The Careers Beyond Academia Series is sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Services, the Graduate School, and the Duke Career Center.
Spring 2025 Careers Beyond Academia Job Search Series
Kickstart the New Year with our Careers Beyond Academia Job Search Series! Whether you are ready to pivot or just contemplating making a change, this series will guide you through reinvention, crafting a standout resume, networking, mastering interview techniques, and negotiating salaries confidently.
Sessions:
- Changing Course with Confidence: Embracing a New Identity for a New Direction, Jan 16
- Dress for Success: A Workshop on Presenting Yourself Professionally, Feb 5
- ChatGPT for Job-Seekers: The Right Way to Use AI to Accelerate Your Search, Feb 26
- From CV to Resume: Repackaging Your Academic Experience for Industry Employers, Feb 27
- How to Start Your Industry Job Search, Feb 28
- CV to Resume, Mar 5
- Mindful Networking: Building Authentic Relationships, Mar 18
- Karsh Conversations: Women for Women, Mar 25
- Interview Ready: Tools and Techniques for the Non-Academic Job Search, Mar 27
- The Art of Asking: Navigating Salary Negotiations with Ease, May 1
Session 1: Thurs Jan 16, 10-11 am
WHAT: Changing Course with Confidence: Embracing a New Identity for a New Direction
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6QjUIstwUY9bsSW
In this session, you’ll learn:
- The challenges and emotional aspects of transitioning away from a traditional academic career.
- Strategies for reimagining yourself outside academia and planning a new path.
- How to build a foundation for exploring career options and making well-informed decisions about your future.
Speaker: Dara Wilson-Grant is the Associate Director at the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and a Licensed Professional Counselor. With over fifteen years experience providing career management education and counseling, Dara’s mission is to help individuals develop a framework for choosing a meaningful and rewarding career path, plus develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of career success.
Session 2: Weds Feb 5, 10-11 am
WHAT: Dress for Success: A Workshop on Presenting Yourself Professionally
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9mApEM8G16t4qAC
While workplaces have become more casual since 2020, there are still expectations of what “professional dress” looks like in different industries. This workshop will address first impressions, dressing authentically, and tailoring your professional image. We will discuss how to determine an organization’s unofficial dress code, dressing appropriately for the occasion (eg, career fair, coffee chat, networking event, interview) and shopping on a budget. Attendees will have the opportunity to put what they’ve learned into action in a short exercise.
Speaker: Laura Coutts is the Associate Director for Career Services for Duke Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and former Assistant Director for Duke Career Center. She has over 15 years of experience in consulting, counseling, problem solving, and project implementation. Laura believes in the power of effective storytelling and thinks that everyone needs a little perspective when it comes to telling their life (and career) story.
Session 3: Weds Feb 26, 11 am – 12 pm
WHAT: ChatGPT for Job-Seekers: The Right Way to Use AI to Accelerate Your Search
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDWZ1ChTfWgqwZ0
ChatGPT feels like a miracle for job-seekers: instant résumés, cover letters, and more. What could be better? But there’s a dark side to using AI in the job search: It can actually hurt your chances if you use it the wrong way. So join OpenAI’s first education partner and a former hiring manager at LinkedIn and Khan Academy to understand ChatGPT from an employer’s perspective, including:
- The right way to use AI – from the best prompting techniques to the best models for every stage of your search
- The biggest pitfalls of ChatGPT – and how to avoid them so your résumé doesn’t get automatically rejected
- How to find your perfect career path, your most important résumé keywords to beat the ATS (applicant tracking systems), and your best interview prep plan of attack – all by choosing the right AI tool at the right time!
Speaker: Jeremy Schifeling has devoted his career to helping others succeed in theirs. From leading the Education Team at LinkedIn to the Marketing Team at Khan Academy, he’s touched the lives of millions of people at every stage of their journeys.
Watch session (access is limited to the Duke Community. Please email for the link)
Session 4: Thurs Feb 27, 10-11 am
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9BSGX5abrgUeQ5w
In this session, you’ll learn:
- Key differences between an academic CV and an industry resume.
- How to assess job requirements and demonstrate your qualifications effectively.
- Strategies for brainstorming and repackaging your experiences to highlight relevant skills for the job.
Speaker: Dara Wilson-Grant is the Associate Director at the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and a Licensed Professional Counselor. With over fifteen years experience providing career management education and counseling, Dara’s mission is to help individuals develop a framework for choosing a meaningful and rewarding career path, plus develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of career success.
Session 5: Fri Feb 28, 2-3 pm
WHAT: Spring 2025 Duke Accelerate to Industry Job Search Series: How to Start Your Industry Job Search
REGISTER: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/a2i-accelerate-to-industry/
The Duke Accelerate to Industry (A2i) Program, sponsored by the Duke Career Center and the A2i Initiative, is focused on helping PhD students and postdocs find, apply for, and secure employment outside of academia.
Join us in this workshop to arm yourself with strategies for job searching! In this session, we will discuss the skills and qualities of employees from the employer’s perspective, strategies to research your potential employer, and time management in job searching. Come and have your questions answered and work through approaches as a team.
Speaker: Stacia Solomon is Director of the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. A native of Charlotte, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and marketing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is currently pursuing an EdD in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University. Committed to the success of the whole person, Stacia is passionate about helping learners to get to know themselves and utilize the resources around them so that they can make informed decisions about their futures.
Session 6: Weds Mar 5, 2-3 pm
WHAT: Spring 2025 Duke Accelerate to Industry Job Search Series: CV to Resume
REGISTER: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/a2i-accelerate-to-industry/
The Duke Accelerate to Industry (A2i) Program is focused on helping PhD students and postdocs find, apply for, and secure employment outside of academia.
