Preparing for Graduate Study or Entering the Workforce

Resumes Your resume “sells” you and your skills. Keep your resume up to date  If you change jobs, update  Receive a certification, update  Keep a record of jobs, dates, supervisors, and contact information to help you fill out applications Bring copies to conferences or other events where networking can take place Keep several versions (themes)  Different schools/jobs look for different skills and abilities being highlighted

UB Career Center Located in the Student Center, 3 rd Floor  Career Advisors  Interview Training/tips  Mock Interviews  Career Fairs  Job Search  Resume/Cover Letter Tips and Reviews  Workshops/Skill Building

Finding a Job Be aware of what a job/career requires.  Experience  Degrees/Certifications  General knowledge Look for jobs of interest and see what employers are looking for in candidates.  Is there anything you can be doing now to prepare? (i.e. specific coursework) Know how long the hiring process takes.  Government jobs that require clearances can take up to a year to complete the hiring process.  Can you apply with a company/orgnanization before graduation so you are not scrambling later?

Networking Professional Psychology Conventions/Conferences:  APA = August 12-15, 2010; San Deigo, CA  EPA = March 4-7, 2010; New York, NY  SIOP = April 8-10, 2010; Atlanta, GA  APS = August 4-7, 2010; Westminster, CO Go to Psi Chi sponsored events Go to UB sponsored events Go to open events at other local universities (Speakers, career fairs, etc.)

Conferences Presentations of research and current issues Workshop/Training opportunities Speakers (typically experts in the field/key researchers) Panel Discussions Networking Vendors/Publishers Student Research/Presentations

Internships Test the water before you dive in. Many internships are unpaid; however:  You gain experience  You make connections in the working world  Sometimes there exists the opportunity for employment upon graduation Utilize the Career Center, MonsterJobs, Career Builder, etc., to find internships. Check with your advisor or Dr. Eyssell for credit possibilities.

Research Participate in departmental research as a research subject. If you really want to do research, find a professor whose work you may be interested in.  There may be possibilities to assist on research projects. PSYC 490 Senior Project in Psychology  Don’t wait until your senior semester to start thinking about your project.

Professional Memberships There are advantages to joining professional groups as a student.  Discounts on journals and free trade magazines  Discounts on conference registration Some Professional Psychology Orgs to look at:  American Psychological Association  Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology  Eastern Psychological Association  Association for Psychological Sciences

Psi Chi – International Honor Society of Psychology Contacts/Officers:  Cindy Mason, President  Krissa Jackson, Vice President  Christian Gruhler, Secretary  Alex Mattern-Roggelin, Treasurer  Janet Yun, Ph.D., Advisor Get involved!  If not in Psi Chi, join other student organizations or student government

GREs General vs. Subject Exam  Some schools only require the General exam, others require both exams. General  Sections: Verbal Reasoning (800), Quantitative Reasoning(800), Analytical Writing (5x 2 essays) Subject: Psychology  Sections: Experimental, Social, “Other” Get a study guide (with a CD if possible)  Princeton, Kaplan, Barrons Go to for more informationwww.gre.org  Testing sites, dates and times, online practice exams, prep classes, and more.

Applying to Grad School Review the admission requirements thoroughly.  Letters of recommendations Provide with writers plenty of time and pertinent information to write their letters.  GREs  Transcripts  Essays No two essays are the same, you may have to write several different essays for each school.  Resumes

Applying to Grad School Know who is doing research, at which university.  If you have a particular career/research interest look for schools with professors that have similar interests.  Familiarize yourself with their work, you may be asked how your research goals fit into their current research. Figure out if the program fits you and your goals.

Stay Informed Stay current with subjects of interest  Use APA student membership to subscribe to journals in your area of interest  Conduct periodic literature searches Follow the news  Distinguish between research hype and truth  Be aware of what the general public is being told about our discipline  Be aware of the issues relating to our government and mental health care Keep-up with APA Manual changes