Upcoming Career Preparation Workshops!
OPD helps graduate students and postdocs plan and prepare for careers beyond UMass Amherst—and it’s never too early to start!
Teaching Statements for the Academic Job Market
Thursday, July 31st - 10:00-11:30am (online)
How do you talk about teaching on the faculty job market? What are search committees looking for? This interactive workshop will cover the basics, as well as what makes an excellent statement stand out! In addition, we will review examples of teaching statements.
Teaching Portfolios: Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness
Thursday, July 31st - 11:45am-12:30pm (online)
In this workshop, you will learn the essentials of crafting a teaching portfolio that showcases your effectiveness in the classroom. Topics will include the purpose, content, and format of the teaching portfolio.
Resume Basics
Wednesday, August 6th - 10:00-11:30am (online)
Preparing for a job or internship search? This session will talk about the differences between a CV and a resume, help you understand how employers screen resumes, and provide tips for making yours stand out.
Interview Strategies
Thursday, August 7th - 10:00-11:30am (online)
The thought of interviewing can feel stressful when we don't know what to expect or how candidates will be evaluated. Whether interviewing in person or online, this session will offer a framework that can help reduce anxiety and boost confidence. If you are considering jobs outside academia or non-faculty positions inside academia, this session is for you.
Faculty Cover Letters
Thursday, August 7th - 1:00-2:30pm (online)
Crafting the perfect faculty cover letter can be stressful! What do I write about? Should I use letterhead? How much of the cover letter overlaps with my statements? Come to this workshop for an outline of cover letter expectations and get all your questions answered!
Tailor Your Faculty Application: Highlight Your Fit Without Wasting Time
Wednesday, August 13th - 10:30am-12:00pm (online)
As you read the job ads for an “Assistant Professor,” you are faced with interpreting vague job descriptions and scrolling through college websites in hopes of finding something to help your application stand out from the pack. Learn to tailor your application in this workshop! We will look at how certain words in job ads carry important information and how these minor differences should change your application.
What Kinds of Assistantships Are Available – and How Do You Get One?
Friday, August 15th - 12:00-12:30pm (online)
At UMass, assistantships fall into three categories: teaching, research, and projects (usually involving work in a campus office). Most are offered through your department, but a very limited number of project assistantships are posted broadly each year. Join this short workshop to learn more and ask questions!
Negotiating a Job Offer
Thursday, August 21st - 11:30am-1:00pm (online)
Are you hearing that you should negotiate your job offer, but feeling unsure about how to do this? If you are considering jobs outside academia or non-faculty positions inside academia, join this session to learn concrete strategies to negotiate with confidence.