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| getting_something_other_than_a_postdoc_lore [2010/06/11 21:58] – external edit 127.0.0.1 | getting_something_other_than_a_postdoc_lore [2017/01/03 20:23] (current) – ishivvers |
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| Wait, you want to //leave astronomy//? Oh no!! | |
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| This page lists some resources for job ideas, as well as descriptions of specific career paths that some recent Berkeley grads have investigated. Please fill it in with additional information. The final section, at the bottom of the page, gives specific advice on how to get started on your own career search, to make a network outside of academia, and hopefully to land a position. | This page lists some resources for job ideas, as well as descriptions of specific career paths that some recent Berkeley grads have investigated. Please fill it in with additional information. The final section, at the bottom of the page, gives specific advice on how to get started on your own career search, to make a network outside of academia, and hopefully to land a position. |
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| | **Note: the real world seems to change pretty fast, so much of this information is probably a bit obsolete. Please continuously update this page if you can!** |
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| ===== Why leave? ===== | ===== Why leave? ===== |
| ====== Resources ====== | ====== Resources ====== |
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| There are a number of excellent resources to help you decide what sort of non-academic career paths are available to astronomers. The [[http://aas.org/career/nonacademic.php|AAS Non-Academic Astronomer's Network]] explicitly lists the names, career paths, current jobs, and contact information of astronomers who have left academia. These are people who **volunteered** to have their information posted on this site, which means that they are happy to be contacted for "informational interviews" (see below on how to get a "real" job). Additionally, the AAS has a running series of [[http://aas.org/career/|people writing about their experiences in different careers]] in their newsletter. Finally, don't be afraid to use Berkeley's [[https://career.berkeley.edu/|career services]], which are extensive. Log in to their "Callisto" network to sign up for regular discipline-specific emails about the regular Career Fairs and employer information sessions that happen on campus. These emails and events can be low signal-to-noise, but every once in a while they produce a real gem that you otherwise would have missed. | There are a number of excellent resources to help you decide what sort of non-academic career paths are available to astronomers. The [[http://aas.org/career/nonacademic.php|AAS Non-Academic Astronomer's Network]] explicitly lists the names, career paths, current jobs, and contact information of astronomers who have left academia. These are people who **volunteered** to have their information posted on this site, which means that they are happy to be contacted for "informational interviews" (see below on how to get a "real" job). Additionally, the AAS has a running series of [[http://aas.org/career/|people writing about their experiences in different careers]] in their newsletter. Finally, don't be afraid to use Berkeley's [[https://career.berkeley.edu/|career services]], which are extensive. Log in to their "Handshake" network (like LinkedIn but only for Berkeley) to sign up for regular discipline-specific emails about the regular Career Fairs and employer information sessions that happen on campus. These emails and events can be low signal-to-noise, but every once in a while they produce a real gem that you otherwise would have missed. |
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| Remember how you used to say, way back when you started grad school, "Well, if it doesn't work out, there are always //loads// of opportunities for science PhDs." Now that you almost have a science PhD, do you have any good idea of what such opportunities might be? Most of us don't, because resources for alternative careers can be somewhat limited. In addition to the links above, here are some ideas to get you started. | Remember how you used to say, way back when you started grad school, "Well, if it doesn't work out, there are always //loads// of opportunities for science PhDs." Now that you almost have a science PhD, do you have any good idea of what such opportunities might be? Most of us don't, because resources for alternative careers can be somewhat limited. In addition to the links above, here are some ideas to get you started. |
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| | ===== Data Science ===== |
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| | Even though nobody really knows what "Data Science" means, if you're reading this you've heard of it! Especially around the Bay Area, this nebulously-defined career path |
| | is a very popular choice for PhDs who want out of academia (as of 2015/2016). |
| | Go check out the Berkeley Institute for Data Science [[https://bids.berkeley.edu/|(BIDS)]] to talk to more people about this sort of work (that's also a good place |
| | to go and start building connections to the broader world of data science). |
| | The [[http://insightdatascience.com/|Insight Data Science fellowship]] is a tried-and-true path that many BADGrads have taken, so ask some of the older grads about it if you |
| | want more info (we all seem to know a couple people who've done it). |
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| ===== Consulting ===== | ===== Consulting ===== |
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| These jobs are the go-to for many PhDs. Consulting firms love our analytic skills and the fact that basic math doesn't scare us. | In the mid-2000's through 2010+, these were the go-to jobs for many PhDs, and they're still out there! Consulting firms love our analytic skills and the fact that basic math doesn't scare us. |
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| That being said, if you are set on joining a consulting firm, do your homework. Consulting interviews follow a different format than most other interviews, and include a "case study" portion. There are plenty of books available to prepare/practice for this. Knowing some business jargon will help a lot. The Career Center will conduct mock interviews with you, and they are familiar with this process (several people at the Career Center are former consultants!). | That being said, if you are set on joining a consulting firm, do your homework. Consulting interviews follow a different format than most other interviews, and include a "case study" portion. There are plenty of books available to prepare/practice for this. Knowing some business jargon will help a lot. The Career Center will conduct mock interviews with you, and they are familiar with this process (several people at the Career Center are former consultants!). |
| ===== Investing ===== | ===== Investing ===== |
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| Although not the best time join this industry, investors generally prize very highly people with physics backgrounds. Positions can include market analysts, fund managers, financial planners, and so on. You can specialize to some extent in specific industries or types of investments (for example, investments in high-tech firms, socially responsible investments, etc...). | Investors generally prize very highly people with physics backgrounds. Positions can include market analysts, fund managers, financial planners, and so on. You can specialize to some extent in specific industries or types of investments (for example, investments in high-tech firms, socially responsible investments, etc...). |
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| ===== Software Engineering ===== | ===== Software Engineering ===== |
