Career Planning Resources are designed to acquaint students and experienced graduates in chemistry and chemical engineering with services, sources of information, and organizations that can supply guidance in selecting, obtaining, developing, and changing careers.
The various directories listed include
the
names of organizations that employ chemists and chemical engineers and sources
of
information about employers.
Directories: Available in many libraries
are "American Council of Independent
Laboratories Directory, 1992 - 93," 1629 K
St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006; "Job
Choices in Science & Engineering: 1997,"
National Association of Colleges & Employers, 62 Highland Ave., Bethlehem,
Pa. 18017; "1996 Directory of Chemical
Producers," SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave., Menlo Park, Calif.
94025;"
Directory of American Research and
Technology," 30th edition, 1996, R. R.
Bowker Co., 121 Chanlon Rd., New Providence, N.J. 07974; and "Research
Centers
Directory," 21st edition, 1996 - 1997, Gale
Research Inc., 835 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit, Mich. 48226.
Commission on Professionals in Science & Technology: "Salaries
of Scientists, Engineers, and Technicians," 16th
edition, 1993, $75; and "Professional
Women and Minorities - A Manpower
Data Resources Service," 11th edition,
1994, $125. Commission on Professionals in Science & Technology Comments,
eight issues a year, free to commission
members (membership fee is $85 per
year), $110 per year for nonmembers. All
available from 1333 H St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005; (202) 326-7080.
Scientific and professional societies:In addition to the American Chemical
Society, the following offer career guidance
information for chemists and chemical
engineers: American Institute of Chemists, 501 Wythe St., Alexandria, Va.
22314, (703) 836-2090; American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 345 East
47th St., New York, N.Y. 10017, (212)
705-7338; National Society of Professional Engineers, 1420 King St., Alexandria,
Va. 22314, (703) 684-2800; and JETS
(Junior Engineering Technical Society),
1420 King St., Suite 405, Alexandria, Va.
22314, (703) 548-5387.
Other sources of information about
employers: Available in many libraries
are "Moody's Industrial Manual," "Dun&
Bradstreet," "Thomas Register of
American Manufacturers," "Directory of
Corporate Affiliations," and "Standard &
Poor's Register."
U.S. Department of Labor: "Occupational Outlook Handbook,"
1996 - 97 edition, $38 in hard cover and $32 in paper
cover. Order from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402; (202)
512-2311 or 512-1800.
Career resources: Single copies of the poster "Chemistry and You: Discovering Your World," or of the booklets "List of ACS Approved Schools," "Careers in Chemistry: Questions and Answers," "I Know You're A Chemist, But What Do You Do?" and "Futures Through Chemistry: Charting a Course" are free upon request from ACS Career Education. Send for a price list for bulk copies, or call (202) 452-2113 for more information.
A 15-minute videotape that encourages students to take chemistry in high school, "People Who Took Chemistry, That's Who!" ($24.95), and a 10-minute videotape on careers in chemistry, "Working it Out" ($10), especially designed for African American high school students, are available with teachers' guides. The "1997 Directory of Experience Opportunities" ($10), which lists undergraduate internships, summer jobs, and co-op programs will be available in November. Postage and handling (and state tax for California, Maryland, Ohio, Canada, and Washington, D.C.) are charged on these items. Call Education Products Distribution Center (800) 209-0423 to order.
The magazine In Chemistry (published five times annually) is available free to ACS student affiliates; for others, subscriptions are $17 per year. Order from ACS Student Affiliates Program (202) 872-4480.
Other helpful publications include the" ACS Directory of Graduate Research," a listing of master's- and Ph.D.-degree-granting departments of chemistry and allied fields in the U.S. and Canada, with names of faculty, their research interests, and lists of their recent publications, 1995 edition, $65; and "Chemical Research Faculties: An International Directory," which lists institutions and universities that grant advanced degrees in chemistry, chemical engineering, and other science fields. The directory includes data on the number of postdoctoral appointments and the number of full-time faculty as well as information on chemical societies worldwide, 1996 edition, $199.95.
The "Chemical Sciences Graduate School Finder" lists schools in the U.S. and Canada that offer master's or Ph.D. programs in chemistry and allied fields, with information on the student body, admission requirements, costs and financial aid, faculty and their research, and the institution's research facilities, 1996 - 97 edition, $64.95; and "College Chemistry Faculties," lists college and university teachers of chemistry and related fields in the U.S. and Canada, 1996 edition, $94.95. These four publications are available in computer-accessible form (CD-ROM) for $229. Order from ACS Product Services Department (800) 227-5558.
A 12-page pamphlet, "Planning for
Graduate Work in Chemistry: Suggestions for the Student Considering Advanced
Study," provides information on
choosing a graduate school, how and
when to apply, financial support, and
other preparation for graduate study. A
brochure, "Planning for a Career in Industry," offers advice to
undergraduate
chemistry students who plan to enter the
industrial workforce upon graduation.
