New for 2022 — Save the Date – Saturday, January 29th! We will host many of our annual career builder workshops on “Student Saturday.” We’ve heard from students they would rather have these workshops before the Annual Meeting so they don’t have to miss out on concurrent sessions and other Annual Meeting activities. All workshops will be recorded and available virtually to registered meeting participants on the Annual Meeting app for six months following the Annual Meeting.
Federal Career Opportunities Workshop
- Saturday, January 29: 10am-12pm.
- Virtual Workshop with Live Q&A.
- Led by Rhys Evans, Vandenberg Air Force Base Natural Resources
- The workshop will be recorded and available for viewing on the Whova app before, during and for six months following the meeting.
The “Federal Career Opportunities” workshop is intended to address some of the challenges that students and early career wildlife professionals frequently encounter when trying to secure entry-level employment within the Federal system. A moderator and a few pre-recorded presentations from a panel of experts will address various aspects of understanding and negotiating the rather complicated U.S. government hiring system.
Topics to be addressed include (partial list): internships including the “Pathways” program, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other volunteer programs and similar opportunities. We will then move on to a discussion about and introduction to the important but challenging “USA Jobs” website. The session moderator will then open the floor to participant questions for at least 20 minutes.
The session is NOT intended to include graduate school recruitment or guidance and similar educational opportunities. We suggest that participants also “attend” the Western Section’s Resume Workshops if you haven’t participated in one of those during prior meetings. (The Federal Career Opportunities Workshop will include a brief discussion of resumes specific to the Federal hiring process, but the Resume Workshops will dig deeper…)
Rhys Evans is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, Past-President of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society and he served as chair of the TWS West Professional Development Committee for several years. He is currently a civil service employee of the U.S. Government, specifically working as a Natural Resources Manager and Wildlife Biologist at Vandenberg Air Force Base in central Santa Barbara County, California.
How ‘Not’ to Give a Scientific Presentation
- Saturday, January 29: 1:00pm-2pm.
- Virtual Workshop with Live Q&A.
- Led by Dr. Jon K. Hooper, Professor Emeritus at California State University-Chico
- Virtual-On-Demand Viewing (Workshop pre-recorded Redding, 2020)
- The workshop will be available for on-demand streaming before, during and for six months after the meeting on the Whova meeting app.
- Link to Handout
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve, this informative (and likely humorous) mini-workshop will provide you with information and tips for presenting your research work to your peers. Instructor Jon Hooper will provide demonstrations on how to give an effective presentation….and how NOT to.
Dr. Jon K. Hooper is Professor Emeritus at California State University-Chico, a Certified Wildlife Biologist, and Certified Interpretive Trainer. He has a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and has taught communication workshops around the country for more than 35+ years.
Wildlife Career Panel
- Saturday, January 29: 2-4pm.
- Virtual Workshop with Live Q&A. (New & Updated for 2022)
- The workshop will be recorded and available for viewing on the Whova app.
- Led by Colleen Wisinski.
Do you want to learn more about career paths in wildlife biology and natural resources fields?
Have you wondered how people end up working in a wildlife job they love?
If so, then please join us for the Wildlife Careers Symposium, where you will hear from professional biologists working at State and Federal agencies, non-profit organizations, consulting firms, and corporations. These professionals have a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, and they will share their current work, as well as what they have learned over the course of their careers, to encourage and inspire you to follow your passion to a career in the wildlife field.
While this event is geared toward students and early-career professionals, all are welcome to attend!
Elevator Speech Training for Students
- Saturday, January 29: 4-5pm.
- Virtual Workshop with Live Q&A. (New & Updated for 2022)
- The workshop will be recorded and available for viewing on the Whova app.
- Led by Katie Smith.
Students interested in pursuing graduate school will hear elevator speeches from Western Section research P.I.’s for Master’s and Ph.D. programs, Graduate Students. Students attending this workshop will then share interests in a speed-round session.
What is an “elevator pitch”?
An “Elevator Pitch” is a concise, carefully planned, and well-practiced marketing message about your professional self that your grandmother should be able to understand in the time it would take to ride up an elevator. It should contain a “hook” or “theme” and go no longer than 60 seconds; resonate with your unique personality and interests and contain a follow up request for a business card, a referral, or future meeting.
Why do you need it?
It helps get your foot in the door with potential employers/major advisors whether on the phone, e-mail or in person at a conference, chance social networking event, or through an informal face-to-face encounter through a friend or relative. The “ready-made” two sentence answer to the question “Tell Me About Yourself” or “What are you hoping to do when you graduate?”
It forces you to figure out what your primary skill sets are and what makes you valuable.
It helps you do the hard work needed to deliver an effective “cover letter” that entices an employer to read your resume and grant the interview.
Wildlife Society Certification – Application Guidance
- Wednesday — February 9, 2022: 8:30am-9:30am
- Led by Rhys Evans, Vandenberg Air Force Base Natural Resources
Bring a draft of your application (ideally including college transcripts), or just bring questions. Ask how, why and when to apply to become an Associate or Certified Wildlife Biologist. One-on-one discussion is our intent, but that will depend upon how many people show up! This is NOT intended as a formal session, it’s casual conversation; you do not need to be present for the full hour (but it is probably going to be ‘first come, first served.)
Rhys Evans is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, Past-President of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society and he served as chair of the TWS West Professional Development Committee for several years. He is currently a civil service employee of the U.S. Government, specifically working as a Natural Resources Manager and Wildlife Biologist at Vandenberg Air Force Base in central Santa Barbara County, California.
