Explore Your Options
Make an Appointment
Discuss your career questions and get advice to clarify your next steps by making a confidential appointment with an advisor dedicated to the unique needs of PhD and Master’s students. More
Self Assessment
Who am I? What do I like? What are my interests? What kind of skills do I have? What is my work style?
Whether considering the true breadth of your career options or rethinking your career trajectory, it is important to engage in self-assessment and conduct career research, before beginning any job search. Take some time to reflect on and answer the questions above. Doing this will help you discover careers that suite your skills, interests, and values and make for a more effective, efficient and enjoyable job search. More
- Consider registering for the Questioning Career Transition Group (QCTG) for PhDs, offered each
fall and spring quarter. More
Career Exploration
What options do I have? What jobs fit my skills? What careers and industries use them? Who do I know in these careers?
| Scholarly & Professional Societies |
A searchable database of over 1700 scholarly and professional associations, which often provide comprehensive career information by academic discipline and profession, courtesy The University of Waterloo. |
| Careers by Major |
What can I do with an advanced degree in my discipline? Explore common industries, jobs, and dedicated support resources by academic discipline. |
| Career Insider (Vault) Guides |
Grad students have free access to hundreds online career guides, salary reports, employer rankings and reviews. Search profiles and analyze companies and professions, including careers in consulting, government & policy, non-profit, publishing & media, finance and biotech industries, among many others. |
| Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) |
The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Handbook provides detailed trends and industry information including, training and education needed; earnings; job prospects; and working conditions. |
| Informational Interviews |
Gain first-hand information and understanding of a particular profession, job or employer, and make valuable connections by speaking to individuals doing what you want to do. |
| Networking Opportunities |
Making connections and building relationships is widely known to be the most effective way to answer your career questions, hone your search, and land that interview and job offer. |
| Salary Information |
Research salary ranges for someone with your education, skills and abilities by discipline, industry and/or geographic location. |
Online Articles
The Chronicle of Higher Education
A leading source of news, information, and jobs in academia
- Should You Finish?, Megan Pincus Kajitani
- Thinking Beyond the Dissertation, David D. Perlmutter and Lance Porter
- How to Plan for a Career Before You Have One, By Bettina Woodford and Hadass Sheffer
- Everyone Needs a Plan B, Alexandra M. Lord
- Taking Stock of Yourself, Margaret Newhouse
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Publisher of the journal Science and the leading outlet for scientific news, commentary, and cutting-edge research
- Answering the Question "Who Am I?", Kathie Sindt
- Self-Assessment Exercises: A GRE for Your Ego and Superego, Peter Fiske, PhD
- The Informational Interview, Dave Jensen
- A Step-by-Step Protocol for Networking, Dave Jensen
- "Tooling Up Series" of articles to help clarify the transition from advanced-degree student to an industry,
postdoc or academic job.
Secrets to Success for Life after Graduate School
How to prepare yourself for your career while in graduate school, Joe Cribari, Career Services Center, UC San Diego (2009)
Guide Booklets
- Preparing for the Non-Academic Job Search, Career Services Center, UC San Diego
- Academic Career Survival Handbook, Career Services Center, UC San Diego
- Put Your [PhD] to Work, Peter Fiske, PhD
Create a free acount at AAAS's Science Careers to access these insightful career guides below:
- Careers Away from the Bench
- Career Basics: Advice & Resources for Scientists
- The Informed Job Search
- L'Oréal Women in Science
Recommended Books
- What Are You Going to Do with That?, A Guide for MA's and PhD's Seeking Careers Outside the Academy, Susan Basalla and Maggie Debelius
- Put Your Science [PhD] to Work, Peter Fiske, PhD
- A PhD is Not Enough! A Guide to Survival in Science, Peter J. Feibelman
- What Color Is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job-hunters and Career-Changers, Richard Nelson
- The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success, Nicholas Lore
Career Services Library
Visit the CSC Reference Library to browse the books above and a wide variety of other career books especially for PhD and Master’s students.
PhD & Master's Students
Seminars & Workshops
- Questioning Career Transition Group for PhD Students
- It's Never Too Early to Think About the Job Search!
- Academic Job Search Series
- Looking Beyond Academia
- On-Camera Interview Practice
For more information and to view our complete listing, click here.