Other useful skills
Effective written communication
- You must be able to convey your ideas and your reasoning effectively but concisely to reach robust conclusions. This means your work must be interesting, logical and easy to read.
- Assignments and dissertations throughout a degree are the best practice. An excellent way to demonstrate this skill is to get some work published, typically towards the end of a degree.
Effective oral communication
- Being able to present or lecture to an audience is one of the most important skills you can acquire during a degree. There will be assignments in which you present to your lecturers and peers.
- It is imperative to learn to engage with your audience so they are interested in what you are talking about.
Technical and IT skills
- All professions nowadays require basic IT skills, such as word processing, database analysis and data management. These are rarely a problem for those who have completed an undergraduate degree. However, gaining other IT skills in geographical information systems, drawing and modelling software is becoming increasingly important.
- All professional geologists will use specialist software, regardless of the sector they work in, and having a basic understanding of the functionality of some of these is highly desirable to employers.
- Many specialist software (modelling) packages permit 3-D and 4-D visualisation of geological features and processes. Understanding how these relate to the real world and their limitations is very important.
Languages
- Foreign language skills are more important than ever in geology. Although English is the global language of science, having an ability in foreign languages can be extremely desirable to employers as so many organisations now operate internationally.
- Most universities offer foreign language courses for a range of abilities as extra-curricular classes (i.e. on top of normal lectures and work). They usually charge a small fee, but this can sometimes be claimed back from departments
- Spanish, French, Portuguese and Russian are the most useful European languages to learn. Arabic and Cantonese/Mandarin Chinese could also be of use.
Field skills
- Fieldwork you have undertaken is always of interest to employers in geological industries. It is more directly useful for some sectors than others, but doing well in fieldwork demonstrates that you can complete large amounts of work in sometimes challenging environments and conditions.
- Additionally, it shows you can use field equipment and that you have seen a variety of different geological features.
Experience
Work or volunteering experience
It’s a major catch-22 of looking for work: no work without experience, no experience without work. However, work or volunteering experience is one of the stand-out features of good graduate CVs. Employers look for this because it suggests you will be quicker to train.
For graduate schemes, relevant work experience suggests you are committed to the job and less likely to fail or drop out – which is very expensive! Gaining relevant work experience during an undergraduate degree can be difficult, but there are options and perseverance is very important. Find out more about placements.
Attending events or helping run them
Going to careers events is a more direct way of job-searching.
It's always useful to attend additional lectures and conferences on subjects you find interesting. Not only is this good to put on your CV, but contacts made at these events can become extremely useful.
Volunteering to help run events will add weight to claims that you’re interested in a particular subject.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Universities provide a great opportunity to get involved in a range of activities and clubs, from sports to departmental clubs, humanities, arts and amateur journalism. Participation in these shows potential employers that you have a life outside your studies.
If a graduate has achieved a good degree, whilst also participating regularly in sport and/or student clubs, it shows they will probably be able to manage the life/work balance well.
Student Representatives
All year groups and courses at university require ‘student representatives’. Students sit on student-staff councils, usually once a term, in order to pass on feedback or views about academic and other matters.
These are good preparation for meetings later in your career where you will have a limited amount of time to make a point to a number of different people. Willingness to undertake responsibility for others will improve your CV.
Organisations
Student geological societies
Many universities have a student geological society, usually run by volunteers. Joining is a great way to get to know more experienced students outside your year group, whose advice can be very useful, as well as making contacts with visiting lecturers.
Helping run or promote events (such as talks or field trips) will also demonstrate your organisation, budgeting and communication skills. Students may take on roles within the society such as Treasurer or President, which can look good on your CV.
Geology for Global Development
Geology for Global Development run projects and placements to help students gain the skills and knowledge to make a positive contribution to global development throughout their careers. Find out more on the GfGD website.
- Many clubs require students to take on roles such as treasurers or presidents. This can look good on your CVs as it shows budgeting/organisational skills.
- Many clubs require students to take on roles such as treasurers or presidents. This can look good on your CVs as it shows budgeting/organisational skills.
