Career Development

The following Career Development Resources are available to UPEH students:

  • An individual development plan (IDP) helps you explore career possibilities and set goals to follow the career path that fits you best. The UPEH encourages the use of the AAAS Individual Development Plan for its graduate students. Completion of the IDP is required at the end of the third year of training at which time, students review the plan with their primary mentor and discuss it with their Annual Meeting Committee group.
  • The Graduate Career Services at the Duke University Career Center offers career counseling and programs for Ph.D. students. They provide workshops and events to better equip you with the requisite knowledge and skills for shaping and developing your career while at Duke and as you enter the workplace–whether in higher education or in the government, business, or non-profit sectors. They will help connect you with alumni, employers, and other experienced professionals who can provide career guidance and may be able to suggest career opportunities in a diverse range of fields. Their aim is to inform you about University resources that will enrich and focus your graduate education toward a set of well-defined career goals and enable you to effectively conduct a job search.

Other resources:

Society of Toxicology STEP: Supplemental Training for Education Program

Acknowledgement: Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE),National Institutes of Health (NIH) created the following list of career resources and descriptions (December 2013):

LinkedIn
LinkedIn is still the largest professional networking site with more than 238 million users in 200-some countries worldwide. This service is still the most highly utilized option to connect with networks of people. Increasingly, recruiters are also using the site to source candidates for open positions.

Indeed
Indeed aggregates data from across the web with a Google-like search engine. It pulls information from job boards and company websites while utilizing a clean, user-friendly interface. All you need to do is put in your keyword and zip code and you will see results within a 50-mile radius.

ZipRecruiter
This is a free-to-use search engine that finds a job seeker’s location automatically, so it’s easier to apply to jobs in your area. It also includes up-to-date job salaries from real employers.

SimplyHired
SimplyHired operates in a very similar way to Indeed; however, one extra benefit is that, when logged in, the site will also show you LinkedIn connections you may have at that organization.

Idealist
Idealist is the largest nonprofit job board in the United States. The site also features a blog with inspiring stories and the ability to search for volunteer opportunities by geographic location or keyword.

Salary.com
Salary.com provides data on average salaries based on job title and geographic location. This can be a great tool to utilize to help you prepare for an upcoming salary negotiation. Plus, it also has a “Cost of Living Wizard” which can help you understand how far your salary would go in a new city.

Glassdoor
Like its name implies, Glassdoor gives you a transparent look inside a company.  This is a completely anonymous site that allows users to disclose information about the pros and cons of an organization. Users will also post interview questions they were asked and some will even share salary information. You must create an account and log in to view the full information provided. Keep in mind that users at Glassdoor input their own salary data (which is not verified by the employer).  Glassdoor does evaluate the data to make sure that it meets community guidelines and is not suspicious.

USAJOBS
The official site for government jobs – it includes postings from very diverse agencies across the government.  By law, any open federal position must be posted on this site. The site also has comprehensive employment information about eligibility, compensation, and benefits.  For help on navigating this dense site, see our previous blog post, “Which Federal Agencies & Contractors Hire Scientists.”

ScienceCareers
The ultimate career development and job search site for scientists. This is a global site with special-focus portals such as Minority Scientists Network and Postdoc Network.

ScienceJobs
From New Scientist Magazine, this site features job listings, a resume database and employer profiles.

 BioCareers
The career center for job seekers in the life sciences. This site features industry articles, company information, job profiles, and career fairs.

 Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Department of Labor compiles labor statistics and creates an Occupational Outlook Handbook each year. This is a fantastic but not oft utilized resource which details hundreds of occupations under the categories: What They Do, How to Become One, Work Environment, Pay, and Growth/Employment Projections for each occupation.

Evisors
Evisors tries to connect job seekers with mentors under the mission of democratizing access to great career advice. You can search the database to find your perfect career coach and you can also sign up to become a mentor to others.

OITE
The OITE website gives trainees access to a multitude of resources, including: the NIH Alumni Database, videocasts of highly relevant career workshops, and career information for all of the different populations here at the NIH. On top of this, it gives you access to the following services: career counseling, leadership and development coaching, resume/CV/cover letter critiques, mock interview help, formal assessments, and much more.