Geographers Job Description: Duties, Knowledge and Training Requirements, Job Information
Submitted by: Cheska Davenport
Job Overview: Geographers are persons specialized in studying the physical and cultural aspects and phenomena on local, regional, global and continental scales. They work with various specialists who focus on location studies, such as map-makers, topographers, geologists, cultural experts and other persons related in the said field.
Education, Knowledge and Training Required: To become a geographer, one should have a bachelor’s degree in geography as well as minors in various fields of study. One can take up courses in the field of liberal arts, such as anthropology, history, political science, sociology, linguistics and archeology, or at the pure sciences such as chemistry, physics, biology, geology and meteorology. There are various colleges and universities now offering geography as a major, and those who want to pursue further learning in this field may take up masters and doctorate degrees in geography as well. The main courses in geography include political, physical, economic, human, regional and urban geography, as well as field studies.
Skills and Abilities: Aside from having the knowledge and educational background, aspiring geographers should have the skills in math and statistics, as they are going to undergo various methods in analyzing geographic and topographic data. They must be able to interpret graphs, maps, and express their ideas into writing and speech, as well as make sound judgments about certain problems and issues which fall under their care.
Tasks: There are two categories in which geographers may fall on: human geography and physical geography. Physical geographers deal mainly with the study of earth processes which result to present physical characteristics such as soils, landforms, vegetation, minerals, water resources, weather, oceans, as well as the significance of these processes to human and animal use. They also analyze climate and weather conditions in order to help environmentalists come up with methods in taking care of the natural environment, as well as conduct studies to better understand how natural processes come up and how people can keep up with their behaviors in case they prove to pose threat.
Human geographers meanwhile focus on political organizations, cultural activities and transport systems. They usually support political scientists and governments in dealing with land and territorial matters, as well as help find out more about state history through the study of land area. They also analyze the distribution of natural resources for human use. Some geographers also work as urban and regional planners, as they study land and resources which are subject for development.
Earnings and Job Outlook: The earnings of geographers depend on their field of expertise and the nature of their employment situation. At present, geographers earn an average of $63,550, and they are usually hired by schools, the government as well as other private institutions such as real estate firms, surveying facilities and other companies which focus on land and geographic development.
Cheska Davenport is a career search strategist who focuses on creating power resumes and providing job search advice that aim to help individuals achieve their target goals in the job market.
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Word Count: 491 Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 Time: 5:41 AM
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