If interested, send a cover letter and résumé to the office listed above. State Agency Programs. Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management. Jim Thorpe Building.
Chapter Seven:
HOW DO STUDENTS EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS?
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HOW DO PEOPLE EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS? Generally, people need to know whether they would be interested in a line of work before they choose a major and spend precious time and money heading down that path. What follows is a list of ways to explore a field before completing a major or minor in it. 1.
Internships and practica sometimes are difficult to distinguish. Both involve working in a field location to learn the applied or “real world” aspects of a discipline. However, corporations or agencies more frequently establish and manage internships; college or university involvement is not always necessary in obtaining an internship opportunity. Some internship placements are paid a stipend, although it may be possible to arrange college credit for the experience. Some universities or departments prohibit receiving pay and college credit, so be sure to verify the rules before trying to do both. Placements may be for as much as six months to a year and occasionally turn into job offers at some point down the line. If you have a real interest in working as an intern at a location that does not have a program in place, contact them to determine their openness to the idea and then consult your college placement office or your department chair regarding the next step.
2.
Practica are more commonly established and managed by college or university departments. Some degree programs require a number of practicum hours for graduation. For example, students in Substance Abuse Studies in my department are required to complete a practicum at each of two service delivery sites: one in-patient and one outpatient site. Criminal Justice students also complete a practicum at one of many sites such as one of the prisons or a juvenile facility. Practicum hours also can be elective hours for students not majoring in these areas. If the site in which you are interested does not have a practicum arrangement, contact practicum supervisor in your department or the chairperson for assistance. These experiences sometimes lead to job offers.
3.
Mentoring involves being advised, trained, or sponsored by a person more experienced than you. In all likelihood, you will have a several mentors in your lifetime. A mentor for a precollege or early college student would be one that provides information and encouragement that is appropriate at this stage. 2 Chapter 7
She or he is a special person who sees something special in you. Mentors might help you interpret your test scores and rewarding academic experiences in light of career options. A person who spends time helping you think through decisions about college, major, or career path is a mentor. That person who is there for you as a sounding board and a motivator is a mentor. Be grateful for your mentors and know that you may well have the same opportunity to mentor someone in the future. 4.
Volunteering can provide a wealth of experience and knowledge about who you are and what you stand for. Supervisors or volunteer coordinators where you volunteer are excellent sources for reference letters when applying to college or to training programs. I suggest that you get such a letter from every site where you volunteer for any length of time. These letters can attest to work habits, responsibility, creativity, communication skills, organizational skills, and a host of other qualifications that teachers may or may not have the opportunity to see. College and university admissions may be competitive enough in some places that one’s history as a volunteer may be the thing that sets you apart from the other students who had good grades and good test scores, but no community involvement.
5.
Learning about careers through enrolling in service learning courses is a further career exploration strategy. Service learning courses combine coursework for a grade with a specified amount of volunteer work at an approved location or facility. The volunteer activity typically needs to meet certain requirements to be acceptable in the class and typically ends with some sort of written summary and analysis of the experience and the organization, using sociological as well as service learning principles and concepts.
6.
Travel has a way of broadening the mind and deepening appreciation for the heterogeneity within and across cultures. If you are fortunate enough to be able to just “pick up and go,” there are relatively inexpensive ways to travel in Europe, where so much of Western civilization began. See the historic sites as well as spend time in the countryside with the people. This can enrich you as a person and further your educational experience immeasurably. Also, you might consider joining the Peace Corps or VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), or Americorps if 3
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you want to live longer at one geographical location and learn more about that one area. 7.
Work overseas is an option if you cannot financially afford to just pick up and go. Several books on the market provide information about how to secure employment overseas. Working overseas can give you some time to sort out your plans for the future. It can allow incubating some ideas for import and exporting opportunities. Perhaps you can work in your field and return to the United States with innovations and new thinking. Even an entry-level position in a potential career field will provide an invaluable learning experience.
8.
