GEOLOGY CAREERS WITH A SMALL CONSULTING COMPANY

Small companies present a variety of career opportunities to new geology graduates. Examples are provided from the perspective of an environmental and hydrogeological consulting company. One of the primary opportunities is the ability to gain a wide variety of technical and business experience. Since there is generally less supporting infrastructure than at a large firm, employees will have the opportunity to complete more types of tasks related to a given project. Working for a small firm affords graduates the opportunity to work in the field, write reports, correspond with regulators, and interact with clients relatively early in their careers. Additionally, small firms often have a more entrepreneurial atmosphere providing opportunities to work on projects in a variety of geological disciplines. There is often less travel and a more regular schedule. This variety of experience can provide graduates with ideas for how they might want to focus their careers, or may convince them that being a generalist will provide for a more rewarding career.