January 9, 2012

From university to government: non-academic career options

This presentation is meant to offer insights about what grad students should expect if they are considering employment in government compared to a university setting.

Career Corner 2011

Presenter: Shelley M. Rinehart, executive director, policy development and planning/energy, government of New Brunswick; professor of marketing at University of New Brunswick.

Her personal journey to date (13:46)



0:00 - 3:50        Undergraduate degree, honours in psychology
3:51 - 6:12        MBA, major in marketing, minor in finance
6:16 - 6:59        PhD in marketing at Oklahoma State
7:00 - 9:52        Since graduation - first exposure to government operations
9:53 - 11:24      Her first experience with government dealings and process
11:25 - 13:46    Her second experience in dealing with government time frames: development of a certificate of energy studies program

What academics can bring to the table (14:50)



0:00 - 4:34        What she is doing now - her first appointment with government
4:35 - 9:17        The skills that academics can bring to the public sector
9:18 - 14:50      The different perspectives that they bring; the importance about not affiliating yourself with a certain political party

The benefits and downsides to government work (12:54)



0:00 - 2:19        What she got out of her government job
2:20 - 4:18        How academics lack the knowledge of how the government actually works
4:19 - 8:05        Opportunities in the government world
8:06 - 9:00        Which would she recommend, government or academia?
9:01 - 12:54      Downsides to government

The job opportunities for academics in the government (9:46)

0:00 - 0:48        The issue of flexibility
0:49 - 2:24        The opportunities for the academic in government
2:25 - 4:21        Contract and project work: how to find out about these opportunities
4:22 - 8:02        The conditions of employment and different types of positions
8:03 - 9:46        The next phase of her journey

Q&A discussion (13:14)

0:00 - 3:42        Is contacting HR the best way to find out about government positions?
3:43 - 5:01        The importance of being specific in your job queries
5:02 - 8:15        Is there a danger is appearing too academic in the government?
8:16 - 10:32      Has government downsizing affected the number of internships available?
10:33 - 13:14    Submitting resumes for government jobs

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