Contents
Contact Information ..................................... 2
Getting Started: Careers for PhDs & Postdoctoral Scholars ...... 3
BEAM - Career Education ................................. 4
School of Medicine Career Center .......................... 6
Additional Stanford University Services and Resources. . . . . . . . . 8
Top Online and Library Resources for PhDs and Postdocs .... 9
International Students ................................. 9
PART I: THE ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH
Getting Your Bearings ................................... 10
Crafting Your CV ....................................... 11
CV Outline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sample CVs ......................................... 15
Writing Cover Letters for
Academic Jobs and Postdoc Positions ................... 26
Cover Letter Outline ................................. 26
Sample Cover Letters ................................. 27
Additional Application Materials .......................... 29
Research Statements ................................. 29
Focusing Your Research Statement: Questions to Consider .. 29
Teaching Statements ................................. 30
Writing Samples ..................................... 30
Teaching Materials ................................... 30
Applying to Community Colleges ....................... 30
Getting Started on Your Teaching Statement ............. 31
Letters of Recommendation ........................... 31
Academic Interviews .................................... 32
First-Round Interviews: Phone .......................... 32
First-Round Interviews: Skype .......................... 33
First-Round Interviews: Annual Conferences .............. 33
On-Campus Interviews ................................ 33
Chalk Talks ......................................... 34
Preparing for an Academic Job Talk ..................... 34
Interview Questions .................................. 35
After the Interview:
Thank-You Notes and Waiting ....................... 36
Negotiation ......................................... 36
36 Negotiable Items in an Academic Position ............. 37
Possible Outcomes and Looking Ahead .................. 37
PART II: PHD PATHWAYS
Career Options Beyond Academia ......................... 38
Our Philosophy ...................................... 38
What PhD Students and Postdocs Need to Know When
Considering All Career Options ....................... 38
Careers in Engineering ................................ 39
Career Fields by Skills ................................. 40
Research Your Options and What’s Out There ............... 41
Brainstorm Career Ideas ............................... 41
Investigate Options .................................. 42
Gain Experience ..................................... 42
Networking and Informational Interviews .................. 43
Five Steps for Conducting Informational Interviews ........ 44
Networking Online. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
More Job Search Tips ................................... 46
The Effective Public Service Job and Internship Search. . . . . . 47
Resumes and Cover Letters ............................... 48
Resume Sections ..................................... 48
What’s the Difference Between a CV,
Resume and Resume Vitae? .......................... 48
Resume Format ...................................... 49
Resume Tips ........................................ 49
Sample Action Verbs by Skill ........................... 50
Sample Resumes ..................................... 51
Sample Reference Page ............................... 56
Cover Letters ........................................ 56
Cover Letter Outline ................................. 57
Sample Cover Letters ................................. 58
Interviews ............................................. 62
Before the Interview ................................. 62
Interview Tips ....................................... 62
Preparing for Questions ............................... 63
Types of Interviews .................................. 63
Typical Stages of an Interview ......................... 64
Sample Interview Questions ........................... 64
Questions to Ask Employers ........................... 65
Evaluating and Negotiating Job Offers ..................... 66
Preparing to Negotiate ............................... 67
Negotiating ......................................... 68
Accepting and Rejecting Offers ........................ 68
Ethics and Etiquette .................................. 69
Frequently Asked Questions ........................... 69
Sample Job Offer Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Edited by Arne Bakker
With support from Kathy Campbell, Vicky Chung, Laura Dominguez Chan and Stephanie Eberle
Cover Art by Siliang Kang
Sta n for d Ph d & PoSt doc ca r ee r Gu i de
2
BeaM - ca r ee r educ at ion
Br i d Gi nG educat ion, aM Bi t ion & Me a n i nGf u l Wor k
Sc hool of Me dici n e ca r e er ce n t er
a nexuS for talentS, PartnerShiPS and oPPortunitieS
Career Communities & Career
Catalysts (2nd Floor)
Appointments & programs
Monday–Friday
8 am–5 pm
Career Ventures (3rd Floor)
Job and Internship postings, on-campus
recruiting & career fairs
Monday–Friday
8 am–5 pm
Address
Student Services Building
563 Salvatierra Walk
Website
careers.stanford.edu
Main Phone
(650) 725-1789
Address
Medical School Office Building
1st Floor
1265 Welch Road
Website
http://med.stanford.edu/
careercenter
Main Phone
(650) 721-1893
3
You may have begun your graduate studies
with a clear career objective. Or, perhaps
you did not have a specific career goal
in mind but decided to pursue graduate
studies since you enjoyed the academic
environment and research. You may have
been unsure about your career direction
and wanted to keep your options open
while gaining additional training through
an advanced degree. For some of you,
the opportunity to study further at a
prestigious institution with top minds
and exciting learning opportunities was
motivation enough.
