Take advantage of a variety of tools, training programs, and resources—from Pitt and other organizations—that are available to assist with your career and professional development.
Resources from Pitt
Big Interview - The virtual training resource is designed to help you prepare for a job interview through hands-on practice and practice interviews that match your area of interest.
Career Design Workshop Series - The Career Design Workshop Series is an eight-week sequence of one-hour professional development workshops. Although created for graduate students and designed to address PhD students’ career goals, the series is certainly open to professional and master’s students and postdocs as well.
Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, Learning (CIRTL) - This National Science Foundation (NSF) center for learning and teaching in higher education comprises a network of 40+ research universities across the U.S. and Canada committed to advancing the professional development of the next generation of STEM faculty. Programming for postdocs, grad students, and faculty includes professional development seminars, synchronous virtual workshops, semester-long seminar-based courses, journal/book clubs, and learning communities.
Center for Postdoctoral Affairs in the Health Sciences - Housed within the Office of Academic Career Development, the center provides oversight to postdoctoral training and career development within the six schools of the health sciences: Dental Medicine, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health. Among other responsibilities, the center serves as a resource both for prospective postdoctoral trainees considering training opportunities at Pitt and especially for Pitt's current community of postdoctoral researchers.
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity for Graduate Students and Postdocs - The National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) is a nationally recognized, independent organization that provides online career development and mentoring resources not just for faculty but for postdocs and graduate students as well. The University of Pittsburgh holds an institutional membership with the NCFDD — this means that you can register and claim your membership for free.
Office of Academic Career Development (OACD) for Health Sciences - OACD provides those in Pitt's schools of the health sciences with tools, resources, and support for achieving their full potential as leaders in biomedical research, education, and clinical practice.
Office of the Provost - Graduate Studies - The professional development resources on the Office of the Provost - Graduate Studies website are designed with Pitt PhD students from all departments and at all stages of their careers in mind; however, those pursuing their professional and master’s degrees and postdoctoral training may find them useful as well. Whether you’re just starting or are about to finish your graduate degree, the resources provided here will help you become aware of and expand your career options and prepare for your job search.
VMock Resume Platform - Using AI-powered tools, this online resume-review platform provides instant feedback and suggestions on a range of criteria during resume development.
Resources from National Organizations
AURORA Beyond the Professoriate - This online professional development training platform was designed to help graduate students and postdoc trainees explore career options and establish job search strategies for finding employment in or out of academia.
Imagine PhD - Through self-assessment tools, guides to job families, and resources for creating an Individual Development Plan, Imagine PhD assists with career exploration and planning for the humanities and social sciences.
InterSECT Job Simulations - This online platform provides authentic job simulation exercises to help users explore career options by considering professional interests and skills, real-life professional settings, and potential career paths.
myIDP - Science Careers - Through the Individual Development Plan (IDP) framework, this online career-planning tool is tailored for the needs of postdocs in the sciences. The IDP concept helps a user to assess skills, values, interests, and abilities and to identify those needed to advance one's career.
National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) - Through a national network, NRMN shares innovative best practices for improving mentoring relationships for researchers at all career stages in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences. Its evidence-based mentorship and professional development programs have an emphasis on diversity, inclusivity and culture.
Pittsburgh Technology Council - The Pittsburgh Technology Council seeks to help tech companies succeed through a platform of business development, talent retention, government relations, advocacy, and visibility services. It seeks to build connections by fostering awareness in the community to the ideas and knowledge within Pittsburgh’s innovative technology ecosystem.
Versatile PhD - This online tool provides non-academic professional development assistance to help users to visualize, prepare for, and succeed in non-academic careers.