Can I get an industry job if I join a lab that doesn't have industry connections?

A first-year PhD student asks— I just finished rotating with a PI who seems like a really good mentor, and they have a bunch of cool research that I’d be interested in working on. But I know their lab doesn’t have any industry connections, and I’m not planning on a faculty career. Am I making a…

Helping PhD students choose a thesis lab skillfully

 

Who should I put on my thesis committee?

A third-year PhD student asks— I just finished quals, and I’m thinking about my thesis committee. Who should I be looking for? My PI has some suggestions, but I don’t know many faculty that well.

Pilot: teaching student pharmacists how to use social media skillfully as a professional

Assistant Director Anna Reeves is partnering with the Dr. Tram Cat (the Associate Dean of Student Affairs) in the School of Pharmacy to pilot a new workshop focused on helping students develop, protect, and navigate their professional identity and professional brand on social media this winter…

Will I lose the job offer if I ask for too late a start date?

A fifth-year PhD student asks—This feels like a stupid question—how honest do I have to be when an employer asks how soon I can start? I’d really like to take a vacation after finishing, but technically I could start right away. Would they rule me out for a job because I offered too late a start…

System-Level Collaboration: Partnering across UC campuses to offer more career workshops to UCSF learners

Last fall, the OCPD spearheaded the Power of 10 Industry Career Series, a UC-wide collaboration designed to offer a broader range of career development programming to our PhD-students and postdoctoral scholars.

Impact: Building infrastructure and using data to reach our learners

This academic year, OCPD has adopted a new tool, Handshake, to help us be more strategic about how we serve students and postdoctoral scholars across campus. The goal was not simply to track activity, but to solve a persistent challenge: understanding who we are reaching, who we are not, and how to…

Can I ask for a higher title during negotiations?

A postdoc asks— I received an unofficial offer from a company saying that they decided to extend me an offer but will need to finalize the details before sending the official offer letter. (I had emailed the HR for a follow up since it has been a while since my last interview). In anticipation, I…

National Dissemination: Teaching change management frameworks

We recently shared a resource on managing change developed as part of OCPD’s third collaborative NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant with the City College of San Francisco (CCSF).

Can I apply to jobs that require a PhD if I'm not quite finished?

A fifth-year PhD student asks— I am applying to positions that require a PhD. I am defending my dissertation soon, but not in time to confer before the hiring date. Do you suggest I still apply or am I truly 'unqualified'?