GET STARTED

This website will help you develop the skills, experience, and education to become a leader in the GIS Profession.  The site is designed for individuals near the beginning of their careers who are interested in specific information about how to move forward.  The best way to get started is to create a GIS career plan using the Prezi template below.   This will help you assess where you are at and where you want to go in the future.

You can find more information about how to implement your plan in the Get Credentials, Get Hired, and Get Involved pages.  After you've made progress towards your goals, consider Sharing Your Story or submiting examples of your work for our GIS Portfolio Gallery.  See the Try This! Section below for ideas about how Instructors, Mentors, and Job Seekers can use the career planning tool.

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Create a Visual GeoSpatial Career Plan

The template below will  lead you through the the thought process of creating a career development plan.  It provides a qualitative assessment of where you are at, where you want to end up, and what you'll need to do to get there.  For best results, review the "Additional Resources" below, which provide the foundation for many of the questions. 

Directions

1. View the Career Plan template by clicking on the "Start Prezi" button.  (Click the Full Screen icon on the bottom right for a larger view).
   
2. Learn  how to create your own Career Plan by watching the demonstration video below.
   
3. Explore additional resources or leave comments below.

You can explore the Prezi template using the navigation tools above or create your own copy on Prezi.com.

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Try This!

• Students/Mentees: Complete your plan and share it with your advisor or mentor for advice.  
• Mentors/Advisors: Ask your mentee to complete their plan before your first meeting.  Use it as the basis for a deeper conversation.
  
• Instructors: Ask your students to complete their own plan and explore the resources & links as part of your class.   Lead a follow up discussion.
• Job Seekers: Show off your GIS skills and interests to potential employers.  Add a link to your Prezi on your resume or embed it on your portfolio website.  
• Professionals:  Track your professional development progress over time by creating a new version annually.  

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Resources & Links

The "Create a Visual GeoSpatial Career Plan" tool is based in part on the resources below:

• Hangout with James Fee - Geospatial Career Panel 2012.  Learn what skills employers are looking for in a 90-minute career panel video featuring David DiBiase of Esri, Kenny Miller from the State of Maryland, and Jessica Touchard, Senior Recruiter with GeoSearch, Inc.
  

• Learn how to use Prezi.
• GIS Certification Institute's GISP Certification.
  
• The U.S. Department of Labor's Geospatial Technology Competency Model.
• Learn how to manage your virtual identity: Harvard Business Review Blog Post - "Your Future Employer is Watching You Online.  You Should Be, Too."
• Two simple, online tools to keep track of your goals and deadlines: Trello and Action Method.
• GIS Lounge Blog Post "Where Are the GIS Jobs?  A Look at the GIS Job Market in the United States."