For PhDs and Postdocs

Mon, 03/30/2015 - 14:33 -- dougk
Harvard graduation

Are you in graduate school or doing a postdoc? My guides are directed at all people in the early stages of their careers - from college freshmen to postdocs.  For graduates and post-graduates looking to transition from academia to industry there are some specific issues that I've addressed and I'd like to make sure you're aware of them.

One of the most popular features on my site is the self-assessment questionnaire called "Who Should I Work For?".  Almost 10,000 students and postdocs have already completed it. It only takes about 5 minutes and leads people to explore workplace styles and cultures in a way that most haven't considered before. It is the basis of the workshop "The Enjoyment of Employment" I have presented at many colleges, Beyond Academia conferences and the National Postdoc Assn Annual Meeting. You can find the slides here: /enjoyment

One of the things I hear over and over is that many graduate students and postdocs are leaving job hunting preparation until the last minute.  I designed another self-assessment "Are You Ready to Look For a Job?"  so people can make sure they have done everything necessary before starting to schedule interviews.  Students and postdocs should complete this assessment well before beginning a job search. If you are running a graduate or postdoc career counseling office, consider having people bring the results of their assessment to your meetings so you can track their job-search preparedness.

You'll see that the general website is filled with information to help people find their first jobs, followed up by helpful information about how to deal with bosses and co-workers and the office or industrial environment.  I would like to also point out the section 'Business Backgrounder' which provides an introduction to business vocabulary and organization. This is invaluable background information for anyone going to a nonacademic job.  

 

Also, I have a new workshop specifically directed to faculty who would like to become better mentors to their nonacademically-bound PhDs: "Guiding Your PhDs to Nonacademic Careers". Please get in touch with me if you think that faculty at your institution would embrace this concept.

 

Student leaders and career counseling offices should free to link to any of the resources at dougsguides.com. If you'd like to be kept aware of new features, please subscribe to the mailing list (at the bottom of every page) and connect with me on LinkedIn.

 

Finally, I'm always interested in getting feedback on the resources I've developed.  Please email me if you have comments or suggestions for new services and resources.
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