Remaining Marketable While Remaining Marketable While

UnemployedUnemployed [Advice from an Educated and Creative Stay[Advice from an Educated and Creative Stay--AtAt--HomeHome--Mom]Mom]

Erin Anna Zike Ward

B.A. 2001 - EPS Geology

UC Berkeley EPS Alumni Forum

March 15, 2013

Life will happen to you.Life will happen to you. Be READY, willing and able.Be READY, willing and able. Be positive.Be positive. Be flexible.Be flexible. Make your pathMake your path your own.your own.

’92-’95- Early Child

Development Caregiver,

Heidelberg, Germany

Graduated high

school! 1992 &

Managed a

Costume Shop

Mapped

Poleta

Folds-

in the nude

High School Earth

Science Teacher –

Virginia 2002-2005

Met Jeff,

fell in love

CAD designer

Sold kitchens

and

bathrooms Aviation and

Electronic Schools

of America (AESA):

Instructor CHEMISTRY!

CALCULUS!

PHYSICS!

HOORAY!

(no, really)

CHEMISTRY!

EPS

GEOLOGY!

Going to

Berkeley!

Back to School-

Contra Costa

College

Center for Science

Excellence

Lawrence

Berkeley

National

Laboratory:

Chemistry

Internship

1999

Accepted to M.S.

program at UC

Berkeley 2001

US Air Force

Avionics

technician

Co-Op gardening

Had

Babies

Fell in

LOVE

AGAIN

and

AGAIN!

SAHM: couch or

community?

MOMS Club of

Wilsonville,

Oregon Random Kindness

Recognizing Needs

Fundraising

Community Service

University of Maryland core requirements

EMT training

Partied

Earned advanced scuba

diving certifications on

Guam - 2000

September 11, 2001

Got

Married

2003

Graduated

UC

Berkeley

B.A.

Geology

2001

Traveled

Europe

WAITRESS

NO

M.S.

Volunteering

Backpacked

Europe

Exchange

Student

2007 Alumni

Presentation on K-12

science education

MY

CIRCUITOUS

ROUTE

MO

FL

MN

MI

NE

GER

TX

MS

AZ

CA

VA

NM

OR

THE CHOICE THE CHOICE

Who am I? Who am I?

THE POTENTIALTHE POTENTIAL

UNEMPLOYED?UNEMPLOYED?

UNMOTIVATED?UNMOTIVATED?

UNEMPLOYABLE?UNEMPLOYABLE?

DISSATISFIED? DISSATISFIED?

ENTITLED?ENTITLED?

Who I am. Who I am.

THE DECISIONTHE DECISION

VOLUNTEERINGVOLUNTEERING

MOTIVATEDMOTIVATED

DEVELOPING SKILLSDEVELOPING SKILLS

ENJOYING LIFEENJOYING LIFE

INVOLVED INVOLVED

BETTERING THE BETTERING THE

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

CREATING MY PATHCREATING MY PATH

Brainstorming Marketability Brainstorming Marketability

EducationEducation

ExperienceExperience

Knowledge Knowledge

AptitudeAptitude

CommunicationCommunication

AppearanceAppearance

Mad SkillsMad Skills

Demonstrating MarketabilityDemonstrating Marketability Don’t sell yourself short.Don’t sell yourself short.

ResumeResume

First impression First impression

Personal cover letterPersonal cover letter

Written communicationWritten communication

Key factors Key factors –– incorporate job incorporate job descriptiondescription

Create talking points Create talking points and interest for and interest for interviewinterview

InterviewInterview

Bring folder or binder Bring folder or binder of transcripts, letters of of transcripts, letters of recommendation and recommendation and appreciation, awards, appreciation, awards, licenses, etc. licenses, etc.

Make eye contact, Make eye contact, engage your engage your interviewer, smile, interviewer, smile, relax.relax.

Review conversational Review conversational talking points as well as talking points as well as specific trade talk. specific trade talk. Know the company, Know the company, know the job.know the job.

Maintaining the ResumMaintaining the Resumee

When you are unemployed When you are unemployed –– DON’T STOP DON’T STOP

WORKING.WORKING.

Membership, Licenses, Certifications, ClubsMembership, Licenses, Certifications, Clubs

Volunteer!Volunteer!

Community awareness and community serviceCommunity awareness and community service

Maintain recent and relevant examples of how Maintain recent and relevant examples of how

your are keeping sharp, engaged and active. your are keeping sharp, engaged and active.

Memberships and LicensesMemberships and Licenses

American Geosciences Institute: AGI is a federation American Geosciences Institute: AGI is a federation

of geoscience societiesof geoscience societies

American Institute of Professional Geologists: American Institute of Professional Geologists:

www.aipg.orgwww.aipg.org

[http://www.aipg.org/licensure/stateregboards.htm][http://www.aipg.org/licensure/stateregboards.htm]

The Geological Society of America: The Geological Society of America: www.geosociety.orgwww.geosociety.org

National Association of Geoscience Teachers: National Association of Geoscience Teachers:

www.nagt.orgwww.nagt.org

National Science Teachers Association: National Science Teachers Association: www.nsta.orgwww.nsta.org

PUBLICATIONS!PUBLICATIONS!

Certifications and ClubsCertifications and Clubs

Community First Aid and CPR: Community First Aid and CPR:

http://www.redcross.org/takehttp://www.redcross.org/take--aa--classclass

Local clubs, societiesLocal clubs, societies

Can’t find one? Unlikely, but you can always start one.Can’t find one? Unlikely, but you can always start one.

Roadside Geology Club of [your hometown name here].Roadside Geology Club of [your hometown name here].

[Your name here]’s stargazer club.[Your name here]’s stargazer club.

www.meetup.comwww.meetup.com low yearly fee to start your networking club.low yearly fee to start your networking club.

PUBLICATIONS! PUBLICATIONS!

VOLUNTEER!VOLUNTEER!

NonNon--ProfitsProfits

ParksParks

Clubs, AssociationsClubs, Associations

Community gardensCommunity gardens

Community cleanupCommunity cleanup

TutorTutor

MentorMentor

InternIntern

Community AwarenessCommunity Awareness

• Networking

– Social media: Linked In, Google Circles,

Facebook

– Volunteering

• Build communication skills

• Be conscious of needs that arise within the

community and be ready to help meet

them

Community ServiceCommunity Service

Fundraisers for families in needFundraisers for families in need

Food and essential nonFood and essential non--food item food item

drives for your local food bankdrives for your local food bank

Community cleanup eventsCommunity cleanup events

Library eventsLibrary events

Local charitiesLocal charities

Real Case Study ExamplesReal Case Study Examples

SandraSandra

Held a ~4 hour a week job as a bookkeeper at a local Held a ~4 hour a week job as a bookkeeper at a local

restaurantrestaurant

Was trained as an accountant then stayed home for 5 Was trained as an accountant then stayed home for 5

yearsyears

Was a board member and treasurer for the MOMS Was a board member and treasurer for the MOMS

Club of Wilsonville, OR & put it on the resumeClub of Wilsonville, OR & put it on the resume

Is currently gainfully employed and supporting Is currently gainfully employed and supporting

herself and her childherself and her child

Real Case Study ExamplesReal Case Study Examples

AngieAngie

Worked in direct sales for the Pampered Chef while Worked in direct sales for the Pampered Chef while

home for 7 yearshome for 7 years

Was a board member and treasurer for the MOMS Was a board member and treasurer for the MOMS

Club of Wilsonville, OR & put it on the resumeClub of Wilsonville, OR & put it on the resume

Volunteered at her children’s school and learned of a Volunteered at her children’s school and learned of a

job opening (networking) job opening (networking)