While a CV is usually used for applying to academic jobs, a resume is more often used for job applications in the industrial world. Converting from a CV to a Resume, or vice versa, can be complicated; this workshop will provide a framework for getting started. Learn how to translate your skills and subject matter expertise into the format(s) that align you with relevant career paths.
Speaker: Rachel Coleman is a National Certified Counselor through the National Board for Certified Counselors as well as Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in the state of North Carolina. She is currently a doctoral candidate at NC State, pursuing her PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education.
Session 7: Tues Mar 18, 11 am – 12 pm
WHAT: Real Talk on Networking: Building Professional Relationships that Matter—Even for Introverts
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_efeSLF6840ez02O
Most of us have heard that networking is critical for finding job opportunities and navigating career transitions. Yet we often feel uncomfortable with it, perceiving networking as sleazy, pushy, or inauthentic. Join Duke alumna Mayya Shveygert, PhD (Molecular Genetics & Microbiology) for a workshop designed to help grad students and postdocs master the art of genuine networking. Networking has been instrumental for Dr Shveygert’s career growth, first as she transitioned from being a postdoc at UCSF to regulatory affairs at Amgen and then growing her business as a medical writing consultant and meditation teacher for biopharma.
During this information-packed workshop, we will address the following topics:
- Typical fears and misconceptions about networking and how to dispel them
- Why seasoned professionals actually want to help you break into the field
- How to find the people who can aid your career growth
- Why asking for AIR (advice, information, referrals) is your not-so-secret weapon
- Dos and don’ts for connecting with people you don’t know (gasp!) on LinkedIn
- How to build up confidence and ease for networking events
Session 8: Thurs Mar 27, 10-11 am
WHAT: Interview Ready: Tools and Techniques for the Non-Academic Job Search
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_57vORwIEdBLYXk2
In this session, you’ll learn:
- The typical structure of an interview.
- How to prepare for and respond to commonly asked questions using the STAR technique.
- Questions that help you foster a two-way conversation and evaluate fit (ie, does this role and company align with my values?)
- The importance of post-interview etiquette.
Speaker: Dara Wilson-Grant is the Associate Director at the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and a Licensed Professional Counselor. With over fifteen years experience providing career management education and counseling, Dara’s mission is to help individuals develop a framework for choosing a meaningful and rewarding career path, plus develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of career success.
Session 9: Weds Apr 2, 12-1 pm
WHAT: Spring 2025 Duke Accelerate to Industry Job Search Series: Personal Branding Workshop
REGISTER: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/a2i-accelerate-to-industry/
The Duke Accelerate to Industry (A2i) Program, sponsored by the Duke Career Center and the A2i Initiative, is focused on helping PhD students and postdocs find, apply for, and secure employment outside of academia.
This dynamic and hands-on workshop is designed to help participants create a compelling personal brand that will stand out in any industry. The session will equip attendees with the tools to identify branding strategies that align with their unique expertise, values, and goals.
Speaker: Shep Moyle, Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University, seasoned entrepreneur, and expert in innovation and leadership.
Session 10: Thurs May 1, 10-11 am
WHAT: The Art of Asking: Navigating Salary Negotiations with Ease
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1YNju4qg9uN438a
In this session, you’ll learn:
- The importance of preparation and research in determining a fair salary range.
- Insights into overcoming common fears and pitfalls.
- Practical tools to advocate for yourself and secure the compensation you deserve.
Speaker: Dara Wilson-Grant is the Associate Director at the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and a Licensed Professional Counselor. With over fifteen years experience providing career management education and counseling, Dara’s mission is to help individuals develop a framework for choosing a meaningful and rewarding career path, plus develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of career success.
EVEN MORE EVENTS
Thurs Feb 27, 1:30-2:30 pm
WHAT: Coffee and Conversation with Google Software Engineer Marisabel Guevara Hechtman, Ph.D.’14
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4PdogFNuXIFQYyq
Join an informal coffee chat with Marisabel Guevara Hechtman, PhD, Duke Computer Science, and some of her engineer colleagues from the Durham Google location. Learn about careers in industry that can leverage your graduate degree in a relaxed conversation.
Tues Mar 25, 6-7:30 pm
WHAT: Karsh Conversations: Women for Women
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cASPzhiJaU3MGl8
As part of Women’s History Month, Duke invites graduate students, postdocs, and alumni to connect in a Karsh Conversation event. The event will include three 25-minute rounds of conversation with three different alumni, held at round tables over dinner.
Featured alumni:
- Aleah Bowie, Ph.D.’19 (Evolutionary Anthropology), Clinical Project Manager, IQVIA
- Vanessa Doriott Anderson, Ph.D.’12 (Romance Studies), Assistant Dean for Academic and Career Development, UNC Chapel Hill
- Gracie Johnson-Lopez, M.A.’96 (Liberal Studies), President, Diversity & HR Solutions
- Suparna Kanjilal, Ph.D.’06 (Biochemistry), Senior Patent Agent, Syngenta
- Shengjie Xu, Ph.D.’20 (Immunology), Regulatory Medical Writer, Merck
Attendees will have the opportunity to identify the top alumni of interest as part of their registration. This event is co-sponsored with Duke Alumni Engagement & Development.
Weds May 21, 10-11 am
REGISTER: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eJ0PNkwxIzI8oTA
For better or for worse, your experiences and the training you receive as postdoctoral researchers and graduate students can greatly shape the rest of your career. However, there are strategies and resources that can increase your chances of getting what you came for. During this program, participants will learn how to develop clear and specific goals and objectives, along with a plan for executing them in an Individual Development Plan (IDP). You’ll learn:
- An approach to setting meaningful, achievable goals aligned with your long-term vision.
- A structured planning routine to manage your time effectively.
- How to speak with your mentor about your goals and strategies to address any misalignments in expectations and needs.
