A well thought out job search begins a year or two before graduation.
This gives you an opportunity to decide on the type of position you'd
like to hold. Once you've decided what you want to do, you can decide
where you'd like to work, and focus your remaining graduate years on
producing work consistent with the theoretical views of the important
people at your target site.
Of course, being the lazy bum that you are (you are in grad school,
aren't you?), you've decided to wait until the last moment. Most
likely, you hadn't even thought of your future until you were forced out
of your office to make room for the new first year students. Things are
not hopeless though. You must simply learn to adapt. Like the wily
boy scout, you must be prepared (however, unlike the wily boy scout, it
is highly inadvisable for you to walk around in uniform, selling
cookies or whatever they sell).
The first step in your job search is to decide what type of job you
should apply for. One of the biggest decisions is whether to apply for
a job in academia or industry. Each has its own strengths, and
weaknesses:
Academia - Strengths & Weaknesses
Strength: Work hard 7 years and you'll have job security
Weakness: Work hard 7 years and you'll have no life
Strength: Lots of interaction with colleagues
Weakness: Most of it comes at 11pm on Saturday night, at the office
Strength: Work with bright, promising students
Weakness: They're always in other labs. You're students frequently get
themselves locked in bathroom stalls overnight.
Strength: Conduct basic research
Weakness: Your parents won't understand it
Strength: Have the opportunity to advance science
Weakness: Have no opportunity to advance your bank account
Industry - Strengths and Weaknesses
Strength: Make lots of money
Weakness: Be considered a sell-out by colleagues
Strength: 40 hour work week
Weakness: How much can you get done in 40 hours?
Strength: Plenty of funding
Weakness: No RAs to do the work
Strength: Stimulating environment
Weakness: Non-disclosure contract gives company ownership of all your
ideas.
Strength: Dilbert seems funnier
Weakness: Dilbert is you
Once you've decided on the type of job you're interested in, you should
prepare your CV.
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