KNOW YOUR SKILLSPRODUCE A CAREER (HSSER)

Ruth Schemmer, PhDAssistant Dean for Career Development

Graduate School411 Kirkland

OVERVIEW

• Know Your Skills• Produce a Career (how to get

from Point A to Point B)• Final Thoughts

Know Your SKILLS

• What do you think of when I say competency?o Required skills? Possible skills?

• What are some skills you have developed as a graduate student?

Know Your SKILLS

Skill Areas (some from Michigan State’s work:

http://grad.msu.edu/prep/docs/planyourwork.pdf )

• Research, Scholarship, Creative Activities• Leadership/Management• Collaboration• Communication• Balance & Resilience

Know Your SKILLS

Research, Scholarship, Creative Activities• Defined a problem and designed approach; came

up with solutions • Courses, independent research• Ability to manage data/large amounts of

information (both qualitative and quantitative)• Additional training (e.g., digital humanities,

statistical training)• Improvements made in processes, outcomes,

new knowledge

Know Your SKILLS

Leadership/Management• Not necessarily elected or designated position• Not everyone has same degree of leadership• Campus/community activities; departmental

responsibilities• Teaching/Managing a classroom; Organizing entire

semester• Evaluating student performance• Training newer TA’s• Project management: taking multi-year project from

initial question to be asked through to completion

Know Your SKILLS

Collaboration

• More difficult for isolated, individual researchers

• Must seek outside opportunities: organizational involvement

• CFT, Writing Studio, CASPAR • TA collaborations; co-teaching

Know Your SKILLS

Communication

• Conference presentations/Journal articles• Thesis/Dissertation• Newsletter articles/website presence• Successful proposals for funding—convincing

someone to give you money!• Ability to convey and explain complex concepts

to undergraduates• 3MT participation

Know Your SKILLS

Balance & Resilience

• Ability to learn something new; self-taught is fine

• Spend time outside study carrel; interact with others

Know Your SKILLS

Others??

PRODUCE A CAREER

Consider Optional Paths: Alternate Academic (non-tenure track, higher education)

• Typical Positions: Academic Advisor; Program Coordinator; Development Assistant; Research Assistant/Associate; Content Specialist

• Potential settings: Writing Centers; Academic Departments; Teaching Centers; Development Offices, Research Institutes; Career Services; Libraries

PRODUCE A CAREER

Non-academic: (business, government, non-profits)

• Typical Positions: Curator; Educational Liaison; Policy Analyst; Development Assistant; Analyst; Consultant; Educational Consultant

• Potential settings: Government Agencies; Museums; Health Care Organizations; Consulting Firms; Non-profits (e.g., arts, research, health, education); Think Tanks; K-12 Teaching

PRODUCE A CAREER

Gain Experience

• Internships • Volunteering at non-profits; Science outreach• Grant-writing• Interacting with undergraduates• Campus/Community leadership• Fellowships: pre- and post-doctoral

PRODUCE A CAREER

Explore Options• Network! ask for advice/suggestions/tips, not

preferential treatment–Lit review for your career: gather stories, informational

interviews–VUConnect.com: set up a profile, locate PhDs in interesting

jobs–Alumni from your undergraduate institution–Alumni from your Department (ask professors for names)–Campus Staff (alternate academic careers)–LinkedIn (join groups for discussion; VU Alumni)

PRODUCE A CAREER

Explore Options

• Chronicle of Higher Education: www.chronicle.com• Chronicle of Philanthropy: www.philanthropy.com • Versatile PhD: www.Versatilephd.com –Career Panels, HSS forum, PhD Career Finder–First access through Graduate School Career Development

https://my.vanderbilt.edu/gradcareer/ Non-academic Careers Exploring Options

• Indeed.com–Web aggregator; read for skills in job descriptions

PRODUCE A CAREER

Explore Options

• Career/Professional Development events & resources–Graduate School Career Development:

https://my.vanderbilt.edu/gradcareer/ –GradLEAF: https://my.vanderbilt.edu/gradleaf/

FINAL THOUGHTS

• A degree of serendipity/chaos in any career journey.• You may start below your skill level, with commensurate

pay.• Volunteering time and services may be necessary to

demonstrate evidence of skills.• Knowing your skills and creating a resume containing

them is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for job searching: networking is a must!

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICESGRADUATE SCHOOL

Ruth Schemmer; 411 Kirklandruth.schemmer@vanderbilt.edu

Twitter: @VUGradCareer

Appts: Wednesdays, all day; Friday morningsCall 615-343-2727 for appt

Walk-ins: Thursdays, 2:00 – 4:00 pm15-minute short consultation (e.g., resume review)

THANK YOU & QUESTIONS