The pamphlet and the brochure are available free from the ACS Office of Professional
Training. A similar publication for
foreign college students, "Graduate
Study in Chemistry in the United States:
A Guide for Non-U.S. Students," which
lists U.S. and Canadian schools offering
Ph.D. degrees in chemistry, is available
free from the ACS Office of International
Activities. If in the U.S., please send a
self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Continuing education aids: ACS Short
Courses are live, intensive, up-to-date
courses in chemistry offered publicly
year-round, also available to organizations on an in-house basis; ACS Audio
Courses are taped courses by recognized
authorities; and ACS Video Courses provide coverage of chemistry topics on videotape.
All are available from the ACS Education Division (800) 209-0423.
Employment information: ACS publishes several annual volumes of statistical
data about the chemical profession
and the salaries paid to its members. "Salaries 1996," and "Starting
Salaries 1996,"
the results of a survey of new graduates
in chemistry and chemical engineering,
about 100 pages, $29.95. Both are available from ACS Membership Service Center
(800) 452-9190.
Salary information in C&EN: For starting salaries in 1996, see
page 47; for
comprehensive salary survey of ACS
members in 1996, see C&EN, July 29,
page 10.
The American Chemical Society offers a wide range of career services and professional development programs to members and student affiliates.
Year-round professional data bank:Nonconfidential
computerized service
makes résumés available to interested employers. The service is
free to ACS members and student and national affiliates.
Employment Clearing House: Operating at national and regional ACS meetings,
this service gives job applicants an
opportunity to interview with employer
representatives. ACS national meeting
registration fees can be waived for unemployed members who register as job
applicants at the clearinghouse. Unemployed members unable to attend national
or regional meetings can submit résumés that will be available
to employers
at the clearinghouse.
C&EN situations wanted ads: Employed ACS members and student affiliates
can place ads at the reduced rate of
$6.60 per line per insertion with no minimum charge. Unemployed ACS members,
student affiliates, and retired members may place free situations wanted
ads; certain restrictions apply. See the
box at the beginning of the C&EN employment advertising section in any current
issue for instructions.
ACS local sections: Some ACS local sections provide job assistance.
Contact
your local section or Tanya Fogg (202)
872-6191 for details.
ACS Job Bank: This Internet service is a
compilation of jobs listed in C&EN,
C&EN Internet job ads, and other sources (http://pubs.acs.org).
Career consulting program: This service
offers career counseling by phone
to ACS members at all career stages.
Consultants provide assistance with job
search strategies, career transitions, interviewing techniques, employment
trends, salaries, résumé preparation,
and networking.
Resume review: ACS career consultants
are available at all national and some regional meetings to review résumés
and
answer general career questions.
Mock interview sessions: At national
meetings, chemists can videotape a practice interview and receive feedback from
ACS personnel on ways to improve the
interview.
Career-related literature and videos:ACS produces a variety of publications
related to job hunting and career development, such as "Professional Employment
Guidelines," "Academic Professional Guidelines," "Chemists
Code of
Conduct," "Coping with Job Loss," "Tips
on Résumé Preparation," and "What a
B.S. Chemist Should Consider Before Accepting a Position." Similar brochures
are available for Ph.D. chemists and
chemists seeking to enter government or
academe. Videos on how to conduct a
job search, make a career transition, and
prepare a résumé are available free to
ACS local sections and for a small fee to
individuals.
Workshops and presentations: Presentations are offered at national
and
regional ACS meetings on conducting
an effective job search and strategies
for successful job transition both within
and outside chemistry. On request, workshops also are offered at local section
meetings, colleges and universities, and
industrial work sites (particularly useful
when an industry is being downsized).
Popular presentations include Conducting an Effective Job Search, Résumé
Preparation, Interviewing, Targeting
the Job Market, Career Transitioning,
and Job Security & Employment Outlook.
Workforce report: This triannual series
analyzes changes and trends in chemistry's professional workforce by examining
issues such as retirement, fringe benefits, and immigration.
Salary and other surveys: Annual surveys of starting salaries for new
graduates
and of salaries for ACS members overall
present data by degree and type of employer. Other surveys include "Current
Trends in Chemical Technology, Business and Employment."
For ACS Career Services information, call (800) 227-5558 press 9, 3, 2, or e-mail career@acs.org, or write to the Department of Career Services, American Chemical Society, 1155 - 16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
Classified advertising: In
addition to
C&EN, see Chemical Engineering
Progress, the monthly magazine of the
American Institute of Chemical Engineers, (212) 705-7338; The Chemist,monthly
publication of the American Institute of Chemists, (703) 836-2090; Canadian
Chemical News, published 10 times
per year by Chemcan Publishers; Science,the weekly magazine of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science, (202) 326-6501; and classified
sections of newspapers.
College placement bureaus: Campus
placement offices maintain a file of
openings for graduating students and
graduates. These offices frequently arrange interviews between students and
employers.
Private placement agencies: Check
those in your area to determine what services are offered. They differ in quality,
cost, and level of service.
ChemCenter
Pubs Div. Home Page
