這樣子，他以後再也不敢信任你了。何況，就算他選擇錯誤，他從這個錯誤中也可以學習到更珍貴 難忘的教訓。
接著問第七個問題：“你希望我做什麼？” 並且表示支持。
等到事情過去之後，問他最後
第八個問題：“結果怎樣？有沒有如你所料？”
或是“下次碰見相似的情形，你會怎麼選擇？”

讓他有機會檢視自己的判斷。
如此練習幾次，孩子就會有自己解決問題的能力，不需要我們操心了

經典八問：
第一個問題是：“發生什麼事情了？”
第二個問題是：“你的感覺如何？”
第三個問題：“你想要怎樣？”
第四個問題：“那你覺得有些什麼辦法？”
第五個問題：“這些方法的後果會怎樣？”
第六個問題：“你決定怎麼做？”
第七個問題：“你希望我做什麼？”
第八個問題：“結果怎樣？有沒有如你所料？”
或是“下次碰見相似的情形，你會怎麼選擇..........

APEGBE job tips

http://www.apeg.bc.ca/services/employmentcentre/jobseekers.php

Job Search

90% of finding a job is preparation. Your preparation includes LMI research, self-assessment, and career development. The remainder is job-search. In many cases, your preparation and your job-search will overlap. For example, you may begin your job-search while you are upgrading your skills. You may also find that you get a job through an information interview. However, the more prepared you are, the more likely you are to have success in your job-search. Job-Search Skills There are thousands of websites to provide you with the job-search information and skills you need. Pay close attention to the advice and work hard on: Cover Letter: Make sure it is well-written and is customized to the employer. It should tell the employer why he or she should hire you. Resume: Customize your resume to what the employer is looking for. Stick to two pages - it is an introduction only and does not have to provide all of the details of your career. Business Card: Give everyone you meet a business card. You never know when your card might fall into the right hands. Portfolio: Employers like to see actual work you have done. A portfolio is particularly helpful if your English is not very good. Self-marketing: In completing the Career Development and Job Search Plan, you have identified the skills that you are very good at. Make sure you tell employers that you are good at these skills. Networking: It is a fact that most people get jobs through networking. Build your network and stay in touch with the people you meet. Dropping in and Cold Calling: Make sure you speak with the person that is responsible for hiring; this is not usually the human resources staff person. Know a lot about the company and make sure it is a good fit for you before you make contact. Interview and Meeting Skills: Employers make decisions based on meeting you. This is your opportunity to show them what you have to offer. Your job-search is your opportunity to impress a potential employer. Use the tools above to show potential employers that you have the technical, professional practice, cultural, employability and communication skills, confidence and positive attitude they are looking for. Here are a few websites to get you started on preparing the tools and developing the skills you will need for a successful job-search: www.monster.ca www.workopolis.com Finding Potential Employers Your LMI research skills will point you to potential employers. When you look for employment opportunities, don't forget to check the Employment Center on APEGBC's website. Help with your Career Development and Job-Search Your best resources for help are your fellow engineers and geoscientists, networks of internationally trained engineers and geoscientists and career counsellors. APEGBC provides some resources which may be helpful. These have been mentioned throughout these webpages and include such things as posting job openings, offering courses and publishing Innovation magazine. However, APEGBC's mandate does not include providing guidance on career development and job-search. Instead, APEGBC's resources are focused on protecting public health, welfare and safety by providing its core services of licensing, professional practice support, and discipline and enforcement. At this time, APEGBC is devoting significant resources to ensuring that licensure is accessible to ITEGs through a review of its policies and procedures and participation in the national project "From Consideration to Integration". A Final Note You do not have to be working in engineering or geoscience to feel like an engineer or geoscientist and fully participate in the community. As you work your way through your career development and job-search, become immersed in your profession. Get involved. Learn everything you can about engineering and geoscience in BC. Go to networking events and attend seminars. Join technical associations and networks of other internationally trained engineers and geoscientists. Talk to every engineer and geoscientist you meet. In short, build your passion for your profession. An engineering or geoscience employer will recognize your knowledge, skills and passion and offer you your first engineering or geoscience job in BC. APEGBC staff and members wish you every success. Welcome to BC and good luck! First-Hand Advice From the Pilot Project Management Team: Entry-level positions are rarely advertised but companies are always looking for talented people. Engineering firms are not interested in advertising these positions because the most important attributes that they are looking for are best exemplified if they [job-seekers] market themselves, meet employers while networking or drop-in on a company unannounced. Companies will not normally send a letter or e-mail acknowledging that they have received your resume. Sometimes, companies will send a form letter stating that they will keep your resume on file. In this case, do not think that you will get an interview later. You will not normally hear from the employer again unless you follow up and stay in contact. It's the combination of skills - technical, non-technical 'soft' and business - that ITEs need to work as engineers in Canada. From Employers, Professional Engineers and Technologists: Be willing to travel and work on sites.   