There are many transferable skills you can develop in graduate school that will prepare you for many types of careers. These may include the ability to synthesize complex information (studying, reading, and engaging in class discussions), manage a large project (a capstone, thesis, or dissertation), prioritize tasks (balancing your studies, work, and personal life), meet multiple deadlines, and work independently or in collaborative settings. One transferable skill you may consider developing during your time at UW is presenting your research…
“I am a fifth-year doctoral student and will be graduating soon. I’m at the point in my graduate education where I am thinking about possible careers. What are some simple steps I can take to start my career planning?” –Anonymous Lucky you, grad student, you get two answers to your question! One is from Catherine Basl, career counselor with Career & Internship Services. Catherine manages the center’s programming for graduate students. Another is from the Core Programs team, who support…
Summer is the perfect time to make room for activities and experiences that will help you be—and feel—prepared for the coming academic year! The pace can feel slower during this time of the year, and there’s a little more wiggle room to be intentional about visualizing and achieving your intellectual, professional, and interpersonal goals. Maybe you’re starting from scratch (or already have some initial goals) and just need a plan of action. Maybe you need some structured time and support…
Spring is the time of year where several big projects come to the fore. Your to-do lists may include one—or more—of the following: doing a job search, writing up your thesis or capstone summary, continuing work on that dissertation, defending your dissertation, or making arrangements to move with your family after graduation. And by no means are these small tasks. So it’s no wonder why, for different reasons (a task feels too big, intimidating, or the long-term benefits don’t seem…
As we’ve noted in past newsletters, this is the time of year where it seems everyone around you is hitting milestones, getting summer internships or jobs, being awarded fellowships, or graduating. What happens when you find yourself in the midst of setbacks or what feel like roadblocks to your progress? Maybe you’ve been applying for jobs and haven’t received calls for interviews. Maybe all those fellowship applications are going unanswered. Perhaps your committee or advisor decided to postpone a major…
With today’s careers, it is more common than ever before to change directions multiple times in your life. This can happen in the course of a graduate program where perhaps the career you came looking for now looks different to you as your experiences have grown. We have an on-going theme in Core Programs of exploring diverse career trajectories. Below, we emphasize a few lessons shared by Philosophy alums at a recent panel, who are working in very diverse sectors.*…
Why are most RA/TA positions open to Masters AND PhD students? Unless you’re an exceptional Masters student, it’s almost impossible to compete against PhD students for positions that are open to both, as PhD students usually have more experience/education. Why not have RA/TA positions that are only for Masters students so they can reduce the amount of student loans they have to take out and increase their experience/desirability for future employers? Masters students typically receive less funding (other than loans)…
Spring Quarter is finally here, and we at Core Programs extend a warm welcome to you as you continue to focus on your personal, intellectual, and professional goals! We ourselves have lots of projects, collaborations, and dreams in the works. It can sometimes get overwhelming and things you had hoped to do “sometime this year” are not yet happening. Whether you are completing your very first year of graduate school, drafting your thesis or dissertation, or currently doing a job…
Pepper Schwartz, Professor Department/program: Sociology Research focus: Intimate Relationships, Sexuality, Gender, Communication Got love problems? As a sociologist and sexologist, Pepper Schwartz has some solutions. She is the author of 16 books, including The Great Sex Weekend, The Lifetime Love and Sex Quiz Book, and Everything You Know About Love and Sex is Wrong. She’s the national Love & Relationship Expert & Ambassador for the AARP, and has written advice columns on love and sex for decades. Got time management problems? Schwartz helps us…
GSEE invited Core Programs staff to facilitate a power hour event called Thriving in Graduate School. Graduate students who attended had the opportunity to learn from a panel of experienced graduate students of color currently working on their Masters and Doctoral degrees. These included Jessica Hernandez (Marine and Environmental Affairs & Environmental and Forest Sciences), Crystal Agoncillo (Evans School of Public Policy and Governance), Lindsey Wilson (Education), and Issa Abdulcadir (Sociology), who shared their wisdom and strategies for surviving and thriving—within…