careers in sociology - northeastern university: a leader in global

Careers in SociologyJOAN FERRANTE , Northern Kentucky University

MODULE OUTLINE

What Is Sociology?

What Do You Do with a Sociology Degree?

Building a Resume While Pursuing a Degreein Sociology

Six Career Paths for Sociology Majors

The Successful Sociology Major

Explaining Sociology to an Employer

What Attracts Sociology Majors to the Discipline?

The Letter of Recommendation

Helpful Career Resources

References

Appendix A: Sociology Courses

Appendix B: Professional AssociationsOpen to Sociologists

Appendix C: Sample Resume

What Is Sociology?Sociology is a perspective and set of techniques foranalyzing social life, social change, and the socialcauses and consequences of human behavior. Soci-ologists pay special attention to the structure ofgroups, organizations, and societies and to howthese structures shape interactions and relation-ships among people (American Sociological Asso-ciation 2008). The sociological perspective encour-ages students to observe and think critically about

their own and other societies and to become moresensitive to behavioral and value differences amongpeople.

What Do You Do with aSociology Degree?If you are a sociology major or are consideringdeclaring a major in sociology, be prepared foryour family, friends, and even strangers to ask:

VThere are many career paths open to sociology majors. Theskills majors acquire apply to a variety of occupations.

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2 Careers in Sociology

"What are you going to do with a degree in sociol-ogy?" This question can he challenging to answerbecause there is no obvious career path for soci-ology majors as there is for nursing, accounting,

business, and some other majors. But sociologymajors do have many career options. The skillssociology majors acquire apply to a wide range of

jobs. People who major in sociology work in bank-ing, social services, community work, business,health care, customer service, publishing, journal-ism, public relations, human resources, market-ing, survey research, government, and education.In addition, sociology majors go on to graduateschool in any number of disciplines and profes-sions, including sociology, law, medicine, business,and education.

Many students share the belief that employ-ers are seeking to hire people with specific majors.Keep in mind that employers are more interestedin an applicant's attitude and the skills he or shebrings to the job (National Association of Collegesand Employers 2008). Therefore, once you declare

a major in sociology, like all college students, youmust work to focus your career goals and to acquirethe skills needed to meet those goals. Simply takingclasses and earning a degree is not enough to becompetitive in the job market.

In this guide to careers in sociology, we rec-ommend ways to build your resume while in col-lege. After exploring resume-building tips, we con-sider the various career options open to sociologymajors.

Building a Resume While Pursuinga Degree in SociologyHere are thirteen tips that show you how to dothis:

1. List selected sociology courses on yourresume . Include a "related courses" section on yourresume where you list four or five carefully chosensociology and other courses to showcase academic

College should be considereda time to build a resume. As asociology major, strive to makeconnections between the coursesyou take and career interests. Onyour resume, be sure to list selectsociology courses that you havecompleted that relate to the jobfor which you are applying.

Building a Resume While Pursuing a Degree in Sociology 3

interests that relate to the job for which you areapplying (see Appendix A for a list of various soci-ology classes that are offered in sociology programsaround the country). Obvious choices includeresearch methods, statistics, and demography.

Research Methods. Research methods coursesemphasize methods of data collection and analy-sis. Take at least one research methods course andmore if possible. Students who take research meth-ods acquire skills that are particularly valuable inthe job market. Those skills include planning aresearch study, evaluating a program, designing asurvey, constructing a questionnaire, interviewing,using census data, selecting samples, and so on. Asone indicator of the importance of social researchcourses, the American Sociological Association(2008) found that most sociology graduates "didnot receive enough training in research methods,computer applications, and statistics" which wouldhave given them an incalculable advantage in thejob market.

Statistics. Taking a statistics course might seemintimidating. Keep the following points in mind:First, most colleges and universities require at leastone math course as a general studies requirement.Statistics is often one of several math courses thatqualify as a general studies math credit. Second,most employers interested in applicants who havea background in statistics expect knowledge ofbasic statistics and the ability to apply them.

Demography. Demography is the study of popu-lation. Demographers understand that popula-tion characteristics of any geographic area areshaped by age-sex composition, death, births, andmigration. Most organizations have an interestin knowing about the population it serves or tar-gets. Retirement communities, for example, needto know how many people are 55 and older and ifthat population is expected to increase or decrease.School systems need to know how many childrenare expected to enroll in kindergarten each year.Likewise, the military needs to know how many

men and women will turn 18 each year and if those

numbers are expected to increase or decline.

Other Career-related Sociology Courses. Depend-ing on your career goals there are many sociologycourses that are appropriate to include on yourresume. Examples include Sociology of Aging ifyou plan to work with older populations; Crimi-nology if you plan to become a police or proba-tion officer; Medical Sociology if you plan to workin a hospital setting; Sociology of Education if youplan to work in the field of education/continuingeducation; Sociology of the Environment if youplan a career related to environmental education;and Work and Occupations if you plan to work ina human resources department. Urban Sociologywill help with community organizing, demogra-phy, or government-related work.

H 2. Take an independent study that advancescareer goals . An independent study is a coursein which a student studies outside the classroomunder the supervision of a professor. Most, if notall, sociology programs offer independent studiesopen to majors who want to do readings and/orresearch on a topic in which there are no coursesoffered, or who want to study a specific sociologi-cal topic in depth or at an advanced level. Usuallya student approaches a professor with an idea foran independent study and the two work togetherto draw a plan of study.

3. Do an internship or co -op. The purpose

of internships and co-ops is to provide studentswith a chance to gain first-hand experience work-ing in an organization that relates to a specificcareer choice; to explore a specific career option;to strengthen skills and knowledge; and to build areputation with a potential employer. Co-ops arealways paid and involve working full- (40 hours)or part-time (20 hours) for one or more semes-ters. Internships, on the other hand, can be paidor voluntary and involve working a fewer num-ber of hours, perhaps between five and ten hoursa week over the course of a semester. Students


A study abroad experience can enhance your resume.The student pictured chose to study in Egypt for one year.Among other things, he learned Arabic, interacted with thelocals, rode a camel, and visited major attractions such asthe pyramids.

receive academic credit that , depending on uni-versity requirements , can vary from between oneand 12 credit hours.

4. Study abroad . Study abroad programsinvolve studying outside the United States. Studyabroad programs can last one year, a semester, orfrom one to ten weeks. Study abroad enhances anyresume because it gives a person first-hand expe-rience with a foreign culture; tests a person's abil-ity to adapt and respond to unfamiliar situations;enables a person to evaluate their own culturefrom a foreign perspective; expands a person'sworldview; prepares the person to live in a globalsociety; and demonstrates self-motivation, inde-pendence, and a willingness to step outside one'scomfort zone.

