Understanding the Experience Component

Professional experience is the heart of the GISP® credential. It demonstrates your ability to apply GIS knowledge and skills in real-world settings to support organizations, solve problems, and advance the geospatial profession. 

For many early-career professionals, this can feel like the hardest requirement — but with a little planning and creativity, you can start earning valuable experience points right away. 

 

What Counts as GIS Experience?

The GISCI awards points for hands-on professional work that applies geospatial concepts, tools, and data to support real-world outcomes. This includes: 

  • Full-time or part-time jobs in GIS, cartography, data analysis, planning, or related fields

  • Internships or cooperative education programs (paid or unpaid) 

  • Research projects or graduate assistantships involving spatial analysis or mapping 

  • Freelance or contract work creating maps, applications, or data for clients 

  • Military, field, or technical roles with geospatial or mapping responsibilities 

Each experience should clearly show that GIS work was a meaningful part of your duties, not just incidental. 

 GISP working with pen and paper

How Experience Points Are Evaluated

The GISP® Portfolio looks for a mix of the following elements: 

  • Time in a GIS-related role (documented through job titles, dates, and supervisors) 

  • Depth of responsibility (from entry-level technician to lead analyst or manager) 

  • Breadth of GIS skills used (data creation, analysis, application development, coordination, etc.) 

  • Professional growth over time (showing you’ve advanced in capability and independence) 

You’ll provide a Professional Experience Summary describing your positions and the GIS work you performed, supported by employer verification or documentation. 

How to Build Experience Early in Your Career 

Approach 

Description 

How to Get Started 

Internships 

Hands-on, short-term experiences in real GIS environments 

Contact local governments, utilities, planning agencies, or private firms; ask professors or career centers for leads 

Part-Time Work or Assistantships 

Work in a university GIS lab, research project, or department 

Ask faculty about student assistant positions 

Volunteering 

Gain real project experience while supporting a cause 

Join URISA GISCorps, local nonprofits, or open data initiatives 

Freelance or Side Projects 

Build experience through small paid or volunteer mapping projects 

Offer GIS help to local businesses or community groups 

Hackathons & Mapathons 

Collaborative events using GIS and open data to solve problems 

Participate in events like YouthMappers or Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) 

Capstone & Research Projects 

Academic projects that apply GIS to real-world problems 

Keep documentation, data, and maps to include in your portfolio 

Cross-Training at Work 

Even if GIS isn’t your full job, volunteer to take on mapping or data tasks 

Demonstrate initiative and build your portfolio with small internal projects 

 

 

Tips for Emerging GIS Professionals

  1. Track Everything Early – Keep a log of every GIS-related task, project, or responsibility. 

  2. Network Early – Attend local GIS user groups, conferences, and events to learn about opportunities and mentors. 

  3. Set Yearly Experience Goals – Aim to grow from assisting on projects → leading tasks → managing small projects. 

  4. Build a Portfolio – Save examples of your work (maps, web apps, reports) to demonstrate your experience later. 

  1. Volunteer Strategically – Choose projects that align with your career interests and help you learn new tools. 

  2. Show Variety – Include different types of experience (data creation, analysis, cartography, project support). 

  3. Request Letters or Verification – Ask supervisors or mentors to confirm your role and GIS duties. 

Sample Experience Path (Early Career Example) 

Year 

Focus 

Example Activities 

Year 1 (Entry-Level) 

Learn & Assist 

GIS internship, digitizing data, creating basic maps 

Year 2 (Applied Skills) 

Apply & Support 

Conduct spatial analysis, update datasets, support senior staff 

Year 3 (Professional Growth) 

Lead & Present 

Manage small projects, document workflows, present results 

Year 4 (Leadership) 

Mentor & Share 

Train interns, coordinate projects, present at conferences 

 

Even modest early-career experience adds up quickly when it’s well-documented and supported by proof. 

Final Advice

Building GIS experience isn’t just about accumulating points — it’s about learning how GIS makes a difference. Every map, dataset, and analysis you produce contributes to solving real problems. The sooner you start recording those experiences, the easier it will be to complete your GISP® portfolio and showcase your growth as a professional.