General

Category: General

Career Spotlight: Genetic Counselor

One of the wonderful things about the world of the health care and medical professions is the variety and quantity of subfields. One great option that straddles the fields of genetics, medicine, and counseling is genetic counseling. With flexible job duties, opportunities for specialization, and direct patient interaction, genetic counselors bridge the gap between specialized knowledge and patient communication. Does this sound like it might be a good fit? Read on to learn about careers in genetic counseling. 

What do genetic counselors do? 

Genetic counselors meet with patients who are considering genetic testing. Genetic counselors help patients to determine the best course of action, based on factors such as the patient’s risk for certain diseases and their family health history. Genetic counselors can meet with patients before and after genetic testing, and part of their work may include helping individuals and families to process the medical, psychological, and familial consequences of their test results. Additionally, genetic counselors may conduct research, teach, work in marketing, or perform other non-clinical work. Genetic counselors often specialize in areas including prenatal, pediatric, oncology, neurology, ophthalmology, and psychiatry. 

Where do they work? 

Genetic counselors can work in several settings, including hospitals, medical centers, private clinics, laboratories, universities, and non-profits. Genetic counseling work is also conducive to telehealth, which means that genetic counselors can sometimes work virtually. 

Who do they work with? 

In addition to meeting with patients, genetic counselors work closely with doctors and other medical staff. Obstetricians, oncologists, and medical geneticists, as well as primary care doctors and other specialists, may refer patients to a genetic counselor. They also may work closely with the families of patients. 

What is the job outlook for this profession? 

Genetic counselors make around $84,886 per year (the median salary calculated by an NSGC survey). Employment is projected to grow faster than average in the coming years. 

How do I become a genetic counselor? 

Genetic counselors receive advanced training in both medical genetics and counseling, in order to fill both genetic expert and counseling roles. Education typically involves a two-year master’s program in genetic counseling, following an undergraduate degree. After earning a master’s degree, prospective GCs take a certification exam, and thus become certified genetic counselors. 

In the Know: Professional organizations and resources 

The National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) is a primary resource for all things genetic counseling related. They have information on education, jobs, and policy relating to genetic counseling. 

The Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) is also a great resource to know about. As the accreditation board for graduate programs in genetic counseling, it has a directory of accredited master’s programs. 

Lawrence Connections: Alumni in the genetic counseling field 

Lawrence has several alumni with professional experience as genetic counselors! There is no better way to learn about the field than from professionals themselves, so check out these profiles on Viking Connect, Lawrence’s alumni platform. Feel free to reach out to any or all of these alumni! 

Wherever your career explorations lead you, thanks for taking a minute to learn about this valuable field! 

Job Prospects for Humanities Majors

By Jonathan Hogan

If you’re a humanities major, you may have received some pessimistic or rude comments about your choice of major. As a German major, I am personally sick of people thinking that all I do is study the language of German, and I’ve heard people tell English majors that they’re “majoring in a language that they already speak fluently.” Regardless of your humanities major, whether it be History, Gender Studies, a language, or something else, I hope you haven’t internalized the discourse that demands that your prospects are dim. As this article will demonstrate, humanities majors have the widest array of careers to choose from, making your problem not a lack of opportunities, but rather the difficult decision of which path to take.

Before delving into some of the main career paths taken by humanities majors, it’s worth mentioning that one of the distinct specialties of those holding humanities majors is finding niche positions to work in that likely won’t be enumerated because of their specificity. Thus, if nothing listed is in your interests, don’t fret! This is merely a broad and by no means an exhaustive list. If you know with all your heart that you want to work as a religious advisor at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, then go for it! 

Law

               One of the most common majors that apply and are accepted to Law school is English. This shouldn’t be a surprise, as both humanities majors and law degrees require a mastery of language, as well as the ability to analytically read and critically think about texts. If a law degree sounds interesting to you, click this link to read an article on the first step to applying for law school—the LSAT.