5. Choose a course that requires a classproject . Learn which professors use class proj-ects as vehicles for teaching the subject matter ofa sociology course. For example, students who

are part of a class project that uses census data todetermine the size of the 55 and older populationand then estimates the size of that population 10and 20 years from now for a retirement center candeclare that a sociology degree involves learningskills that allow them to make population projec-tions. Likewise, sociology students who use GISand Excel software to help a local police depart-ment sift through data on 300,000+ police runsto identify the top 10 locations involving juvenilesto which police units have been called over a five-

A class project is an excellent way to learn how to applysociological concepts and theories to frame an analysis andto use the methods of social research to gather data. Onemethod of gathering data is face-to-face interviewing.

Building a Resume While Pursuing a Degree in Sociology

year period can say that they possess the com-puter and analytical skills to assess the conditions(abandoned lots, the presence of a pay phone, aliquor store on the corner) attracting juveniles to

those locations and to devise strategies to alleviatetrouble.

6. Join the sociology club. The sociologyclub offers its members a variety of opportuni-ties including the chance to work on projects, tosocialize with other majors, and to learn aboutevents involving sociologists, such as professionalmeetings. Generally, sociology clubs take on atleast one community outreach project each year.One example of such a project included a sociol-ogy club partnering with a neighborhood associa-tion in its quest to learn how residents think abouttheir neighborhood, what changes they would liketo see, and if they were willing to take action toimplement those changes. The club agreed to con-duct in-depth interviews with residents in theirhomes. The students also wrote a report highlight-ing the findings and presented it at the neighbor-hood association monthly meeting. If there is nota Sociology Club at your educational institution,consider talking with the departmental faculty tostart one.

7. Make the most of research papers. Whenyou write a research paper for a sociology course,think about its potential usefulness beyond thatcourse. If you know your career goals, write apaper that relates to the population you hope towork with in the future. Imagine that you areenrolled in a Work and Occupations course andyou have been assigned to write a paper about howa specific occupation shapes family life. If yourgoal is to eventually work for the United StatesMilitary as an Outreach Coordinator (a civilianposition), write a paper about military life empha-sizing opportunities and stresses to service mem-bers and their families associated with overseasdeployment. Or if you plan to work for a retailcompany, perhaps you might consider writing apaper on benefits of providing daycare and flex-

The Benefits of ProvidingDaycare and Flex Time to Increase

Employee Retention

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Inventory

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If possible write papers for sociology classes that relate tocareer interests. Employers often ask applicants to demon-strate a pre-existing interest in an area that relates to theposition to which one is applying.

ti me to sales clerks to boost employee retention.Keep major papers and projects that relate to yourarea of focus. This will serve as a great resourcewhen interviewing for jobs after graduation and/or when applying to graduate schools.

8. Work with a sociology professor . Profes-sors do more than just teach classes. Their jobsrequire them to do academic research, commu-nity outreach, and university service. Ideally youshould approach a professor after you have takenat least one class and earned an A or B. Ask theprofessor to keep you in mind if he or she needshelp with their research, needs a student memberto serve on a committee, or is looking for some-one to assist with a community outreach project.Students can often help with teaching (as teachingassistants) or can serve as tutors to those strug-gling in lower-level sociology courses.


Sociology professors oftenrecruit majors to assist themwith research projects, toserve on committees, and toparticipate in communityoutreach. Such experiencesmake excellent resume items.

College can be a time to learn about your community andits needs. Many colleges offer opportunities for students tovolunteer in the surrounding community and sometimesbeyond.

'f: 9. Choose a minor or concentration that fur-ther enhances career goals . In addition todeclaring a major, most colleges and universi-ties require students to choose a minor or areaof concentration in a field outside their major.The minimum number of credit hours for minorsand concentrations vary by program. There aredozens, perhaps even a hundred or more choices,including International Studies, Criminal Jus-tice, Management, Sports Marketing, Geography,Environmental Studies, Organizational Leader-ship, Mass Media, Social Work, and journalism toname but a few.

10. Volunteer . A volunteer is someone whochooses to give time to a cause in the community.Usually a person contacts a nonprofit or otherorganization such as a school or church and offerstheir time and skills toward realizing a goal; itmight involve feeding the homeless, mentoring astudent defined as at-risk, or running errands forhome-bound residents. If you are looking for suchan opportunity, visit the website Volunteer Matchat http://www.volunteermatch.org.

Building a Resume While Pursuing a Degree in Sociology

11. Attend job/career fairs . Most collegesand universities hold career fairs at least once ayear. Even if you are early into your college careeryou should attend the job fair, if only to educateyourself about employment opportunities in thearea (and sometimes outside the area). Mentionto company representatives that you are a sociol-ogy major. Be sure to pick up information aboutthe company and available jobs. If you are aboutto graduate, bring copies of your resume to leavewith company representatives.

12. Become a student member of a sociolog-ical association or society . Sociological associ-ations are professional organizations, regional,national, or international in scope, and well respec-ted. Noting such membership on a resume will putan individual at an advantage. Most sociological ass-ociations offer students low-cost membership andminimal registration fees to attend annual meet-ings. Sometimes sociology departments may spon-sor your membership if you are an active memberor officer of the Sociology Club or have consistentlyhelped the department in other ways. Don't beafraid to ask for sponsorship if cost is an issue.

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Sociological associations typically offer studentmembers the opportunity to apply for travel grantsto offset the cost of traveling to meetings. Theassociations also sponsor special sessions in whichstudent members can present research papers.Sometimes associations recognize the best studentpapers by offering financial awards to first, second,and third place submissions. Some of the majorprofessional associations open to sociologists are(see Appendix B for complete list):

American Sociological AssociationStudent Membership: $18http://www.asanet.org

Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS)Student Membership: $14-$51http://www.socwomen.org

Mid-South Sociological AssociationStudent Membership: $20http://www.midsouthsoc.org

Association of Black SociologistsStudent Membership: $25http://www.blacksociologists.org

Attending a career fair is a good way to learn more about the vast variety of job opportuni-ties available to sociology majors. Introducing yourself to a potential employer as a sociologymajor can help build confidence in your choice of majors as many employers welcome appli-cations from those who study sociology.


13. Make the most of your employmenthistory . Often students dismiss the jobs that theyhold while in college as not that important foradvancing career goals and present them as such.They might say something like: "I have only beena waitress." Actually, being a waitress involves anumber of important skills that can enhance aresume. Consider that a waitress or waiter-

• deals with customers who demand quick andefficient service

• handles multiple tables of customers makingrequests at the same time

• recommends/sells items to increase the amountof the bill

• converses with customers from diverse back-grounds

These skills can apply to the career tracks dis-cussed in the following section. It really does notmatter what kind of job you hold while in college.What does matter is that you can articulate how thejob relates to the one for which you are applying.

