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My Arts and Sciences

Professional Development

Career Resources for Graduate Students

  • Getting the Most Out of THIS Semester
    Blog post on planning that includes links to other resources, including a webinar by Dr. Fatimah Williams on goal setting.
  • Individual Development Plan Template [pdf]
    An Individual Development Plan (IDP) allows you to develop your goals and establish your own action plan; identifying short and long-term goals that benefit you. Learn more.
  • Bobby George Priorities Management [pdf]
    Time management presentation slides from Bobby George, Training and Development Director, Office of Human Resources, SC PEBA.
  • Team Player Survey [doc]
    The Team-Player Survey will help you identify your style as a team player.  The results will lead you to an assessment of your current strengths and provide a basis for a plan to increase your effectiveness as a team player.

Resources on searching for academic and non-academic careers after graduation.

Transferable Skills

Below, you will find resources on transferable skills - what they are, how you can identify yours, and the importance of knowing your transferable skills. When considering career options, you will need to think beyond traditional academic labels and academic indicators of success, such as the number of publications you have or invited talks you gave.

Instead, focus on the skills you used to earn your degree that will be necessary to perform a particular job; these skills are transferable skills (also called core competencies). For PhDs in the Humanities, transferring your academic skills to workplace skills requires thought - and practice.


Career Assessments

Resources on self-assessments and career assessments.

    Writing a CV

    “A curriculum vitae allows you to showcase yourself and your academic and professional achievements in a concise, effective way. You want to have a compelling CV that is well-organized and easy to read, yet accurately represents your highest accomplishments.”

    From Writing an effective academic CV, Elsevier

    Writing a Resume

    Avoiding Gender Bias in Reference Writing [pdf], from the University of Arizona:
    Got a great student? Planning to write a super letter of reference? Don’t fall into these common traps based on unconscious gender bias.


    External Professional Development Resources

    • National Postdoctoral Association
      UofSC has a membership to the National Postdoctoral Association, which is open to graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty and includes relevant resources. You are eligible to join with a UofSC email address. 
    • ImaginePhD
      ImaginePhD is a free online career exploration and planning tool for PhD students and postdoctoral scholars in the humanities and social sciences. Humanities and social sciences PhD students and their mentors have long recognized the need for more resources to help bridge the knowledge gap between doctoral education and the realm of career possibilities. ImaginePhD is designed to meet this need by allowing users to:
      • assess their career-related skills, interests, and values
      • explore careers paths appropriate to their disciplines
      • create self-defined goals 
      • map out next steps for career and professional development success

    The Graduate School has a list of opportunities for professional development.



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