PhDs & Postdocs

What can I do with a PhD?

A lot, depending on what you want! Although many PhDs enter academic careers, many more have pursued a range of fulfilling and meaningful careers beyond academia. Whether you’re preparing for a faculty position or looking to find what other career options are out there, it’s important to spend time to understand yourself, your values, and what skills and interests you have before diving into a job search. After all, you want to make sure that whatever job or career you pursue will be one that you find satisfying, rewarding, and challenging!

Having the skills and confidence to navigate all aspects of your job search successfully is essential for your career development. Career Services is here to support you throughout this process, from helping you present yourself well both on paper and in person to potential employers to equipping you with the knowledge and strategies to help you land your job offer. We advise PhD students and postdocs to follow a 4-step career exploration and planning process to help them find a meaningful career. Click on the steps below to get started.

 

Reflect and Explore Options

Taking time to reflect on and understand your work values, skills, and interests allows you to pursue a career that is meaningful, challenging, and rewarding before you launch into a job search. This provides a solid foundation for your next steps

Network and Gather Information

Networking is simply talking and building relationships with professionals in careers that interest you to help you learn what it’s like to work in a particular role, field, or industry. Think of it as talking with people to research and gather information about careers.

Professionalize and Gain Experience

Use your time as a PhD student or postdoc at Penn to pursue activities related to your career interests and develop yourself professionally. These opportunities will allow you to demonstrate the skills, experience, and professionalism for a successful job search.

Take Action and Make Decisions

Once you’ve spent time reflecting, exploring, networking, and gaining experience to prepare for your future career, you’ll be ready to take action and make decisions about your post-PhD professional life. Career Services is here to support you throughout this process, and so feel free to reach out to us at any time with your career-related questions.

On the academic job market?

Career Services can give you advice on all your application materials (see our resources here) and perspectives on how to tailor your application to specific kinds of academic institutions, and help you to speak about your research and teaching in interviews. Once you have received a job offer, we are also happy to guide you through negotiations.

Faculty Job Search Prep Camp 2023

If you are or will be on a faculty job market, join Penn Career Services for our Faculty Job Search Prep Camp, done in partnership with the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) and the Grad Center. Through workshops and faculty/alumni panels, we’ll help you understand how you can best prepare for each step of the process, from exploration to crafting application materials and beyond! Click here for more details.

The Emerging Short-Term Rental Market

Kyla Jamison, COL ’25, Salem, OH

This summer I had the opportunity to intern at the Standard Holding Company of Ohio. The Standard Holding Company of Ohio operates out of Salem, Ohio, and manages 10 short-term rental properties (Airbnb’s) throughout …

By Career Services
Career Services
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CS Radio – Episode 172: Looking Ahead to the Spring

Episode 173 – Happy New Year! We’re back to kick off the new year and discussing a wide range of great opportunities that this semester has to offer – including the Career Fair coming up this week with a variety …

By Michael DeAngelis
Michael DeAngelis Senior Associate Director, Communications & Technology
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Growing to Appreciate Trial & Error in STEM

Anisa Robinson, COL ’25, Jersey City, NJ

In my junior year of high school, I finally got to experience the practicalities of my passion: biological research. It was my first time in a certified lab, so I didn’t know what …

By Career Services
Career Services
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3 Essential Differences Between a Resume and a LinkedIn Profile

You’ve likely heard that your resume and LinkedIn profile should mimic each other.

For instance, the position titles and years you held them should be the same on both mediums. If they don’t correspond, employers will wonder if you’re hiding …

By Ivy Exec
Ivy Exec is your dedicated career development resource.
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Advancing Equity and Opportunity at the White House

Navraj Singh, COL ’24, Fredericksburg, VA

This summer, I completed an internship with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI). In this role, I had the opportunity to support the Biden administration in advancing …

By Career Services
Career Services
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Location

Phone
(215) 898-7531
Address

McNeil Building Suite 20
3718 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Service Hours

Monday 9am-5pm
Tuesday 9am-5pm
Wednesday 9am-5pm
Thursday 9am-5pm
Friday 9am-5pm