Six Career Pathsfor Sociology MajorsLet's consider six broad career tracks that sociologymajors may choose to follow:

• nonprofit

• government

• business

• education/continuing education

• graduate school

• self-employment

For each of the six tracks, we give an overview ofthe career path, consider a relevant job advertise-ment, and profile a sociology major who preparedfor that track.

TRACK 1. NonprofitsOverview. More than 12 million Americans workin the nonprofit sector. That represents about 1in every 10 jobs. There are 1.4 million nonprofitorganizations in the United States registered with

Any employment experience can contribute to your resume as long as you communicate how the experience relates to thejob to which you are applying. A waiter or waitress, for example, must deal with a variety of personalities among customerswho demand and expect quick and efficient service.

Six Career Paths for Sociology Majors 9

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On your employment application, make sure to relateyour studies in sociology to the position for which youare app-lying. Include memberships in the sociology cluband professional organizations, volunteer work, studyabroad experiences, research papers, and other relevantexperiences.

the Internal Revenue Service (Nonprofit Alma-nac 2007). Nonprofits include hospitals, privateschools, art museums, animal protection agen-cies, homeless shelters, churches, food banks, andfoundations. Nonprofits vary by mission, number

Nonprofit organizations exist to meeta variety of community needs. Manypeople associate nonprofits with serv-ing populations living in poverty. Inreality there are nonprofits that existto serve entire communities and arange of specific populations such asveterans, the elderly, children consid-ered gifted, and athletes.

of employees, type of population served, and sizeof their operating budgets. Examples of nonprofitorganizations include those that:

• empower people with disabilities (DisabilitiesCoalitions)

• educate people about our natural environment,our impact upon it, and our responsibilities toit and to each other (Environmental MobileUnits)

• provide a way for the public to anonymouslyprovide law enforcement agencies with informa-tion on crimes or suspects (Crime Stoppers)

• provide a barrier-free, inclusive, and nurturingenvironment for anyone seeking to overcomeobstacles regarding speech, hearing, or deafness( Hearing, Speech, & Deaf Centers)

• provide year-round sports training and com-petition opportunities for children and adultswith intellectual disabilities (Special Olympics)

• find permanent homes for adoptable animalsand strays (Animal Shelters)

• help initiate relationships between U.S andforeign cities that share common geographic,demographic, and economic characteristics(Sister Cities Associations)

• provide vital, fair income to Third World peo-ple by marketing their handicrafts and tellingtheir stories (Ten Thousand Villages Inc.)


A sample of job titles of interest to sociology majorsseeking careers in the nonprofit sector include

• Visitor Research Coordinator (for an artmuseum),

• Disaster Services Emergency Response Special-ist (for the Red Cross),

• Fundraising Database Specialist (for Alzheim-er's Association),

• Resource Analyst (for American Cancer Society),

• Volunteer Services Director (for a food bank),and

• Program Coordinator (for youth mentoringprograms).

To search for a job in the nonprofit sector, go toCareer Builder at http://www.careerbuilder.com.

Profile of a Sociology Major Applyingfor a Job as Communications Associatein the Nonprofit SectorAs long as sociology major Benjamin Smith canremember he was interested in the environment.After taking a Sociology of the Environment course,he declared sociology as his major and chose tominor in Environmental Studies. He did an intern-ship with the Center for Applied Ecology in whichhe performed an environmental site assessmentand worked on other smaller-scale environmentalprojects. As an intern Ben worked hard to submitreports that were outstanding in design and con-tent. The Center took notice and adopted his reportas the model for all interns to follow. Ben alsotook two research methods classes and a statisticscourse. The methods classes required proficiency in

Sample Job Advertisement : Nonprofit Sector

JOB TITLE : Communications Associate

EMPLOYER:

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, "one of the largest ecological pro-

grams in the world. More important than its size, however, is the quality

of its output. Books and articles authored by Cary Institute ecologists

influence scientists and policy makers. Cary Institute-generated curriculaare building essential bridges between ecological thinking and classroom

instruction. Conferences and workshops held onsite encourage dialogue

and information exchange"

DUTIES:

Write engaging material that promotes Cary Institute research, programs,and offerings to a range of information consumers (media, students, don-ors, scientists, policymakers, staff, and the interested public). Connectthe Cary Institute with media outlets by assisting with press releases and

press relations. Ensure that core content on the Cary Institute website is

timely and accurate; perform updates as needed (either directly or througha contracted web maintenance firm). Work collaboratively with staff to

oversee and improve our web presence. Perform other tasks as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree plus at least 2-3 years of writing experience. Scienceand/or news writing a plus. Strong writing, editing, and web production

skills. Proficient in MS Office, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, FTP, content

management systems, and web editing software (HTML knowledge a plus).

• Figure 1 Notice that the Cary Institute is not asking for a commu-nications or public relations major. Rather it is seeking applicants who hold

a bachelor's degree in any field and who are able to demonstrate that they

possess specific skills related to writing, web production, and software.


a variety of software including Word, PowerPoint,Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and Front Page (asoftware for creating Web sites). Whenever pos-sible, Ben wrote research papers that related to hisinterest in the environment. As one example, hesurveyed U.S. and foreign-born college students tolearn how culture shapes attitudes toward the envi-ronment and personal efforts to conserve energy.He presented the paper at a sociological meet-ing. Ben was a member of the sociology club forthree years and managed the club's website, whichincluded a quarterly newsletter.

:. TRACK 2 . GovernmentOverview. The federal government employs morethan 1.8 million civilian employees. In fact, the gov-ernment is the nation's largest single employer. Towork for the federal government you do not haveto live in Washington, D.C. Nine out of 10 federalemployees work outside the D.C. area. There arehundreds of government agencies with thousandsof civilian job titles that sociology majors can fill.Some examples include:

• Outreach Program Coordinator for the Depart-ment of Army,

• Social Science Analyst for the GovernmentAccountability Office,

11

• Pretrial Services Officer for the Federal Courts,

• Survey Statistician for U.S. Bureau of theCensus,

• Outdoor Recreation Planner for U.S. NationalPark Services,

• Outdoor Compliance Officer for the Depart-ment of Agriculture, and

• Intelligence Research Specialist for the Depart-ment of Homeland Security.

To search for federal government jobs, use the USAJobs website at http://www.usajobs.gov.