Shadowing a professional at work involves spending the day with the professional as she or he completes daily duties and routines. This is especially helpful when you do not yet know what questions to ask. On the other hand, it can be helpful when the all of the questions have been asked and the only thing one needs is to bring the information into the realm of experience. Further, television and the printed media can glamorize some careers so that being there for a day is the only way to see the reality. For example, as exciting as crime shows and crime novels can be, the fact is that 80% of police work is routine paperwork and other more mundane tasks. Being an attorney is not always a riveting trial summation followed by a press interview outside the courtroom. Because many jobs can be performed in dissimilar environments, one may benefit from shadowing multiple professionals in disparate environments.
9.
Interviewing those already in the field is less time consuming and easier to arrange than is shadowing with multiple individuals. Go prepared with a list of questions and take some notes while you are there. Keep this strategy in mind when you take a careers class and need to write a paper about your field, or when you take an organizations course and need to consider how organizational structure affects job performance and morale or is affected by organizational mission and goals. Exercise 7.1 below asks you to do some interviewing. Guidelines are provided below.
10.
Attending job fairs is especially convenient for those on college campuses, where job fairs are regular occurrences. Representatives and recruiters from corporations and agencies 4
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bring information about vacancies and upcoming opportunities in their places of employment and in their industry as a whole. Even if you are not job-hunting, you can benefit from speaking with these people about the line of work they represent and what they predict for their industry in the near future. They can advise about preparing yourself and marketing yourself in this field. Firsthand information about internships and other opportunities in their companies also can be there for the asking. 11.
Reading selected items in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, or reading elsewhere about careers is very helpful. Bookstores are inundated with books and various manuals about careers and career building. Many booksellers have sections set aside for this topic. Reading will give you an idea of the wide variety of things to do for a living and may spark your imagination to develop just the combination of tasks for a special position for yourself.
12.
Internet sites provide a wealth of information about careers and career building. Surfing the web for career information is a fruitful way of approaching a large number of issues you will encounter, from finding money to characteristics of colleges and resources you can tap into at professional association sites. What is listed below is only a handful of the possibilities. Also, see Wolfinger (2000) for a more extensive list. The Monster Board http://www.monster.com job opportunities from around the country and beyond, fees directed toward employer, send a résumé, search job listings, review profiles of companies ON-LINE Career Center http://www.occ.com This is one of the longest standing career sources, sponsored by a non-profit association of leading corporations. E-Span Career Site http://www.espan.com Site features Résumé Pro and Career Pro Data Bases. Career City http://www.careercity.com 5
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Site provides information on résumés, cover letters, interviews, dress, how to explore the hidden job market, conferencing and general job searching, (especially helpful with the electronic job search). Careers and Jobs http://www.starthere.com Site is one of the most complete databases online, job listings and connections to other career-related sites, information about job fairs and résumé development services. Adams JobBank Online http://www.adamsonline.com Site provides leads to jobs in technical, computer, and medical fields. Use some creativity and find links to some sociological careers. America’s Job Site http://www.ajb.dni.us Database lists over 250,000 jobs, compiled from other lists provided by over 1800 state employment services around the country. Boldface Jobs http://www.boldfacejobs.com Database includes thousands of jobs and allows you to become more active in your job search. Posting résumés here is a good idea. Career Mosaic http://www.careermosaic.com Thousands of jobs are listed. The site provides helpful information about the search itself and includes links to companies currently hiring. Career Path http://www.careerpath.com Site contains classified ads from major newspapers around the country including The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, the Boston Globe, and the Los Angeles Times. Career-Internet http://80-www.careers-internet.org 6
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Check this site where the university or agency has a membership to the site. Otherwise, it can cost almost $400 a year to become a member. At this site, find personality tests, career reports with enormous detail about the career, and even video reports about careers. Career Videos Online http://www.acinet.org/acinet/resource/videos.htm Peruse a wide variety of short videos about careers. Narration describing the field accompanies images of people doing the work. O*NET http://online.onetcenter.org O*NET replaces the Dictionary of Occupational Titles the Bureau of Labor Statistics previously used. It is an excellent site to visit if you want information about careers within the major categories used in federal employment research. Search by job title, by O*NET number, or by category of job. Also, do a search of jobs requiring certain skills; this can be an excellent way to find ideas about what might fit you if you are looking for new ideas about what you might do with your life. Variety Of Jobs At 6,000 Summer Camps http://www.acacamps.org/jobs.htm American Camping Association produces a Summer Camp Employment Opportunity booklet, which also can be requested by writing to the address provided below. Most jobs are for the summer only but some positions, such as camp director and tour director, are year-round positions. ACA hires camp counselors, art instructors, lifeguards, cooks, sports instructors, and nurses etc. American Camping Association 5000 State Road, 67 North Martinsville, IN 46151-7902 (Phone: 765-342-8456) 13.
