• What are Sociology graduates doing?
• What will you do after graduation?
• Which line of work is for you?
• Consider doing an internship
• Job search strategies
• Job search sites
• Salary Comparison Sites
• Graduate School Information
• Links to other careers-related resources

What are Sociology graduates doing?

See our Alumni page and Majors Report. Sociology grads have taken jobs as Juvenile Rehab Counselors, Police Officers, Customer Service Managers, Job Training Coordinators, Social Science Researchers, and more.

Many students choose to attend Graduate School. Sociology provides a broad liberal arts base for professions such as law, public policy, student affairs administration, international relations, education, human development, and social work. Sociology provides a rich fund of knowledge that directly pertains to each of these fields.

Be sure to check our Department Newsletter for alumni news, announcements and upcoming events.

What Will You Do After Graduation?

You have a competitive advantage in today's information society. The solid base you receive in research design, data analysis, statistics and sociological concepts enables you to compete for positions in research, policy analysis, program evaluation, and other social science endeavors. You also have a strong foundation for Graduate School.

See Possible Job Titles for B.A./B.S. Sociology Graduates and Skills That Employers Look For. Given the breadth, adaptability and utility of sociology, you'll find a wide variety of opportunities open to you. Few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge. You can "apply sociology" in any work environment, both conceptually and methodologically. The sociological perspective gives you a unique way of looking at how society works and the intricate interrelationships between individuals and societies. Sociological theories and concepts help you to understand communities, organizations, bureaucracies, families, and small groups.

See Western's Employer Database to get an idea of the types of jobs, internships and/or employers that are currently available.

Which Line Of Work Is For You?

Probably the best way to figure out the "right fit" in a job or career is to clarify what interests you the most. Do your research. Think about the kinds of work you are interested in, and learn everything you can about your top two or three areas of interest. What inspires you most? Also think about your own natural strengths and abilities, as well as your values. How do you see yourself, and where do you see yourself working? How do you really want to spend your time? What goals do you wish to achieve? What type of company or organization would you like to work with? What kinds of people do you wish to work with?

• See JobStar, a comprehensive job search guide with job descriptions, salary info, job search strategies, resume templates, and much more.
• Use all the resources available to you at Western's Career Services Center. The Center is the best resource for assistance with career planning, assessments, internships, job market information, job search services, and alumni services. The Career Center offers individual counseling and a wide variety of workshops.
• Do a self-assessment to map out your personality style and top ten career options you might consider based on your career motivations. Try this free on-line career appraisal offered by MAPP (Motivational Appraisal of Personality Potential).
• Talk with the Sociology Advisor and any faculty you wish concerning employment opportunities, graduate schools, etc.

Consider Doing An Internship

Why do an internship?

Internships and volunteer community service positions offer an excellent opportunity to explore career options and gain practical experience. Internships also offer a way to build your resume and enhance prospects for employment after graduation. Students learn a variety of skills through direct participation in settings where sociological concepts, methods and theories are applied.

A wide variety of internship opportunities are available throughout Whatcom and Skagit Counties. While some internships are paid positions, many are unpaid. Remember that an internship will help pave the way to employment opportunities, so working without pay may well be worth your investment of time and energy in the long run. Data show that sociology students who take part in internships find it much easier to find employment later.

Earn 5 credits in Soc 471-Directed Internship

Sociology students can earn up to 10 credits of Soc 471 while gaining internship experience. For more about prerequisites and requirements, see Soc 471-Directed Internship.

How to find an internship position

Sociology students have completed internships with the following agencies/organizations. Internship positions may be open at any of these locations:

• Bellingham Planning Commission
• Bellingham Police Department
• Bellingham School District
• Boys and Girls Club
• Brigid Collins
• Catholic Community Services
• Division of Children and Family Services
• Northwest Youth Services
• Planned Parenthood
• Whatcom County Juvenile Corrections
• Whatcom County Juvenile Court
• Whatcom County Juvenile Probation
• Whatcom County Sheriff
• Whatcom Crisis Services Sexual Assault Program
• Women Care Shelter

Other ways to find a position. Take advantage of these resources!

