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id="breadcrumb" class="row-full-width"><div class="inside"><h2 class="element-invisible">You are here</h2><div class="breadcrumb"><a href="/">Home</a> > <a href="/welcome">Grad Students and Postdocs</a> > <span class="breadcrumb-page-title">Career Exploration</span></div></div></div> <h1 class="title" id="page-title">Career Exploration</h1> <div class="content-top"> </div> <div id="main-wrapper"> <div id="main" class="clearfix"> <div id="content" class="column"> <div class="inside"> <a id="main-content"></a> <div class="tabs"></div> <div class="region region-content"> <div id="block-system-main" class="block block-system"> <div class="content"> <div id="node-2121" class="node node-page slider-secondary clearfix" about="/gsp/career-exploration" typeof="sioc:Item foaf:Document"> <span property="dc:title" content="Career Exploration" class="rdf-meta element-hidden"></span><span property="sioc:num_replies" content="0" datatype="xsd:integer" class="rdf-meta element-hidden"></span> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="bigtype"><img alt="signpost icon" height="192" src="/sites/g/files/tkssra2771/f/wysiwyg/signpost3_w.png" style="float:right" width="192" />Finding it hard to get started with career exploration, and easy to get stuck? That's normal! We can help you figure out where you want to go, and how to get there. </p> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols layout--40-60"> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols--first bg--interactive-blue"> <p><strong>How exactly do you explore careers? </strong>Watch a video we created for a quick and fun look at the career exploration process:</p> </div> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols--second bg--transparent"> <div class="responsive-video align--right size--full"><iframe data-align="right" data-original-input="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-DoNgtfNcc" data-size="full" data-video-image="http://img.youtube.com/vi/d-DoNgtfNcc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d-DoNgtfNcc?autohide=1&controls=1&showinfo=0" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height:100%;" title="The Fantasy, The Ideal, and The Reality of Career Exploration - MIND program video"></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="gentlecallout"> <h2>Career exploration support</h2> <p>Since 2014, OCPD has offered nationally-recognized, evidence-based career exploration programs. We know that community is key, when it comes to successful career exploration. Ready to connect with others who are on the same journey, or who have been in your shoes before? We have options!</p> <div class="collapse-item"> <div aria-expanded="false" class="header-text" role="button" tabindex="0"> <p>Talk to us about your options</p> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="content-text" role="region" tabindex="-1"> <p>Want to discuss your career exploration? You may want to <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/events">attend one of our upcoming office hours</a> or make a <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/appointments">30-minute appointment</a>. Some topics we can explore:</p> <ul style="margin-left: 40px;"> <li>How to identify your skills, interests, and values</li> <li>Navigating multiple career options at once</li> <li>How the career exploration process works, and how to get un-stuck</li> <li>How to tell your career story when you're in the midst of a career pivot</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="collapse-item"> <div aria-expanded="false" class="header-text" role="button" tabindex="0"> <p>Take a class or workshop</p> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="content-text" role="region" tabindex="-1"> <p>Grad 213: <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/phds/career-exploration/mind">Making Informed Decisions (MIND)</a> is normally offered on alternate years, based on staff availability. We also offer individual career exploration workshops throughout the year on topics such as getting started with career exploration, identifying career path options, telling your career story, and more – <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/events">see our calendar</a> for upcoming workshops.</p> </div> </div> <div class="collapse-item"> <div aria-expanded="false" class="header-text" role="button" tabindex="0"> <p>Find and apply for an internship or experiential learning opportunity</p> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="content-text" role="region" tabindex="-1"> <p>So you’ve identified a career that you think you might enjoy. What now? It’s time to try that career on for size with an experiment that requires a little more time and effort.** A weeklong consulting workshop, perhaps? A three-month industry internship? A lectureship? A part-time internship with a UCSF office? Or maybe you’re even ready to start applying for jobs? Here are your next steps:</p> <ol> <li>Review our list of <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/gsp/career-exploration/getting-experience">ways to get experience</a>.</li> <li>Think about the criteria that an opportunity needs to meet, in order to be right for you. (Are you a postdoc? You might want a part-time opportunity. An international scholar? Visas may be a consideration. Is impact one of your core values? Look for outreach opportunities.) Use our <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/sites/g/files/tkssra2771/f/DecisionMatrixFill-inWithExample.pdf">Opportunity Comparison Matrix</a> to list and weight your criteria.