What Color Is Your Parachute . Second Step: Research Career Options Once you have established a base of self-knowledge, the next step is to create a knowledge base of opportunities available and begin the your interests to a career.<br><br> Strategies for researching career options include: Informational interviewing and networking with professionals in areas that may be of interest to you Talking with Vassar alumnae/i and utilizing V-NET Utilizing job listings through eRecruiting and in the CDO Surfing the Internet for career options and information 4including Spotlight on Careers, CareerSearch, and Vault.com Participating in internships or job-shadowing experiences Scanning job listings for positions that sound interesting Joining and attending professional organizations or association meetings, conferences, and networking opportunities Reading trade journals 2 Next Step: Job Search A job search involves: Creating a strong resume and cover letter Developing lists of contacts and target organizations Applying for positions Interviewing Doing follow-up Career Counselors here at the CDO are ready and available to assist you though the entire process. The Career Development Office library and website also contain various handouts, books, articles, journals, etc. that could aid you in this process.<br><br> Job-hunting takes time and energy! This varies, of course, depending on the field, preparation, and dedication of the job seeker. Geographic flexibility also significantly impacts one 9s job search.<br><br> Many occupations today require a college-educated individual who can write and speak well, solve problems, learn new information quickly and work well with others on a team. This means that college graduates use their education in a wide variety of fields, and your future career may relate more to your personal career interests, work values, and transferable skills than any specific academic major. 3 What About Graduate School?<br><br> http://careers.vassar.edu/advice-graduate-school/ The reasons for continuing one 9s education in graduate school can be as varied and unique as the individual. Many continue their studies at an advanced level because they simply find it difficult to end the educational process. They love what they are learning; they want to learn more and continue their academic preparation.<br><br> Others go on to graduate school for purely a practical reason: their area of interest requires an advanced degree. It is important to carefully consider your reasons for going to graduate school. Graduate school involves additional time away from the employment market, a high degree of critical evaluation, significant autonomy as you pursue your studies, and a considerable financial expenditure.<br><br> For some students in doctoral programs, there may be additional life choice issues, such as relationships, marriage, and parenthood that may present real challenges while in a program of study. Thing about the following questions when making this decision: Are you postponing tough decisions by going to school? Have you done some chands-on d reality testing?<br><br> Do you need an advanced degree to work in your field? Have you compared your expectations of what graduate school will do for you with what it has done for alumni of the program you are considering? Have you talked with people in your field to explore what you might be doing after graduate school?<br><br> Are you excited by the idea of studying in the field you have in mind? Graduate school is NOT a career choice 4it is a tool to reach or advance your career goals. Be sure to ask yourself why you are going to graduate school and what you want to do with the degree.<br><br> 4 Cognitive Science Alumni Career Choices Here is a sampling of the many career paths Vassar alumnae/i have pursued with their undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science (may have pursued further education). Some of these career choices are closely related to their major, while others are not. If you would like to talk to alumnae/i and ask them questions about their careers, feel free to use the V-NET database through the AAVC website at http://www.aavc.vassar.edu .