Take a variety of electives in your General Education hours and take them at the beginning of your college career to maximize the benefit from them. You may be exposed to new ways of thinking about the world that high schools generally do not offer. General Education courses provide the cultural and historical 7
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underpinning for so much of the further study you will do. For example, lower division courses (i.e. those numbered in the 100/1000 or 200/2000 series) in the history of western civilization may render an upper division course in the history and development of sociological theory more meaningful. A sophomore political science course may illuminate issues related to the creation and maintenance of power and inequality in society, as discussed in a social stratification course. Taking GE courses at the appropriate time in your academic program also prevents you from being bored by the more basic ones after you have developed your mental capacities in years of other courses. And finally, do not be someone who changes his or her major in your senior year because you just are being exposed to an area through completing a lower division GE requirement. It is a time and money issue. 14.
Temporary employment and part-time work are related options for exploring job and career possibilities. These strategies not only are boons to those who are not ready to commit to a career path, but also are saving graces to many employers. They allow employers to maintain a staff sufficient to meet usual needs while adding other staff only when special circumstances arise. Career explorers have some flexibility in choosing when, where, and how long they work at a site or in an industry without having a résumé replete with job-hopping. Consult your Yellow Pages for contact information of local temporary employment agencies.
15.
College Opportunities Online provides a searchable database of schools organized by type, location, degrees offered, and enrollment. The site also provides details of cost and financial aid at the schools listed. This site guides students through planning, applying for and paying for college and choosing a career.
http://www.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool
19.
Study abroad through the Fulbright Programs Order the 24-page brochure “Basic Facts on Study Abroad for the 21st Century” from the Institute of International Education, which runs the Fulbright Programs. The booklet covers different opportunities, helps students examine their goals for study, and relates these goals to academic programs, internships, or shortterm work experiences. It also discusses issues such as college credit, scholarships, health insurance and lists resources for 8
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minorities and travelers who are disabled. Fulbright Programs pay for various types of learning experiences around the world. The awards are for different lengths of time but will generally cover living expenses as well as provide a stipend. Exercise 7.1: Exploring Careers by Interviewing Professionals in the Field What follows is a list of questions one might pursue in interviews with those in a particular field (Crosby 2002:36). It is not meant to be a complete list; rather, it is meant as a point of departure. Crosby provides extensive recommendations for identifying potential interviewees, scheduling the interview, and conducting it for maximum benefit. I recommend reading the article if you are interested in doing some informational interviewing. • About the job o What kinds of tasks do you perform in a typical day or week? o What tasks take most of your time? o What do you like best about your job? o What are some of the most difficult or frustrating parts of this career? o Do you usually work independently or as part of a team? o How does your work fit into the mission of the organization? o Is this career changing? How? o What characteristics does a person in this job need to have? o I have read that _____ is an issue in this field. Have you found that to be true? •
About working conditions o What kinds of hours do your work? o Is your schedule flexible or set? o Are those hours typical for most jobs in this occupation, or do some types jobs have different hours? o Do you have any health concerns associated with your field? o How does this career affect your lifestyle? o Does this career include or require travel?
