Preparation
 A
geoscience degree is required for most jobs in this field. And, while the job market can be very competitive depending on the field you choose
and the timing of your job search. There are a number of things you can do
to make yourself more marketable post graduation.
Continue to develop your people skills, particularly by developing and
maintaining a personal network of contacts. Also remain active in the
professional community by being involved with the professional societies,
attending meetings, working on committees, and presenting papers.
Another strategic aspect of improving your marketability is to develop
strong technical skills and identify a unique but relevant niche of
expertise and skills that few people have. Also develop an understanding
of the business issues of the company and industry in which you are
looking to work.
 Geoscience
Departments
There are over 800 hundred geoscience programs offered throughout the
United States. Some universities have more than one program, with
each housed in a different department. A PDF
is available with a state by state list. According to the
American
Geological Institute, the number of students enrolled in the geosciences
in US colleges and universities remained relatively steady in 2007 based
on preliminary numbers, with 19,216 undergraduates and 7,944 graduate
students enrolled.
Business
and Economics
Understand the business side of your discipline, particularly how the
science is applied to add value to the company. Once you are involved in a
company, work close to the core of the business and develop skills that
are indispensable to the business. Additionally, learn the economics of
your industry on both a local and global scale. People are hired in
industry to help companies make money, save money and solve problems. Know
how your science and your scientific abilities contribute to those goals.
Realize that much of what you learned in school was not just scientific
knowledge and techniques, but the ability to think analytically and solve
problems.
Field
Work
Field work is a central experience for most all geoscientists. Earth is
the laboratory for geoscientists, with most all aspects of work related
directly back to some level of field investigation. Often field work is a
major attraction for students entering the geosciences. The prospect of
earning money to experience the wonders of many great nature environments
is a strong enticement. Most all geoscience programs, and certainly all
geoscience employment opportunities expect field experience as part of
your educational background. The base of this experience is most often
geology field camp, normally six weeks of intensive field mapping and
interpretation during the undergraduate program. Often field experience is
expanded through internships and graduate work, improving one's
attractiveness to employers.
One aspect of the field work experience is the development of complex
analytical skills, including spatial visualization and developing
comprehensive, synthesized conclusions from often sparse data. These are
some of the non-technical skills that many employers find attractive.
However, in the professional world, field work is an expensive but often
necessary part of the job. Most professional geoscientists spend only a
small fraction of their time in the field, spending most of their efforts
in the office and laboratory working with the data that they or their
colleagues have collected either in the field or through remote sensing
techniques. Only a fraction of professional geoscientists spend a majority
of their time in the field, so if the field experience is the driving
interest in your pursuit of a geoscience career, you will need to
investigate what jobs are available that provide that level of field work.
Analytical
Thinking
Geoscientists are often attractive to employers, even outside of the
profession, because of the unique blend of analytical skills most
geoscience training provides. The geosciences are not a purely
quantitative science; it is still heavily dependent upon observation,
careful deductive reasoning and interpretation of spare data. These types
of skills are often critical for effective problem solving in real world
situations, even outside of the geosciences.
With the growth of technology, the variety of analytical avenues for
geoscientists have diversified. In the mid-twentieth Century the
geosciences were dominantly a qualitative science, relying heavily upon
observation and interpretation. Today these skills remain at the heart of
most geoscience projects, but for those who are more
quantitatively-minded, the geosciences are rapidly becoming heavily
quantitative, particularly in the fields of geophysics and hydrology. As
you proceed in your training and career development, understand what your
analytical strengths are and strive to apply those strengths in the
projects you encounter.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by
the
American Geological Institute and the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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