Learn about Potential Employers and Relevant Jobs
Another important step in the professional development of a scientist is the ability to identify potential employers and relevant jobs for which they are qualified. For example, in the case of a student working on the PhD, this step is ideally not left until the last year prior to graduation. Another way of putting this point is that the student should find out for himself or herself where he or she might be employed before studying for several years in an area with limited job prospects or salaries that don't meet their expectation.
How does one go about finding potential employers and relevant jobs? How does one find out what types of salaries may be offered? How does one find out what jobs may be relevant? There are a variety of ways for doing this.
- Utilize your professional network and ask people you know for suggestions or examples. They may just give you names of companies or they may put you in touch with someone new.
- Search job listing websites and printed magazines to get ideas for who hires physicists and then do research on those companies:
- The APS Career Center lists jobs posted by potential employers and will allow you to post your resume/CV which companies can then review.
- USAJOBS lists government jobs (including jobs at national labs). Remember when searching to include a variety of keywords (physics, physicists, physical scientist, etc.)
- Other job websites.
- Look for companies that have hired physicists in the past and either look for currently posted jobs OR try to make personal contacts at the company. The American Institute of Physics "Who's Hiring Physics Bachelor's" site is a good place to start looking for ideas.
- Look for physicists that are doing things you find interesting and learn about how they got to that point in their career. One source of career profiles is the Physics Career Resource Profile Section.
- Review the American Institute of Physics Employment Data center to learn what types of employment sectors physicists are working in and what types of salaries they earn. There are separate reports for physicists at each degree level (bachelors, masters and doctorate).
Doing your research on a potential employer will also help you when writing your CV, and during the hiring process. Taking the time to understand the specific challenges and problems a potential employer is facing will help you market your skill set--and demonstrate that you're invested in the position.
- Look up information about any company to which you would like to apply for a job.
- Look up the most recent research of any university department to which you plan to apply.
- Relate that information to your qualifications in all job applications.