Social Scientist 

(Female, Age 38) from Clifton, NJ

This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 38 who works as a Social Scientist in Clifton, NJ. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.

At a Glance

Current Job

Basic data on your current job

Job Title Social Scientist
Salary $102,000
Other Compensation None Set
Hours/Week 40
Company Size (not answered)
Location Clifton, NJ
Years Experience 15 years

Career Ratings

Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)

Years in Career 0
Education (not answered)
Income Rating 0 / 10
Interest Rating 0 / 10
Work-Life Rating 0 / 10
Fulfilment Rating 0 / 10

Current job Q&A

Describe the type of organization you work for.
Federal Government- Health and Human services,

Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I approve/disapprove State funding applications for child welfare programs. I monitor State program activities. I participate in on-site reviews and audits. I review program annual reports. I approve/disapprove State requests for technical assistance from our National Resource Centers.

Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
5 weeks of vacation, 13 days of sick leave, 401 K and health benefits

Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
I feel I am well compensated.

Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
My job occassionally entails that I work with others. This is something that I like because my co-workers are knowledgable, helpful and professional. We work well together and share our expertise and opinions.

Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes

Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes

Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
I work in an office cubicle that is in the corner of a larger office. I like my work space very much. It is comfortable, quiet and I have sufficient space for storage.

Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 1
Benefits: 2
Hours: 5
Co-Workers: 4
Supervisors: 3
Job Title: 6
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 8

A day in the life of…

Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:

5am to 6am
6am to 7am
7am to 8am Arrived at office and spent an hour reading and responding to emails.
8am to 9am Began reviewing a State’s 2008 application for Federal funding. The application is about 50 pages in length and will require a thorough review. I have a checklist to fill out. This helps me ensure that all our Federal requirements are included in the application. This application will take me a couple of days to review.
9am to 10am Continued reviewing State application
10am to 11am Continued reviewing State application
11am to 12pm Continued reviewing State application.
12pm to 1pm Checked email. Responded to a colleague at the State level indicating that we are available for a meeting next month. I asked her to prepare an agenda and I would get back to her tomorrow with a specific date for the meeting.
1pm to 2pm Continued reviewing State application
2pm to 3pm Continued reviewing State application.
3pm to 4pm Checked email before I departed for the day. I didn’t receive any emails that required futher input. I left the office at 3:30pm.
4pm to 5pm
5pm to 6pm
6pm to 7pm
7pm to 8pm
8pm to 9pm
9pm to 10pm
10pm to 11pm
11pm to 12am

Table of Contents

How you got your job

How did you get your current job?
newspaper

What was the application process?
I had to fill out a job application

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes, I had to go to two job interviews. The first interview was with a supervisor. He asked me general questions and told me what the job would entail. It lasted about 15 minutes. A few weeks later, I had an interview with two managers. It was a more detailed interview and lasted around 45 minutes.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I can’t recall too well.

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
No, I think a specific training and orientation would have been helpful. It is provided today for new employees but it was not available when I began working with the government.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
No specific training was provided.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
It prepared me somewhat because my job requires a substantial amount of reading, researching and writing.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
I did not have an intership.

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
I would recommend that they get a college degree preferably in one of the social sciences. I would recommend that they check out the government’s job listings on-line for avaialable positions.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
They should be articulate, have good social skills, be a proficient writer and be a good learner.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes, at least a bachelor’s degree is helpful.

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
It can be overwhelming at first because there are so many Federal regulations and policies to learn. Take your time and don’t be afraid to ask for clarity on anything you don’t understand. One thing I have come to realize is that Federal workers are extremely helpful.

Long-term career plans

Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes it is. This is the career that I want to remain in for many more years. It is hard work but it is rewarding to know that you are helping people and are making a difference. I can’t see myself doing anything else. In addition, my salary and benefits are generous.

What are your current career goals?
I would like to be a program manager in a few years.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
na

Prior work history

Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:

Title Length Salary Description
Prior Job 1
Prior Job 2

Educational background

Please list your educational background:

High School GPA:

GPA School Degree
College (Undergraduate)
or Technical/Vocational
3 pace university social science
Graduate or Professional
(Masters or Doctorate)
n/a

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