Will you have a BA with a major in mathematics or computer science, but not sure what the possibilities are? Want some time away from academia before graduate school, but still want to work in a mathematics or computer science-related field?

The good news is that you are qualified for many jobs in these fields with a Bachelor's degree. But where do you look? Professional societies, university job postings, non-profit organizations, national laboratories, industry, and other job posting sites are all promising avenues to explore.

Not really sure where to start or just want more information on mathematics or computer science careers? Compiled here are some ideas on where to start.

Professional Societies
Professional societies offer the opportunity to network with professionals in your field. Many have their own web pages with job postings. In addition to posting jobs, professional societies' web pages give information for undergraduates on how to prepare for a career in math and computer science-related fields. Below are some examples; however, this is far from a comprehensive list. Ask your professors which societies they belong to for more ideas.

By becoming a student member of a professional society, you gain all the benefits of membership at a much reduced student price (around $15-$20 compared to the $40-$60 regular membership). These benefits include reduced registration costs for attending and presenting at annual society meetings, reduced journal subscription costs, and newsletter subscriptions. Student members gain access to society job listings as well.

American Mathematical Society -- This site has links to Career and Employment opportunities in mathematics, membership information, links to journals and books, math news, and information about employment opportunities with the American Mathematical Society.

Employment Information in the Mathematical Sciences (EIMS) -- From this site you can search employment listings as well as subscribe to receive employment listings by e-mail. You can also access the Job Application Database for Mathematics from this site.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) -- Click on "Careers & Employment" and search for jobs at IEEE, career resources, information for students, scholarships and awards, and internships.

Mathematical Association of America -- Check out the MAA's Student Page for information on careers, graduate school, summer opportunities, MAA activities and more. Also check out the MAA's Employment Opportunities in the Mathematical Sciences page, which mostly advertises academic positions requiring a Ph.D., but offers a few at the BA level.

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) -- Check out SIAM's Career Information page for careers in applied mathematics and computational sciences. Also see their Graduate Programs page for information on grad school in applied mathematics and computational sciences.

University Job Postings
If you are interested in a Technician or Research Assistant position, the job postings of the university or college you want to work for are the most promising places to look, though professional societies and industry will advertise these positions as well.

Once you've decided where you might like to work, visit that university's website and look for the Job Opportunities or Employment Opportunities page. If it is not immediately obvious on the university's main page, often the quickest way to locate it is by accessing the site index. In addition to checking the job listings, it is a good idea to research the professors working at the institution and to contact them directly (telephone, email, letter) about the possibility of working with them.

Below are some examples of job listing sites from universities. Though you may not want to work specifically at one of the listed schools, you can access them to compare job responsibilities and pay scales. While there are a number of Technician and Research Assistant positions advertised, note that these are not the only types of jobs available to graduates at universities.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- This is MIT's job search page for "external candidates." This page features search options as well as "fast search"--a list of jobs posted at the university in the last 7 days.

The University of Chicago -- This is the "UChicago Jobs OnLine Employment Site," from which you can search job postings and learn more about working for the university.

Non-Profit Organizations
Many non-profits need computer and mathematics people to work for them. They offer yearlong or shorter internships or positions for recent graduates. These can give you great experience using your degree in a non-academic setting. Ask professors, alumni, and friends about other possible non-profits you might be interested in working with or visit the CDO's Non-Profits web page.

Student Conservation Association -- Offers short to long-term positions with national parks, non-profit organizations, and private preserves for undergraduates and graduates. Some positions carry education awards upon completion to be used for further study or loan repayment.

The Nature Conservancy -- From this site you can browse nature-related careers from all over the country.

With a national non-profit, such as The Nature Conservancy or Audubon Society, it is a good idea to contact the specific local chapters you would like to work with to inquire about job opportunities. Positions may be filled locally and therefore never even listed on the national job databases. For example:

The Nature Conservancy State Offices web page links

The Audubon Society State Offices and Local Chapters web page links

National Laboratories
Lawrence Livermore National Lab -- The mission of the Laboratory is to serve as a national resource of scientific, technical, and engineering capability with a special focus on global security, global ecology and bioscience. LLNL is operated by the University of California under a contract with the US Department of Energy. This site lists job postings by easy-to-search categories and also features job postings that LLNL is especially looking to fill.

Los Alamos National Lab -- Los Alamos Lab, located approximately 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, occupies 43 square miles of land in Northern New Mexico. Owned by the Department of Energy, Los Alamos has been managed by the University of California since 1943, when the Laboratory was born as part of the Manhattan Project to create the first atomic weapons during World War II. National security remains the central part of Los Alamos' mission, but the lab also offers the opportunity to work on issues related to the environment and infrastructure as well.

Oak Ridge National Lab -- "ORNL is a multiprogram science and technology laboratory managed for the U.S. Department of Energy by UT-Battelle, LLC. Scientists and engineers at ORNL conduct basic and applied research and development to create scientific knowledge and technological solutions that strengthen the nation's leadership in key areas of science; increase the availability of clean, abundant energy; restore and protect the environment; and contribute to national security."

Sandia National Lab -- Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Brookhaven National Lab -- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research facility located in Long Island, New York. Since 1947 BNL has focused on scientific research in physics, medicine, biology, chemistry, and environmental science.

Industry

Industry offers not only research and technical positions, but opportunities in sales and marketing as well.

Automation Alley -- Based in Southeast Michigan, Automation Alley offers job and internship opportunities in "the nation's newest and fastest growing technology cluster."

True Careers -- Search for computer-related jobs by state, job title, or keyword.

Dice.com -- A major site for technology careers, at Dice.com you can search from a database containing approximately 51,000 technology jobs.

Haystack Group, Inc. -- This is a retained executive search consultancy providing exhaustive executive search and search research services to firms working within four specific industries: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Health Care Information Technology.

JustComputerJobs.com -- This site is divided into 40 separate categories that focus on a particular technology, such as Just JavaJobs.com or JustUnixJobs.com.

Marblejar.com -- A national, web-based IT recruiting firm.

Other Job Postings
Nature -- Nature Magazine's searchable database for all types of science jobs around the world for all education levels.

Science -- Science Magazine's searchable database for all types of science jobs for all education levels.

What else do computer scientists and mathematicians do?
Want more information about what kinds of jobs are out there? Here are some good places to start gaining more information:

• Talk to your professors -- after all they have careers in computer science and mathematics!
• Talk to alumni who work in computer or math fields. It may be especially helpful to talk to alumni who do not have careers in academia. They can give you an idea of what computer scientists and mathematicians do outside of academics. A Career Counselor in the CDO can help put you in touch with alumni.
• Talk to a Career Counselor. They can help you focus your career and job searching goals as well as give you ideas on where to look and who to talk to about the type of job you want.
• The CDO library has numerous resources to help you explore careers in computer science and mathematics. Check out the sections in the library marked "Careers in Business," and/or "Careers in Technology," They contain resources such as 100 Jobs in Technology and Peterson's Job Opportunities for Engineering and Computer Science Majors.

In addition to print resources, you may want to investigate professional societies' web pages or these other web-resources:

Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Planning Guide to Grad School and Beyond -- This publication is available through the Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy from the National Academy Press in Washington, DC.

Exams Online -- Exam preparation and assessment of certification-related skills. Enables individuals to prepare for Microsoft, Novell, Cisco, TompTIA, Sun, Oracle and other certification programs.

The Sloan Foundation's Career Cornerstone for Computer Science/Information Technology -- Career information and resources for computer science and electrical engineering students.

The Sloan Foundation's Career Cornerstone for Mathematics -- Career information and resources for mathematics students.