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(Updated: 03/16/02)

So, you're thinking of looking for a new job in the water resources field. Or maybe you just want some tips on how to write a good resume or how to interview for a job. As recently as a few years ago this would have required a time-consuming search of trade magazines, books, newspapers, yellow pages, government offices, career placement offices or personal contacts. But today all of this information is right at your fingertips. Just as the Internet has pervaded all aspects of society, it has also become a major avenue for advertising job openings and providing career counseling.

Whether you are looking for a hydrologist position with the federal government, an engineering position with a private consulting firm, or a University faculty position, hundreds of water resource positions of all types are advertised on-line. The difficulty comes in finding these relatively few positions among the mountain of information available on the web. It is presently estimated that there are over 10,000 job related web sites which list hundreds of thousands of job openings and the numbers continue to grow. The amount of available information is so enormous that even the most experienced Internet user can become frustrated trying to sift through the haystack of material to find a few needles. There are, however, some Internet locations that consistently provide good information on water resources jobs. The objective of this article is to provide basic information on the Internet and how to access some of the sites with water resources jobs and career information.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet for Job Searching

The popularity of the Internet as a job searching and job advertising tool has grown because it provides easy access to a wealth of information. Data on thousands of careers, companies, cities, and career planning services are all available at your finger tips 24 hours a day. The vast majority of these sites are free of charge although a few do have small charges for resume services. The Internet also allows you to make those all-important personal contacts with potential employers while demonstrating a basic level of computer literacy. But most importantly, the Internet provides access to thousands of job listings which can be condensed using keywords.

Sounds like a job hunters dream doesn't it? Unfortunately, using the Internet for job searching does have some drawbacks. Most importantly, many employers still prefer the traditional methods of advertising and filling positions and lots of jobs never make it to the Internet. Personal contacts are still, and will probably always be, the best way to land the perfect job. Furthermore, the vast majority of job openings listed are for computer related jobs. Sifting through the thousands of computer jobs to find a few water resources openings can be frustrating and time consuming, especially during the slow peak usage times. Finally, using the Internet requires a computer and an Internet server - things which many people still do not own or have access to.

Ready to Start Searching?

Listed throughout the article are the names (in bold print) and Internet addresses (in parentheses) of good sites to visit for information on water resources jobs and positions available. These sites can be accessed by typing the address into an open address command line in your web browser.The Internet addresses listed in this article will occasionally change. If you have trouble accessing a site using the published address, try typing the name of the site into a search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, or MSN. You can also use these search engines to look for additional job-related Internet sites by entering keywords like "water" and "jobs" in their command lines. The web sites listed in this article are far from a complete list but hopefully they will give you a good start to finding your dream water resources job on-line!

Good Internet Sites for Water Resources Jobs

On-Line Resource Guides

If you want some excellent information on using the Internet for job searching or if you need tips on resume preparation, interviewing skills, expected salaries, or cover letters, there are numerous on-line resource guides to help you. Some of these sites also provide links to sites with job listings. If you are just starting out with using the Internet for job searching these guides are a good place to start. The sites listed below are just a few of the many available.

Link Sites

Some Internet sites are used primarily to access or "link" to other sites where job information or listings can be found. In some cases, these links are categorized by job types or descriptions.

Large Job Sites

These sites usually contain thousands of jobs across many different fields, therefore, searching through them can be time consuming. Some require geographical locations, keywords, company name, etc. Some of these sites also only represent a narrow portion of the total job market so ' be disappointed if there isn't anything here. Don't get too excited when your keyword search on "water" turns up 250 job listings because included in this list will be jobs like swimming pool salesman and water truck driver. Despite this, there are usually ten or 20 good water resources jobs on these sites. Because of their size and the sheer number of visitors, they can be very slow at times but you should find at least a few water resources job listings at each of these sites. Virtually all of these sites also provide information on resume writing, interviewing, and other career enhancement tips.

Environmental Job Sites

These sites cater to those looking for jobs in the environmental field. There are typically a few water-related jobs in each of these sites. The WebDirectory site listed above has links to most of these sites.

Professional Organizations with Water Jobs

Most professional organizations have home pages on the web with job listings or career information. There are usually 5 to 30 jobs listed at each site and the types of jobs are easy to predict based on the type of organization (i.e. American Water Works Association site lists mostly jobs for water or wastewater engineers). These sites are pretty much a must visit if you're looking for a water resources job. In addition to the AWRA home page, other organizations with good sites include:

Newspapers

Newspapers have traditionally been a major source of job listings, especially the Sunday editions. With Internet access there's no need to run to the library or news stand for the Sunday editions - most are available on-line! Simply use one of the search engines and type in the name of the newspaper you want. You may be surprised to find that, in addition to the major city papers, many smaller city newspapers are also available on-line.

Government Jobs

Lists of federal water resources jobs are widely available on-line. Most of the sites listed below have 10 to 20 federal government water resources jobs listed and they are usually updated frequently. Unfortunately, the jobs descriptions are often very brief and some of the sites are difficult to navigate.

If you are interested in state government jobs try searching each states' home page. Most have excellent home pages with links to natural resources or environmental departments and a few list job openings for water resources professionals. Local government jobs are also available on-line but they are difficult to find unless you know the city or county where you want to work.

Newsgroups

Newsgroups provide a gathering place for people with similar interests including job-seekers. Like web home pages, they are located on the Internet and must be accessed through your Web browser. There are presently about 20,000 newsgroups on-line grouped by topics. Go to a newsgroup for a subject (like sci.engineering) and you'll find contacts, job listings, and help on job hunting. You can read through the titles of each message and see the email of the person that wrote it. Pick ones that you want to read and you can respond directly to the person or to the whole group. You can subscribe to newsgroups so that messages are sent directly to your newsreader. Good newsgroups for water resources jobs would include: misc.jobs.contract, misc.jobs.misc, misc.jobs.offered, misc.jobs.offered.entry, misc.jobs.resumes, sci.engineering, sci.research.careers, sci.research.postdoc, sci.environment, talk.environment. Make sure that you read about "Netiquette" in the Riley Guide site before you begin using a newsgroup. If you're looking for lists of newsgroups or other information consult the following sites.

Discussion Groups

Also known as mailing lists, discussion groups are best used to make all-important contacts and get answers to questions. You'll be amazed how many people you can "meet" and talk to. Discussion groups are lists of people that discuss certain topics by posting emails to message centers. When you subscribe you automatically receive all messages. You can respond to a particular person or to the whole group. All you need is an email address.

Summary

If you're thinking about searching for a water resources job, give the Internet a try. If you search just the sites that referenced in this article you'll probably find advertisements for 100 to 300 legitimate water resources jobs. Here are a few tips to make your search more efficient.

The Internet is a useful tool for career counseling and job searching. If you're not already on-line, think about giving it a try. Remember that links to the sites listed in this article will be available on the AWRA home page. Good luck and happy surfing!