February 13, 2020 Webinar: 
Early Career Professionalism in GIS - What to Expect When You’re Expecting (a New Career)

Posted: January 20, 2020

Date: Thursday, February 13, 2020
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM MST
Cost: Free 
VIEW WEBINAR - REGISTRATION REQUIRED


I’m done with school, now what? I’m new to GIS, what is the best way to find a job? Should I get some kind of GIS certification? What are my education options if I didn’t get a degree in GIS?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of GIS and geography-related professionals is expected to increase well beyond the national average. This growth means that an unprecedented number of individuals will be entering the workforce to meet growing geospatial needs. This fast-paced webinar will address some of the common hurdles faced by early career professionals in GIS and offer resources to overcoming these challenges. We will discuss varying paths into a career in GIS, what “GIS jobs” look like, the benefits of higher education and certification, resources for finding jobs in the GIS field, resume, interview and negotiation tips, and the importance of an internship and establishing yourself in a network of GIS professionals.

We will also discuss early career professionalism, impostor syndrome, balancing patience and ambition, and the struggles of transitioning from student life to full-time employment. This webinar is designed to help early career professionals prepare for these challenges, and to aid in-career professionals in understanding what a 2020 job hunt looks like from the new hire perspective.

Speaker


Kelly Wright, MS, GISP is the GIS Program Manager at LJB Inc., an engineering firm in Miamisburg, Ohio and President of the Southwestern Ohio GIS Users Group (SWOGIS). She was awarded an MS in Geographic Information Science from the University of Southern California in 2017 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Texas at Austin. She is passionate about encouraging young people, women, and minorities to consider careers in GIS and has developed workshops aimed at helping newcomers navigate the changing job market, negotiate better salaries and working conditions, and understand the value of networking and participating in professional organizations. She is a member of URISA International, the Ohio Chapter of URISA, Women in GIS (WiGIS), the American Association of Geographers (AAG), the American Geographical Society (AGS), and received her GISP certification in 2018.