Wildlife Career Symposium, Grad. Project Interest Elevator Speeches and Career Recruitment

Elevator Speech Training for Students

Tuesday, February 5, 2019: 5-6pm
No additional cost, included in the meeting registration fee

Students interested in pursuing graduate school will hear elevator speeches from Western Section research P.I.’s for Master’s and Ph.D. programs, Graduate Students. Students attending this workshop will then share interests in a speed-round session. This will be followed by a Graduate Student Speed Round (Current graduate students giving a rapid-fire elevator speech summarizing their projects/objectives for career path).

What is an “elevator pitch”?
An “Elevator Pitch” is a concise, carefully planned, and well-practiced marketing message about your professional self that your grandmother should be able to understand in the time it would take to ride up an elevator. It should contain a “hook” or “theme” and go no longer than 60 seconds; resonate with your unique personality and interests and contain a follow up request for a business card, a referral, or future meeting.

Why do you need it?
It helps get your foot in the door with potential employers/major advisors whether on the phone, e-mail or in person at a conference, chance social networking event, or through an informal face-to-face encounter through a friend or relative. The “ready-made” two sentence answer to the question “Tell Me About Yourself” or “What are you hoping to do when you graduate?”

It forces you to figure out what your primary skill sets are and what makes you valuable.
It helps you do the hard work needed to deliver an effective “cover letter” that entices an employer to read your resume and grant the interview.

Wildlife Career Symposium

Friday, February 8: 9-11am
No additional cost, included in conference registration fee

– Do you want to learn more about career paths in wildlife biology and natural resources fields?
– Have you wondered how people end up working in a wildlife job they love?

If so, then please join us for the Wildlife Careers Symposium, where you will hear from professional biologists working at State and Federal agencies, non-profit organizations, consulting firms, and corporations. These professionals have a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, and they will share their current work, as well as what they have learned over the course of their careers, to encourage and inspire you to follow your passion to a career in the wildlife field.

While this event is geared toward students and early-career professionals, all are welcome to attend! This event consists of two parts:

9-10 am – General wildlife careers overview from six representatives of Federal and State agencies, consulting firms, and industry
10-11 am – Round robin discussion with panel of wildlife professionals

Career Recruitment

In lieu of the Career Fair that we’ve hosted in the past, this year we encourage employers with job openings to sign up for scheduled shifts where they can present and discuss their job openings with potential future employees. These times will be posted in the master event schedule. Recruiters who would like to participate may email candace.renger@gmail.com to schedule the day and time of their shift.