February 2014
SCHOOL OF
GRADUATE AND
PROFESSIONAL
STUDIES
How to “Organize” Your Career Planning
Where do you go for career guidance? If forensics
is a completely new field for you, how do you find
a job? If you already work in the forensics profession, how do you find better job opportunities?
At Stevenson University, students get advice from
experts in our Office of Career Services as well as
from faculty members and alumni with realworld experience. We asked three different
experts about their advice for career planning—
and all of them agreed that students should “organize” their career planning by joining organizations and professional associations.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
Thomas Coogan
Chair, Forensic Studies
443-352-4075
[email protected]
Angela Scagliola Reynolds
Director, School of Graduate
and Professional Studies
Recruiting & Admissions
443-352-4414
[email protected]
Barry Dunkin, our Career Services specialist who
specifically works with our School of Graduate
and Professional Studies (GPS) students and
develops contacts with employers that hire GPS
students, thinks that joining a professional association is a great idea for students who are new to
the field. Dunkin says doing so is “a great way to
get involved in your profession.” He points out
that most associations have student or young professional memberships at reduced rates and student chapters that are mentored by seasoned professionals and that some offer scholarships. There
also are numerous benefits for students already
working in forensics who join professional organizations, perhaps the most important being the
ability to network. “Expanding your network
gives the opportunity to access the ‘hidden job
market,’ or those jobs that don’t get advertised or
posted,” Dunkin advises.
Stevenson University adjunct faculty member
John Grimes, who is President of the Maryland
Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud
Examiners (ACFE), agrees that students who are
trying to enter the forensics profession should
join associations. “Joining a professional organiza-
tion allows the student or recent graduate to
immerse themselves in their selected field and
pave the way to a successful career,” Grimes says.
“Professional associations, such as the ACFE,
offer training opportunities; resources, including
industry magazines, white papers, chat room discussions and blogs; networking opportunities
where student members get to know working professionals; career mentoring and resources; scholarships; student chapters; no-cost or reduced fee
membership; and professional certifications.”
Stevenson University graduate Philippa “Pipps”
Nash also supports student involvement in professional associations. Nash, who received her
Master of Science Degree in Forensic Studies in
July 2012, was an active member of the Stevenson
University Student Chapter of the ACFE as well
as the Maryland ACFE Chapter. She received the
Maryland Chapter’s $2,500 scholarship award
and, upon graduation, was hired by HSBC
Bank as an Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
Investigations Officer. She was subsequently promoted several times to her current position as
AML Senior Investigations Officer of Special
Investigations. Nash gives credit to her involvement with the ACFE as a student and now as a
working professional for her career success.
There are many other reasons for students to consider membership to a professional organization
including:
• Taking advantage of association career
resources. Associations often have job postings
only available to their members. Some association
websites allow you to post your resume if you are
looking for a position. This is a great way to find
targeted job postings for your area of interest.
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