Profile of a Sociology Major Applyingfor Partnership Specialist in theGovernment SectorCarla Applet is a sociology major with a secondmajor in anthropology. Carla was chosen as the2008 Outstanding Graduating Senior in Sociol-ogy and she made the Dean's List every semes-ter. In her junior year Carla did an internshipwith Urban Appalachian Council. Specifically sheresearched and designed a brochure describing theAppalachian community and recommended highquality Internet Web sites that provided special-ized information on this community. The Coun-cil distributed the brochure to those attending itsworkshops and to other interested parties. In her

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senior year Carla took a second internship with thecity of Newport in which she handled requests forinformation from city residents. When this intern-ship ended, the city manager asked Carla to stayon and do special projects indefinitely or at leastwhile she was exploring career options. Carla alsotook an Applied Social Research Methods course inwhich the class conducted a major research projectknown as The State of the Greater Cincinnati Non-profits, a profile of 10,000 nonprofit organizations.

To support herself though college, Carlaopened a business that offered local artists gal-lery space and opportunities to sell their artworksand crafts. This business was viewed by many asenriching the community. Now that Carla hasgraduated and is seeking to work in a job relatedto sociology, she has not abandoned her busi-ness and the local artists who have come todepend on it. Carla's parents have agreed to takeover operations.

Sample Job Advertisement: Government Sector

JOB TITLE : Partnership Specialist

EMPLOYER:

U.S. Bureau of the Census, the leading source of quality data about theAmerican people and the U.S. economy. The Census Bureau conducts a

variety of censuses and surveys, not just the once-a-decade census for

which it is most famous. Every month, quarter, and year it conducts sur-

veys with households and businesses. It uses a workforce of trained federal

employees to conduct those surveys by telephone, in person, or by mail.

The surveys the Census Bureau conducts provide information about social

and economic conditions in the country, including employment, housing,

manufacturing, trade, and many other topics (Adapted from U.S. Bureau

of the Census 2008).

DUTIES:

The Partnership Specialist is responsible for developing partnerships with

state, local, and tribal governments; community-based organizations, faith-

based groups; schools; media outlets; businesses; and other grassrootsentities in communities within the regional office area. The Partnership

Specialist also provides support to census field operations such as Recruit-

ment, Be Counted, Questionnaire Assistance Centers, Non-Response

Follow-Up, and others. The Partnership Specialist will work under the

supervision of a Partnership Coordinator. The incumbent will conduct

research, analyze the regional office area, and assist in the development

of the regional plan for the PDS Program for the census.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in any area with superior academic achievement. Work

experience in providing instructions or coaching others in athletic, leisure,or community activities, helping customers, clients, or members of the pub-

lic who were hostile or upset, handling customer complaints, or providing

instructions to customers or the public either in writing or by telephone.

• Figure 2 Notice that the Census Bureau is seeking applicants forthis position with a degree in any area and with a proven record of highacademic achievement. The job description indicates that research exper-ience is important and the qualifications emphasize leadership andcustomer service-related experience.


TRACK 3. BusinessOverview. Businesses are privately-owned enter-prises that provide goods and services to consum-ers. In the business world, profit is the measure ofsuccess. By definition, a business exists to gener-ate wealth for owners and/or stockholders. Busi-nesses can be classified according to the activitythey undertake to generate revenue. Many sociol-ogy majors seek positions within a Department ofHuman Resources office of a business. Examples ofdifferent sectors in the business track include, butare not limited to, the following:

•

Service-businesses that provide intangibleproducts such as entertainment, food, recre-ation opportunities, and transportation.

Financial-businesses including banks, savingsand loans, and mortgage companies that lend,invest, and manage money or capital.

Information-businesses that specialize inintellectual property such as movie studios,publishers, and software companies.

Profile of a Sociology Major Applyingfor Operations Management Specialistin the Business SectorTim Moss is a sociology major and history minor.He worked at UPS while going to college. Tim wasattracted to the company because it contributed$3,000 per year toward college tuition. He was hiredby UPS as a loader on the twilight sort. After oneyear he was promoted to part-time supervisor. Hisexperience as a supervisor taught him how to effec-tively manage individuals from very diverse back-grounds, balance multiple tasks, and complete themin a timely manner. In addition, he also learned howto manage and resolve conflict, be decisive in hisactions, and think critically when solving problemsand managing various situations. In addition to bal-ancing work and a full course load, Tim was able tocomplete two campus-based leadership programs:Emerging Leaders and the Lead Program. He pre-sented research he did for a sociology class on theeffects of adding fluoride to public drinking waterat a sociology conference. Tim took two researchmethods classes and participated in a study inwhich he and other sociology majors evaluated theeffectiveness of a federally funded abstinence educa-tion program for middle and high school students.

When Tim interviewed for the UPS job he was ableto convey that the sociological perspective allowedhim to appreciate and admire the tremendous roleUPS assumes in connecting people around theglobe. Tim also recognized the importance of theUPS policy of inviting people of all social and eco-nomic backgrounds to join the company as load-ers and then providing financial incentives, pro-motions, and other support to anyone who workshard and shows initiative.

TRACK 4. Education /Continuing Education

Overview. While sociology majors cannot teachprimary or secondary school without a teachingcertificate, they can look for jobs in university set-tings or in the field of continuing education. Con-tinuing education is a broad term that applies toprograms in which people enroll for personalenrichment (music appreciation), to learn job-related information and skills (computer training),acquire information about how to do something(invest in the stock market), or cope with a partic-ular condition (cancer) or situation (joblessness).The programs may be delivered in a classroom,over the Internet, at a job site, at a public library,in a hospital, or in a client's home. Examples ofrelevant job titles include:

• Training and Assessment Coordinator

• Education Coordinator

• School Community Coordinator

• School Grant Administrator

Profile of a Sociology Major Applyingfor School Community Coordinatorin the Education SectorScott Johnson is a sociology major with a minorin English. As a result of taking a Juvenile Delin-quency course, Scott developed an interest in neigh-borhood youth centers and the academic choicesminority youth make. In his senior year Scottapplied for and received a $2,000 university researchgrant to study and compare two youth centers, onelocated in Ohio serving a predominantly African-American population; the other in Arizona serv-ing a predominantly Hispanic population. Scottinterviewed youth in both centers to learn howthe center impacted their lives and supported their


educational aspirations. In addition, Scott did an mentored and tutored middle school-age students

internship with a Cincinnati-based youth center in who were reading below grade level.

which he helped to plan and organize a conferencefor youth service coordinators/directors to con- TRACK 5. Graduate Schoolvene in Cincinnati to share strategies and insights.Scott was also very involved with a project known Overview. A graduate program extends schooling

beyond the bachelor's degree. Graduate degreesas Freedom Focused Service Learning in which he

Sample Job Advertisement : Business Sector

JOB TITLE : Operations Management Specialist

EMPLOYER:

UPS, a transportation company that delivers and picks up more than

14.1 million packages per day serving eight million customers in 200

countries. According to its Web site, most employees begin their career

at UPS as part-time Package Handlers in the Package Operations division.

