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Job Search Resources for Graduate Students

Strategies to find jobs: Utilize online job boards, professional associations, and networking opportunities through conferences and events. Also check academic journals and research institutions for faculty or research positions, explore research grants and funding options, and seek referrals from personal connections. Customizing applications for each job, building a strong online presence on platforms like LinkedIn, and staying persistent throughout the job search process are essential to enhance their chances of success.

Online Job Boards and Websites: Explore job boards and websites that cater to academic and non-academic job opportunities. Websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, HigherEdJobs (for academic positions), and specialized industry-specific job boards can provide a wide range of job listings to suit various career goals. When applying to jobs, we strongly recommend applying directly through the employer’s website. 

Professional Associations and Conferences: Join relevant professional associations in your field and attend conferences to expand your network and stay updated on job openings. Many associations have job boards and career services exclusively for their members.

Networking: Networking is an essential component to the job search.

  • Build strong relationships with your advisor, the department, classmates, colleagues, mentors, Career Services, etc.
  • Attend industry events, academic conferences, seminars, and workshops to connect with professionals and potential employers. Networking can lead to job referrals and hidden job opportunities that are not publicly advertised.

Academic Journals and Research Institutions: For academic positions, visit academic journals and institutional websites for faculty job postings. Many universities and research institutions have dedicated career sections where they list faculty and research positions.

Personal Connections and Referrals: Inform your professors, mentors, colleagues, and friends about your job search. They might be aware of job openings and can refer you to potential employers.

Online Professional Networking: Build a strong presence on professional networking platforms like LinkedIn. Keep your profile updated and engage with relevant posts and connections. Many employers actively search for candidates on LinkedIn. See the LinkedIn Tutorial from LinkedIn Learning.

Industry Events and Job Fairs: Attend industry-specific job fairs and career events to interact with recruiters and employers from various sectors. Job fairs offer a direct opportunity to showcase your skills and experiences to potential employers.

Job Posting Sites:

  • Handshake: Search for part-time/full-time jobs, internships, fellowships, and post-graduation career positions.
  • USAJobs: The site for United States federal government job vacancy announcements maintained by the U. S. Office of Personnel Management.
  • GoinGlobal: GoinGlobal provides country/area guides, H1B visa information, an employer directory and global job/internship postings. GoinGlobal Career Guides and the Global Key Employer Directory are updated continually. This massive research tool contains more than 10,000 resources for finding employment in the US and abroad.
  • HigherEdJobs: Job database focused on college and university positions.
  • Higher Education Recruitment Consortium: HERC is a gateway to more jobs in higher education and related fields than any other website. HERC provides job seekers with comprehensive and transparent access to job opportunities, daily job alerts, career advice news and webinars, dual career support, and regional multicultural resources to help with relocating to a new community.
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education – Jobs: Contains job listings, email alert services, job search articles, a discussion forum, and useful links.

Additional Resources and Articles: