Our Process
Our model is founded on the premise that career development is a lifelong, cyclical process. Although this is a self-initiated process, graduate students will also draw essential support and resources from their department, faculty advisor, and mentors as well as from the Graduate School and Graduate Career Services. Our office uses a three-stage model – Career Exploration ▪ Application Process ▪ Search and Interview – to help organize and plan graduate student career development so that you can Discern, Discover, and Pursue best-fit career opportunities.
We guide students through a theory-based process designed to help them make intentional, forward-looking academic and work-related decisions to reach their career goals. We encourage you to explore all the information, resources, and tools provided in each area of our model. No matter where you are in the process, Graduate Career Services is here to assist you. You Matter, Your Research Matters, Be a Force for Good!
- Career Development Process and Planning
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1 CAREER EXPLORATION
Setting aside time for CAREER EXPLORATION by assessing your values, skills, interests, goals, and researching best fit career options is essential for success in today’s flexible job market:
- Assessments - Discover best fit careers by reflecting on your interests, skills, values and personality through a variety of assessment tools
- Explore Options - Explore career fields, industries and occupations to identify employers and job opportunities of interest
- Informational Interviewing - Network and build connections through a variety of resources and strategies to learn from professionals in careers of interest
2 APPLICATION PROCESS
Once you've engaged in assessing and investigating potential careers, you'll also want to refine your understanding of the documents, strategies, and protocols that comprise the APPLICATION PROCESS:
- Academic Portfolio - Develop a comprehensive portfolio and write effective statements (Research, Teaching, Diversity) for faculty careers and occupations focused on research
- Non-Academic Portfolio - Develop a comprehensive portfolio and showcase relevant skills and experiences to a wide range of employers within government, nonprofit, business, education, and more
- Curriculum Vitae - Guide to develop a CV that stands out
- Resume - Outlines resume basics as well as the differences from developing a CV
- Cover Letter - Strategies to develop academic and non-academic cover letters
- Online Presence - Develop online profiles and a comprehensive professional website
- References/Recommendations - Process to select the best references for each opportunity
- Templates & Examples - Curriculum Vitae, Resume, Cover Letter and Statement examples
3 SEARCH & INTERVIEW
Take those exciting steps toward your career goals with a strategic SEARCH process, INTERVIEW preparation, and the confident awareness of how to negotiate job offers. Be the CEO of your Career!
- Focus Your Search - Develop strategies to target employers and jobs of interest
- Networking - Expand your network and develop meaningful connections through a variety of resources and strategies
- Job Boards - Find job postings that align with your interests, skills, values, personality and goals
- Interviews - Learn about different types of interviews (Academic, Behavioral, Case, Informational, Technical) along with strategies to implement before, during, and after an interview
- Offer Negotiation - Prepare to negotiate by reflecting on the value of your skills and experiences along with industry and occupation trends based on a variety of factors