Jump start your career planning with our roadmap—a flexible guide outlining key actions you can take at each stage of your graduate program to explore options, connect with others, and achieve your goals after graduation.
Plan for Success
- Early Stage
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Create SMART goals that outline actionable steps to reach milestones in your degree and career plans by a desired date.
Draft a CV and résumé and have it reviewed by a Career Consultant during drop-in hours.
Create a professional journal that tracks all that you have done (research, teaching, volunteer, internships, etc.), when you did them, skills gained, and quantifiable accomplishments.
Familiarize yourself with deadlines for summer internships, and graduate school applications.
Discuss changes and updates to your goals as needed with relevant mentors.
- Late Stage
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Finalize career direction(s) and tailor your CV or resume to those specific roles.
Use a job application tracker template to keep track of deadlines and follow-ups to your submitted applications.
Evaluate and decide the quality and cost of supporting the life you want to live to determine what jobs you want to target.
Learn about negotiating job offers, what to expect in a benefits offer package.
Find potential recommendation letter writers and/or references and keep them updated on your progress.
Gain Experience and Transferable Skills
- Early Stage
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Attend career panels available within your school and throughout the University.
Attend any career and professional development workshops offered through the Career Center, Office of the Provost, or within your school.
Activate and complete your Handshake account.
Schedule an introductory meeting with a Career Consultant through Handshake.
Learn about the Career Center’s available services (mock interviews, resume reviews, job boards, etc.).
If possible, do an internship, co-op, volunteer, or part-time job to expand your network and skills. You can start by visiting your department’s resources.
Take skill building courses through LinkedIn Learning (free access through Pitt).
- Late Stage
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Visit the Career Center for interview practice and review your application materials.
Research and apply for summer internships, jobs, and/or volunteer work to explore and hone your transferable skills.
Continue building communication skills by giving talks at conferences, and exploring avenues for sharing your work e.g. online articles, blogs, LinkedIn posts.
Build Your Network
- Early Stage
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Find a faculty mentor who can connect you to other faculty or staff members who have research or professional roles that interest you.
Evaluate your support network by completing the Graduate Student’s Guide to Building and Evaluating Your Network.
Keep in touch with previous contacts from your previous institutions or jobs.
Create a LinkedIn profile and/or professional website.
Conduct informational interviews or find a mentor with current and former Pitt students with similar career goals through Pitt Commons.
Join professional organizations and attend their conferences to expand your network.
- Late Stage
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Communicate your intended job goals with mentors and your network.
Join mailing lists and check job boards hosted by professional groups in your field of interest.
Attend Career Fairs and scope out employers hiring those with graduate degrees by reviewing the list of employers online.
Follow the Pitt Alumni Association on LinkedIn, and keep in touch with career services offered for alumni by utilizing Career Central and the Pitt Alumni Career Network webpages.