<br><br> Computer Science/Information , Internet Marketing Manager, Class of 1988 Computer Science/Information , Technical Writer for BMC Software, Class of 1986 Education 3 College/University , Assistant Professor of Psychology, Class of 1996 Education 3 College/University , Consultant for Virtual Global University in Germany, Class of 1985 Education 3 College/University , Neuroscientist, Class of 1995 Education 3 Elementary , Second Grade Teacher, Class of 2002 Entertainment , Story Editor for Rogue Pictures, Class of 2002 Health Care Program , Psychiatrist, Class of 1989 Health Care Services , Manager, Internet Sales and Services, Class of 1999 Health Care Services , Systems Analyst, Class of 1994 International Relations/Development , Research Fellow, Class of 1998 Graphic Arts/Design Industry , President of Angelcraft Printing and Design, Class of 1983 Graphic Arts/Design Industry , Graphic Designer, Class of 1991 CDO Library Resources for Cognitive Science Majors The following books and many more can be found in the CDO Library: Alternative Careers in Science 3 Leaving the Ivory Tower by Cynthia Robbins-Roth, 1998. Careers in Science by Thomas A. Easton, 1990.<br><br> Complete Academic, The: a Career Guide by Darley, Zanna, Roediger, 2003. Money for Graduate Students in the Sciences by Gail Ann Schlachter & David R. Weber, 1996.<br><br> Opportunities in Clinical Laboratory Science Careers by Karen Karni, 2002. Opportunities in Psychology Careers by Donald Super & Charles Super, 2001. Peterson 9s Job Opportunities: Health and Science by Peterson 9s Guides, 1999.<br><br> Yale Guide to Careers in Medicine and the Health Professions, The by Donaldson, Lundgren, & Spiro, 2003. 5 Cognitive Science Related Websites Vassar College Department of Cognitive Science: http://cogsci.vassar.edu/ American Association for Artificial Intelligence: http://www.aaai.org/ Celebrities in Cognitive Science: http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/cogsci.html Cognitive Science Society: http://www.cognitivesciencesociety.org/ Cognitive Science WorldWide: http://www.cis.udel.edu/cogsci/worldwide.html Indiana University 9s Opportunities in Cognitive Science: http://www.cogs.indiana.edu/~underg/opportunities.html Linguistic Society of America: http://www.lsadc.org/ The Association for the Computational Linguistics: http://www.aclweb.org/ UBC 9s cWhat Can I Do With My Major? d: https://www.careersonline.ubc.ca/student/major.cfm?go=view&major=39 UC Berkley 9s cWhat Can I Do With a Major In&? d: http://career.berkeley.edu/Major/CogSci.stm UConn 9s cWhat Can I Do With a Major In&? d: http://www.career.uconn.edu/majors/cognitive_science.html Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program: http://research.berkeley.edu/urap/ CDO Resources: http://careers.vassar.edu/resources/ Graduate School Information CDO Website for Graduate Schools: http://careers.vassar.edu/advice-graduate-school/ CDO Graduate School Career Briefs: http://careers.vassar.edu/downloadable-handouts/ Gradschools.com: http://gradschools.com/ GradProfiles: http://www.gradprofiles.com/ PhD Info.org: http://www.phdinfofind.org/ Peterson Guides to Graduate and Professional Schools: http://www.petersons.com/ *Foundation Center Grants To Individuals: http://gtionline.fdncenter.org/ 6 Internships eRecruiting: http://vassar.erecruiting.com/er/security/login.jsp You must attend an eRecruiting orientation with the CDO before you can access the site. National Science Foundation: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm *National Internships.com: http://internships.com/accessPremium.cfm *Internships USA: http://www.internships-usa.com Undergraduate Summer Research Institute (URSI): http://www.vassar.edu/ursi/ University-Based Research Positions: http://www.rit.edu/~gtfsbi/Symp/grad.htm *Please refer to the updated CDO password sheet to access the site.<br><br> General Career Websites *Career Search: http://www.careersearch.net/vassar/ eRecruiting: http://vassar.erecruiting.com/er/security/login.jsp You must attend an eRecruiting orientation with the CDO before you can access the site. *Going Global: http://online.goinglobal.com *LACN (Liberal Arts Career NetWORK) Job/Internship Database: http://www.lacn-group.org/ *MonsterTrak: http://www.monstertrak.monster.com/ Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ Princeton Review 9s Guide To Your Career: http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/ Riley Guide: http://www.rileyguide.com/ *Spotlight On Careers: http://www.spotlightoncareers.org/ Vassar College Career Development Office: http://careers.vassar.edu/ *Vault.com: http://www.vault.com/cb/careerlib/careerlib_main.jsp?parrefer=397 Venture: http://www.theventureconsortium.org/public_interest/exploring.php Wetfeet: http://www.wetfeet.com/ *Please refer to the updated CDO password sheet to access the site. <br><br>

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