Where Should I Begin?

Where are you right now? What knowledge, experience and assets have you accumulated so far, and what do you want to bring with you into your future?

• Take time to assess what your skills are and what areas you're interested in.
• Here are a few of the skills Masters and Doctoral students have that employers value:
  • Attentive to audience knowledge and needs and able to shape oral and written communication
  • Develop realistic timelines for completion of projects
  • Define a problem and identify possible causes
  • Able to navigate complex bureaucratic environments
• Use your research skills to help you find out what others are doing outside of academia.
• Attend the Non-academic Work Search workshop.
• Attending the You and Your Career Options workshop will provide you with an opportunity to assess all of the areas mentioned above, as well as connecting you with career options.
• Consider the Career Choice and Your Personality (for graduate students) workshop to explore one aspect of who you are.

What are some of my options?

There are many options, from: development and fundraising to regulatory affairs, technology transfer to academic administration, public service to public relations, just to name a few. To uncover more, browse the Alumni Profiles, talk to people about what they do, join professional associations and their electronic listservs, and review the online articles.

What else can I do to get started?

• Meet with a career counsellor to discuss your individual situation.
• For more information, read the Non-Academic Work Search guide.
• Visit the Career Resource Library and explore various resources, including books focusing on careers outside of academia, as well as profiles of individuals who have chosen careers in a non-academic field.