Hi! My name is Nicole Porter, and I am a PhD student in Evaluation and Applied Research Methods at Claremont Graduate University. In addition to being a student at CGU, I also served as the Jobs Coordinator for the Claremont Evaluation Center for two years. As the Jobs Coordinator I would often work with students and alumni on targeted job searches. With so many resources available on the Internet, starting your job search may be overwhelming at first. Here are some tips and resources you should know when you’re starting your job search:
Rad Resource: AEA online Career Center: The AEA Career Center is a great resource when starting your job search. Make sure to check out the Job and RFP database page where you can search for evaluation opportunities by keyword or geographic location. The database is packed with great evaluation-related opportunities and is updated frequently. You can also subscribe to database updates so you don’t miss any of the awesome opportunities. And don’t forget to post your resume to the career center!
Rad Resource: LinkedIn: Whenever you update your resume/CV, make sure that you also update your LinkedIn account! Connect with fellow evaluators by joining specific groups, such as the American Evaluation Association group, RealWorld Evaluation, or MEsure – Monitoring & Evaluation Software. LinkedIn will also recommend job listings that you may be interested in, such as a position as a program director for impact assessment and evaluation, or a program evaluator for mental health services.
Rad Resource: USAJobs: This is the official job board of the US Federal government. In addition to being able to post your resume, you can search for evaluation-related positions in all the agencies of the Federal government, such as the Departments of Energy, Education, or Veterans Affairs. You might be surprised at the number of evaluation jobs available! A search for the keyword “program analyst” yielded 75+ evaluation-related positions!
Hot Tip: Professional Associations and local affiliates: In addition to being a member of AEA, remember to check out the local affiliate organizations. These organizations are a great way to connect with local evaluators in your area. Additionally, make sure to check out job postings listed on other professional associations’ jobs boards.
For example, some evaluators may be interested in assisting universities with program improvement by working in an institutional research department. Those who are interested in doing institutional research will want to check the Association for Institutional Research’s job board.
Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org . aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators.