Preparing for Life after Graduate School Yolanda Gil

Preparing for Life after Graduate School Yolanda Gil (panel moderator) Yigal Arens Irene Langkilde Geary Lauri Grier ISD Retreat October 4 -5, 2001

Preparing for Life after Graduate School § Yes, there is life after graduate school! § And it will be a much better life if you prepare for it NOW: – What kind of job will make you happy? – What qualifications should you have in order to get that job? – What will make you stand out from a crowd of hundreds of applicants?

Sending Job Applications § Before or after graduation? § A good strategy: 1) plan & 2) be aggressive – Pick the top 10 places you’d like to work on (based NOW! on people you meet, publications, …) – Make sure enough people there know you well and understand your research/skills NOW! • Intro yourself at conferences, meet visitors, send papers – Send them a killer letter/CV that is personalized/customized + follow-up calls § A not-so-good strategy: hmm, who is hiring today?

Your Application § Cover letter should state: – Your research interests (next 5 yrs) – Why your research fits their needs/focus § CV should highlight: – List your research accomplishments – Publications (conferences and journals) NOW! § References: – 5 people that know you and your work well NOW!

And now for some good practical advice: § Lauri – making your CV stand out, human resource issues, what you convey in an interview § Yigal – what your employer has in mind, how to prepare your interview talk § Irene – interviewing: a view from the trenches