Guide to Career Pathways
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Career Planning Guide
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Academic Career Planning
Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty
Burroughs Wellcome Fund/Howard Hughes Medical Institute guidebook for launching an independent academic research career.
Academic Scientists’ Toolkit
Compilation of Science Careers articles providing guidance on developing an academic research career.
Advancing Postdoc Women Guidebook
Advice for planning advice for (all) trainees
Strategy Guide for NIH Funding
Offers practical strategies for developing research proposals from qualifying to submission and review.
Hear insights and advice from BCM faculty about their experiences along the tenure track
- Strategies for a Successful Transition to Postdoc
- View Video (Login Required)
- Transitioning to Independent Investigator (Assistant Professor panel discussion)
- View Video (Login Required)
- Pathways to Independence (Associate Professor panel discussion)
- View Video (Login Required)
Job Search and Transition Planning
Effective Resume Writing
What is the difference between a resume and a CV? What information should you include and how many pages should it be? How do you effective market your experience? This hands-on session will address these questions and teach effective resume writing strategies. Participants will also engage in peer critiques of their documents. View video.
Utilizing LinkedIn to Generate New Professional Contacts
Do you have a LinkedIn account, but feel that your profile needs a make-over? Are you unsure how to effectively use LinkedIn to enhance your professional development? This session will cover how to develop a profile that strengthens your personal brand and elevates your visibility to prospective employers and networking contacts. Social networking etiquette will also be addressed. View video.
How to Obtain and Conduct Informational Interviews
Informational interviewing is one of the most effective networking tools to enhance your career exploration and uncover potential job opportunities. This session will teach appropriate networking etiquette including how to successfully secure and execute an informational interview as well as how to develop a strategic plan to maximize your networking success. View video.
For additional guidance and career planning, complete the following form to schedule a one-on-one career counseling appointment through Baylor College of Medicine's Career Development Center.
Career and Job Transition Planning Beyond Graduate School
This interactive workshop series for Ph.D. students (offered 3x/annually February – March, June –July, October – November) is designed to encourage proactive career planning, facilitate job search skills development and provide exposure to diverse careers in science.
The series begins with an introduction to self-assessment. Using various tools and resources, participants identify and clarify strengths, interests, skills and values necessary to inform the job search and career development process. Participants are then introduced to diverse careers in science. Through the completion of activities and assignments, participants further explore the range of career opportunities and develop skills to network with professionals in these respective fields. The class concludes with a peer mock interview session and instruction on effective interviewing techniques.
At the completion of “Career and Job Transition Planning”, participants will be able to:
- Assess strengths, skills, interests and values that influence career decision making
- Identify transferable skills and effectively articulate these skills to prospective employers
- Develop specific, measurable, actionable and timely job search and career goals
- Describe different career options available to Ph.D.s
- Effectively use online resources to research and evaluate career options
- Apply strategies to expand your professional network
- Write targeted CV/resumes for specific job opportunities
Workshop schedule and topics covered:
- Introduction & Assessments: StrengthsFinder, Individual Development Plans (IDP), values clarification
- Exploration: Academic Career Planning: pathway to independence, grad to postdoc transition
- Exploration: Non-Academic Career Planning: diverse careers in science, overview of online resources
- Increasing Professional Visibility and Connections: networking, LinkedIn, personal branding
- Exploration: evaluating opportunities: informational interview presentations
- Application Material Development: CV/resume writing, cover letters
- Interviewing: interviewing best practices, handling difficult questions, effective self-marketing, negotiation, evaluating job offers
Next Cohort:
Summer 2019 Dates: June 24, July 1, 8, 15, Aug 5, 12, 19
All sessions held 5-7 p.m. Must be able to attend all sessions.
Additional Career Resources
The following sites offer various guidance materials and career path insights to both academic and non-academic career paths.
- Science Careers - Columns addressing career-related issues impacting life science professionals as well as articles profiling diverse careers in science.
- Nature Careers - Administered by Nature Publishing Group, this site features access to job listings, editorial content about scientific careers and other information.
- NewScientist Careers Hub
- Chronicle of Higher Education - Weekly news and job-information source for college and university faculty members, administrators, and students.
- Also, features articles on non-academic jobs, such as "The Ph.D.'s Guide to a Nonfaculty Job Search".
- NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education - Articles, videos and audio podcasts addressing diverse career opportunities sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
- Carpe Careers - Inside Higher Ed sponsored collection of articles providing grad school and workforce transition guidance.
- Ph.D. in Progress (Podcast) - Weekly podcast that entertains and informs graduate students (current, former, and future), focusing on the issues of the young academic community.
- Ph.D.s at Work - A network for professionals with Ph.D.s working across industries. Make new professional contacts and gain insight on managing your career.
- Career Books, Published by the ASCB - Downloadable PDFs of Career Advice for Life Scientists Volumes 1-3 as well as various "how to" guides for both academic and non-academic jobs.
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biolog - An overview of career paths, career advice and “how-to” guides.
- American Society for Human Genetics - Trainee Career Toolkit - Career exploration and planning, skills development advice, training opportunities
- American Society for Microbiology - Career portal featuring career planning guides, videos, podcasts.
- Society for Neuroscience - Career path info, career and professional development advice, training opportunities.
Resources for International Trainees
Available Job Posts and Resources
General
LinkedIn Jobs - Leverage the world’s largest professional network to build relationships and connect with opportunity. Use LinkedIn Jobs to harness the power of your network to uncover insights such as whom you know at a company, providing you an edge in your job search.
Academic
HigherEd Jobs
Vitae – a service of The Chronicle of Higher Education
AcademicPositions.eu – European career network
Research/Life Sciences
Cell Career Network
Science Careers
Biospace
Bio jobs
Medzilla