•
About training 9
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o How did you prepare for this career? o How did you find this job? o Do you have any advice on how people interested in this career should prepare? o What type of entry-level job offers the most learning opportunities? o Do you know anyone in this career with my level of education or my type of experience? How did he or she get the job? (This is especially important to ask if you want to enter a career for which you do not have the typical credentials). •
About careers and contacts o Do you know any similar careers that also use _____ or involve _____? o I know that people in this career specialize in _____ and _____. Do you know of any other specialties? o I think I really like this career. But do you know of similar jobs that do not have this _____ characteristic? o Can you suggest anyone else I could ask for information? May I tell them that you have referred me?
Exercise 7.2: Career Exploration and Clarification Once you have an idea of specific careers or majors that interest you, you might do the following exercise. What follows is a list of questions and activities that might assist clarification of a potential career choice and pursuit of information regarding that path. It is meant to be a point of departure rather than a complete list of questions. A list of possible sites to explore is provided above. 1. Find and describe the professional association site for your discipline. 2. Find at least one other professional organization associated with your career path. 3. Find information about at least one university program where you can obtain further education or training in your career path. 4.
Find information about 5 jobs for which you could apply if 10
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you were completed with your education and training. Describe them briefly. 5. Find at least one site providing information about careers and career success in general. 6. Find a job bank about at least one city out of state against which to compare your opportunities in this state. 7. Find the web site for federal job listings and record some information about a job for which you could apply if you were completed with your program 8. Find a site of a foundation or other funding source you could approach for support for an idea you have for a business or service or product you would like to develop and/or market 9. Research at least one potential employer – e.g., when established, size, major service or product focus, geographical region it serves, etc. 10. Check page 144 in Nadler (1997) for interesting information to research Exercise 7.3: Software Resources at the Career Services Center Your campus career services center is likely to have at least one of the following software programs: Discover Software, SIGI-PLUS Software, and FOCUS Software. Each is career exploration software that can be of great benefit to the student exploring possibilities. I encourage you to pay a visit to the career services folks and spend some time with at least one of these software programs. Keep notes about what you learn from this visit and include them here.
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Information About Specific Internships, Fellowships, and Student Educational Employment Programs Four types of programs provide learning and work experience, and some provide salaries – as well. These four types of programs are offered throughout all three branches of government, as well as in “independent establishments and government corporations” such as the Central Intelligence Agency and Commission on Civil Rights, and “quasi-official agencies” such as the Smithsonian Institution and the U. S. Institute of peace. These are programs, along with contact information and brief descriptions (Lesko 1997). Student Educational and Employment Program U.S. Office of Personnel Management Washington Area Service Center 1900 E. St. NW Washington, D.C. 20415-0001 202-606-1800 Career America Connection (recording) 912-757-3000 / 202-606-2700 This program is the streamlined and more flexible combination of several previous programs. It is open to degree-seeking students in high school, college, graduate school, professional school, vocational and technical schools, and who are enrolled or accepted for at least half-time enrollment. Salary is based upon education, work experience and assignment. Those seeking to apply need a résumé and / or an Optional Form 612, available from the Office of Personal Management or from the agency of interest. Internships and Volunteers (Volunteer Service Program) This program is sometimes referred to as the Volunteer Internship Program. Volunteer (unpaid) and internship (paid) opportunities are available in many agencies and departments throughout the government, although any one of them might not participate each and every year. Recipients must be at least part-time students in an accredited educational program - whether high school, college, vocational, or trade school. They perform a wide variety of tasks in their placements and usually work on a part-time basis for three to four months. Applicants must provide a résumé and/or Optional Form 612, which can be obtained from the agency of interest, the Office of Personnel Management, or from the Personnel Office of any government office around the country. Most agencies require letters of reference and transcripts. Your contact at any specific agency will be 12