Demonstrate initiative, motivation and interest in meeting people.   Employers prefer that you drop in at a company office or meet engineer employers at networking meetings. Engineers should not assume they would be able to get back into engineering through a drafting or other technical job that uses some of their engineering skills and knowledge. There are many potential job opportunities for people with AutoCAD skills (e.g. a manufacturing warehouse that uses AutoCAD Land Desktop to make revisions; a furniture warehouse that uses CAD for layout work). Employers will look for someone who will be loyal and stay with the company for at least three or five years.   The first year on the job requires training the employee.   An employer doesn't make money from a new employee, so they will be very careful of who they will invest their time and effort in. Develop your network.   Become established in the engineering circle, find out what is happening and take an interest in it. When you go to a job interview, take your references and your portfolio with you. Consulting companies like people with hands-on experience (e.g. in construction). Find out what a company does before making contact.   Most internationally trained engineers do not research the companies they approach. Develop high quality resumes and use cover letters that are custom designed with appropriate information for each company and well presented. Always send a cover letter with your resume.   The letter should be one page and the resume should be two pages at the most.   Do not include every project or job in your resume.   Use the resume to summarize and highlight your experience.   Most resumes repeat the same information (e.g. five 20 story buildings are listed but only one needs to be mentioned).   State how you were involved in the project and what your responsibilities/achievements were.   The resume should clearly state the position you are seeking.   For example, if you are applying for a structural engineering job, do not state civil engineering as your career objective - state structural engineering. Construction is a strong sector.   There is a demand for construction safety officers, foreman, estimators, project coordinators, project managers and superintendents. Municipalities and other government offices usually like to hire experienced engineers.   Some offices will only hire a person with previous local experience.   There are some opportunities for technician jobs in municipalities. Employers have said the right person does not have to be a registered professional engineer (P.Eng.). Most engineering companies hire people in the spring.   They do not hire in November and December. People coming from other countries need to market themselves better. You are judged by how you dress.   Wear business clothes to an interview (e.g. suit/jacket and tie). From Internationally Trained Engineers: Get whatever job you can get within a large organization where opportunities exist and work your way up.    [Tip:   You will have a chance to prove your abilities if you take a related technical job rather than taking any position] Customize your resume to match the job requirements.   [Tip:   Include specific skills and qualities that the employer is looking for] Be creative and flexible in marketing your skills. Pick up the phone and call people.   Go to construction companies or job sites first thing in the morning and ask to meet with the project manager. Do not wait for a personal letter or reply to a job inquiry.   Call or visit the company office to find out the status of your job application or resume submission.   [Tip:   Do not wait more than two weeks] Be willing to accept short-term contract work. The "Drop in" procedure sounds OK if you have the "door to door" salesman spirit. It is going to be hard. The telephone never rings; you have to call. Career Development and Job-Search Plan Open your Career Development and Job-Search Document and go to the LMI Worksheet. Using the information and links provided here and elsewhere, answer the questions in the LMI-SKILL AREA "Job-Search Skills" section. Next, go to the Skills Self-Assessment Worksheet and rate your ability in the "Job-Search Skills " section. It is essential that you are honest with yourself when completing this self-assessment. If you are not honest in answering these questions, your Career Development and Job-Search Plan will not be a useful tool for you. Finally, go to the Skills Summary Worksheet and follow the instructions there. Complete the "Job-Search Skills" section. Do not forget to work on the Potential Employers Worksheet If you have not already started to do so.

http://www.physicstoday.org/daily_edition/singularities/networking_it_s_more_than_sharing_meatballs?goback=%2Egde_2075027_member_228809279

Singularities

Networking: It's more than sharing meatballs

Career consultant Alaina Levine offers practical advice on how to build and use professional networks.