UPS actively promotes employees from within, and because of UPS's com-

mitment to continuing education and training, the part-time PackageHandler position can be the gateway to many potential career paths within

the United Parcel Service. Tuition assistance up to $3,000 per year and

other benefits such as preferred pricing on Dell computers is also provided

at some locations to permanent, part-time Package Handlers.

DUTIES:

Supervises daily activities of drivers and package handlers to ensure that all

assigned duties are accomplished safely and timely.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Customer service skills ( internal/external)

• Phone etiquette

• Ability to work varying shifts, additional hours and/or overtime

depending on service needs

• Multi-tasking skills

• Perform general office tasks such as paperwork, typing, and/or use of a

computer, filing, calculating, and use of telephone

• Good cognitive reasoning skills

• Self motivation

• Microsoft Office knowledge (i.e., Excel, Word)

• Work cooperatively in a diverse work environment

• Ability to direct the work of the other employees effectively

• Verification and submittal of timecards

• Perform other functions that may be assigned

Figure 3 Notice that UPS is looking for someone with a set ofskills. It is up to the applicant to convince the employer that he or she hasacquired these skills.


include the master 's, doctorate , and professionaldegrees ( law and medicine ). To be accepted intoa graduate program, applicants may be requiredto take a standardized test, the best known beingthe Graduate Record Examination ( GRE), Gradu-ate Management Admission Test (GMAT), MedicalCollege Admission Test (MCAT), and Law School

15

Admission Test (LSAT). Some graduate programsset a minimum score that applicants must achieveto be admitted . Graduate programs require appli-cants to submit letters of recommendation writ-ten by their undergraduate professors and otherpeo-ple in a position to assess their potential fordoing well in graduate school . Graduate programs

Sample Job Advertisement:Education /Continuing Education Sector

JOB TITLE : School Community Coordinator

EMPLOYER:

Cincinnati Public Schools, a school system that employs 5,000 people

(2,500 of which are teachers) serving over 35,000 students attending

primary, middle, and high schools. The school system offers manyeducation options and programs including Montessori, college-prep,

and small neighborhood schools.

DESCRIPTION:

The Cincinnati Public Schools invites applications for the position of

School Community Coordinator. This position will serve as Linkage

Coordinator at Aiken College and Career High School by creating and

sustaining programs and opportunities designed to close the achievement

gap and increase the graduation rate for African-American male studentsat the school.

DUTIES:

• Organize workshops for parents and at-risk students

• Establish graduation action teams, student-led focus groups and

mentoring programs

• Provide staff development sessions that provide cultural competencyskills to enable teacher and school staff to reach students academically

• Organize and sustain after school activities

• Organize businesses, corporations, and organizations to provideshadowing, internships, and field trip experiences

• Provide summer transition academic and character building experiences

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, communications, or other related field

• Experience working in a community service role

Figure 4 Note that Cincinnati Public Schools is seeking someonewith a bachelor's degree. While the ad mentions social work and commu-nications as degrees of interest, the ad invites applicants from other relatedfields for which sociology clearly qualifies. The CPS is especially interestedin someone who has worked in community service and with at-risk youth.


also require that applicants submit personal state-ments describing the reason they want to attendgraduate school and a narrative describing theiracademic history, personal and research interests,and other relevant experiences. Many graduateprograms offer scholarships and fellowships thatinclude tuition and a monthly stipend in returnfor teaching or research.

Sociology majors are qualified to pursue grad-uate study in many fields including social work,counseling, education, public health, business,urban planning, communications, law, medicine,and divinity school. Of course an obvious choiceopen to sociology majors is to apply to one of the250 masters or Ph.D. programs in sociology offeredby colleges and universities across the UnitedStates. A Guide to Graduate Departments of Sociol-ogy is available through the American SociologicalAssociation at http://www.asanet.org.

Profile of Sociology Major Applyingto Law SchoolRichard Santos was born in the Dominican Repub-lic (DR). His father is a native of the DominicanRepublic and his mother is American. Richard'sparents met when his father was pursing a gradu-ate degree in the United States. Richard lived inthe DR for the first 18 years of his life and then

The field of education, espe-cially continuing education,holds many opportunities forsociology majors. People whowork in this field lead discus-sion groups, arrange hands-onlearning sessions, and compileeducational resources on topicsrelated to almost any informa-tion need.

Many graduate programs offer scholarships and fel-lowships that include tuition and a monthly stipendin return for teaching or research.


moved with his family to Kentucky (his mother'shome state) after he graduated from high school.Richard is fluent in both English and Spanish.Richard chose to attend a Kentucky college, but

after one year transferred to a New York techni-cal college. This time away clarified his interest insociology and he returned home to the Kentuckycollege declaring a major in sociology and a con-centration in anthropology. In the last two yearsof his academic career Richard maintained a 3.75grade point average while working at least 30hours per week, marrying, and starting a family ofhis own.

Remarkably, Richard's college career involved

more than just attending classes. He did a co-opwith a local bank in which he focused on estab-lishing business and community relationships withHispanic clients and community. He gravitatedtoward sociology classes that focused on criminol-ogy (i.e., Police and Society) and law (i.e., Soci-ology of Law). He took several research methodsclasses. Richard participated in the Mayerson Stu-dent Philanthropy Project, a program that helpscollege students identify and fund projects thataddress needs in the surrounding community. Hewas a member of Making Place Matter, a campus-wide committee that recommended ways that theuniversity can contribute to the quality of commu-nity life.

Richard also worked as a research assistant to asociology professor. The professor was so impressedwith his work that she asked him to write 16 filmreviews to be included in an Instructor's Manualthat accompanies her textbook. The reviews hewrote described how films such as The Fog of War,Super Size Me, Control Room, and Hotel Rwandacould be used to illustrate important sociologicaltopics. In his senior year of college, Richard wasawarded a scholarship from the Hispanic Scholar-ship Fund, a national organization.

TRACK 6 . Self-EmploymentOverview. Self-employment is another careeroption. Obviously people who are self-employedwork for themselves, not for another person ororganization. Almost 19 million people in theUnited States are self-employed. About 75 percentof small businesses consist of a self-employed indi-

vidual who has no employees. The self-employedinclude those who are in business for themselvesor work as independent contractors (U.S. Bureauof the Census 2008). Keep in mind that the self-

employed include college graduates of every aca-demic major. In fact, 20 percent have a bachelor'sdegree and another 17 percent have a graduatedegree (U.S. Bureau of the Census 2006). Examplesof the self-employed included proofreaders, photoresearchers, web publishers, video producers, mar-ket research interviewers, shop owners, landscap-ers, tutors, and couriers.