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the contact person for the Student Educational Employment Program. Contact your school’s career counseling center for information about available internships. Presidential Management Intern Program Presidential Internship Management Program U.S. Office of Personnel Management William J. Green Federal Building 600 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 215-597-7136 Fax: 215-597-8136 Career America Connection (recording) 912-757-3000 Program is designed to provide entry-level development and training for those interested in a career in public service. Recipients work fulltime on a salaried basis for two years, rotating through various federal agencies as they participate in seminars, training conferences, and Congressional briefings. Applicants need to complete an application, which can be obtained from the Office of Personnel Management or by requesting one through the Career Connection. In addition to the application, application must receive nominations from their deans, program directors, or chairpersons. Presidential Management Interns work all over the United States. Special Congress Internship Programs Honorable _______ United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20510 800-972-3524 202-224-3121 Honorable _______ United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 800-972-3524 202-224-3121 Request the free brochure Internships and Fellowship (#IP 631) by contacting your Representative or Senator’s office. This brochure will provide application information and probably answer other questions you have. Individual Representatives or Senators as well as Congressional committees and other Congressional groups can appoint
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someone to their regular staff and call that person an intern or a volunteer. State Internships States, including Oklahoma, have their own internship opportunities. Internship possibilities exist in the Governor’s office, as well as in various state agencies. Contact information and some of the requirements follow. Governor’s Office Internship Program Director of Public Affairs Office of the Governor 212 State Capitol 405-521-2342 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Fax: 405-521-3353 The Governor’s Internship Program allows graduate and undergraduate students to work in all major divisions. Students recommended by their colleges or universities can apply to this program. Twelve hours per week per semester is the minimum work requirement and students may work more than one semester. Two or three positions are available per semester and some are paid. If interested, send a cover letter and résumé to the office listed above. State Agency Programs Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management Jim Thorpe Building Room 22 Oklahoma City, OK. 73105 405-521-6337 Fax: 405-521-6308 Students are best advised to contact state agencies directly, because no centralized application system exists. The state OPM can provide some limited information beyond contact information for various agencies.
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Smithsonian Institution Internships and Fellowships Over forty internship and fellowship opportunities exist at the Smithsonian Institution. Listed below are the ones that seem the most likely for sociology majors to pursue. Check online for information on government websites, or contact the addresses below for information about availability and eligibility, as well as the application process. Center for Museum Studies Center For Museum Studies Arts and Industries Building Room 2235, MRC 27 Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. 20560 202-357-3102 Office of Development Intern Coordinator Office of Membership and Development Arts and Industries Building Room 1410, MRC 439 Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C., 205060 202-786-2050 Folklore, Cultural Anthropology Intern Coordinator Office of Folklife Programs 2600 L’Enfant, Suite 2600, MRC 914 Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. 20560 202-357-3101 Smithsonian Associates Program Intern Coordinator The Smithsonian Associates 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, MRC 701 Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. 20560 202-357-3256 Fundraising, Educational Programming Intern Coordinator Associate Program 15
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Quad, Room 3077, MRC 702 Smithsonian Institution S. Dillon Ripley Center 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW Washington, D.C. 20560 202-357-3256 Fellowships and Training Opportunities for Students Interested in Health Care Extramural Outreach and Information Resources Office Division of Research Grants National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive Room 1040 MSC 7710 Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 301-435-0714 National Institutes of Health sponsors hundreds of fellowships and internships to high school students as well as teachers, college students, graduate students, postdoctoral students, and independent researchers. Even students in medical schools, dental schools, and health-professional schools are eligible to apply for and receive research training and professional development opportunities through NIH programs. Request the publication Research, Training and Career Development Programs through the ASL NIH hotline at the address above; or, find it online at http://www.nih.gov/; click on Grants and Contacts, then click on Grants, then click on Funding Opportunities, then Research Training. These programs are scattered around the country and do not require living in Washington, D.C., as is true of virtually all of the federal government opportunities covered in this chapter.
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