April 3, 2013
Published: April 3, 2013April 2013

By Alaina G. Levine
Networking is the most powerful tool you have in your career-planning kit. It is the secret to finding hidden opportunities; it establishes and solidifies your value in the minds of decision-makers; it opens doors to hitherto unknown people, alliances, and information. The bottom line? Networking secures jobs and advances careers.
But the challenge of networking is that most people don’t know what it is or how to do it.
Some, though surely not you, dear reader, think that “networking” is a finite action that takes place at an event, like a conference. They meet a professional at a mixer, and they partake of a witty quip and a meatball or two. When 10 minutes have elapsed and they can’t think of anything else to discuss, they excuse themselves and go!—the requisite networking is complete for the week (or year). They don’t follow up with the professional; in fact, in many cases, they never speak with him or her again.
What is the outcome of this brand of “networking”? Absolutely nothing—no new information, no new career opportunity, and no new potential collaboration. They may wonder why the interaction didn’t help them achieve anything. And they go back to applying for jobs advertised on the internet and banging their heads against the wall.
The truth is that networking is not a one-time meeting. Networking is:

• a spectrum of activities . . .
• which begins with a first interaction . . .
• aims for a mutually beneficial partnership . . .
• involves myriad correspondence and actions that provide value to each party . . .
• and ends only when one or both of you drop dead.

Once you recognize these basic principles, you can begin to craft a networking strategy that will help realize your career ambitions.

Like many aspects of professional planning, your networking scheme should include its own objectives, activities to pursue, milestones, timelines, and deadlines. But before you launch your program, take care not to make these common mistakes:
Mistake Number 1: “I won’t network with people outside my field. Doing so is a waste of time.”
I read just such advice on Linkedin recently. The author encouraged young scientists to interact only with other scientists, which he rationalized with the example that a plumber could never help you in your career.
To my mind, this is faulty logic. You should interact with people in and outside of your field, industry, and even geography as much as possible because anyone can provide you with ideas, information, and inspiration that advances your career. Your acquaintance doesn’t have to be an academician in physics to help you solve a physics problem or land a job in higher education.
This kind of strategic thinking has aided me many times. Once, while sitting in the middle seat of an airplane, I listened to the people on either side of me discuss plans for approaching editors. My science writer ears perked up and I interrupted their conversation to introduce myself. “Are you in journalism?” I asked. No, they responded, they were in public policy for the nuclear regulatory industry.
At that time, nuclear science wasn’t even on my career radar as a potential field for collaboration. But once I got them talking about their passion for the field and understood exactly what they did, the three of us recognized an opportunity to partner on a project. They told me about a nuclear science conference that occurs in my state every year, and I was able to convert that tip into real work.
You have only to start a conversation to learn what skills you both could provide. So aim for inclusivity in your conversations. And remember the theory of six degrees of separation: the more people you know, the more people you have access to.
Mistake Number 2: “I will network in order to extract something from someone else.”
The foundation of networking is building strong collaborations that provide value to both individuals. Of course you need a job, but the other person needs things too, like connections with other potential partners, career leads, or ideas about funding sources. You should seek to craft an alliance based not on grabbing what you can from each other, but rather on learning how to ensure that the relationship continues to harness both of your specific values.
Early-career professionals should offer to be of assistance, even if they don’t immediately see a potential return on the investment (ROI). It’s surprising how much others appreciate the offer of help and how immediately such a proposal can solidify a relationship. I once read an article in a trade magazine that I especially enjoyed and contacted the author to discuss it.
At the end of our conversation, I asked her to contact me in the future if I could help her in any way. “Even if I am not the right person,” I said, “I will find the right person or resource for you.” She expressed gratitude, and what’s more, she soon followed up with me. That one gesture started a partnership that has lasted more than a decade, and led to the development of mature networks for both of us.
Mistake Number 3: “I can’t network because I don’t have time.”
The tragicomical paradox is that networking practically a full-time job in and of itself, which you must pursue while also juggling the full-time job of career development and the other full-time job of scientist. So you have three full-time jobs and no parallel universes or time machines at your disposal. While it is true that networking takes time, it is time well spent: I can almost guarantee that resources you devote to networking will provide a substantial ROI.
A smart way to get started is to recognize that there are two kinds of networking: active and passive. Active networkers purposefully seek out others to meet and with whom to connect. This may occur at conferences, symposia and journal clubs, or through reading papers and contacting authors.
Passive networkers interact with those with whom they cross paths. This could happen at any event, including those not related to science, such as philanthropic, pastime, or community activities.
My favorite kind of passive networking occurs on airplanes. You are trapped approximately three nanometers away from this guy for hours, so you might as well make the best of it. Strike up a conversation (as long as he’s not drunk.) From passively networking with people on planes, I have gained surprising knowledge about my industry, developed partnerships with new colleagues, and even landed a few gigs.
Don’t underestimate the use of social networks like LinkedIn for both active and passive networking. LinkedIn is starting to become a standard for hiring people—in fact, one industry decision-maker told me that the resumé is becoming obsolete and the LinkedIn profile is taking its place. Consider creating a free profile on LinkedIn and join groups relevant to your ambitions. (In a future article I will go into detail about how to leverage your social media presence for effective networking and career planning.)
Mistake Number 4: “I can’t network effectively because I am a shy, albeit rather good-looking, physicist.”
Efficient networking, where you are able to build long-term partnerships, takes practice. You don’t have to be an extrovert to network, and even outgoing personalities (and seasoned networkers) sometimes have butterflies in their stomachs when they first approach a stranger at a mixer. But the more practice you get at introducing yourself to others, the more adept and more comfortable you will become.
At networking affairs, one of my favorite opening lines is “what’s the best part of your job?” As the other person recounts what is pleasurable about her work, she will be more apt to speak with me about it. One of the keys to networking is that people generally love speaking about themselves. So the more you ask contacts about themselves and what drives them, the better you are able to start a beneficial relationship. As they speak, remain in eye contact. As people chat, I like to jot down a few notes on the back of their business cards. When I follow up later, I remember (and can remind them) of key points in our conversation.
So at the next APS Meeting, don’t be a wallflower and don’t let fear get the best of you. Just catch someone’s eye and launch a discussion. Remember—they are there to network too. And to scarf meatballs.
Alaina G. Levine is a science and engineering writer, career consultant, and professional speaker and comedian. Her new book on networking strategies for scientists and engineers will be published by Wiley in 2014. She can be reached through her website or on Twitter at @AlainaGLevine.