Publishing

               Similar to Law, the field of publishing plays into a strong connection with written language. In comparison to Law, publishing places more of an emphasis on a love of books, networking abilities, and editing skills. For an article on what it’s like to work as an editor, click this link, and for an article on how to break into the relatively tight-knit industry, click here.

NGOs

               Okay, NGO can mean a lot of things, ranging from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative political think tank, to Médecins Sans Frontières; however, the humanities can also mean a lot of things, making NGOs a potential place of work for essentially any major. The Center for Reproductive Rights, for example, would pair nicely with the Butlerian gender theorist out there, and Public Allies, an NGO dedicated to social justice through representative leadership, would pair nicely with a History major, or really any major that focuses on inequality in general.

Journalism

               Another popular path for humanities majors is journalism. Because of the broad range of subjects that are written on, the only real requirement for Journalism is strong writing skills; however, Journalists are most effective when they can pair their strong writing skills with deep background knowledge in another area. For this reason, humanities majors are especially well-positioned to go into the field, as they typically command a deep well of knowledge on a specific topic, as well as immaculate writing skills.

Academia

               For those of you who have read the above career industries and are struggling with the idea of giving up theorizing and researching for more general use of skills developed at Lawrence, academia might be for you. One of the major advantages of going into academia is that, if a doctoral program really wants you, they will ensure that you aren’t losing money when pursuing your degree through fellowships and undergrad teaching positions. That being said, academia in general, is going through a major upheaval in the U.S. and the humanities appear to be suffering more than STEM and Social Science Departments. When asking your favorite professor for advice about pursuing a doctoral program in a humanities field, a question that will likely come up is: “would you still choose to pursue your doctorate even if you knew that it wasn’t going to lead to a job in academia?” If the answer is no, then it’s probably advisable to find a different outlet for your passion. If the answer; however, is yes, then you’ve just determined your next step for after Lawrence.

               A short list of five broad industries in which humanities majors typically find themselves working likely has not solved all of your professional development problems; however, hopefully, it has pointed you towards an industry that you might want to learn more about. In the worst case, however, this article can serve as a good tool for fending off anyone who’s mocking your decision to major in the humanities—just say you’re planning on going to law school 😊. 

Jonathan is a Third Year German and Government major. He works as a Peer Educator to assist students in the CJW and GLI career communities. In addition to professional development, Jonathan is interested in the cultural construction of the modern nation-state, normative constraints on rational behavior, and all things German. You can schedule an appointment with him here to improve your resume, learn more about the CJW and GLI career opportunities, and work on anything else professional development-related.

Breaking into Publishing

By Jonathan Hogan

If you are certain that the publishing industry is right for you there is likely one question on the tip of your tongue: how do I break into the publishing industry? Unfortunately for those aspiring, the publishing industry is nearly as exclusive as the film industry; however, if you’re an especially determined (or curious) soul, read on for my overview of how to break into the publishing industry.

For the best chances of breaking into the publishing industry after graduating from Lawrence, you’ll want to have some experience with the field before applying to your first position. Internships, especially internships with one of the Big 5—Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Random House, Simon and Schuster—are highly desirable. Most publishers’ websites will have information on their internships and their application processes so make sure to keep an eye out for new opportunities. Before applying, however, it’s important to do your research. The publishing industry is not only very exclusive, it also revolves around a passion for books. To apply successfully you will likely need to have a passion for the books that your target publishing house has published.

If you fail to land an internship, either because the cost of spending a summer in New York is prohibitive or because you aren’t one of the lucky few, fret not! An alternative method of getting the necessary experience required to enter the field comes in the form of masters or certificate-level courses such as those from NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies or the Columbia Publishing Course.  These programs generally offer hands-on experiences with magazine, digital, and book publishing and are often available as summer courses. In addition to hands-on experiences, these courses offer an extremely valuable commodity in the publishing industry: an address in a major city and the ability to network.

