Preparing for Graduate Study or Entering the Workforce
Resumes Your resume “sells” you and your skills. Keep your resume up to date
If you change jobs, update Receive a certification, update Keep a record of jobs, dates, supervisors, and contact
information to help you fill out applications
Bring copies to conferences or other events where networking can take place
Keep several versions (themes) Different schools/jobs look for different skills and
abilities being highlighted
UB Career Center
Located in the Student Center, 3rd FloorCareer Advisors Interview Training/tipsMock InterviewsCareer FairsJob SearchResume/Cover Letter Tips and ReviewsWorkshops/Skill Building
Finding a Job Be aware of what a job/career requires.
Experience Degrees/Certifications General knowledge
Look for jobs of interest and see what employers are looking for in candidates. Is there anything you can be doing now to prepare?
(i.e. specific coursework) Know how long the hiring process takes.
Government jobs that require clearances can take up to a year to complete the hiring process.
Can you apply with a company/orgnanization before graduation so you are not scrambling later?
Networking Professional Psychology
Conventions/Conferences: APA = August 12-15, 2010; San Deigo, CA EPA = March 4-7, 2010; New York, NY SIOP = April 8-10, 2010; Atlanta, GA APS = August 4-7, 2010; Westminster, CO
Go to Psi Chi sponsored events Go to UB sponsored events Go to open events at other local universities
(Speakers, career fairs, etc.)
Conferences Presentations of research and current
issues Workshop/Training opportunities Speakers (typically experts in the field/key
researchers) Panel Discussions Networking Vendors/Publishers Student Research/Presentations
Internships Test the water before you dive in. Many internships are unpaid; however:
You gain experienceYou make connections in the working worldSometimes there exists the opportunity for
employment upon graduation Utilize the Career Center, MonsterJobs,
Career Builder, etc., to find internships. Check with your advisor or Dr. Eyssell for
credit possibilities.
Research
Participate in departmental research as a research subject.
If you really want to do research, find a professor whose work you may be interested in. There may be possibilities to assist on research
projects.
PSYC 490 Senior Project in Psychology Don’t wait until your senior semester to start thinking
about your project.
Professional Memberships
There are advantages to joining professional groups as a student. Discounts on journals and free trade magazines Discounts on conference registration
Some Professional Psychology Orgs to look at: American Psychological Association Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology Eastern Psychological Association Association for Psychological Sciences
Psi Chi – International Honor Society of Psychology Contacts/Officers:
Cindy Mason, President Krissa Jackson, Vice President Christian Gruhler, Secretary Alex Mattern-Roggelin, Treasurer Janet Yun, Ph.D., Advisor
Get involved! If not in Psi Chi, join other student organizations or
student government
GREs General vs. Subject Exam
Some schools only require the General exam, others require both exams.
General Sections: Verbal Reasoning (800), Quantitative
Reasoning(800), Analytical Writing (5x 2 essays) Subject: Psychology
Sections: Experimental, Social, “Other” Get a study guide (with a CD if possible)
Princeton, Kaplan, Barrons Go to www.gre.org for more information
Testing sites, dates and times, online practice exams, prep classes, and more.
Applying to Grad School Review the admission requirements
thoroughly.Letters of recommendations
Provide with writers plenty of time and pertinent information to write their letters.
GREsTranscriptsEssays
No two essays are the same, you may have to write several different essays for each school.
Resumes
Applying to Grad School
Know who is doing research, at which university. If you have a particular career/research
interest look for schools with professors that have similar interests.
Familiarize yourself with their work, you may be asked how your research goals fit into their current research.
Figure out if the program fits you and your goals.
Stay Informed Stay current with subjects of interest
Use APA student membership to subscribe to journals in your area of interest
Conduct periodic literature searches
Follow the news Distinguish between research hype and truth Be aware of what the general public is being told
about our discipline Be aware of the issues relating to our government
and mental health care
Keep-up with APA Manual changes
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