Exploring Career Diversity

Established in August 2017, ASEEES Exploring Career Diversity is a service that matches professionals with SEEES MA/PhDs employed beyond the professoriate (Senior Contacts), with graduate students and recent MA/PhDs who are interested in broadening their career horizons (Junior Contacts). The program provides the opportunity for a one-time informational interview or conversation with professionals in interested non-academic fields. The junior contact must be an ASEEES member to participate in this service. The senior contact need not be an ASEEES member to volunteer for the program. This service is currently not open to undergraduate students.

ASEEES will match prospective junior contacts to senior contacts according to preferences for employment sector, type of work, geographic location, and/or field of study. ASEEES will match only one senior contact at a time per junior contact request, but requests for multiple contacts will be honored as possible. 

The program is modeled on the AHA Career Contacts. We thank AHA for allowing us to replicate its program.

To participate as either a junior or senior contact, please fill out the appropriate form below.  

Junior Contact Sign-Up Form   Senior Contact Volunteer Form

Senior Contact Expectations 

  • Be available for a one-time informational interview/conversation, whether by phone, email, Zoom, in person, etc.

  • Be willing to answer questions about career path choices, transition to non-academic work, daily work details, etc.

  • Be willing to provide feedback on professional materials, including a resume, cover letter, etc.

  • Maintain a professional demeanor with junior contacts.

What Is Not Expected  

  • Initiate all contact

  • Have all the answers

  • Offer jobs or internship opportunities

  • Ongoing communication with junior contacts

  • Be an ASEEES member

Junior Contact Expectations 

  • Be an ASEEES member

  • Be a student in or a recent graduate (degree received in the last five years) of an MA/PhD program

  • Initiate contact with senior contact

  • Come to a one-time informational interview/conversation prepared with questions about employment sectors, the senior contact's career path, etc.

  • Maintain a professional demeanor with senior contact

  • Recognize the limits of the program in terms of depth and continuity of contact

What Is Not Expected

  • Be completely decided with respect to a desired career path

  • Be near completion of a degree program

 

ASEEES Contact

Leah Valtin-Erwin, Grants and Programs Coordinator