Deciding that you want to pursue a career in geographic information science and technology is an exciting venture. With geospatial services equating to almost $75 billion dollars’ worth of revenue each year, it’s clear this is an industry that is growing and evolving. Of course, pursuing your online geographic information science and technology degree is only half the battle. Once you’ve got your online GIST degree, you’ve got to find employment.
The industry accounts for 500,000 jobs here in the U.S., but that doesn’t mean you can expect to find them in all cities and towns across the country. Sometimes, it’s necessary to relocate and move to where the jobs exist. Here’s a look at some of the best places for GIST graduates to move to.
Work for the Federal Government
While not exactly a state or town, it is important to point out that the vast majority of geographers work for the federal government. They tend to do a lot of field work both within the country and in other countries. What this means is that you may have a higher chance of landing that dream job if you relocate to a town or city where federal government offices are set up.
Texas
Texas is another state worth considering; or at least looking into as far as GIST graduate positions go. While it’s hard to pinpoint one area of the state that is especially rife with positions, you will find pockets of them. The area of Austin-Round Rock is showing some solid employment numbers and has been an area of general job growth across various sectors for the past few years now.
California
Because the GIST degree is much more than just geographic studies and it also includes information technology, California could prove to be a perfect place to set down roots. The state is well-known for its focus on computer sciences and technology, with much of the jobs found in the southern region of the state. From just a geographer career point of view, the state also proves to have some strong employment numbers and annual mean wages.
Virginia, Colorado, and Georgia
The states of Virginia, Colorado, and Georgia are also bringing in some promising numbers in the industry. It’s interesting to note that Virginia has a close proximity to all kinds of federal government offices, so the odds of finding a government position would be much higher in this state.
Make Sure Your Resume is Ready to Go
As you near the end of your degree program, it’s important that you are ready to jump at a chance to apply for positions, which means your resume should be ready to go. Be sure to include your educational background, your experience, and skills on the resume. As well, you’ll want to customize the resume for each position or company you apply to.
Don’t forget, finding your dream job can take time, and it can take a lot of persistence. If you’re willing to relocate to get started in your career, then it can make the process a lot easier.