Career Planning Resources
Career planning resources
As a student or alum of the WWU Chemistry Department, you have opportunities to engage with a variety of subfields of chemistry in the classroom and/or the research lab. But what can you do with a chemistry or biochemistry degree? Short answer: a lot, including some careers you probably hadn't considered! It is important to assess and reassess your interests, values, and skills throughout your time in college, and work toward a fulfilling career path. This webpage points you toward resources to help you do this.
1) Careers and the Chemical Sciences website (American Chemical Society)
This site has information about chemistry-related careers in various sectors (industry, academia, government, nonprofit), profiles of professionals working in those areas, and career and networking opportunities.
2) ChemIDP tool (American Chemical Society)
This is an interactive career-planning tool developed by the ACS. By setting up a free account, you can answer questions related to your interests, values, and skills, and explore possible chemistry-adjacent careers that may be a good fit for you. Just as importantly, you will have an individual development plan (that's what IDP stands for) that helps you work toward those careers.
Western's Career Services Center website has information about career fairs and events, jobs and internships, and cover letter and resume preparation.
4) O*NET website (Occupational Information Network)
This is a general jobs website (not just chemistry) with comprehensive information about the U.S. job market. In addition to having a searchable database of specific jobs, the site has a "My Next Move" tool that allows you to identify careers that may be a good fit for you.
5) Chemistry World Jobs website (Royal Society of Chemistry)
6) Science Careers website (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
These two sites have searchable job listings and career resources. Chemistry World Jobs has a primarily industrial focus, while Science Careers has more general listings and resources in the sciences.
7) ASBMB Career Resources website (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
10) BioSpace
These four sites have job listings and career resources with a focus in the life sciences, including local biotech job postings.