Physical scientists can do anything: Here's how you start your career planning

http://www.physicstoday.org/daily_edition/singularities/physical_scientists_can_do_anything_here_s_how_you_start_your_career_planning?goback=%2Egde_2075027_member_225219760

Physical scientists can do anything: Here's how you start your career planning

Venturing outside the world of academic physics to look for a job is not as daunting as you might think.

March 21, 2013
Published: March 21, 2013March 2013

By Alaina G. Levine
I once had an adviser outline available career options for someone, like me, with a bachelors in mathematics. Other than my becoming a professor or teacher, or going into actuarial studies (calculating insurance tables), he intimated there was nothing I could do with my math degree. Nothing—as in zero career opportunities. He advised me to go to grad school and give in to academia.
At the time, I was shocked and dismayed, but in the end I ignored his advice. Instead I launched into science communications and have since crafted an intellectually stimulating career, anchored by my love of science, at the crossroads of writing, professional speaking, career consulting, and even event planning (so if you have a wedding that needs to be arranged, please tweet me). I consider myself lucky: I was able to figure out that people with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees have n career options, where n is significantly greater than zero and in fact, theoretically approaches infinity
So how do you find these careers, access them, and assess whether they are right for you? To begin, you have to understand how much value you have as a professional with an education in the physical sciences, whether you are just graduating, completing your postdoc, or have been working for 10–15 years. Most physical scientists think their only value lies in the subject of their expertise: I am a physicist, therefore I can only do physics. And although is it absolutely true that you have great talent in conducting physics research, you have much more to offer potential employers. You have highly coveted skills that you gained simply as a byproduct of studying physics or other STEM fields. As a result of your schooling, you are

• An exceptional problem solver who can see and solve puzzles both granulistically and holistically and in many dimensions.
• An amazing critical thinker who can analyze and imagine situations and scenarios with a 360 degree perspective.
• A talented project manager who can multi-task on diverse teams with great aplomb.
• An adaptive and flexible worker.
• A person who is knowledgeable about how the physical world works. and how to apply that knowledge to solve problems in new realms.

Problem-solving is the most important skill anyone has. In fact, when you are hired for any job, as a professor, a president, or a custodian, you are hired to solve problems. And if there is one thing physical scientists excel in, it is solving problems.

