Career Services
As an Assistant Director of Graduate Career Services at Duke University, I help graduate students determine their career goals and provide them the tools needed to meet those goals. Working one-on-one with students, we can explore possible options for how they can apply their graduate education and plan what experiences they will need along the way. I also help students develop the skills to navigate the job market, including crafting application materials, practicing presentations, and interviewing.
To see a continuously-updated resource library, visit the Duke Career Center Delicious feed. Use tags such as "phd" or "policy" to help you find websites and articles of interest.
Tips for the Graduate Student Career Search
From my experience, graduate students often run into particular roadblocks when considering potential career paths and applying for jobs. Here are some of my top recommendations to help you transition from graduate school to your next position:
- Don't worry, you have lots of options: A graduate education prepares you for a wide variety of career paths. There is, in fact, so much choice that it can be daunting to know where to begin. Many use broad categories such as "science communication" to make it more approachable, but this can gloss over the diversity of positions even within each industry. By going some online research and talking to professionals, you'll be able to identify positions that suit you.
- Take time to reflect: It's important to take time to think about your experiences and how they affect the careers that you want to pursue. What skills do you want to use regularly? What are you doing when you feel at your best? What work environment (workspace, interactions with co-workers and clients, etc.) do you prefer? Consider what are the essential parts of your future career and what is flexible.
- Spend time on your career every week: A career is not built in a day, so don't wait until graduation is looming to start this process. Attend a career panel, talk to professionals, read career-related conent online, spend time in self-reflection. Your research and coursework are important, but regularly taking time to work on your career can make you feel more fulfilled.
- Talk to anyone and everyone: Talk to people in your department about your projects and career interests. They may know of interesting opportunities or connections. Strike up conversations with strangers at conferences and networking events. They could help you learn more about career paths or particular companies. Conduct informational interviews with professionals who are doing jobs you consider interesting.
- Recruit a team of mentors: One mentor can be helpful in many ways, but you should not depend on one mentor for everything. Identify professionals who have skills or experiences that you want to learn from. Ask them for advice and constructive feedback to help you improve.
- Find ways to gain experience: Depending on your program's expectations, it may seem difficult to obtain relevant experiences for some careers. However, there are many ways to improve your skills that don't require the time investment of an internship or part-time job. Talk with mentors and informational interviewees about how you can prepare for different careers now. It could be taking online courses, helping professionals with their projects, attending workshops, or completing certifications.
- See how your Career Center can help: Career counselors are invested in helping students be successful in their career exploration and job search. We regularly help students with academic and non-academic careers. Look for career-related events on campus or set up an one-on-one counseling appointment.
