Are you graduating within the next year? Are you interested in pursuing a career outside of traditional academia? Do you ever wonder what kinds of opportunities there are outside of the confines of the campus? Do you want to understand more clearly what “transferable skills” you have attained by earning your degree? This month, the GSRC hosted our 2024 Career Pathways Week: Beyond Academia After Grad: Academic Pathways Week, where we hosted various workshops, speakers, and panels. From tips on how to prepare for the job market, the speakers had something for everyone. Below, you can find a summary and important insights from the events. 

Keynote Address

[Image Description: Headshot of Dr. Susan Hackwood]

Kicking off this week was this year’s keynote, addressed by Dr. Susan Hackwood, a Professor of the Graduate Division, and Edward A. Dickson Professor Emerita at UC Riverside, who spoke about ways to serve in policy through the Science to Policy Certificate program at UCR. This program aims to mobilize UC Riverside’s civic-minded scientists to address society’s most pressing challenges through proactive science advice, practical training, and direct participation in policymaking processes. As a fellow in the program, you can work with individuals in Congress, U.S. Representatives, State institutions, and non-profits. This program has the tools to train doctoral students that may not be found elsewhere. These tools will prepare graduate students for publications, fellowships, mentorship, and experiences that will stand out in their cover letter, resume, and CV. Dr. Hackwood encourages students to consider programs like Science to Policy to be strategic in seeking careers outside academia. Most importantly, Dr. Hackwood reminded us that we need strong Ph.D. candidates and graduates working in policy.  

CV to Resume Workshop

In this session, UCR Career Center Career Specialist Dr. Vanessa Lee covered the basics of writing a resume and how a resume differs from a CV. Do not show what you want to tell them; show what they say they want to see from what they told in the job description. Think of your resume as a marketing document. You are advertising yourself for this role, so resumes should be clear, concise, and easy to read. Another way to think about a resume is a snapshot of your experiences (not an exhaustive list). The bullet points under your listed roles are important. For each experience, list 3-5 bullet points of responsibilities (you can include more for managerial positions). Do not use passive phrases like “was responsible for." Instead, start with an action verb like “coordinated x event,” “led a team of researchers,” or “exceeded the fundraising goal of y.” Also, be specific! If you have the number of team members or the amount of money raised, include that in the bullet point.

One major mistake many grad students make is downplaying their roles or achievements. Graduate students often work in groups (i.e., labs) and tend to focus on collaborative achievements rather than individual ones. Resumes are individual documents that sell our skills to potential employers, so they should focus on you! The Graduate Writing Center offers one-on-one appointments with students, and consultants are happy to work with you on your academic or professional job documents, including resumes.

[Image Description: Pam from The Office showing us how her resume can fit in a post-it]

Where Are They Now? Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Panel 

Panelists Dr. Lauren Hammond, Dr. Vanessa Wilkie, and Dr. Nina Madracchia spoke about their experience and why an alt-ac pathway was right for them. During the panel, the panelists discussed how choosing this career pathway differs from a tenure-track position. It is important to know how to translate skills and opportunities you experience during your graduate program into a resume when applying to alt-ac positions. In addition, consider career opportunities through your connections and networking. Look at the job descriptions and see if the skills on your resume are transferable. Weigh the pros and cons of working outside of academia. Pros: opportunities outside academia are more common than you think; some even come with a better salary. Cons: it may derail you from research and teaching opportunities if you plan on returning to the academy one day. 

Where Are They Now? STEM Panel 

This panel asked UCR graduate student alums to share their experiences on the job market and in their non-academic roles after graduation. Panelists Dr. Rachel Behar and Dr. Clement David answered attendees' questions about discussing your career with your PI/advisor and knowing when to switch jobs. They discussed the importance of being adaptable to change. Going from hours in a lab to a non-academic career can be a significant change; therefore, they recommend that you find a good match. 

[Image Description: A set of hands working with laboratory equipment] 

Identifying and Leveraging Your Transferable Skills & Effective Networking and Your Elevator Pitch

These events, led by UCR Career Center’s Dr. Vanessa Lee, taught students how to identify the transferable skills they developed during their graduate and postdoc studies and use them for non-academic positions. She highlighted the importance of identifying hard and soft skills that can be transferable. Employers do not want to train transferable skills like working with people and communicating. It can be a challenge to transfer from graduate school to a job outside of academia, but there are a lot of transferable skills that can be found through research. Use all the space in your resume to highlight these skills. As you work on your resume and descriptions, she also wants you to ensure that your language matches the job description. Lastly, make sure you tailor your cover letters for each position. Do not get lazy! When preparing your elevator speech, Dr. Lee recommends keeping it clean and as straightforward as possible. Knowing your audience is also important. This is your opportunity to shine! Do not be shy! 

[Image Description: Community team demonstrating how networking connects people]

Coffee Social & Mocktail Hour Networking Event 

Students had the opportunity to unwind and network with fellow graduate students. There were plenty of snacks, coffee, and mocktails for everyone to enjoy! 

CV to Resume Clinic 

During this session, the Graduate Writing Center and the Career Center staff reviewed graduate students' resumes and gave valuable and constructive feedback.  

Networking via LinkedIn & Virtual Career Fairs Workshop 

The week ended with an interactive workshop where students learned the top tips and strategies to network with prospective employers, recruiters, and other professionals. Dr. Vanessa Lee explained what a virtual career fair is. You can join a virtual career fair by browsing the available list on Handshake. Career fairs are filtered by employer and/or field and list available dates for you to virtually meet either one-on-one or in a group with recruiters from specific employers. Because there are many options, it’s important to do your homework by researching the companies, taking note of key facts, and ranking them according to your preference. Look and sound professional, even though you’re online. In these virtual meetings, come prepared with questions for the employer about the company, the position, etc. It is also important to look the part: wear your professional clothing. And make sure you are dressed professionally from head to toe! It may feel silly, but it could be important if you stand up unexpectedly. Dr. Lee also recommends following up with individuals the same day you meet them. Do not be afraid to make a great impression! 

Use LinkedIn to keep in touch and make new connections. Follow up and maintain relationships with folks you meet at virtual career fairs or other networking opportunities. Remember to set your profile to public and to keep your profile up-to-date. LinkedIn is a way to brand yourself, so keep that in mind when choosing what you want to include. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who are UCR alumni and work at a company you admire or in a position you are interested in, but make sure to personalize your message and only ask for a short amount of time (~15 minutes) for a virtual or in-person coffee conversation.

[Image Description: Vinnie Potestivo enthusiastically saying, “Let’s Connect!” while holding a LinkedIn mug.]