Job search workshop for graduate students at UNC-CH

1. Job Search
Strategies for
Grad Students

2. Outline
 Welcome - general trends and career
options for PhD students across
disciplines
 Assess Yourself
 Explore your Options
 Develop your Toolkit
 Determining Resources for your
Discipline

3. Assess Yourself
 Answer the questions:
- What would I like to do?
- What am I good at?
 Exercise
UCS Resources
 Strong Interest Inventory
 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
 Mind mapping
 Wise wanderings

4. Mind Mapping Exercise
 Write your name in the center of a piece of
paper.
 Write ideas that connect to you and your life
around your name.
Rules
 Be as creative as you want to be.
 Consider good as well as bad, old as well as
new.
 Consider many categories:
Coursework
Theories
Authors
Jobs or internships
Community service
Travel
Mentors/other important people
Achievements
Favorite memories
Hobbies and interests
Family heritage
Challenges you’ve faced

5. Explore your Options
online resources
 Career Insider by Vault – on
careers.unc.edu
 Versatile PhD – on careers.unc.edu

6. Explore your Options
more ideas
 Informational Interviews with Alumni
 Review job descriptions to see where
your skills and interests intersect

7. Develop your Toolkit
CV/Resume/cover letter
 Optimal Resume
 Walk-ins / appointments
 Resume marathon

8. Develop your Toolkit
Interviews
 InterviewStream
 Practice interviews
- In person, phone, Skype
 Mock interview days
- Counselors & Recruiters

9. Develop your Toolkit
Branding / Social Media
 LinkedIn
 Twitter
 UNC Digital Commons
 GitHub

10. Meeting people/
warm & hot leads
 Careerolina
- Current
- Archived
- JobCentral
 Events
- Fairs
- Networking Nights, Panels
 eLeads
 Alumni Advisor Network
 GAA Alumni Directory

11. University Career Services
 219 Hanes Hall
 ucs@unc.edu
 http://careers.unc.edu
 919-962-6507
Or SN121 Tuesday’s & Wednesday’s
1:30pm-4pm