Employment After Graduation: Looking for Jobs
To prepare for employment after graduation, SEFS students should be working on acquiring foundation knowledge about themselves and their interests, as well as skills that support their intended career direction, such as:
- What subjects, or areas of your major are most interesting to you?
- What professional areas do you see yourself pursuing after graduation?
- Do you have a skill set to pursue the professional areas that are most interesting to you?
- Are you prepared to write an outstanding resume and LinkedIn Profile, and interview strongly for jobs?
Other sections of the SEFS web site will help you answer these questions, your SEFS faculty will help too, and you can meet with a UW Career Advisor or SEFS undergraduate advisor for assistance.
This section is for students who are confident they can answer the above questions and want to know more resources about where to look for employment. We have some resources featured here; speak to an advisor at the UW Career Center (BSE majors can also consult the Career Center @ Engineering) for additional help.
Looking for Employment: BSE Majors
- For BSE majors, staff at the WPPF (Washington Pulp and Paper Foundation), a non-profit affiliated with SEFS, bring multiple employers every quarter to the department to discuss both available jobs and available internships. These opportunities will be shared over the BSE major’s email list and/or on the SEFS blog. The TAPPI student organization also works with the WPPF on the recruiting process.
- The BSE email list and SEFS Blog will feature employment opportunities.
- BSE majors can use the resources and meet with the staff at the UW Career Center but are also eligible to meet with staff at the Career Center @ Engineering. To schedule appointments with CC@E career advisors, you will need to email engrhire@uw.edu rather than schedule through Handshake.
- Handshake is a spectacular resource for both job hunting and networking with employers and other students in your situation – https://careers.uw.edu/resources/handshake/ . The Career Center offers workshops to get the most out of Handshake
- The UW hosts many applicable Career Fairs featuring employers likely to hire BSE students. These are announced regularly by SEFS Advising.
Looking for Employment: ESRM Majors
SEFS and UW-Based Resouces
- Handshake is a spectacular resource for both job hunting and networking with employers and other students in your situation – https://careers.uw.edu/resources/handshake/ . The Career Center offers workshops to get the most out of Handshake
- The UW hosts many applicable Career Fairs featuring employers likely to hire ESRM students. These are announced regularly by SEFS Advising and can be found on the SEFS Blog.
- The College of the Environment also has a Career Opportunities database for current undergraduate/graduate students and recent alumni. They will also be posting additional assistance materials now that Environment has a Career Advisor.
- An annual Environmental Career Fair is hosted by the College of the Environment during Winter Quarter.
Other Excellent Job-Hunting Resources
Go Government: Partnership for Public Service. This is an excellent resource to learn how to apply and successfully navigate the Federal Government hiring process, which is unfortunately overly complicated. An essential resource, as the federal government has many environmental-related positions.
Texas A&M Natural Resources Job Board. An excellent resource that is updated regularly. Filter by job type. Draws from government, private, and non-profit organizations across the globe.
State of Washington Employment Oppotunities Filter by Job Category and/or Department to find applicable positions.
U.S. Forest Service Employment Opportunities. An example of one Federal agency’s employment web site. All federal agencies use the same hiring process, so be sure to also study the Go Government web site (above) carefully for advice. The Forest Service has a WIDE variety of positions (it isn’t only about working with trees).
Looking for Employment as an International Student
International students can face additional difficulties finding employment after graduation, whether the goal is to return home after graduation or find OPT in the United States. Here are some resources that are helpful.
While the above resources will be useful for international students too, there are a few general career tools that may be of use as well:
- UW International Student Services office Employment Reference. Go here to learn about OPT.
- Interstride
- Platform containing career resources and global opportunities for international students.
- Includes webinars/workshops, immigration support, networking/mentorship, etc.
- International Students Careers Channel
- Housed in the Career & Internships Center, this channel is meant to provide international students with support and resources during and after college.
- Also contains relevant RSOs, webinars/articles, student advice, classes, and so on.
- Watch the latest job search video for international students looking to work in the U.S.
Employment Pep Talk
Some final words of wisdom:
- Connect with professionals that are in the fields and careers you are pursuing! This way, you can get a better idea of the kinds of experiences/education you will need and what the job looks like day-to-day.
- Reach out to faculty or other individuals in your network when searching for jobs, especially if you have established a relationship with that person. If you are early on in your college career, then begin making those connections!
- Apply to anything and everything you are interested in! Applying to a job does not mean you need to commit to it! Even if you are only a little interested in a position, it can be good to consider a variety of options.
- Ask for help! It can be difficult to navigate all your options and resources at large universities. So, reach out to different advisors and faculty members when making informed decisions regarding your future and education! Getting different perspectives on your situation can be especially helpful.