Career Development Workshops

CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

In addition to the successful Student Employment Workshop (now called the Rangeland Employment Workshop), where you can ask questions on how to really succeed in the job market, SRM is planning to host additional career development workshops. All workshops will be one to two hours in length and will be offered concurrently with the 2012 Rangeland Job Fair on Sunday afternoon, January 29th, 2012 from 1 pm to 5 pm. Top professionals from both the private and public sectors of rangeland management have volunteered to guide these workshops to benefit SRM members.

RANGELAND EMPLOYMENT WORKSHOP - 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Facilitators:
Ingrid Drieling, USFS, North Zone Salmon-Challis N.F., Leadore, ID
Jack Alexander, Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc., Belgrade, Montana

Employers are looking for ethical, motivated, hard working persons who can think, solve problems, communicate effectively (all modes), work effectively on a team, and have good leadership skills. Yes, they want certain specific technical knowledge and skills, but they generally assume that a person has ample technical ability so that they can train them in the specific technical components of their job.

At this workshop each participant will be asked to bring a specific job application along with a cover letter and their resume that they developed for that specific job. The workshop will help students analyze their materials with discussions on how they may improve it. Further discussions will concentrate on the process of evaluating job announcements, gathering information, preparing check lists, and then writing the resume and cover letter, submitting the application, follow-up, and preparing for the interview.

Also at this workshop you can ask the questions on how to really succeed in the job market. This is a confidential and discreet workshop. You can ask the hard questions without potential employers present. Expect to get honest, straight-forward answers on what employers really look for.

Did you know that the average time spent on a resume by a future employer is 20 seconds? At this workshop a team of experienced range professionals will offer critical real life resume assessments with usable suggestions to help you learn how to become one of the people that gets 20 minutes of a future employer's time rather than 20 seconds.

Potential employees that attend this workshop will also learn about appropriate interview attire, the importance of networking, and having a business card. Attendees will also find out why people that serve on committees as students typically get job offers when they graduate.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL WORKSHOP - 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Facilitators:
John Tanaka, Department Head and Professor, Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming
Megan Dominquez, Assistant Professor, Extension Range Specialist, Dept. of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Many undergraduate students, as well as younger range professionals, find themselves unsure whether they should pursue or continue a job in the profession, or whether they would be better off earning a graduate degree. Although the answer will vary for each person, this workshop will offer viewpoints addressing the question from various angles. In fact, the workshop will focus on three important questions: How do I choose the right path for me: Graduate school or professional experience? If I choose graduate school, how do I find the right program and faculty advisor? What information should I ask for as I make my decision? These questions will be addressed by a panel of speakers who will make brief presentations and field questions from the audience. Included on the panel will be university professors and current or recent graduate students. The target audience is college undergraduate students who are just beginning to think about what might happen after graduation, current masters students contemplating a PhD, and working professionals contemplating a return to graduate school.

RECRUITMENT AND HIRING WITHIN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Facilitators:
Linda Coates-Markle, BLM-Washington, D.C.
Annette Joseph, USFS, Washington, D.C.
Dennis Thompson, NRCS, Washington, D.C.
Other Federal and State Agencies, TBA

Several federal agencies plan to be present at the annual SRM RANGELAND JOB FAIR to circulate current and available job outreach notices. Several of these agencies (USFS, BLM and NRCS) have successfully coordinated On-the-Spot Hiring programs at the Society for Range Management annual meetings in past years. Availability of these programs for 2012 will be dependent on the timely release of new student hiring authorities for the federal government. Updated information regarding these programs can be found on the SRM website at http://www.rangelands.org.

In addition, individual agencies will have about 20 minutes during this workshop to explain the agency hiring process to interested participants. Human Resource and/or Range Specialists from different agencies will be present to explain the hiring process from vacancy search to selection. Details will be covered regarding registration with the different on-line application sites, inputting quality, easy-to-read resumes and tips for strong responses to the vacancy questions. They will discuss the OPM classification series specific to rangeland management positions and how to interpret mandatory qualification requirements. Land managers from different agencies will also be present to discuss desired attributes of highly qualified applicants. Good grades are important but field experience and communication skills are even more important. The intent of this workshop is for interested participants to walk away with a good general knowledge of the agency hiring process and perhaps remove some of the mystique and intimidation that may have previously surrounded it.