Tag: Career Advising

More Than Resumes

by Fatimah Williams Castro, Ph.D., Career Counselor

I joined Career Services last year at the height of my team’s busy season – just a couple weeks before the fall semester began. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet graduate students and postdocs from many of the schools we serve during summer orientations and beginning of semester events.

 

My team is always sure to let master’s and doctoral students and postdocs know that we are here to assist with any of your career related or job search career questions – that’s right all of it. But students would still ask, “So you mean, I can come in with something other than just my resume?”

Any career advisors would answer, Yes and yes.

 

Truth is, the job search is never just about the resume. There’s all the questions that come before and after you submit a job application such as,

  • I want to use [this] skill in my future job, where can I find information on careers that use this skill?
  • How would I go about looking for a job in my favorite town on the West Coast while I’m here on the East Coast at Penn?
  • People tell me that I should network with alumni but I don’t know what to say to alumni or where to meet them.
  • How can I keep my options open for academic jobs and nonacademic jobs at the same time?
  • How do I manage multiple job offers?

 

These questions are wide ranging and address every stage of the job search and career development process, and they certainly extend beyond just resumes and CVs.

I’m writing this post to let you know that career advisors are here to assist you whether you are focused on positions research, teaching, industry/business, government, nonprofit or anything in between.

I’m still amazed that Career Services at Penn offers customized career support for graduate students and postdocs. Did you know that most university career offices primarily serve undergraduates? But lucky you (!), Penn is ahead of the curve with dedicated team members who understand master’s and doctoral training and how it shapes your outlook on your career options and career decision making.

So how can you get in on this customized career advice –and resume and CV help?

  • Schedule an appointment with a career advisor. These appointments are 30 minute advising sessions. Come in with your questions or even general comments like, “I’m not sure what I’d like to do, but I know I want help with figuring that out.” We are here during the summers in addition to the school year.
  • Stop by during walk ins. These are our 15 minute sessions that are most helpful when you have quick questions.
  • Attend the Job Search Series and the Academic Career Conference. We update our calendar regularly with new events and programs. Look for the ones that are specifically for graduate students and postdocs.

For an appointment and to check when we have office hours, call 215.898.7530. We look forward to seeing you at Career Services and around campus. 

Plan Ahead!

PlanAheadI love September. The cooler air but still warm days, the hint of coming autumn, the beginning of a new academic year—all of these invigorate me. My favorite part, however, is the return of you! Yes, you, the students. I work here at Penn because of how interesting and intelligent you are.

Each of you brings energy and passion to your studies as well as your activities. That’s why you’re here. You also demonstrate diligence in preparing for your career, which is why the lines are sometimes out the door the week or two prior to our career fairs, such as last week’s CareerLink and Engineering Career Day. But I’m always disappointed when, the week following a career fair (or the start of a recruiting season or a networking event), you disappear. The lines for walk-in sessions and the calls to schedule career-advising appointments dwindle—even though there is still work to be done: cover letters, career exploration, resume updates, company research, self-assessment, networking, follow-ups.

So here’s a dare: Plan ahead so you’re ready before the next career deadline. Avoid the long line to have a resume critiqued just before a career fair. Do your best to submit internship/job applications before they’re due to avoid online systems that sometimes crash in the last hours prior to a deadline. Start exploring the internship possibilities that fit your skills and interests instead of waiting until your parents ask what you’re planning to do next summer. Find out how and when the employers in the career field of your choice hire, so you won’t worry that you’re behind your friends as they find jobs.

We’re still here, and we look forward to meeting many of you and helping you plan and take steps to meet your career goals. Check our website to schedule an advising appointment or find out when we have walk-in sessions.

See you soon!