Is currently employed at the school as a technical Is currently employed at the school as a technical

assistant and computer literacy teacherassistant and computer literacy teacher

Real Case Study ExamplesReal Case Study Examples

JennJenn

Has a masters degree in school psychologyHas a masters degree in school psychology

She worked in her field for 4 yearsShe worked in her field for 4 years

She stayed home for 9 yearsShe stayed home for 9 years

Volunteered at her children’s school and in the Volunteered at her children’s school and in the

MOMS Club and served on the board MOMS Club and served on the board

She thought outside the box when getting back into She thought outside the box when getting back into

her profession her profession

Is currently employed at a private practiceIs currently employed at a private practice

Real Case Study ExamplesReal Case Study Examples

HannaHanna

Is a trained aesthetician Is a trained aesthetician

Worked from home and part time in spas for 18 Worked from home and part time in spas for 18 yearsyears

Went back to school, is in a master’s program at Went back to school, is in a master’s program at George Fox earning her degree in marriage, couple George Fox earning her degree in marriage, couple and family counselingand family counseling

Uses inUses in--home spa treatments to help supplement her home spa treatments to help supplement her student loan incomestudent loan income

Networked through the MOMS Club to expand her Networked through the MOMS Club to expand her client baseclient base

Real Case Study ExamplesReal Case Study Examples

WendyWendy

Is a trained hair stylist Is a trained hair stylist

Started a mobile haircutting business while at home Started a mobile haircutting business while at home

for 6 yearsfor 6 years

Went back to work in a salon and is putting her Went back to work in a salon and is putting her

teenager through college teenager through college

Networked through the MOMS Club to expand her Networked through the MOMS Club to expand her

client base client base

Interview StrategiesInterview Strategies

•• Put yourself in the interviewers shoes.Put yourself in the interviewers shoes. –– What do they need from you? Have you studied the What do they need from you? Have you studied the

company, the job, your resume? company, the job, your resume?

•• Display confident body language.Display confident body language. –– Shake hands, make eye contact, sit up straight, smile, Shake hands, make eye contact, sit up straight, smile,

don’t fidget.don’t fidget.

•• Be sincere.Be sincere. –– Don’t drop FDon’t drop F--bombs, wear flipbombs, wear flip--flops or patchouli, but flops or patchouli, but

still try to be yourself.still try to be yourself.

–– Be honest and engaging about how you have used your Be honest and engaging about how you have used your time (while unemployed) wisely.time (while unemployed) wisely.

Interview PracticeInterview Practice

Think of networking as practice. If you are at a Think of networking as practice. If you are at a

seminar/meeting/potluck with people who could seminar/meeting/potluck with people who could

give you a job, practice interview strategies!give you a job, practice interview strategies!

You know all the basics You know all the basics –– prepare, sleep, set out prepare, sleep, set out

clothes, etc. clothes, etc.

But none of that really matters if you are not But none of that really matters if you are not

confident, engaging and purposeful.confident, engaging and purposeful.

karenkoyote.wordpress.com

Use Resources Available to YouUse Resources Available to You

http://eps.berkeley.edu/undergraduate/opportunihttp://eps.berkeley.edu/undergraduate/opportunities.phpties.php

Link to internships pages:Link to internships pages: UC Berkeley Career Center (Internships page)UC Berkeley Career Center (Internships page) National Science Foundation (NSF) ~ REU ProgramsNational Science Foundation (NSF) ~ REU Programs THE CAREER CENTERTHE CAREER CENTER The Career Center prepares undergraduates, graduate students, The Career Center prepares undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni to make informed decisions about their futures by and alumni to make informed decisions about their futures by providing comprehensive resources, programs, and counseling on providing comprehensive resources, programs, and counseling on career development, internships, employment, and graduate career development, internships, employment, and graduate school.school.

Graduate Work…Graduate Work…

If in doubt If in doubt –– go back to school.go back to school.

Take a class, get a certification, show initiative.Take a class, get a certification, show initiative.

Nothing delays getting a job like earning a PhD!Nothing delays getting a job like earning a PhD!