Career Services and Sessions at AAS 237

There's so much planned at AAS 237 if you're looking for career advice or for more information about how a background in the astronomical sciences can lead to a multitude of career paths.

CV Collection

Attention Job Seekers: Get your name out there! Submit your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé to the AAS CV Collection. Do it soon: the deadline is 10 January 2021. Recruiters want to talk with you — be sure to stop by the AAS Career Center at AAS 237 to view the latest job postings, and then visit the organizations in the virtual exhibit hall for a chat.

Attention hiring managers and recruiters: Take advantage of the rich candidate pool of nearly 3,000 professionals (so far) working in the astronomical sciences who are attending next week’s virtual 2021 AAS winter meeting. Here are two ways to find your next hire: have applicants come to you by sending your job announcements to Diane Frendak for posting in the AAS Career Center; or reach out to job seekers through the AAS CV Collection. Let Diane know that you are interested in this resource.

Career Sessions, Splinters, and Workshops

You must be registered for the AAS winter meeting to attend these free sessions. Once registered and when the meeting officially opens, you'll log in and enter the Zoom Room through the AAS Career Center or via the meeting schedule in vFairs. There’s also one career-related exhibitor webinar from AURA!

Networking from Afar and Mastering the Informational Interview

12:00–1:30 pm ET | Monday, 11 January

Networking is the most honorable endeavor in which you can engage because networking is based on what can I do for you and how can I help you solve a problem. Networking at its core is based on the idea of building and nurturing long-term, win-win partnerships. But how do we actually network? It starts with informal conversations or informational interviews. In this discussion, we will address exactly how to network and what to say and do in the informational interview to create lasting alliances that bring value to everyone.

Public Speaking in a Virtual Environment

2:40–3:10 pm ET | Monday, 11 January

We will discuss the essentials of delivering an excellent, enthusiastic presentation via virtual platforms. The topic is applicable to job talks, colloquia, conference oral and poster presentations, and any other type of presentations that you may give. We will discuss key tactics that will enable your success as you speak, including how to convey passion, enthusiasm, knowledge, and expertise, how to leverage the parameters of digital platforms like Zoom, and how to utilize storytelling to engage the audience. You will emerge with clear direction as to how you can be a stronger, more confident speaker.

Combat Impostor Syndrome

4:10–5:40 pm ET | Monday, 11 January

Let’s face it — impostor syndrome sucks. It makes us believe that we unworthy and frauds. It tricks us into minimizing our contributions and value. More critically, impostor syndrome insidiously robs us of future prosperity as it convinces us we do not belong and should not pursue opportunities to advance our career, launch and facilitate exciting new collaborations, and be more innovative, inventive, agile, and novel in our problem-solving. Consequently, impostor syndrome negatively impacts not only our own potential, but that of the greater STEM community. Let’s knock this out of our brains for good! In this workshop, you will learn strategies and tactics to rid this from your brilliant mind and how to navigate it and stamp it out if it creeps into everyday scenarios. Banish Impostor Syndrome for good!

Astronomers Turned Data Scientists

1:00–5:50 pm ET (with evening event from 6:45 pm to 7:30 pm ET) | Tuesday, 12 January

This is the third annual Astronomers-Turned-Data-Scientists (ATDS) Splinter Meeting. This Splinter Meeting came from a desire to create a more cohesive community among former astronomers who are currently working with big data in the industry and between ATDS and current astronomers (especially those who use data science tools and techniques in their research, as well as those who might be interested in transitioning from academia into a data science career). The Splinter Meeting will consist of a series of talks and panels that cover a wide range of topics aimed at ATDS who are currently working as data scientists (or in data-adjacent roles) in the industry. The schedule will include mostly technical talks by data scientists, but we also plan to include some career-related presentations from ATDS as well (aspects of which might be more applicable to current data scientists and aspects of which might be more applicable to prospective data scientists). In addition, networking and recruiting among the current data scientists and prospective data scientists will be strongly encouraged. To this end, we will have ample time for networking during our Splinter Session and many of our attendees and presenters will participate in various AAS Career Services events throughout the AAS Meeting. We have the support of the AAS Employment Committee and the AAS Alumni Affiliate Membership was specifically created to encourage people like ATDS' to attend meetings such as this. More information about the Splinter Meeting and a detailed schedule can be found on the ATDS website.

Champion Yourself in Your Career

2:40–3:10 pm ET | Tuesday, 12 January

Marketing is everything, and that includes communicating your own value to individuals who will invest resources, such as a salary, in you. To land the job and to be successful in this role, you must articulate what you can do for the other party and their team. In this webinar, we will discuss the why and how of appropriately championing yourself at work and in the employment marketplace. You will learn tactics and strategies that are relevant and practical no matter what culture you are operating in. 

