Hosted by City of Philadelphia
- Describe your experience working with your host.
Dr. Paul Sesink Clee was an excellent host. He showed me the ins and outs of the City of Philadelphia CityGeo team, and even connected me with multiple people in other departments beyond the Office of Innovation & Technology. He also provided very specific and useful advice based on his own experiences coming from academia, including how to navigate the tricky timeline of finishing a thesis and applying for positions.
- What did you learn from this opportunity (about yourself, about career fields, the job search, etc.)?
I was able to develop a clear picture of the various GIS and Data Analytics roles available in City government. I also learned about the popular languages and software used in GIS work, and more broadly in data science in general. Data Science/Data Analytics can often be used as very vague terms, but through my discussions with my host and the professionals he connected me to, I was able to narrow down specifically what types of Data Analytics positions are a good fit for me.
- How does your CEF experience benefit your future career plans?
I made many connections through the CEF experience, many of whom offered to provide advice in the future, or even look over my resume. I am also able to tailor the remainder of my graduate research to gain more experience and hone skills that are valuable to industry rather than academia, based on the suggestions from industry professionals I met through CEF.
- What was the most valuable part of your CEF experience?
Getting to have informational interviews with a wide variety of people, who each took unique routes to their current positions and provided distinct perspectives. It was also very valuable to learn more about what to expect in interviews, and what to highlight on my resume when pursing a job in Data Analytics.
- Top reason PhD students should apply to the CEF:
CEF provides an excellent opportunity to become more informed about potential career paths and build your network. Whether you know exactly what you want to do post-graduation or you’re still looking, CEF will help you get a few steps closer to achieving your career goals.
