by Randy Claramunt

Randy Claramunt is a graduate student at the University of Illinois and the Illinois Natural History Survey. He may be reached at 4134 Alby Street, Alton, IL 62002; 618/466-9690; FAX 618/466-9688.

Eventually, students in fisheries or aquatic sciences must venture out to find what is probably their first full-time fisheries position. Although the journey can be filled with panic and despair, finding the right employment resources can make the search less stressful. The American Fisheries Society's (AFS) Guide to Fisheries Employment, published by the Education Section, is a good place to start. So are publications such as The Job Seeker, which

is dedicated entirely to environmental job vacancies. Even though I recommend and have used such resources, these methods alone may not keep you up to date on current openings in the fisheries job market.

As a graduate student just finishing my thesis, I was surprised to observe that most positions either have a narrow window of opportunity (the time between job posting and application closing date) or the postings occur on many different lists. Within the short time given, an applicant must be able to find the opening, prepare the required documents, and submit them to the appropriate personnel. Since the first step in any job search is becoming aware of what positions are open and what the employers require, I quickly learned that most students (and employers for that matter) are using the Internet or World Wide Web (WWW).

Here is a list of the top 10 web sites that would benefit anyone seeking employment in fisheries or a related field. These sites contain not only job postings but also other employment services such as tips on finding a job, links to other job boards, and even online applications.

(1) American Fisheries Society Employment Resources:

Welcome to the AFS. My recommendation is to begin with this site because it has excellent job postings from the AFS Jobs Bulletin and beyond as well as links to other job boards. For example, one good link is the Southern New England Chapter Job Board. In fact, many of the sites listed below can be accessed through links on the AFS Jobs Board.

(2) USAJOBS (U.S. Office of Personnel Management):

This well-organized site lists various federal job listings. Furthermore, it includes a search engine that lets you view only the jobs for which you are qualified or interested. Information about how to apply is provided, as is an online application process described in item #4.

(3) USOPM (Online application):

This site is helpful because it accompanies the USAJOBS site. Here, you will find the application procedure set up online for postings on USAJOBS, but for some positions you may still need to request an application to obtain the "Supplemental Qualifications Statement." Online application procedures are most beneficial for entry-level jobs such as GS-7 or below.

(4) Environmental Protection Agency Job Announcements:

On this site, the jobs listed are divided by regions, but not all regions post jobs. However, information on each regional office can be found in case you want to contact them directly.

(5) Who We Are-U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:

This site provides a list of professional positions, a description of the GS-level system, and all U.S. Fish and Wildlife regional office addresses. To obtain actual vacancy announcements, you need to link or access directly the Department of Interior AVADS (see below).

(6) The U.S. Department of Interior, Automated Vacancy Announcement Distribution System (AVADS):

This is a great site for finding a variety of jobs within natural resources fields; it includes job listings from agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service.

(7) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:

This site has an Index of Job Opportunities that can be accessed.

(8) Aquanet Network/Employment Opportunities:

The site, Aquanet, has a variety of positions from disciplines ranging from freshwater fisheries to oceanography.

(9) BioNet:

This is another network of job boards, but it is more general and posts fewer fisheries jobs.

These are some major Internet sites that can help anyone seeking employment in fisheries. However, other links from these sites or various local sites may be helpful as well. Note that there can be a down side to searching for jobs on the electronic Information Highway-the lack of personal contact. While trying to sell ourselves electronically to potential employers is very efficient, nothing can replace personal contact. Therefore, I recommend that in any case, the applicant should follow up the application process with more traditional forms of application even though many employers now are asking that letters of interest, CVs, and references be sent via a web site or e-mail. communication. Regardless of how you actually apply for a job, the Internet is an increasingly important tool for learning about and winning that perfect job.