If sociology majors acquire skills in the methodsof sociological research, they may consider work-

ing as a consultant. This involves contracting withbusinesses, nonprofits, and other organizationsthat need data collected and analyzed or that needreports written. A word of caution: It does require

time to build up a clientele and a reputation.

Profile of a Sociology Major Who IsSelf-Employed as a Research ConsultantMegan Manning's college career can be described astransformative in that her academic status changedover the years from probationary to being on thehonors list. Upon graduation her overall gradepoint average was a 3.2; and in her major, it wasa 3.8. Megan maintains that deciding to majorin sociology marked the beginning of this trans-formation. Specifically, after Megan declared amajor in sociology, she enrolled in a project-basedcourse that set her on the path toward becomingself-employed as a research consultant. The soci-ology professor who taught this course gave the11 students enrolled the option of submitting anessay to be included in her textbook. The professor

indicated that any student who accepted the offershould plan to revise the essay at least six times inorder to achieve publishable quality. At least sevenstudents expressed interest but only one studentcompleted the task. Of course, that student wasMegan. In fact, Megan's performance was so strongthat the professor came to notice her as someonewith whom she wanted to work beyond the class-room.

Megan asked this professor if she had any

projects for which she needed an assistant. Meganworked on several projects, two of which are listed


Some sociology majorsacquire the skills to becomeself-employed as paid con-sultants. These students takeseveral research methodsclasses and gain experienceworking with professors onresearch projects.

here. One project was the State of the Greater Cin-

cinnati Nonprofit Sector Report. Megan played

an important role in creating a first-of-its-kinddatabase containing information on each of the10,000 local nonprofit organizations in the GreaterCincinnati area. She managed the creation of thisdatabase, which included hiring and supervising21 students entering data and checking the qualityof data they entered. To appreciate the size of thenonprofit database Megan managed, consider thatit involved 650,000 cells of data. Megan also helpedanalyze the data, create a PowerPoint presentation,and write the report.

Megan also assisted this professor with a sec-ond project known as the Children Inc. ServiceLearning Project. Children Inc., a nonprofit agency,

trains middle and elementary school teachers tointegrate service learning projects into the curricu-lum. Among other things, Megan helped to cre-ate three online surveys-one for teachers, one forstudents, and one for community partners-to fillout upon completion of service learning projectsto determine whether key learning and service out-comes had been achieved. She also created a fourthon-line survey that allowed teachers to rate their

satisfaction with training and other resources Chil-dren Inc. made available to help them successfullycarry out their service learning project.

Through word of mouth, Megan has securedfive or six research-related jobs in which she makesan income that is competitive to wages paid torecent college graduates. These jobs include con-tinuing her work with monitoring and evaluatingChildren Inc.'s service learning program and secur-ing a contract with Kentucky Child Now to docu-ment mental health services offered through sixschool-based health centers. The work with Ken-tucky Child Now involves creating web-based sur-veys for evaluating mental health status of studentsand collecting data to show the effects of these ser-vices on academic success. Megan is also planningto apply for graduate school in the field of PublicAdministration.

The Successful Sociology Major

Obviously, the six sociology majors profiled abovedid the things they needed to do to acquire skillsthat qualified them for many kinds of jobs. Inother words, they made the most of their sociol-

What Attracts Sociology Majors to the Discipline?

ogy major and time in college. In contrast to thesesix, consider the profile of a student typical ofsomeone who makes little effort to build a resumewhile in college. Let's call this student Lee. Lee isabout two weeks away from graduating from col-lege. He is in a panic because he believes thereare no jobs for sociology majors and, as a result,regrets his decision to major in the subject. Thetruth is that Lee's career as a college student wasunremarkable. He did not attend class on a regu-lar basis, he handed in many assignments late, andhe took courses from the least demanding pro-fessors. He waited until the last semester to takeSocial Research Methods, the most skill-basedof the sociology courses, and earned a C in thatcourse. While in college, Lee was not involved inany projects or extracurricular activities. He hasdifficulty explaining why he majored in sociologyand he has not developed a specialized interest ina subfield of sociology such as criminology, medi-cal sociology, or environmental sociology. Leefinds himself in this spot because he took no stepsto build a resume while in college.

It is important that sociology majors, like stu-dents in all majors, make the most of their collegeexperience. If your approach in college is to takethe least demanding courses and professors, to beuninvolved in project-related and extracurricularactivities, and to never develop an academic inter-est, then you will have a difficult time convincingpotential employers that your college degree addsto your value as an employee.

Explaining Sociologyto an EmployerBecause sociology is not connected with a specificjob title (such as an accountant), sociology majorsmust be able to explain to potential employersthe usefulness of the courses and degree. Whenemployers ask, "Why did you major in sociol-ogy?" or "Why did you take sociology classes?" thereply must be convincing. Responses such as "I likepeople," "Sociology is about people, and I want towork with people" are too vague and will lead topuzzled looks and responses such as "So what canyou do with that kind of degree?" Replies should

19

point to the distinctive aspects of the sociologicalperspective.

Sociology is a discipline that looks beyond theindividual to study human behavior as affected bysocial interaction in the context of groups, orga-nizations, and societies. The sociological perspec-tive, with its focus on interaction and socialstructure, informs decision-making. This app-roach is valuable because most work-related tasksand issues revolve around successfully coordi-nating interactions among employees, clients, con-sumers, suppliers, and other interested partieswithin the structure of that organization. In par-ticular, a degree offers the following distinct ana-lytical skills:

• To identify and project population trends,including those of birth, death, migration, mar-riage, divorce, and family size.

• To appreciate and consider viewpoints otherthan your own.

• To use the methods of social research to recog-nize and provide useful information.

• To collect information via interviews, question-naires, observation, case studies, secondary dataanalysis, content analysis, and to analyze theresults.

• To avoid using superficial knowledge or per-sonal bias as a basis for making decisions andrecommendations that affect others.

• To bring knowledge of culture-norms, values,beliefs-and how these shape people's choices,responses, and abilities in society.

What Attracts Sociology Majorsto the Discipline?In 2005, the American Sociological Association sur-veyed a sample of sociology majors to learn whythey chose to major in that subject. The reasonscentered around four themes that the ASA labeledIdealists, Careerists, First Attraction, and Flexibleand Convenient.