</li> <li>Know that two-thirds of UCSF students/postdocs who find internships land them through networking, rather than a formal job application – so for best results, both applications and networking should be part of your strategy. Wondering how that works? <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/gsp/career-exploration/internships-experiential-learning">Read our guide to finding and applying for internships</a>. It'll guide you through getting your LinkedIn house in order, creating a résumé, interviewing and negotiating, and making a strong first impression.</li> <li>Considering a full-time internship? Know that you'll need your P.I.'s permission (so talk to them well in advance!) and <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/phds/career-exploration/gsice/guidebook">read our guidance</a> so you're aware of the logistics and forms you'll need to take care of.</li> <li><a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/appointments">Make an appointment with an OCPD career counselor</a> to discuss your situation, brainstorm possibilities, practice talking with your P.I., and/or confirm logistics.</li> </ol> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> <h2>More programs and resources</h2> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols layout--50-50"> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols--first bg--interactive-blue"> <p class="bigtype" style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="/gsp/career-exploration/process">Where to Start?</a></strong></p> <p>If you're just embarking on your career exploration journey, you can start by learning a bit about the career exploration process, assessing where you are now, and reflecting on where you want to go. You don't have to do it alone – reach out to us any time. Feeling stuck or overwhelmed is very normal, and a great reason to schedule a chat! </p> <ul> <li>Download our interactive <a href="/phds/career-exploration/MIND/materials">career exploration road map</a> </li> <li>Use an online tool to <a href="/gsp/career-exploration/self-assessment">self-assess your skills, interests, and values</a></li> <li>Check out <a href="/gsp/career-exploration/reflection">reflection guides</a> that can help you synthesize and re-assess</li> <li>Sign up for the <a href="/phds/career-exploration/mind">Making Informed Decisions class (Grad 213)</a> </li> <li><a href="/appointments">Schedule a 1:1 appointment</a> with an OCPD career counselor </li> </ul> </div> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols--second bg--interactive-dark-blue"> <p class="bigtype" style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="/phds/non-academic/every-month">Career Paths to Explore</a></strong></p> <p>We've gathered a wealth of information about the career paths commonly pursued by UCSF PhD students and postdocs. Each page includes answers to some fundamental questions about that career (What is the application process like? Are international folks eligible?) as well as sample job titles, recordings of alumni panels, and lots more. </p> <ul> <li><a href="/phds/non-academic/every-month/consulting-careers">Consulting</a></li> <li><a href="/phds/career-paths/data-science-careers">Data Science</a></li> <li><a href="/phds/career-paths/faculty">Faculty</a></li> <li><a href="/phds/non-academic/every-month/industry-researcher">Industry</a></li> <li><a href="/phds/career-paths/non-profit">Nonprofits</a></li> <li><a href="/phds/career-paths/science-communication">Science Communication and Outreach</a></li> <li><a href="/phds/career-paths/science-policy">Science Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/phds/non-academic/every-month">View all</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols layout--50-50"> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols--first bg--interactive-light-navy"> <p class="bigtype" style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="/gsp/career-exploration/getting-experience">Getting Experience</a></strong></p> <p>There are lots of ways to get hands-on experience in a career path that interests you. Full-time internships are one fantastic option. You can also consider part-time jobs at UCSF, joining campus organizations, upskilling courses, and more.</p> <ul> <li>Learn about <a href="/gsp/career-exploration/getting-experience">all your options for getting experience</a></li> <li>Join our <a href="/phds/career-exploration/gsice">Internships and Experiential Learning course (Grad 285)</a> </li> <li>Read campus <a href="/phds/career-exploration/gsice/guidebook">policies and procedures for full-time internships</a></li> <li>Use our <a href="/gsp/career-exploration/internships-experiential-learning">step-by-step guide</a> to find and prepare for internships</li> <li>Search for internships on our <a href="https://opportunities.ucsf.edu/">Opportunities Board</a></li> <li>Want to be sure you're laying an effective foundation for your chosen career? <a href="https://ocpd.as.me/researcher-remote">Make a counseling appointment!</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="wysiwyg_twocols--second bg--interactive-dark-grey"> <p class="bigtype" style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="/gsp/career-exploration/build-your-professional-network">Networking</a></strong></p> <p>UCSF alumni tell us again and again that networking is the single the most important thing they did to explore careers. It might sound intimidating, but it's really just about building a community (and activating your existing connections) to help you on your way.