Career Selection and Professional Skill Development Workshop Series
Careers In and Out of Academe

The goal of this workshop series is to help students develop a better understanding of the skills and decision-making needed to meet their career and professional objectives. Specifically, The Graduate School at MSU is striving to build a career and professional development program that will help:

• broaden awareness of professional expectations in graduate education
• prepare students to plan and manage their own careers
• promote graduate student retention and completion
• provide students a competitive edge in securing professional positions

Throughout this workshop series students will interact with successful, nationally known professionals in academia (i.e., 2- and 4-year institutions), industry, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. These programs are designed primarily for doctoral students and postdocs as they transition into seeking professional careers.

Each workshop is a full day in length to facilitate discussion among students and workshop panel members, and to provide hands-on skill sessions. Morning sessions are organized as panel discussions while students spend afternoons in concurrent breakout sessions getting applied advice on specific issues associated with their professional development. Registration is required. For more information contact Rique Campa (campa@msu.edu) and Judith Stoddart (stoddart@msu.edu)

• Planning for a Sustainable Career (Sept. 27)
• Securing Academic Positions at Two- and Four-Year Institutions (Oct. 25)
• Planning, Managing and Funding the Research Project (April 5)

The goal of these shorter workshops is to assist Ph.D. students in their career and professional development planning process as well as to provide students with the knowledge and practical skills associated with a successful job search. While these workshops have been designed with Ph.D. students in mind, Master's students are welcome to attend. Registration is required. For more information contact Matt Helm (helmmatt@msu.edu).

• The PREPed Ph.D.: A Model for Career and Professional Development for New Ph.D. Students (Sept. 17)
• Developing Your Written Credentials: CV’s, Resume’s, and More (Oct. 1)
• What’s Out There?: Identifying Non-Academic Options in the Ph.D. Job Market (Oct. 22)
• The Art and Science of Project Management for Ph.D.s (Nov. 5)
• Negotiation Skills for Overcoming Personal and Professional Barriers: Make the World Your Oyster! (Nov. 19)
• Networking or Not-working for Ph.D.’s : Building Relationship for Your Future (Feb. 11)
• Mastering the Interview (March 18)
• Developing Communication and Conflict Management Skills to Save Time and Enhance Productivity (2 Hour Version (March 25)
Last Updated: 09/03/08