If you’re seeking geologist employment there are several approaches you can take. Some focus on general resources and some focus on your specialty. Although the term geologist sounds as if it may refer to one job, geologists actually specialize in a wide variety of areas and work as geodesists, geomorphologists, geophysicists, hydrologists, marine geologists, mineralogists, paleoceanographers, paleoclimatologists, petroleum geologists, petrologists, photogeologists, volcanologists, as well as architects, surveyors, and professors.
As a geologist, one prime place to seek employment is through a national or international professional agency connected with your field and/or your specialty. There is a job board at the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) website, for example. If you are a hydrologist, for example, you could seek out the International Association for Environmental Hydrology (IAEH) and check their jobs section.
Another website that you may find useful is Geology.com. This site includes geologist employment listings, as well as specialized job listings by employer type, so that if you are seeking geologist employment in academics, the oil and gas industry, a government agency, or a mineral company, you can go straight to what you need. The job listings are supported by articles about careers and geology-related news.
By using advanced searches on general career sites, you can also make them useful to you. If you do an advanced search and bookmark it or make it a favorite, you can easily retrieve and recheck it as often as you like. Also try using the same technique at sites listing state and federal government jobs.
Another helpful resource may be the career counseling service on your university or college campus. Even if you are an alum, rather than a recent graduate, you may still qualify for their services. Since they’ve had other graduates in the department or specialty that you’ve chosen, they probably have some pertinent information about finding geologist employment.
Last, but not least, check out Blythe Camenson’s book Great Jobs for Geology Majors, Julie DeGalan’s book Great Jobs for Environmental Studies Majors, and Mike Fasulo’s and Paul Walker’s book Careers in the Environment. All three have hints and tips that may be useful in your search for geologist employment.