Idealists were attracted to the major becausethey thought it would help them change soci-ety, understand their life, or understand the


During a job interview, you can be surethat the employer is going to ask you whyyou chose to major in sociology and howit relates to the job for which you areinterviewing. This career guide preparesyou to answer these important questions.

connection between biography and society.Careerists were attracted to the major becausethey thought it would prepare them for a careerin social work or a specific service occupation.Most sociology majors are not careerists as only20 percent of respondents chose to major in thefield because of its career possibilities. Insteadmost majors can be classified as "First Attrac-tion ." The most important reason for decidingto major in sociology was an attraction to thediscipline ignited upon taking the first course.A final category includes those students whothought the course offerings were scheduledat times that fit their schedule ( Flexible andConvenient ). See > Table 1 for the average start-ing salary of sociology majors relative to othermajors in the liberal arts.

The Letter of Recommendation

Most college students do not realize that some-day they may need to ask one of their professorsto write them a letter of recommendation to giveto an employer when they apply for a job. Manystudents do not know they need three to five such

letters of recommendation when applying to grad-uate school. If you needed such a letter, who wouldyou ask? What would the professor say about youin that letter? Keep in mind that what a professorwrites about you is directly related to what youdo as a student, both inside and outside the class-room.

A good letter of recommendation (0 Figure 5)should

• state how the professor has come to know youand for how long (as a student, an advisee, and/or a research assistant).

• demonstrate that the professor has establishedmore than a passing acquaintance with you as astudent. The letter needs to show that the writerknows you as a person and is very familiar withyour research interests and other academic andschool-related activities.

• be personalized. The letter should specify thequalities and activities that make you uniqueamong students. The letter should not begeneric such that it includes statements thatcould apply to any student (i.e., "Mary is a verygood student who attends class regularly").

The Letter of Recommendation 21

Table 1Average Starting Salary of Majors Considered Part of the Liberal Arts

Major Average Starting Salary

Political Science/Government $35,261

History $35,092

Foreign Language $34,057

Liberal Arts and Sciences $32,169

Sociology $32,161

English $31,924

Psychology $31,857

Other humanities

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (20071.

$31,345

• provide concrete examples of academic andother school activities that demonstrate youhave acquired specific skills.

• address any aspect of the student's career thatmay appear problematic to an outsider (i.e.,taking 10 years to graduate from college, a lowgrade point average).

Don't be shy about approaching a professor fora letter of recommendation. A professor's jobinvolves writing letters of recommendation. Thei mportant question is "How do you establish arelationship with a professor such that he or she isin a position to write a good letter of recommen-dation for you?" As a rule of thumb, you should

have taken more than one course with the profes-sor and you should have done something that setsyou apart in some way from other students (youearned one of the highest grades in a class on anassignment, you have worked with the professoron a research project, or you are an active memberof the sociology club).

Remember that writing a thoughtful andeffective letter takes time. Ideally you should givethe professor at least two weeks notice. In addi-tion, when asking for the letter, make an appoint-ment to explain the job or graduate program forwhich you are applying. That way the professorcan write a letter tailored to your career needs andaspirations.


Sample Letter of Recommendation from Sociology Professorto Accompany Student 's Application to Graduate School

I am happy to have the opportunity to write this letter in support of MeganManning's application to the Master's of Public Administration program. Ibelieve I am in a good position to comment on Megan's potential to succeed ingraduate school because she has taken three courses and two independent study/research classes from me.

When I think of Megan several things come to mind that set her apart frommost students that I have worked with over the years. First, her academic historyis interesting in that she has taken 10 years to graduate from college. This is notbecause she is someone who procrastinates. The 10-year time span reflects herstruggle to find meaning in college, and upon finding that meaning, to find a wayto attend school full-time while juggling job and family life. As Megan approachesgraduation, I find myself reflecting on the personal and financial sacrifices she hasmade without complaint to complete college. Had I not asked Megan, I wouldhave never known of this steady and determined 10-year venture.

Second, from my perspective, Megan's college career is one that has beentransformative. Megan's academic status has changed over the years from proba-tionary to honors list. Currently her overall grade point average is a 3.2; in hermajor, it is 3.8. As her G.P.A. suggests, Megan is the ideal student. She is extremelyreliable; she never misses scheduled class meetings. Her written assignments areoutstanding in every way. She goes above and beyond what is necessary, even toearn an A. As one telling example, I gave the I 1 students enrolled in Applied SocialResearch the option of submitting an essay to be included in my textbook, Sociol-ogy: A Global Perspective. I indicated that they may have to write the essay five orsix times to achieve publishable-level quality and that I was willing to work withanyone willing to give that level of effort. At least seven students expressed interestbut only one student completed the task. Of course, that student was Megan Man-ning. In fact, Megan's performance was so strong that I came to "notice" her assomeone with whom I wanted to work with beyond the classroom.

Megan has assisted me in a number of campus activities. Among otherthings, she has collaborated with me to carry out the campus-wide Get Out theVote campaign. The tasks associated with this project include creating websites,organizing forums, planning events, administering surveys, analyzing data, andwriting reports. I cannot imagine pulling off this project without her assistanceand collaboration. In fact, as I write this letter, I am reminded that somedayMegan will move on, and I can already imagine how much I will miss her.

In closing I hope that I have conveyed my admiration for Megan Manning asa person and a student. I believe that she will make an excellent addition to yourdepartment and I recommend her without hesitation. I have no doubt that she willbe among the top in her class and that she will make a significant contribution toher field of study. If you have questions, feel free to contact me by phone or e-mail.

Figure 5

References 23

Helpful Career ResourcesThe U.S. Department of Labor Statistics offers anumber of valuable resources to help with careerplanning and job search.

Occupational Outlook Handbook, available in

print and online at http://www.bls.gov/oco.The Handbook describes more than 300occupations, many of which relate to sociol-ogy and other liberal arts. The Handbookexplains job duties, education and trainingrequirements, earnings, and job prospects.

"Helping charity work: Paid jobs in charitable non-profits," http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2001 /summer/art02.pdf

"Policy analysts: Shaping society through researchand problem-solving," http://ww,wwv. bls.gov/opuh/ooq/2007/spring/art03. pdf

"Career myths and how to debunk them," http://www.l)ls.goN,/opub/ooq/2005/fall/art0l.pdf

"Informational interviewing: Get the inside scoopon careers," http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2002/summer/art03.pdf

"Internships: Previewing a profession," http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2006/summer/ art02.pdf

"Resumes, applications, and cover letters," http://www.bls.gov/opuh/ooq/ 1 999/summer/art0l .pdf

References

American Sociological Association. 2008. "DataBrief on Current Jobs: What are They DoingWith a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology?" Pre-pared by Roberta Spalter Roth and Nicole VanVooreen.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2007. "What CanI Do With My Liberal Arts Degree?" Occupa-tional Outlook Quarterly ( Winter 2007).