In addition to experience, networking is essential to break into the publishing industry, thus, names and relationships carry weight. While conducting an internship or higher-ed course (ideally in New York City) it is important to attend social events (or virtual social events should there be a global pandemic). If you don’t know the first thing about networking in the publishing industry, the Young to Publishing Group (YPG) website is invaluable. YPG, in their own words, “strives to give junior employees a chance to build a community outside of their own publishing houses and to educate themselves about the industry as a whole.”  They do this by posting upcoming social events in the publishing network in most major cities.  If you find yourself in a major city, especially San Francisco, Boston, or New York, be sure to keep an eye on YPG!

If both internships and higher education courses are unappealing, don’t be afraid to forge your own path. Freelance writing allows you to build a resume while potentially holding a more stable job. For more information about freelance writing and the publishing industry, I recommend reading the brief article “10 ways to break into the publishing industry” to hear first-hand from someone who has successfully navigated the freelance industry.

Jonathan is a Third Year German and Government major. He works as a Peer Educator to assist students in the CJW and GLI career communities. In addition to professional development, Jonathan is interested in the cultural construction of the modern nation-state, normative constraints on rational behavior, and all things German. You can schedule an appointment with him here to improve your resume, learn more about the CJW and GLI career opportunities, and work on anything else professional development-related.

Sounds of Lawrence University (SOLU)

For the students:

Finding gigs in Appleton has never been easier! Introducing Sounds of Lawrence University, a student-run gigging service made to connect student musicians to the city of Appleton. Founder and President Alex Lewis says,

 “Sounds of Lawrence University is a student-run musician booking service that contracts Lawrence University student musicians to play gigs in the Appleton and surrounding areas. An Executive Board takes care of management, outreach, marketing, contracting, and other needs so that the musicians can focus on their craft and creating the best experience possible for their clients!”

If you are a student looking to get on the call-list for gigs, please fill out this form and you will be put on SOLU’s roster. If you have any questions, please email solu@lawrence.edu.

For the community:

Looking for musicians for your upcoming event? Whether it’s weddings, church services, or even dinner parties, Sounds of Lawrence University is the right place for you to find passionate musicians. With multiple 5 star reviews, SOLU strives to make sure that your event or big day is as perfect and stress-free as possible.

They offer string quartets, solo instruments, small wind ensembles, small jazz ensembles, vocal ensembles, and much more!

Have an event coming up? Liven it up with some live music from Lawrence’s musicians! Check out the website or email solu@lawrence.edu if you are interested in hiring musicians!

What Can I Do With a Computer Science Degree? (Part 1)

The Tech and Data industry is one of the fastest growing industries and with that, there is a growing demand from companies for people with skills in computer science. But because this industry is so big, there are many broad applications of computer science. What kinds of jobs can you do with a Comp Sci degree and what are the main differences between these options? 

Career paths in computer science require strong programming, analysis and problem-solving skills with most jobs preferring a bachelor’s degree. Here are some potential career paths and their respective requirements.  

1) Software Developer: 

Software developers write and debug software for client applications by using debuggers and visual development environments. They also create applications that can work on their own or boost access to other servers and services and test client software.  

Many employers require candidates to have some prior experience in the field and a bachelor’s degree in software development, computer programming, information technology, or computer science. They typically work in office settings and may also work in a company’s IT department to use their skills to help with any technical problems. 

Software developers need strong programming skills. Some widely used languages include Python, Java, JavaScript, C++ and C#. Different jobs require different languages and will specify in their requirements section what kind of experience they are looking for so you do not have to necessarily learn many languages badly or at a mediocre level, when you can learn a few languages well. Once specializing, you can apply to jobs and/or internships whose requirements match with your skillset. For example, if you are familiar with R, Python and Java and a job or internship requires those languages, then it would be easier for you to perform well in the coding interviews and during the job. But if you spread yourself too thin, then you will not be able to perform as well.  

Developers also need to have good communication skills because they need to communicate with people from non-technical backgrounds like managers and clients. They also need to work well as a team and be able to pay attention to small details to debug their code when it is not working.  

