1/n How do computational social scientists land non-academic jobs? I asked this question to a panel of senior leaders in for-profit and non-profit companies on a wonderful webinar yesterday, and I’d like to share what I learned:
2/n The cadence of non-academic work is very different. Academics like to take their time developing the perfect research design, but in other settings, people need answers, fast. Also, many academics are used to working alone, whereas most non-academic work is team-based.
3/n You need a good elevator pitch—one that makes it immediately clear how you can add value to a business or organization, BUT
4/n This does not just mean skills in coding or research techniques. The fact that you can design, manage, and evaluate a large research project like a dissertation is an extremely valuable skill in and of itself.
5/n Some people apply via job postings, but others land jobs via reaching out to individuals or via internships. In cover letters, don’t use florid language, get to the point asap, and in interviews show that you can work on a team, learn from failure etc.
6/n I’m SURE there are many more important insights that other folks could add, but I hope these brief thoughts are helpful (and please feel free to add/dispute the above—I am hardly an expert!).