Beyond Academe — Exploring Astronomy-Powered Career Paths

12:00–1:30 pm ET | Wednesday, 13 January

Need guidance and advice to make the transition from academia into other fields? Then this is the panel discussion for you. In this webinar, astronomer alumni from a wide spectrum of organizations join in for an engaging panel and audience-led discussion on how to start and thrive in a career outside of academia. The panel format will consist of 4-5 short talks from representatives of various career domains in different sectors (with somewhat of a focus on education/public outreach) followed by Q&A from the audience. Topics will cover advice on marketing your existing skills for non-academic positions; what highly sought skills will increase your competitiveness; the relevance of postdoctoral experience in different employment domains; what to expect in the interview process; what the transition will be like, and more. Later in the day, attend the Beyond Academe Breakout Discussions from 4:10 pm to 5:40 pm ET. You’ll join small groups broken down by the various career domains (e.g., data science, science writing, aerospace) for the deep dive on that particular job market.

How to Write a Cover Letter

2:40–3:10 pm ET | Wednesday, 13 January

Let’s be honest: cover letters are annoying to write! But in this webinar, you will learn a recipe to write a cover letter that you can utilize for the rest of your life, whether you are going for an internship, fellowship, scholarship, job, or promotion. We will discuss the goal of a cover letter, and what elements are included in an effective and compelling cover letter. Then we will write one together, using the recipe. We will address a key aspect of the main part of a cover letter which boils down to Problem-Solution-Result-Spin Back, where applicants really shine as they customize their cover letter. You will emerge with your own customized template to use for any cover letter you write in the future. 

Beyond Academe Breakout Discussions

4:10–5:40 pm ET | Wednesday, 13 January

To provide first-hand insight into the wide variety of career paths available to those with degrees and/or advanced training in the astronomical sciences, the AAS Committee on Employment is convening representatives from various career arenas beyond research universities — e.g., the aerospace and data science industries; national labs; science policy institutes/agencies; science writing; small colleges — for an hour of informal discussions with attendees of AAS 237. 

How to Pick the Right Graduate Program

12:00–1:30 pm ET | Thursday, 14 January

Physics and astronomy majors have a lot of choices when it comes to graduate study. This interactive workshop will outline the choices available to you, highlight the differences between your options, provide you with data to make well-informed choices, and give you a starting point for your decision-making process. We’ll end with how to effectively communicate your passion during interviews and essays. 

Why, When, and How to Say Yes and No in Our Careers

2:40–3:10 pm ET | Thursday, 14 January

The way we advocate for ourselves in our careers makes a huge difference in not only how we view ourselves but our marketability and employability. In this webinar, we will discuss how to evaluate opportunities while advocating for our needs and wants. Part of our conversation will address why, when, and how to say yes to an opportunity, be it a postdoc, fellowship, grant, or job, and perhaps more importantly, why, when, and how to say no. You have a right to stand up for yourself and part of that is gaining confidence in saying yes…and no.

Career Options for Undergraduates

4:10–5:40 pm ET | Thursday, 14 January

This workshop will focus on the career options available to physics students as they enter the job market with a bachelor’s degree in physics. This interactive session will focus on identifying your knowledge and skills, understanding the employment landscape, and developing a job search strategy. We’ll end with a discussion on career selection and how to negotiate a starting salary.

Exhibitor Webinar! Career Profiles and Opportunities at AURA

4:30–5:00 pm ET | Thursday, 14 January 

Come and listen to scientists to learn how their career paths have been formed and how AURA has helped them along the way. AURA can help you too. 

Surviving and Thriving in Rejection

12:00–1:30 pm ET | Friday, 15 January

A “no” does not mean a no forever. It just means a no for now. A rejection is often simply an issue of resource allocation in this time and space. But how do we manage multiple rejections, especially as we may be facing a challenging job market? How do we build resiliency, and ensure that we do not equate a rejection with any measure of our self-worth? In our conversation, we will address how to manage rejection with a positive attitude and become persistent. 

Evaluating a Job Offer

2:40–3:10 pm ET | Friday, 15 January

Discover how to develop metrics to evaluate a job offer and ensure it meets your needs (and hopefully wants, too!). We will discuss what to look for in an offer and how to decide whether this opportunity and organization are right for you. 

Crowdsourced Career Q&A (Open Session)

4:10–5:40 pm ET | Friday, 15 January

All week long we’ve been collecting attendee career questions and concerns about the current and future job market. Join us for this open session where members of the AAS Employment Committee and career consultant Alaina G. Levine field those questions, provide advice, and discuss the state of the profession as it relates to careers.