Sociology Related Occupations | More Information on Occupations | Things to do NOW to Maximize Career Opportunities | How to Focus Your Career Choice | Communicating your Value to Potential Employers | Sociology Career Websites

These are some of the job titles related to these particular emphases: there are more.

To begin to focus your career choice, within your emphasis area(s)

1. Mark those jobs that interest you with a "+" sign,
2. Mark those that you don't know much about with a "?" and
3. Draw a line through those jobs that you are familiar with and know you have no interest in.
4. Now find out more about the jobs with a "?" beside them. If you want some suggestions for doing research, contact Career Services.
5. Then narrow the list of "+" and "?" jobs down to four or five and begin to consider how you can develop the skills to enter those occupations.

Things Students Can (and should) Do NOW to Get a Job in the Field of Sociology:

• Get involved with campus activities to find out what kind of things you like to do

  Examples:

  • work alone - with a group - or a combination; lead - or follow;plan activities for people - or be more spontaneous;
  • help people solve problems by intervening in advance/educating - or help people solve problems by remediation with group or individual therapy or programming;
  • research and analyze information and develop solution ideas - or apply solutions to concrete situations.
• Think about which broad area within the field of Sociology you want to enter (criminal justice, social services, administration, research, training, public policy, etc.) and research the career path* for each occupation of interest.
• Work as a paraprofessional in campus offices such as admissions, orientation, housing (resident assistant), career services.
• Plan to do at least one internship as a way to get focused experience in your field. Two internships are preferable.
• Volunteer your services to a non-profit organization in whose cause you believe. You will get experience, and networking contacts, and the pleasure of accomplishing something important.

*Career path = what jobs are the entry-level point for the occupation – how do I get my foot in the door?, how do people commonly advance in that occupation?

To locate further information about any of the following occupations

• Duties
• Education and Training Needed
• How Hard or Easy it Will Be To Find a Job
• Compensation

go to the Occupational Outlook Handbook online: http://www.bls.gov/oco/

You may access the site anywhere you can access the web. There are 2 computers you can use in Career Services for any career-related task, including occupational research. Search by looking for the job title in the alphabetical index, or typing in the occupational name in the search box, or looking in the field/industry list on the right side of the screen.

Skills and Abilities of Sociology Students:

As a student of Sociology, you have developed general and technical skills which are applicable to a wide variety of occupational paths. The skills listed here can be used in a variety of careers. These are also the skills to emphasize in your resume and interviews.

• Analyze, Synthesize & Interpret Information
• Interpersonal Communication (oral & written)
• Knowledge of Community Resources
• Statistical Abilities
• Ability to Understand & Improve Human Relationships
• Insight into Group Dynamics
• Computer Skills (data processing & analysis)
• Knowledge of Social Structures and change
• Interact well with Diverse Cultures/Groups
• Research and Planning (sociological)
• Critical Thinking
• Resolve Conflicts/Counseling
• Work well under Pressure

Sociology Career Websites:

There are too many sources of information on the web to name them all. Here are just a few.

Careerlink http://www.careerlink.org Omaha area job listing site. Search by category, or employer.

SUNY http://www.geneseo.edu/~soc/careers.html Profiles on several careers in sociology from SUNY, including suggestions about courses and internships. Although the courses are from another university, you can substitute corresponding courses from Dana College.

American Sociological Association http://www.asanet.org Click on “Students” for information about student memberships and resources.

Jobsearch http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov Search for jobs in the federal government

The Politix Group www.politixgroup.com Click on “Careers in Politics” This site provides links to job listings in U.S. federal agencies, U.S. Congressional offices, political campaigns, and international legislatures. The Politix Group is an independently run private organization whose purpose is to increase knowledge and understanding of the political process with the purpose of inspiring early involvement and activism at the local, state and federal levels of government.

National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration www.naspaa.org/publicservicecareers Advice on seeking a career in public service, first-person accounts, links to resources to find public service jobs.

Congressional Research Service www.loc.gov/crsinfo

American Association for Public Opinion Research -AAPOR/WAPOR (World Association) www.aapor.org/bluebook Blue Book – Directory of agencies and organizations; chapter listings

NGO www.ngonet.org/ngolocat.htm NGO Locator: Information and Links, Links also to US and West European NGO's

Socioweb.com http://www.socioweb.com/~markbl/socioweb independent collection of sociology-related web links

For more information or personal help, visit the Career Services Office:
Monday-Friday:
8 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m.
Other hours available by appointment

E.C. Hunt Campus Center
(Located next to the Bookstore)
Phone: (402) 426-7258
Fax: (402) 426-7922
Campus Box 1225

Email: career@dana.edu
or telephone for an appointment