</p> <ul> <li>Watch our <a href="/gsp/career-exploration/build-your-professional-network#Networking">four-part video series on networking</a></li> <li>View sample <a href="/gsp/career-exploration/build-your-professional-network#Sample-emails-questions-and-thank-you-notes">emails, questions, and thank-you notes</a> </li> <li><a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/ucsf-connect">Join UCSF Connect</a>, UCSF's official alumni networking platform</li> <li>Attend an <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/events">employer info session</a></li> <li>Join <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/phds/career-exploration/mind">Making Informed Decisions class (Grad 213)</a> to be guided through the informational interview process </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="gentlecallout"> <h2>Common questions about career exploration</h2> <div class="collapse-item"> <div aria-expanded="false" class="header-text" role="button" tabindex="0"> <p>What kinds of career paths have UCSF PhD students and postdocs successfully pursued?</p> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="content-text" role="region" tabindex="-1"> <p>We've collected <a href="/phds/non-academic/every-month">a wealth of resources</a> about the career paths most commonly pursued by UCSF PhD students and postdocs. Around the country and the world, it's increasingly well-understood that PhDs have a wide variety of career options available to them. </p> <ul> <li>Read about <a href="http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/ReadAboutCareers/QuickTips">20 different career paths for PhD-level scientists</a> (both in academia and beyond academia) in the Career Exploration section of Science Magazine's myIDP site. (<em>note: you will be required to create a free account)</em></li> <li>Read about <a href="https://www.imaginephd.com/">15 common career paths for PhD-level humanists and social scientists</a> (both within and beyond academia) in the "Job Family Resources" section of ImaginePhD</li> <li>UCSF also collects official data about career outcomes for <a href="https://graduate.ucsf.edu/phd-program-statistics">PhD students</a> and <a href="https://postdocs.ucsf.edu/postdoc-statistics">postdoctoral scholars</a>.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="collapse-item"> <div aria-expanded="false" class="header-text" role="button" tabindex="0"> <p>How do I know which career will be the best fit for me?</p> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="content-text" role="region" tabindex="-1"> <p>If you've watched our video <a href="https://youtu.be/d-DoNgtfNcc">"The Fantasy, the Ideal, and the Reality of Career Exploration," </a>then you know that career exploration is an iterative process (some would say a lifelong process) with many possible outcomes, rather than a linear set of steps. In this way, as UCSF alum Tina Solvik says, <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2021/04/12/framing-career-exploration-research-project-opinion">it's a lot like research</a>! That said, here are some starting points:</p> <ul> <li>Self reflection is key to effective carer exploration. Ellen Elliott writes about this step in a <a href="https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/jax-blog/2017/june/this-is-the-first-step-in-defining-your-career-in-science" target="_blank">JAX blog post</a>. Once you know your preferences and tastes, you can use that information to look more closely at different types of positions in your field. Check out this <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2010/04/taken-granted-trying-account-tastes" target="_blank">Science Careers article</a> by Beryl Lieff Benderly to learn more.</li> <li>The <a href="http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/">My Individual Development Plan Assessment Tool</a><strong> </strong>from AAAS, which was co-created by OCPD, allows you to input your skills, interests, and values. This tool then compares your skills/interests/values responses to key factors for 60 different career paths within 20 different career categories that are options for you as a scientist. Humanists and social scientists can find skills, values, and interests assessments at<a href="https://www.imaginephd.com/assessment"> ImaginePhD</a>. (Both tools require you to create a free account.)</li> <li>If you'd like to be guided through the process, consider taking one (or both!) of our structured career exploration classes, <a href="/phds/career-exploration/mind">Motivating INformed Decisions (MIND)</a> or <a href="https://career.ucsf.edu/phds/career-exploration/gsice/">Internships and Experiential Learning</a>. These programs use a cohort model to help you identify and pursue experiences that help you clarify your career goals.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="collapse-item"> <div aria-expanded="false" class="header-text" role="button" tabindex="0"> <p>How much time does career exploration take? When should I start?</p> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="content-text" role="region" tabindex="-1"> <p>The short answers are, "As much time as you want!" and "Whenever you can!"