Economist to geographer
An economist already meets 69% of what the geographer role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
44.5/ 100
1 How much of what a geographer is expected to do is already part of an economist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the geographer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A geographer role treats 34 of its required skills as things an economist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply for research funding
- apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities
- apply scientific methods
- apply statistical analysis techniques
- communicate with a non-scientific audience
- conduct public surveys
What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 40 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A geographer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an economist background worth leading with.
- already held spatial planning engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held empirical analysis generic programmes and qualifications
- already held conduct public surveys information skills
- already held develop scientific theories information skills
- already held write research proposals communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held apply statistical analysis techniques information skills
All 40 carried skills, including the 34 the geographer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 33 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn cultural geography required
- still to learn geographic information systems required
- still to learn geography required
- optional, not held climatology optional
- optional, not held ecology optional
- optional, not held geology optional
- optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
- still to learn collect data using GPS required
- still to learn find trends in geographic data required
- optional, not held analyse environmental data optional
- optional, not held interpret aerial photos of timber optional
- optional, not held collect mapping data optional
- optional, not held conduct field work optional
- optional, not held create GIS reports optional
- optional, not held study aerial photos optional
- optional, not held study radar images optional
- still to learn use geographic information systems required
- optional, not held digital data processing optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held create thematic maps optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- still to learn scientific modelling required
- optional, not held design customised maps optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- optional, not held interview focus groups optional
- optional, not held provide technical expertise optional
- optional, not held teach geography optional
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held photogrammetry optional
- optional, not held surveying optional
- optional, not held urban planning optional
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a geographer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 cultural geography study this
- 02 geographic information systems study this
- 03 use geographic information systems practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 40 skills that carry over
- already held apply for research funding skill
- already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
- already held apply scientific methods skill
- already held apply statistical analysis techniques skill
- already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
- already held conduct public surveys skill
- already held conduct research across disciplines skill
- already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
- already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
- already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
- already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
- already held evaluate research activities skill
- already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
- already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
- already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
- already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
- already held manage intellectual property rights skill
- already held manage open publications skill
- already held manage personal professional development skill
- already held manage research data skill
- already held mentor individuals skill
- already held operate open source software skill
- already held perform project management skill
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held promote open innovation in research skill
- already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
- already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
- already held publish academic research skill
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held speak different languages skill
- already held statistics knowledge
- already held synthesise information skill
- already held think abstractly skill
- already held write scientific publications skill
- already held apply blended learning skill
- already held develop scientific theories skill
- already held empirical analysis knowledge
- already held spatial planning knowledge
- already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
- already held write research proposals skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
26 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held analyse environmental data optional
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held digital data processing optional
- optional, not held interpret aerial photos of timber optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held climatology optional
- optional, not held collect mapping data optional
- optional, not held conduct field work optional
- optional, not held create GIS reports optional
- optional, not held create thematic maps optional
- optional, not held design customised maps optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- optional, not held ecology optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held geology optional
- optional, not held interview focus groups optional
- optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
- optional, not held photogrammetry optional
- optional, not held provide technical expertise optional
- optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
- optional, not held study aerial photos optional
- optional, not held study radar images optional
- optional, not held surveying optional
- optional, not held teach geography optional
- optional, not held urban planning optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
43 held skills the geographer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role Monte Carlo simulation knowledge
- not needed by the target role accounting techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role advise on economic development skill
- not needed by the target role analyse economic trends skill
- not needed by the target role analyse financial performance of a company skill
- not needed by the target role analyse market financial trends skill
- not needed by the target role assess risk factors skill
- not needed by the target role business analytics knowledge
- not needed by the target role business management principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role civil law knowledge
- not needed by the target role commercial law knowledge
- not needed by the target role conduct qualitative research skill
- not needed by the target role conduct quantitative research skill
- not needed by the target role content marketing strategy knowledge
- not needed by the target role cryptocurrency knowledge
- not needed by the target role develop economic policies skill
- not needed by the target role development economics knowledge
- not needed by the target role economic anthropology knowledge
- not needed by the target role economics knowledge
- not needed by the target role environmental economics knowledge
- not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
- not needed by the target role financial analysis knowledge
- not needed by the target role financial forecasting knowledge
- not needed by the target role financial markets knowledge
- not needed by the target role forecast economic trends skill
- not needed by the target role fundamental analysis knowledge
- not needed by the target role game theory knowledge
- not needed by the target role international business knowledge
- not needed by the target role international import export regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role market analysis knowledge
- not needed by the target role mathematical economics knowledge
- not needed by the target role mathematical modelling knowledge
- not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform public relations skill
- not needed by the target role political economy knowledge
- not needed by the target role project management knowledge
- not needed by the target role provide cost benefit analysis reports skill
- not needed by the target role public administration knowledge
- not needed by the target role public law knowledge
- not needed by the target role quantitative analysis knowledge
3 further entries not listed here
13 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn cultural geography required
- still to learn geographic information systems required
- still to learn geography required
- still to learn scientific modelling required
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held climatology optional
- optional, not held ecology optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held geology optional
- optional, not held photogrammetry optional
- optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
- optional, not held surveying optional
- optional, not held urban planning optional
Other moves recorded from economist
- religion scientific researcher 76% covered · moderate
- seismologist 76% covered · moderate
- demographer 75% covered · moderate
- astronomer 74% covered · moderate
- meteorologist 72% covered · moderate
- communication scientist 72% covered · moderate
- oceanographer 71% covered · moderate
- political scientist 71% covered · moderate
Common questions about this move
Can an economist become a geographer?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. An economist already covers 69% of what a geographer is expected to do: 40 skills carry over, 34 of which the geographer role treats as required.
What skills does an economist need to become a geographer?
7 required skills are missing, plus 26 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by natural sciences, mathematics and statistics. The single most important is cultural geography.
How hard is the move from economist to geographer?
Its learning distance is 44.5 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.