Technology, Data & Analytics

• Programming Languages, Tools, Software and Concepts
  • NOTE: basic/fundamental proficiency is often all that is required for internships or entry-level jobs. Don’t underestimate your own ability to learn quickly! 
  • Core programming languages, frameworks, technologies, softwares, and/or tools (e.g. Python, R, Java, SQL, C, C++, C#, Ruby, Javascript, HTML, CSS, Git, Jira, AWS, GCS, Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, PyTorch, MongoDB, Docker, React, Swift, Flutter, Visual Studio, Visual Box, Adobe PS, etc.)
  • Advanced concepts (e.g. Object Oriented Programming, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Applied Regression Analysis, Mathematical Models, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Algorithms, Data Structures, Database Management Systems, Scrum methodology, Ideation, etc.)
  • Design and development experience – well-rounded developers and engineers are familiar with what it takes to plan and deliver a finished result. 
    • Build this skill through volunteering code, hackathons, personal projects, research and internships. 
  • Teamwork and Collaboration – rarely do developers work alone in their professional career. Just like in college, you’ll work in large and small teams. Demonstrate those abilities on your resume with any org, volunteer or group experience.
  • Communication – as with any role, this skill is particularly important since you will inevitably need to communicate your research, design, process, and results to stakeholders that sometimes don’t even possess a technical background; therefore, demonstrating that you possess strong verbal and written skills is key! 

No, you don’t need a Major to pursue a career in technology! Employers are primarily interested interested in whether you have the SKILLS to do the job: Can you write code? Can you learn quickly? Can you develop software with a team? A basic set of skills and an eagerness to learn can count for a lot with employers. 

• It may also be helpful to think about careers in the form of this “equation” to differentiate yourself from others: Career = Skills + Industry. Sometimes, a technical skill coupled with topic knowledge can make you a more valuable candidate than someone with perfect technical skills. Consider the following examples: 
  • Computer Science (Major) => Web development (Career Skill) => building websites for virtual learning classrooms for a school district (Education CC, career specialty)
  • Data Science (Major) => math-centric data analysis (Career Skill) => calculating risk of sea level rise and comparative insurance rates (Insurance Industry, CFMCR CC)
  • Information Science (Major) => website accessibility for disabled users (Career Skill) => auditing Medicare websites for disability compliance and user support (HHS CC)

It depends on the job you want! Whether you must go to graduate school would depend on the situation such as whether the position you want to be in will require a graduate degree. For example, if you want to be a Data Analyst, in general, you will not have to go to graduate school. However, if you want to be a Data Scientist, you may find grad school will help you achieve your goals, since many employers require a master’s degree or even a PhD.

We recommend networking with alumni to learn more about their experiences and decisions about grad school, and a great place to start would be our Career Conversations module!

• If you’re interested in pursuing a graduate degree in a TDA Career, 

• • If you know what you want to study, going right after undergrad aids you with fresh knowledge and lifestyle that lets you be a good student. This includes associated factors like needing to study and complete a graduate level standardized test (e.g. GRE or GMAT). 
  • If you aren’t quite decided, it can be a great idea to work a professional job for a few years to learn more about your professional interests and goals. Some employers may even support tuition coverage for grad school, or may provide research opportunities on-the-job (Google, for example, supports employee research publications) 

You are not behind! Ideally, securing an internship should happen during your junior year. However, securing an internship could happen anytime during your college experience as well. And yes, it could even happen during your senior year when you are about to graduate. Even if you are not able to secure an internship as a first year or sophomore, you can always build your experiences (i.e. working a part time job, volunteering, creating projects) to be more marketable the next time you apply! 

Check out these resources as you look for opportunities:

•  Developing Tech Skills in TDA – a longer, more robust version of what’s already on the website.
• Create Your Own Job Shadow Opportunity – one of the good outcomes of networking! A Job Shadow is when a young professional (you!) observe the work of a seasoned professional over a few hours, a day or longer. Typically there is no pay involved, and the observing professional doesn’t engage in the actual work. Each job shadow arrangement is unique – read our guide for tips on setting up your own job shadow.

There are opportunities out there for you. Employers tend to recruit juniors for their internships, simply because Juniors are closer to graduation and thus can be offered full-time jobs immediately after their internship. For this reason, underclassmen may experience rejection in their job search.

However, that doesn’t mean that first year students won’t be able to secure an internship. Some employers, such as Microsoft or Deloitte Consulting offer internship programs specifically for first years and sophomores.

Finally, enthusiasm can sometimes make up for a lack of experience! Employers like to see younger applicants with an eagerness to learn, a curiosity in the subject (shown by course selection and involvement in your spare time). Networking and Career Fairs are a great way to boost your visibility in the job market and gain support with your internship search!

You’re right, it’s pretty much impossible to meet every qualification for a job description. The good news is that employers don’t expect candidates to be 100% perfect matches. If you meet ~40% of the job description requirements, and you’re excited about the job, apply!

