Getting Started with Career Planning

Science PhDs have a number of career possibilities- the challenging part is often deciding which one to pursue. While it’s natural to want to jump into looking at the list of potential jobs, it’s a good idea to begin the process with self-reflection. After you can identify what it is you like to do and will need from a job to be happy, you’ll be better prepared to evaluate your options. Then, once you’ve honed in on several career paths that sound interesting and meet your needs and interests, you can create a development plan to outline long- and short-term goals for making a successful transition into the desired field. The last stage involves actively seeking and applying for jobs.

The Career Planning Process Defined

As alluded to above, the career planning process is generally broken into four stages: (1) self-assessment, (2) career exploration, (3), career mapping/preparation, and (4) the job search. Learning the process now will provide you with an invaluable skill that will aid you throughout your professional career, especially as the average worker today can expect to hold 7-10 jobs in their lifetime. So what’s actually involved in each of these steps? Click on the headings below to find out:

Self-Assessment

Career Exploration

Career Preparation

The Job Search

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Some advice to consider as you get started:

• be proactive and take responsibility for your own career development. No one is going to force you to follow the steps outlined above.
  
  
• engage in activities other than research. Graduate and postdoctoral training on its own will not provide you with all the transferable skills you’ll need to be successful in your career, regardless of whether or not you’re planning to stay in research.
  
  
• get comfortable with networking. It’s an essential skill you can and need to develop and it’s not as bad as you think.
  
  
• be willing to take risks. Your next job will not be your last so it’s okay if you don’t get it right or land your dream job the first time.

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