STA NFORD P HD & POSTDOC CAREER GUIDE Contents Contact Information ..................................... 2 PART II: PHD PATHWAYS Getting Started: Careers for PhDs & Postdoctoral Scholars ...... 3 Career Options Beyond Academia ......................... 38 Our Philosophy . 38 BEAM - Career Education ................................. 4 What PhD Students and Postdocs Need to Know When Considering All Career Options . 38 School of Medicine Career Center .......................... 6 Careers in Engineering . 39 Additional Stanford University Services and Resources. 8 Career Fields by Skills . 40 Top Online and Library Resources for PhDs and Postdocs . 9 Research Your Options and What’s Out There ............... 41 International Students . 9 Brainstorm Career Ideas . 41 Investigate Options . 42 PART I: THE ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH Gain Experience . 42 Getting Your Bearings ................................... 10 Networking and Informational Interviews .................. 43 Five Steps for Conducting Informational Interviews . 44 Crafting Your CV ....................................... 11 Networking Online . 45 CV Outline . 12 Sample CVs . 15 More Job Search Tips ................................... 46 The Effective Public Service Job and Internship Search . 47 Writing Cover Letters for Academic Jobs and Postdoc Positions ................... 26 Resumes and Cover Letters ............................... 48 Cover Letter Outline . 26 Resume Sections . 48 Sample Cover Letters . 27 What’s the Difference Between a CV, Resume and Resume Vitae? . 48 Additional Application Materials .......................... 29 Resume Format . 49 Research Statements . 29 Resume Tips . 49 Focusing Your Research Statement: Questions to Consider . 29 Sample Action Verbs by Skill . 50 Teaching Statements . 30 Sample Resumes . 51 Writing Samples . 30 Sample Reference Page . 56 Teaching Materials . 30 Cover Letters . 56 Applying to Community Colleges . 30 Cover Letter Outline . 57 Getting Started on Your Teaching Statement . 31 Sample Cover Letters . 58 Letters of Recommendation . 31 Interviews ............................................. 62 Academic Interviews .................................... 32 Before the Interview . 62 First-Round Interviews: Phone . 32 Interview Tips . 62 First-Round Interviews: Skype . 33 Preparing for Questions . 63 First-Round Interviews: Annual Conferences . 33 Types of Interviews . 63 On-Campus Interviews . 33 Typical Stages of an Interview . 64 Chalk Talks . 34 Sample Interview Questions . 64 Preparing for an Academic Job Talk . 34 Questions to Ask Employers . 65 Interview Questions . 35 After the Interview: Evaluating and Negotiating Job Offers ..................... 66 Thank-You Notes and Waiting . 36 Preparing to Negotiate . 67 Negotiation . 36 Negotiating . 68 36 Negotiable Items in an Academic Position . 37 Accepting and Rejecting Offers . 68 Possible Outcomes and Looking Ahead . 37 Ethics and Etiquette . 69 Frequently Asked Questions . 69 Sample Job Offer Communications . 70 Edited by Arne Bakker With support from Kathy Campbell, Vicky Chung, Laura Dominguez Chan and Stephanie Eberle Cover Art by Siliang Kang 2 BEAM - CAREER EDUCATION BRIDGING EDUCAT ION, A mbITION & M EANINGFUL WORK Address Website Main Phone Student Services Building careers.stanford.edu (650) 725-1789 563 Salvatierra Walk Career Communities & Career Career Ventures (3rd Floor) Catalysts (2nd Floor) Job and Internship postings, on-campus Appointments & programs recruiting & career fairs Monday–Friday Monday–Friday 8 am–5 pm 8 am–5 pm SCHOOL OF M EDICINE CAREER CENTER A NEXUS FOR TALENTS, PARTNERSHIps AND OppORTUNITIES Address Website Main Phone Medical School Office Building http://med.stanford.edu/ (650) 721-1893 1st Floor careercenter 1265 Welch Road 3 GETTING STARTED: CAREERS FOR P HDS & POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS You may have begun your graduate studies make a match between who you are and this process you will be better prepared with a clear career objective. Or, perhaps appropriate opportunities/employers is a to advise your own students with regard you did not have a specific career goal worthwhile investment for your future. The to their career exploration. Again, if your in mind but decided to pursue graduate career exploration process can complement career exploration results in a career studies since you enjoyed the academic your graduate training and prepare you for beyond academia, you will have confi- environment and research. You may have a smooth transition to a professional role dence in your decision, having weighed it been unsure about your career direction inside or outside academia. carefully based on who you are and the and wanted to keep your options open possibilities vetted through solid research. The