Do your best to communicate the key skills/software/tools that match the required job qualifications within your application materials. If you can, incorporate your experiences which may align with any desired/preferred qualifications. If you can demonstrate that you have some transferable skills and are excited to do the job well, you will be qualified to apply.

No, not necessarily. According to the UW-Madison Employer Recruitment Policies, students within L&S could potentially have up to 4 weeks to make a decision on whether they will accept or decline an offer. Please note, this policy is a recommendation for employers who recruit at UW-Madison.

Quick Guide to Negotiation

You probably shouldn’t. Once you accept an internship/job offer, our recommendation is to avoid interviewing for a new position. It’s usually not a good idea to go back to an employer, who you’ve accepted their offer, and say you can’t do their internship anymore because you have a new offer.

Sample Resume Repository

• First, write a resume. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it’s best to have a draft we can work on in an appointment. Use SuccessWorks resources here, and the TDA Resume Samples on this page.
• Use Handshake to browse job postings. This is a good place to start for identifying both internships for this year, and career paths for the future. Look for keywords that show up frequently that interest you. Bring those to an advising appointment when you’re ready to discuss them. 
• Questions about careers and the skills they ask for? Beth can discuss and compare career paths, and talk to you about what interests you want to pursue. Make an appointment with Beth here.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Glassdoor

Salary.com

Quick Guide to Negotiation

researchERS Program

WISCERS – undergrad research positions in Computer Science

Considerations for Research with Faculty

Developing Tech Skills in TDA

Tech Proficiencies for Non-Tech Students – add a dash of tech skills to stand out in a non-technical industry like Business, Communications, Government, or many more.

Coursera

edX

Egghead.io

Learn Python

The Python Tutorial

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Python

Mode

Codeacademy

Codesignal

Lynda

Identity at Work

Capital One’s CODA (non-CS major seniors who want to do software development/engineering)

Capital One’s Analytics Program (new grads for data analytics)

Google’s Internship Programs

Google Summer Code (students get to spend their summer break writing code and learning about open source development while earning a stipend; accepted students work with a mentor).

Facebook University for Engineering (first and second-year students)

Explore Microsoft (first and second-year students)

RISE-Capgemini Leadership Program (seniors interested in tech consulting)

Code2040 Fellows Program (for Black and LatinX students; 9-week program during the summer in Silicon Valley where students get to work with top tech companies where they will also be focusing on racial equity advocacy work)

Career Forum (CFN)-organizer of the largest career fair for Japanese-English bilingual students and professionals in Boston

(tech startups) https://www.builtinchicago.org/ 

Government related tech opportunities: FBI, CIA, Contractors, Think Tanks

IIP

Starting Block’s SNAP Program

Rewriting the Code (fellowship program for women in tech)

YWeb (employment service program that trains women and people of color to become web developers/designers! The program includes 400 hours of intensive technical training and students who complete this program will enter a paid internship.)

Student and Professional Orgs

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) UW Madison Student Chapter:

https://win.wisc.edu/organization/ieee

Association for Computing Machinery: https://www.acm.org/

Geospatial Information and Technology Association: https://www.gita.org/

The American Geographical Society: http://americangeo.org/

URISA – Fostering Excellence in GIS: http://www.urisa.org/index.php

Meetups

Career Fair Preparation (Canvas Module)

MeetUp – look for events for young professionals, technical specialties or professional organizations.

Exploration Resources for TDA Students – Beth’s personal collection of career exploration resources! Websites, articles, YouTube videos, books and more where you can learn more about technology in our world.

Women In Tech

Tech-related meetups

 https://www.wired.com/

 https://www.dataquest.io/blog/

Medium (technology)

Madhacks (coding competitions)

Hackathons nationally and internationally (coding competitions)

Kaggle (data competitions)

Machinehack (data competitions)

UX design challenges

Product design challenges

Connect with Alumni through Badger Bridge

State Cartographer’s Office: https://www.sco.wisc.edu/jobs/

American Association of Geographers: https://jobs.aag.org/

Federal Government Agency GIS jobs: https://www.usajobs.gov/

GIS Degrees: https://www.datascienceprograms.org/degree/masters/gis

GIS Jobs:  https://www.gisjobs.com/

ESRI: https://www.esri.com/en-us/about/careers/main

Google Earth: https://careers.google.com/#_ga=2.235464644.452480644.1517599446-1903018612.1517599446

GIS Volunteer Opportunities: https://www.giscorps.org/

DICE: https://www.dice.com/

Jobs in Social Media: https://www.jobsinsocialmedia.com/

Just Tech Jobs: http://www.justtechjobs.com/

IEEE Computer Society Job board: https://jobs.computer.org/

Start-up Job Board- Angel List: https://angel.co/

Y-Combinator: https://news.ycombinator.com/jobs

Career Builder: https://www.careerbuilder.com/