</p> <ul> <li>An important part of career exploration is conducting <strong>informational interviews</strong> with people in a position that interests you. Check out our webpage <a href="/gsp/career-exploration/build-your-professional-network">Informational Interviews and Building Your Professional Network</a> for lots of resources to help you with each step of this important process. According to University of Michigan's <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2015/06/cold-emails-and-hot-coffee-take-action-your-career" target="_blank">Active Career Exploration (ACE)</a> framework, informational interviews can be done effectively in 10 hours over 1 month. <a href="https://ogps.med.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Cold-e-mails-and-hot-coffee-070315c_0.pdf" target="_blank">Read more about the framework here</a>.</li> <li>For a list of simple things you can do to explore careers, the <a href="http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/?page=postdocket_03172" target="_blank">National Postdoc Association (NPA) provides some advice</a>. BiteSizeBio also provides some tips to <a href="http://bitesizebio.com/32088/career-building-graduate-school/" target="_blank">build your career </a>while in graduate school.</li> <li>If you are ready to really effectively explore careers, consider the <a href="/phds/career-exploration/mind">Motivating INformed Decisions (MIND) program</a><span>. MIND participants will explore a variety of career paths as well as connect with partners to take a close look at different career paths.</span> Also consider the <a href="/phds/career-exploration/gsice">GSICE program</a> at UCSF. GSICE allows trainees to prepare for, find, and gain hands-on experience in a career environment they want to explore.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="collapse-item"> <div aria-expanded="false" class="header-text" role="button" tabindex="0"> <p>Where can I read career exploration success stories?</p> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="content-text" role="region" tabindex="-1"> <p>Want to hear from a PhD student or postdoc that successfully explored different career options and was able to land a position in a different field?</p> <p><strong>For trainees in Basic and Biomedical Sciences:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/from-phd-to-life/transition-q-jennifer-de-mello/" target="_blank">Jennifer De Mello, Chemistry PhD, now a senior business analyst</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/from-phd-to-life/transition-q-a-christine-buske/">Christine Buske, Cell and systems biology PhD, now a head of outreach and blogger</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/from-phd-to-life/transition-q-a-viviane-callier/" target="_blank">Viviane Callier, Biology PhD, now a science writer</a> <ul class="webedit-indent-1"> <li><a href="/phds/non-academic/every-month/science-communication">Learn more about Science writing and communications careers</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/from-phd-to-life/transition-q-a-peter-larson/" target="_blank">Peter Larson, Biology PhD, a former academic faculty and now a blogger and running coach</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2013/08/lab-bench-un" target="_blank">Marga Gual Solar, Molecular and cell biology PhD, now working in science policy</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0FKqxCMcDU&list=PLsRNoUx8w3rOLoXCnizjk2R16btCMjeoZ&index=6" target="_blank">Nadia Jaber on her career exploration as a PhD student</a></li> <li>For more career transition stories, visit <a href="http://fromphdtolife.com/resources/transition-q-as/" target="_blank">From PhD To Life</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>For trainees in Social and Population Sciences:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://fromphdtolife.com/2013/07/19/transition-q-a-jo-vanevery/" target="_blank">Jo VanEvery, Sociology PhD, now an independent academic coach and research facilitator</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/from-phd-to-life/transition-q-adam-sanford/" target="_blank">Adam Sanford, Sociology PhD, now an academic coach, writer, and adjunct instructor</a></li> <li><a href="http://fromphdtolife.com/2013/04/26/transition-q-a-sam-ladner/" target="_blank">Sam Ladner, Sociology PhD, now a senior researcher at Microsoft</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li>Learn about opportunities in <a href="http://www.sociologyatwork.org/contract-work-applied-sociology/#more-1363">Contract Research Work</a> from Sociology at Work</li> <li>Read about social scientists working in <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/business/social-scientists-find-story-in-data-to-attract-more-customers/">tech</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="region region-content-bottom"> <div id="block-views-events-block-1" class="block block-views view view-events view-id-events view-display-id-events_block topgreenline headspace"> <div class="content"> <div class="view view-events view-id-events view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-b94dfe2bb6d73c6968dac7bff64455ca"> <div class="view-header"> <h2>Upcoming Events</h2> </div> <div class="view-content"> <div class="event"> <div class="event-image"> <div class="day"><span property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2024-12-04T00:00:00-08:00" class="date-display-single">Wed</span></div> <div class="number-date"><span property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2024-12-04T00:00:00-08:00" class="date-display-single">04</span></div> </div> <h3><a 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