Career Development Plan
Ultimately, the thing that I am sure of when considering the future is that I will need to get a master’s degree within the next 5 years. I also know I should plan to decide within the next 5 years if that master’s degree will be included within the track of receiving a Ph.D. If so, that should be underway within the next 10 years. However, education is only half of the equation. The other half is included in strengthening my skill set through experience on the job. By putting myself on the job market immediately after graduation, I aim to be employed for at least two years before entering into graduate school. This would also most likely make me more marketable to the graduate school I finally decide on. I will first enter the job market to gain some footing and training. This will provide me with the necessary experience to either narrow my path or at least redefine it. I have two prospective career options in front of me: research and academia. I could either pursue a terminal master’s degree and forge a career of research in various forms, or I could obtain a master’s and a Ph.D. in Sociology and become a postsecondary instructor.
I have had three internships thus far, and each have proved to be invaluable in what they have shown me about myself and my interests. I am aware that each field I am considering will require additional schooling, however I am hesitant to immediately enroll in a program as I have several options before me. There is a program in Sweden that is specific to my interests of human ecology, however I am unsure of how that would fit in to the broader scheme of either research or academia. I have begun to look at both domestic and international programs, as I believe this is a big decision to make. I am sure that by immediately entering the job market post-graduation, I will gain a sense of what I should do.
I will ensure employment by emphasizing what I have accomplished while obtaining my undergraduate degree thus far. I have taken a research methods class that provided me with the skills mentioned before, in addition to a statistics course that taught me SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and data analysis – two crucial skills in the research career arena today. I have also taken theory courses, which alongside my research skills has proven useful in conceptualizing a research project since February – independently and without pay – with an Emeritus Sociology professor that has finally reached the IRB protocol stage. Maintaining an interdisciplinary course trajectory qualified me to intern for class credit at the American Medical Association’s Ethics Group, which required me to conduct numerous literature reviews in AMA format. That internship led to a paid internship at the American Medical Association Foundation conducting literature reviews, finding updating statistics for fundraising proposals, carrying out internet keyword research and entering the data into Microsoft Excel to eventually manipulate and extract for presentational purposes. Through my Senior Research Experience course, I was partnered with the University of Illinois Health System’s Cancer Center in formulating marketing materials, a proposal, and an evaluation survey for their smoking cessation program, Community QUIT. In each of these arenas, I was able to implement the various skills I have gained through being a sociology major.
I am more sure of what is required of me to enter into a career of research and have established a network in that field. This is due to my recent membership to both the Midwest Association for Pubic Opinion Research and the American Association for Public Opinion Research. These two organizations have provided me with exposure to this field in many facets; conferences, potential employers, and numerous postgraduate schooling options. Networking is one of the most important aspects of navigating this time of my life, and I have taken notice of that.
I would like to pursue membership with the American Sociological Association as well. I think this would open the door to the academia side that I am still trying to gain more knowledge about. There are many things to consider in each arena, and a major piece of the academia puzzle is the cost of schooling versus the payoff of employment. I have always wanted to be a college professor – I love to teach. But I cannot deny that I have also been prepared to pursue a career in research. Being a sociology major has thoroughly prompted me to consider a wide variety of potential job positions.
I have already taken the liberty to ask those in my network how they got to where they are today. I believe this is a useful source of information, as I have been exposed to many people in various positions. This allows me to picture myself in many different walks of life, as well as consider the path to getting there. I am not overly concerned about the decisions I have to make – thus far, my actions and interactions have led me to make informed, poised decisions. I expect that to remain the name of the game for the next 5, 10, and even 20 years.