2) Computer Information Researcher: 

Computer information researchers work with human-computer interactions. They study and analyze problems in organizations, using computing technology to provide efficient solutions. They may evaluate the effectiveness of existing technologies and improve them by testing software systems and looking at user needs, analyzing results, and presenting them to stakeholders or at academic conferences. 

A Computer Information Researcher is one of the few careers where employers are likely to require or prefer at least master’s degrees in computer science or related fields. However, there are some federal government positions that only require a bachelor’s degree. This is because researcher roles typically need more advanced degrees. For this reason, information researchers may go so far as to get graduate degrees in computer science as they need to know more hard skills and languages when doing research.  

Computer information researchers need to know about software development to write and maintain source code, machine learning to improve how computers perform certain tasks and how to analyze data to evaluate how effectively a program or software is running. They may also need to know how to use the programming languages, Java and C, and UNIX, a portable operating system that helps programmers develop and run code so that they can share with their colleagues.  

3) Web Developer: 

Web developers deal with building technical front-end and/or back-end code that informs site function. They may work only on front-end code, back-end code, or both, and many jobs also require overlap into web design. They may work independently on a freelance basis or with marketing or IT departments.  

Programming languages that web developers may frequently use include PHP, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, ASP.NET and Angular.Js. Soft skills include multitasking, organizational skills and attention to detail. Web developers also need to consider accessibility and how easily the user can navigate the website to ensure a good user experience.  

4) Video Game Design: 

Video game designers develop video games for as computers, websites, and gaming consoles. Companies like Electronic Arts, Rockstar Games, Nintendo, Ubisoft etc. Hire software developers, graphic designers, web developers and many more with each concentrating on certain factors of game design, such as setting, character design, gameplay etc. They may also work with other gaming professionals to build or test games.  

Like most careers listed here developers need to pay careful attention to detail to spot glitches and ensure efficiency for all elements of a game and be great problem solvers because they need to ensure that all elements (such as story, gameplay, characters, player interactions etc.) come together. However, for video game developers, there may be a greater emphasis on creativity and candidates would need to create their own stories and characters, as well as create innovative ways to keep players engaged. There is also a high emphasis on time management skills as companies need to put out games by hard-set publishing deadlines.  

If you want to have a deeper look at more specific aspects like salaries, job outlooks, other education requirements etc. you can check the careers page on computerscience.org to do so! For help on getting started with a job or internship search, resumes, or interviews, feel free to make an appointment with us, at the Career Center! 

Idealist.org Review for #NES Community

Idealist.org is great for students who may not have their teaching certification yet, looking for non-profit work or mission-driven experiences. In the #NES Community, you can find relevant education and non-profit work easily through their search engine, and many of their opportunities are entry-level! Not only do they have jobs and internships but they also have relevant volunteer and graduate programs listed. This site is definitely a good catch-all source for those looking for relevant NES experience. Thankfully, the site is also well organized.

Their site is very easy to navigate, especially for students who are used to searching on Handshake. You just type in keywords for the field you are interested in, the area you are looking around, and then select if you are looking for “Jobs”, “Internships”, “Volunteer”, “Organizations” “Mutual Aid Groups” or “Grad Programs. There are also many other filters that can be used to apply to your search, such as “Job Function”, “Issue Areas”, “Education Level” and so much more! You can really curate the search to exactly what you are looking for, which is very helpful in narrowing down the thousands of search results. Once you find an opportunity you are interested in, then you can apply directly on their site, or it will direct you to the company site where you can apply. Depending on your specific field of interest, for those in the NES Community, we suggest using keywords such as “education”, “teaching”, “non-profit”, “social”, “fundraising” and “giving” to help kick-start your search. 

Idealist.org also has many resources listed on the bottom of its website. They have career resources and also grad resources for applying to grad school. They have hundreds of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect opportunity to apply to next!

Overall, Idealist.org is a very useful tool for searching for jobs, internships, and other opportunities. Those in the NES community should definitely check out what Idealist has to offer since they have thousands of opportunities and also many resources for applying and maintaining your opportunity.