TRANSITIONING FROM STUDENT LIFE TO THE WORKING WORLD

Entering the working world is often the culmination of years of schooling. The transition from life as a student to life in the working world can be daunting as many students are entering their careers for the first time and finding suitable job opportunities can be difficult. School and education teach us many of the skills that we need to know to succeed in the working world, however, inevitably there are skills that must be learned on the job. I give an account of my recent transition from student to the working world, working as a geologist for a medium sized environmental consulting company. Starting with the process of finding a suitable job, emphasis is given to the importance of networking and attending conferences. Examples are given of how school has prepared me for my current job by providing fundamental and theoretical knowledge, writing proficiency, and technical skills such as using Geographic Information Systems. Also discussed, are skills and adaptations that have had to be learned on the job such as field techniques, handling client relationships, and learning state and federal regulations. I describe a typical day working as an environmental geologist for a medium sized consulting company in order to give students insight into life as a working environmental geologist.