Career Preparation

OPD helps graduate students and postdocs plan and prepare for careers beyond UMass Amherst—and it’s never too early to start! We organize numerous events and activities to help you assess your values, skills, and interests; explore career paths; build professional networks; and navigate the job application process. Our OPD alums enjoy rewarding, impactful careers in academic, industry, government, and non-profit organizations.

Check out our upcoming career workshops!

Adaeze Egwuatu

"Coming into UMass, I didn’t know many people who had earned a PhD, so there were a lot of transitions I didn’t know about.  I attended OPD events to learn more about careers I hadn’t imagined before, meet with professionals to expand my network, and begin the process of self-discovery to find the right career fit for me."
– Adaeze Egwuatu, PhD (alum, Neuroscience & Behavior)

Additional Resources

Your advanced degree opens the door to many career possibilities. New resources emerge daily to help graduate students and post doctoral students navigate this discovery process. Here are a few of our go-to resources.

  • An Individual Development Plan (IDP) for Graduate Students or Postdocs combines personal assessment, career exploration, and skill building within a framework of goal-setting and accountability. Sample models include myIDP (designed for scientists)and ImaginePhD (designed for the humanities and social sciences).
  • The Graduate School and UMass Career Services have co-sponsored a campus subscription to Beyond Graduate School! This website is informed by nearly a decade of experience supporting master's students to launch careers where they are paid for their education and training. Access this resource online, anytime from any place! It’s the only career training platform designed specifically for master’s students. Learn more and get instructions for logging in here. 
  • Career Services and the Graduate School have subscribed to Beyond the Professoriate, specifically for doctoral students and postdocs! Unique curriculum, information, and strategies to help PhD students confidently apply for faculty/academic jobs or to build a nonacademic career. Learn more and get instructions for logging in here. 
  • ChronicleVitae and InsideHigher Ed provide valuable career advice and access to job boards for careers in higher education.
  • Still exploring? Read personal stories, research job families and learn “what people do” across a variety of occupations on From PhD to Life and ImaginePhD.
  • Check with your UMass school/college Career Development office for additional on-line resources. 
  • Graduate students and postdocs may access the Handshake career platform managed by UMass Career Services. Create a profile today to access actual jobs, internships, and fellowships and to register for career-related events sponsored by each College’s Career Center. For students, access is automatic using NetID. Postdocs may request an account by emailing the appropriate college-based UMass Career Center.
  • Many professional societies offer valuable career-based resources and job boards that are specific to your discipline. Be sure to check yours! Examples include: Modern Language Association, American Historical Association, American Chemical Society, and National Postdoc Association.

Questions?

opd [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (Contact us for more information) on OPD’s Career Preparation workshops and assistance.