Nonprofit Almanac. 2007. The Nonprofit Sector inBrief: Facts and Figures. http://wiN-xv.urban.org/Uploaded PI)F/311373_nonprofit_sector.pdf.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2007. Characteristicsof Business Owners. http://www.census.gov/csd/sho.


APPENDIX AThis is a sample of course titles offered by sociology programs across the United States. Many will beoffered at your school. The list shows the breadth of sociology. Keep in mind that sociologists study anytopic. Sociology is distinguished from other disciplines, not by the topics it investigates but by the perspec-tive it brings to that topic.

Introduction to SociologySocial ResearchSociological TheorySociology Senior SeminarSociology of CorrectionsPolice and SocietySocial OrganizationMarriage and the FamilySociology of EnvironmentSociology of ReligionSociology of LawSociology of EducationRace and Ethnic RelationsWorld Patterns of Race and EthnicitySocial StratificationPopular CultureWomen and Men in SocietyPolitical SociologyJuvenile DelinquencySociology of AgingLatin American Societies

Social PsychologySociology of Work and OccupationsPopulationUrban SocietyCurrent Social IssuesCriminologyCollective BehaviorWomen and CrimeSociology of FirearmsTechnology and SocietyElite Deviance

Deviance and Social ControlCommunity CorrectionsSociology of MedicineSocial Construction of SexualitySex, Gender, and SocietyDrugs and U.S. SocietyPerspectives on ViolenceDeath and DyingSelf and SocietyGlobal Human EcologyHazards, Disasters, and SocietyGay and Lesbian CommunitiesInformation, Images, and InequalityAnimals and SocietySport and Play in SocietyAIDS in the U.S.Sociology of MusicAds, Fads, and Consumer CultureAsian-American ExperienceCultural EmotionsCrowd Behavior and Social MovementsSmall GroupsSociety and Mental IllnessBioethics and SociologyDiversity in Alternative FamiliesLife Span Transitions: The Retirement YearsProbation and ParoleSociological Considerations for Jury

ConsultantsSocial Aspects of Substance AbuseSociology of PlanningSociology of Mental Health

Appendix B 25

APPENDIX B

Professional Associations Open to Sociologists

American Sociological AssociationStudent Membership: $18http://www.asanet.org

Midwest Sociological Society (MSS)Student Membership: $21http://www.themss.org

Mid-South Sociological AssociationStudent Membership: $20http://www.midsouthsoc.org

Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS)Student Membership: $14-$51http://www.socwomen.org

Association of Black SociologistsStudent Membership: $25http://www.blacksociologists.org

Eastern Sociological Society (ESS)Student Membership: $30http://www.essnet.org

North Central Sociological AssociationStudent Membership: $25http://www.ncsanet.org

Southern Sociological SocietyStudent Membership: $25http://www.msstate.edu/org/sss

Pacific Sociological AssociationStudent Membership: $15http://www.pacificsoc.org

Association for Applied andClinical Sociology

Student Membership: $35http://w,A,^v.aacsnet.org

Southwestern Sociological AssociationStudent Membership: $23http://www.sssaonline.org/sociology.html


APPENDIX C

Sample Resume

555 Street DriveCity Falls, KY 99999

(513) 999-9999

Megan [email protected]

Education

Northern Kentucky University - 2008 GraduateB.S. in Sociology (major) and Anthropology (Minor)Sociology GPA: 3.8; Cumulative GPA: 3.2

This resume item relates to a projectthe student worked on in conjunctionwith a research methods class.

Relevant Experience

Research Assistant for Greater Cincinnati Nonprofit Sector Report (in conjunction with

Social Research Class)

• Collaborated with research team to identify a strategy for gathering data on 10,000 local

nonprofit agencies

• Entered data from IRS tax forms filed by nonprofit agencies

• Assisted in analysis and write-up of data, as well as coding

• Interviewed nonprofit leaders and conducted on-site visits to agencies

• Reviewed existing reports on the state of nonprofits from around the United States forideas on how to profile Northern Kentucky Greater Cincinnati nonprofits

• Presented preliminary findings to a group of nonprofit leaders to obtain constructivefeedback about how to structure final report

• Participated in Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement & Nonprofit Development

press conference

AwardsBe sure to list any awardsreceived while in college.

• Who's Who in Sociology 2007

• Outstanding Graduating Senior in Sociology 2008

Research Methods and Demography bring

Relevant Coursesskills that are relevant to almost any job.

• Demography, Social Research, Applied Social Research, Statistics

Computer SoftwareList software skills picked up in aresearch methods or other class.

• Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, SPSS

Appendix C 27

Other EmploymentThis section makes the most of variousjobs the student held while in college.

Lens Crafters, 2005-2007

Lead Lab Technician• Produced quality eyewear within one hour time constraints• Trained employees on optical machinery• Assisted customers with eyewear needs• Responsible for making the work schedule for 8 lab employees• Ordered store supplies, working within the allotted budget

Delta Airlines 2003-2005Customer Service Representative

• Assisted clients with airline reservations and various travel needs• Earned high ratings from clients for exceeding performance expectations

• Met and exceeded expected sales of airline ticketsThis item related to a student

Publications/Presentations d presentation.

"Fluoride in Toothpaste, Public Water Supplies, and Bottled Water: Are These Safe, Effective Ways

and Economical Ways of Preventing Tooth Decay?" at Celebration of Student Research and Creativ-

ity (April 12, 2006) Northern Kentucky University

Service/VolunteerService and volunteer activities can includePresident of the Sociology Club.

2007-present President, Sociology Club2004-present Volunteer, American Heart Association, Cincinnati, OH2002-2004 Volunteer, Flying Pig Marathon, Cincinnati, OH

Note: It does not take much effort to build a resume over the four or more years you attend col-lege. Students have to write research papers. Why not choose to present it at a professional meeting?Why not choose a topic for the research paper that relates to career interests? Taking an independentstudy or working on a research project with a professor is no more work than taking a traditionalclassroom-based course. The key is to make the most of assignments and take advantage of oppor-tunities to experience learning beyond the classroom. Get involved in at least one extracurricularactivity. Approaching college as a time to build your resume will make the college experience more

meaningful and will give you a competitive advantage in whatever you decide to do after college.You do not want to look back on your college career and recall it as a time you gave little or no extraeffort to learning.

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Wadsworth Sociology Module: Careers in SociologyJoan Ferrante

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