natural tendency of many PhDs and while gaining additional training through This, in turn, will position you well for the postdocs is to vacillate between academic an advanced degree. For some of you, non-academic job search and your inter- and non-faculty careers throughout their the opportunity to study further at a views with employers. graduate or postdoctoral training. Your prestigious institution with top minds interests, preferences, or understanding If possible, begin the career planning and exciting learning opportunities was of career fields may have changed. In process early and use all of the resources motivation enough. addition, the world of work also continues available to you through BEAM - Career Now that you are here, you may have to evolve and may present opportunities Education, the School of Medicine Career additional questions about your future that you did not know about before. Center and other services. View your career. Perhaps you are just beginning Outside factors such as limited avail- graduate training as an opportunity to your graduate studies and wondering if ability of faculty jobs, especially in certain develop a broad and transferable skill set you should complete your doctoral studies disciplines or types of institutions, or that can take you on multiple career paths. and where that will lead. Or, you may change in personal circumstances may also Take advantage of numerous professional have spent most of your graduate years necessitate keeping your options open. learning opportunities and experiences concentrating on your academic work and It is helpful to have looked at all viable while you are here. Make time to test now face a job search in a competitive options regardless of your final career out your interests in various careers and job market. Whether you decide to decision. Within academia, consider the start developing a professional network. pursue an academic career or options various types of institutions or the possible Regardless of where you are in your career beyond academia, it is important for you diversity of academic roles. Even if you exploration process, a BEAM or SoMCC to understand and explore the breadth ultimately become a professor, the process career coach or counselor can serve as your of career options available. The time it of examining various options would have sounding board and help you navigate the takes to figure out your interests and helped you clarify why you have just taken career decision-making process and job skills, learn about the world of work, and the default path. Also, after going through search within or beyond academia. 4 BEAM - Career Education Assessments Programs BEAM - Career Education (BEAM) One of the best ways to increase your There are a variety of events and programs empowers PhD students and postdocs self-awareness is through a professional offered throughout the academic year. To to cultivate personalized networks assessment focused on your personality, view a list of upcoming events for PhDs that shape your professional journey career interests, or strengths. Below, you and postdocs, as well as the Career Fair through customized support based on will find a brief explanation of the assess- schedule, please log into Handshake at your interests, academic discipline and ments we offer. These tools are excellent https://stanford.joinhandshake.com. degree level. BEAM offers meetups, labs, resources for clarifying your interests, individual coaching appointments, career developing a professional vocabulary for • Meetups fairs, on campus interviews, job/internship yourself, and establishing a starting point A meetup is an informal gathering focused databases, digital resources, and alumni for your career exploration. around a specific career topic facilitated networking opportunities to help you by a Career Communities team member. transform your ambitions into meaningful • T.R.E.E. Students are encouraged to participate work. Tools for Career Readiness, Exploration, in discussion throughout their time at and Evaluation (T.R.E.E.) will help you Stanford on a variety of topics, share list your career interests and design specific their experiences, ask questions, and hear Handshake goals to explore and pursue those interests. from their peers. Meetups take place at Handshake, at https://stanford.joinhand- Each phase includes activities and tips to BEAM, academic departments, and other shake.com, is a key online resource for walk you through the career process. You group spaces on campus. Meetup topics obtaining information on jobs, employers, decide when and where to complete the cover opportunities in Academia, Beyond BEAM services, events, programs, activities, how quickly to move along, and Academia, or both, and have included employer information sessions