To find the career of your dreams, you have to examine the unique problem-solving capabilities that define your value and then start thinking about how you can use those skills in other industries besides academia. This is not an easy task; it takes extensive self-exploration and external research, networking and informational interviews, time, and even more self-analysis. But know this: The investment you make in discovering your unique value and being able to articulate it to career decision makers will pay off. You will find not only one career option that gels with your interests, goals, and values, but rather n options, where n is much, much greater than 0.
So here’s how you start: Conduct a skill inventory. Make a list of all the experiences you have had—jobs, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, volunteer experiences, committee assignments, and even the part-time jobs that are far outside your discipline. Write down all the technical and scientific skills you gained from each experience. Next, think about the business and soft skills you learned in those same experiences. It may seem strange to think that you’ve acquired, and even mastered, hard business skills from studying the physical sciences, but you have, and they are treasured by employers. Here’s an abbreviated list of the business talents you may already possess:

• Oral and written communications (including your fabulous Power Point presentations).
• Project management.
• Grant and proposal writing.
• Teambuilding and conflict resolution.
• Risk management and safety assessment (as in ensuring the safety of yourself and your team in the lab).
• Marketing (as in convincing your colleagues that your work is significant).

The final action is to try to remember what you loved and, more importantly, what you hated about each experience. That task will help you concretely see not only what you are talented in but also what types of problems you enjoy solving and what ecosystems you enjoy solving them in. And since your career options are great—even if you don’t realize it yet—by determining what you have hated about your diverse experiences, you can begin to put boundaries on what types of career opportunities you should pursue.

The skill inventory is one tool that we will explore with these career articles as we chart a course for you to access, assess, and land your dream job. Once you realize your extensive value by conducting the skill inventory, your next step will be to start looking for opportunities that match the skills you enjoy utilizing, your interests, and your values. In future articles, we will discuss the specific steps to finding these opportunities. Here’s a hint to get you started: It’s all about networking.
If you have suggestions for future column ideas, please send them my way. I am committed to opening your eyes to an entire new world of career opportunities that are yours for the taking—simply because you chose to study physical science and recognize that zero is never an acceptable variable.
Alaina G. Levine is a science and engineering writer, career consultant, and professional speaker and comedian. She can be reached through her website or on Twitter at @AlainaGLevine. She thanks Jim Crandall for help with this article.

Three best tips for job seeking students

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Give-me-your-three-best-2075027.S.225521010?view=&gid=2075027&type=member&item=225521010&trk=eml-anet_dig-b_nd-pst_ttle-cn

Give me your three best tips for job seeking students- form Amina Sonnie at the Univ of AZ Career Services

Amina asked different companies at the UA Engineering Career Fair for their three best tips:

IBM
· Carefully read the company web site and job description for the keywords they use; if you have those skills be sure the words are used on your resume and in your interview
· During the interview show enthusiasm, look employer in the eyes, illustrate your communication skills with well thought out answers
· “Tell me about a time you helped someone” Did you help a peer, coworker who may not have understood a work or school assignment and you helped to bring them up to speed? Did you have a project that was frustrating and sought help from someone? It’s an asset to know that if someone needs your help you’ll do the best you can or if you need help that you will feel comfortable asking.

Doe Run
· Use as many resources as possible in your job search – not just one source.
· Get as many internship opportunities as you can while in college
· Start looking in your freshman year for that first summer internship…don’t put it off until your junior year

NASA (2 representatives answered)
· Start looking for internships in your freshman and certainly sophomore year
· Ask questions at info sessions and in the interview
· Know what interests and projects the company has – read their web site
· On your resume list every software skill you have (ProE is used extensively at NASA)
· List your hobbies related to engineering (build computers, work on motorcycles/cars, created an app, etc.)
· Be able to show and/or articulate your resourcefulness – in a job, class, club function, etc.

Technip
· Do research on the company before the interview or presentation
· Have an easy to read resume tailored to the interest of that industry or company
· Explain jobs you’ve had; don’t use simple sentences that don’t give the reader an idea of what you did in a job or project “I don’t want to have to guess”

Honeywell
· Show confidence in the interview and practice interviewing
· On your resume and in the interview show your specific skills and experiences
· Show enthusiasm at a job fair, presentation or in the interview

General Motors
· During the interview be authentic; use “I” when talking about projects (not only “we”)
· Resume – a one page relevant resume, GPA at the top, crisp clear career objective
· Job search – do your homework, apply online and do the follow-up; keep positive