Doctoral programs might seem to most obviously prepare scholars for a career in academia, but there is no end to the possibilities of what one can do with a PhD. The Graduate School, the Center for Inclusive Education, and the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs has organized a Non-Academic Career Month in order to prepare students interested in pursuing opportunities outside the realm of the university.
On February 14, Karian Wright will lead an American Association of University Women (AAUW) Work Smart Salary Negotiation for Women. American women earn only 80% of their male counterparts, with Black and Hispanic women earning even less. Even just one year out of college, women are paid 18% less than men. The negotiating process can be an intimidating barrier for women, and this workshop is designed to help participants learn how to negotiate their salary for a new job, raise, or promotion through: identifying and articulating personal value, developing an arsenal of persuasive responses and other negotiation strategies, and conducting objective market research to benchmark a target salary and benefits. This particular session for Non-Academic Career Month is also valuable for scholars intending to pursue a career in academia, as you can never be too prepared for the salary negotiations process.
On February 21, Alfreda S. James, PhD, the Assistant Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Services, will lead a Resume and Cover Letter Workshops. Participants will learn how to convert their CV and cover letter to apply for non-academic career opportunities. Dr. James’s role in Career Services is to work specifically with graduate students as they prepare for careers in and out of academia.
Several CIE Alumni have gone on to hold non-faculty positions, and on March 1, a panel of alumni will share important lessons they learned along their career path as part of the CIE Alumni Panel. Daphne Meza, who completed her PhD in Biomedical Engineering is now Senior Scientist at Johnson & Johnson; Crystal Lewis, who completed her PhD in Chemistry, is now a Senior Formulation Specialist at Silk Therapeutics, Inc.; and Angel Gonzalez, who completed his PhD in Psychology, is now the Program Manager of the Dr. W. Burghardt Turner, GEM, IMSD-MERGE and LSAMP-BD Fellowships, as well as the Interim Assistant Dean for Diversity & Inclusion and Director of the CIE at Stony Brook University. All have found ways to blend their academic backgrounds with their current positions and will offer advice for current scholars who wish to do the same.
Related to Non-Academic Career month, Stony Brook’s PhD Career Ladder Program (PCLP) will be offering an Accelerated version of the program this Spring, meeting every other Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. PCLP can help you plan for any career field you might be considering, whether inside or outside of academia, and can help you add career development goals to your annual IDP. Visit their website for more info.
We hope to see you at one or more of our Non-Academic Career Month events. You can register online or contact Karian.Wright@stonybrook.edu for more information.