• The Whatcom Volunteer Center is an excellent resource for finding local internships (you can turn a volunteer position into an internship)
• Also see Western's Online Internship Listings and How to Find an Internship.
• Another resource is Western's Center for Student Work Experience. Ask about their Volunteer Community Service Program, and check out their job boards with listings of temporary and/or part time positions both on and off campus.
• See 1-800 Volunteer.Org for opportunities throughout Washington state and nationwide.
• If you're free to go just about anywhere in the world, try these two sites:
  • Idealist 20,000 organizations in 150 countries
  • Volunteer Match Thousands of volunteer opportunities

Job Search Strategies

• See How To Find a Job! This is a great web page. The Career Services Center offers a full range of services to assist students and alumni in developing the skills necessary to conduct a successful job search.
  
• See Employer Database to get ideas for developing your own job search strategy.
• Attend Job Search Workshops. The Career Services Center offers several workshops to help students with every topic you can think of:
  • Job Search Strategies
  • Resume writing
  • Cover letter writing
  • Interviewing techniques
  • Developing an internship
  • Getting into graduate school
• Develop a strong resume. This guide will show you how, and the Career Center can help.
• Attend career fairs and other special events. Several career fairs and other events are offered throughout the year to help students and alumni research employers and job opportunities.
• Sign up to receive automatic Emails of job openings. Sign up for the Social Sciences category (I'd recommend "all social sciences" to broaden your search).
• Participate in on-campus recruiting. Business, industry and government organizations recruit during fall, winter, and spring quarters. School districts recruit primarily during winter and spring quarters.

Other Job Search Strategies:

• Contact agencies, companies or organizations you would like to work for and see if they're hiring
• Check with the state employment opportunity office
• Talk with parents and others about job possibilities in their companies
• Check local newspaper classified ads, especially on Sunday
• Consider volunteer or internship positions (these sometimes lead to paid positions)
• Call employment/temporary placement agencies
• Check the internet for job search web sites

Job Search Sites

• Job Opportunity Bulletin Board. Hosted by Western's Career Center. Search for openings in Business, Industry, Government & Non-Profit. Choose the Social Sciences category. You can also sign up for Automatic emails on this site.
• Western's On-Line Resources. A comprehensive list of job search sites.
• JobStar. An excellent job search guide.

Salary Comparison Sites

• SalaryList.com provides real job salary information based on companies, job titles, and locations. All salary information is true and is associated with a real job position.

• Salary.com A broad salary-comparison site. Its Salary Wizard allows you to pick a job category and a region and to quickly find median salaries by position. There's also news on compensation and benefit trends.

• SalaryExpert.com A free comprehensive salary site offering salary, benefits and cost-of-living information. Find salaries quickly by selecting Job Title and Zip.

• WageWeb Designed for human-resources professionals, who pay $169 to $219 annually for detailed salary data, the site lets others surf salaries on a national basis for free. Information is current, drawn from surveys of its members, making it a good bench-marking tool.

• NationJob This data-base for job seekers allows you to search by salary level.

Graduate School Information

Many undergraduate sociology majors pursue graduate training in sociology. Western does not currently offer an M.A. program in Sociology. However, the Sociology Department offers guidelines and resources for researching graduate schools, and faculty members can recommend and evaluate various programs for you.

Links to other career-related resources

• American Sociological Association--Comprehensive look at career options in sociology.
• The Corrections Connection--The largest on-line resource for news and resources in corrections, including job openings
• Career Guide to Industries--Career information by industry for over 42 industries, including nature of the industry, working conditions, occupations in the industry, training and advancement, earnings & benefits, employment outlook. Browse Social Services, Management & Public Relations, & more.
• NACADA Graduate School Information--graduate school rankings, preparing for graduate school

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