Publishing and Peer-Reviewing Scholarly Papers: Process, Pitfalls, and Responsibilities
- Wednesday, February 9: 8:30am-10:30am
- Virtual Workshop (New & Updated for 2022)
- Organized by R.J. Gutiérrez, Professor and Gordon Gullion Endowed Chair Emeritus, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
- The workshop will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing on the Whova app for six months following the meeting.
I developed this workshop for the 2018 annual meeting because of Western Section of TWS members had requested a such a workshop to aid graduate students and young professionals in their quest to publish scholarly papers as well as review such papers for peer-reviewed journals. Based on excellent criticism of last year’s workshop, I have revised this workshop to steam line the presentation. Although it is intended for students and young professionals, experienced researchers may glean a few tidbits about this process as well as hear about some trends I see emerging in publishing research. Therefore, the purpose of this workshop is to provide an overview of the process of publishing and reviewing papers. Researchers employ many strategies when publishing papers, so there is no magic strategy for success. In this workshop, I will simply provide my perspective on things to consider when one is trying to publish a paper including selection of journals, how to interact with editors, and respond to reviewers. These are observations synthesized from my own experiences over several decades as an author, reviewer, and editor. Therefore, I broad issues of “why publish, what to publish, when to publish, how to publish, and where to publish.”
A related activity in scientific publication is the professional responsibility to serve as a peer reviewer of scholarly papers written by others. The peer-review system exists only because of volunteer peer-reviewers, so, if you publish, you have a professional obligation to serve as a peer reviewer. Peer review is essential for maintaining the integrity of the scientific research. In addition to being a professional obligation, there are many moral and ethical responsibilities associated with peer review that I will discuss. I will also discuss such topics as the purpose of peer review, blind and double-blind review systems, the elements of a good review, how to comport yourself in developing your written review, how to detect scientifically or politically biased papers, and when you should recuse yourself from reviewing.
R. J. Gutiérrez is Professor and Gordon Gullion Chair Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul and Senior Scientist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has been involved with peer-review and scientific publishing for nearly 50 years. During that time, he has served on the editorial board for 3 international journals, as an independent editor for many compendia, and as a reviewer of more than 1,000 papers.
Resume & Job Interview Workshop
- Virtual Workshop (New & Updated for 2022)
- The workshop will be recorded and available for viewing on the Whova app before, during and after the meeting.
- Led by Kristina Hunt and Sarah Bacio.
- Resume Critiques, by advance appointment. Coming soon!
Job Interview Skills Workshop: Preparing for an interview can be stressful and overwhelming. Many people will needlessly spend hours practicing answers to all the questions they find in an internet search. This workshop will help you learn how to prepare efficiently, take control of the interview and ensure that you are ready for any question that might come your way. With a little guidance, you can easily stand out from other applicants.
A Beginner’s Guide: The Basics of a Resume, C.V., and Interview Skills This workshop will review the basics of a resume, with an emphasis on formatting and categories to include. Participants will learn to recognize where structure is necessary and when creative freedom is appropriate when constructing a resume. We will focus on how to gain experience to put on a resume and discuss interview skills for someone who has minimal experience in the Wildlife field.
Advanced Resume, C.V., and Interview Skills This workshop will build on a foundation of resume skills. Participants will learn how to use a job announcement to highlight their strengths and gain more information about C.V.’s. We will focus on how to build interview skills that will allow you to talk about unique experiences you have gained, while keeping it relevant to an employer. This workshop is most appropriate for those who have attended a workshop previously, have a successful resume or C.V., or are preparing to apply to (or are attending) grad school.
In both resume workshops, Kristina and Sarah will provide sample resumes and C.V.’s, and a list of special qualifications that students develop as part of their undergraduate and graduate experiences (research techniques, field equipment & techniques, training, licenses, etc.), as well as interviewing tips and resources for job hunting in these fields.
Kristina and Sarah will also be available on a sign-up basis to critique C.V.’s/Resumes; They are also willing to review emailed Resumes & C.V.’s after the annual meeting.
Kristina Hunt is a Career Advisor in the Academic & Career Advising Center for the College of Natural Resources and Sciences at Humboldt State University (HSU). Working as a Career Advisor, Kristina enjoys the opportunity to build relationships with students, inspiring them to explore their interests in wildlife and connecting them to fulfilling professions. Kristina has 10 years of experience in Human Resources which has provided her with valuable insight from an employer’s perspective. In her free time, Kristina enjoys spending time with her family and retreating to the family ranch.
Sarah Bacio is an Academic & Career Advisor in the Academic & Career Advising Center for the College of Natural Resources & Sciences at Humboldt State University (HSU). Sarah has been a part of the university community supporting students achieve their academic and career goals for over 6 years. A graduate of HSU with a Bachelor’s of Science in Oceanography and a Master’s degree in Education Sarah is able to provide students with well-rounded guidance during their academic careers. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking in the Redwood Forest with her dog, Norbert.
Career Fair
- Recruiters will host a table in our exhibit hall. Check back soon for more information!
Looking for a job – either part-time, full time or temporary? Visit our Exhibit Hall, and look for “I’m Hiring” signs on vendor tables. Also be sure to check out our JOB BULLETIN BOARD near the registration desk at the Annual Meeting as well as our website Job Postings page which is updated regularly.