Career Resources: Career Exploration

Individual career advising appointments are available through the Career & Postdoctoral Services Office. Contact Ryan Wheeler to schedule an appointment to discuss:

• Resumes, CVs, and cover letters
• Job offers/negotiation
• Interview preparation
• Non-academic/non-industry career routes
• Self Assessment

Walk in advising hours are held every Tuesday morning from 9:00am-11:45am. Drop in for a quick 15-minute consultation. No appointment is required.

Self Assessment
Self-assessment helps you identify your skills, interests, values, and personal preferences in work styles and environments. Self assessment can assist you in developing career decision-making strategies and allow you to articulate your strengths in resumes and interviews. Make an appointment with Ryan Wheeler to review self assessment options and exercises.

• Individual Development Plans for career planning/self assessment tools
• Career Exploration and Self-Assessment worksheet from University of Chicago

Career Exploration Panels & Workshops
The Career & Postdoctoral Services Office & the Society of Fellows arrange events to showcase a variety of career options. See: Career Workshop Series

Jan Hill & Ryan Wheeler co-facilitate a three-session Career Transitions Group to help postdocs and graduate students think through the decision of whether an academic career or other career options may be best for them.  In a confidential small group environment, participants discuss how knowing their values, interests, skills, and goals can help them take their next step. Scheduling and registration details are announced to the postdocs email list and posted to the Career Workshop Series page.

Course Reimbursement for Postdocs and Gradaute Students
Reimbursement is offered for certain local professional development courses. Details, including reimbursement procedures, course eligibility, & FAQ, can be found on the course reimbursement website.

Career Resources: Non-Academic Job Search

Resume Writing

• Resume Writing: Summary/Profile Examples from the TSRI Career & Postdoc Office (featuring actual examples from postdoc resumes)
• Resume Writing: Research Experience Examples from the TSRI Career & Postdoc Office (featuring actual examples from postdoc resumes)
• "CVs for Postdocs Leaving Academia" CareerDoctor article from ScienceCareers.org
• "How to Write a Winning Resume" ScienceCareers.org article by Peter Fiske
• "CVs That Open Industry Doors" ScienceCareers.org article by Dave Jensen
• Resume Preparation - Tips for Chemical Professionals (.pdf) - Comprehensive resume writing guide from the American Chemical Society

Interviewing

• Interviewing Skills for Chemical Professionals Comprehensive interviewing guide from the American Chemical Society

The Career & Postdoctoral Services Office offers videotaped practice interview/feedback sessions in small groups. Postdocs and gradudate students hear constructive comments about their verbal responses and body language from the facilitators and their peers. Participants' responses are videotaped and critiqued on-the-spot as each person takes turns fielding standard HR screening questions. Scheduling and registration details are announced to the postdocs email list and posted to the Career Workshop Series page.

Networking & Professional Societies

• American Chemical Society
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society
• American Physiological Society
• Association for Support of Graduate Students
• Association for Women in Science (AWIS)
• Association of Science-Technology Centers
• BIOCOM
• Connect
• Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)
• LinkedIn (See TSRI Postdoc Network group)
• National Postdoctoral Association
• National Association of Graduate-Professional Students
• National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Engineers
• Network for Women in Science (TSRI)
• San Diego Biotechnology Discussion Group
• San Diego Bioinformatics Forum
• Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
• Society of Fellows (TSRI)
• Scholarly Societies Project
• The Science Coalition
• Council on Undergraduate Research

• University of Chicago Informational Interviewing Guide
• "Coffee in 2002, a Job Offer in 2004" (Chronicle Careers article)

Other Resources

• 38 common non-academic, non-industry career paths for PhD-level life scientists
• Choices in Neuroscience Careers article featuring TSRI's Tamas Bartfai appearing in Nature Reviews Neuroscience
• Harvard University Office of Career Services
• UC Berkeley Career Center
• UC San Francisco Office of Career and Professional Development
• University of Pennsylvania Career Services
• Washington University Graduate School Career Resources
• Re-envisioning the Ph.D. Career Resources from various universities
• Flcdatacenter.com Department of Labor historical data of employers who have submitted petitions for H1-b jobs
• PhDs.org career resources for scientists
• ScienceCareers
• Biotechnology Calendar including regional links to San Diego and Los Angeles
• Biocom Online Workforce Center featuring information about Life Science Careers, Education and Training, BIOCOM Initiatives, and Resources.

Recent News & Articles from ScienceCareers.org