Now that you are here, you may have
additional questions about your future
career. Perhaps you are just beginning
your graduate studies and wondering if
you should complete your doctoral studies
and where that will lead. Or, you may
have spent most of your graduate years
concentrating on your academic work and
now face a job search in a competitive
job market. Whether you decide to
pursue an academic career or options
beyond academia, it is important for you
to understand and explore the breadth
of career options available. The time it
takes to figure out your interests and
skills, learn about the world of work, and
make a match between who you are and
appropriate opportunities/employers is a
worthwhile investment for your future. The
career exploration process can complement
your graduate training and prepare you for
a smooth transition to a professional role
inside or outside academia.
The natural tendency of many PhDs and
postdocs is to vacillate between academic
and non-faculty careers throughout their
graduate or postdoctoral training. Your
interests, preferences, or understanding
of career fields may have changed. In
addition, the world of work also continues
to evolve and may present opportunities
that you did not know about before.
Outside factors such as limited avail-
ability of faculty jobs, especially in certain
disciplines or types of institutions, or
change in personal circumstances may also
necessitate keeping your options open.
It is helpful to have looked at all viable
options regardless of your final career
decision. Within academia, consider the
various types of institutions or the possible
diversity of academic roles. Even if you
ultimately become a professor, the process
of examining various options would have
helped you clarify why you have just taken
the default path. Also, after going through
this process you will be better prepared
to advise your own students with regard
to their career exploration. Again, if your
career exploration results in a career
beyond academia, you will have confi-
dence in your decision, having weighed it
carefully based on who you are and the
possibilities vetted through solid research.
This, in turn, will position you well for the
non-academic job search and your inter-
views with employers.
If possible, begin the career planning
process early and use all of the resources
available to you through BEAM - Career
Education, the School of Medicine Career
Center and other services. View your
graduate training as an opportunity to
develop a broad and transferable skill set
that can take you on multiple career paths.
Take advantage of numerous professional
learning opportunities and experiences
while you are here. Make time to test
out your interests in various careers and
start developing a professional network.
Regardless of where you are in your career
exploration process, a BEAM or SoMCC
career coach or counselor can serve as your
sounding board and help you navigate the
career decision-making process and job
search within or beyond academia.
Get t i nG Sta rt ed: ca r e er S for
Ph dS & Po St doc tor a l Sc hola rS
4
BEAM - Career Education
BEAM - Career Education (BEAM)
empowers PhD students and postdocs
to cultivate personalized networks
that shape your professional journey
through customized support based on
your interests, academic discipline and
degree level. BEAM offers meetups, labs,
individual coaching appointments, career
fairs, on campus interviews, job/internship
databases, digital resources, and alumni
networking opportunities to help you
transform your ambitions into meaningful
work.
Handshake
Handshake, at https://stanford.joinhand-
shake.com, is a key online resource for
obtaining information on jobs, employers,
BEAM services, events, programs,
employer information sessions and other
topics of interest.
Through your Handshake account, you’ll
be able to:
• Schedule a 15-, 30- or 45-minute career
coaching appointment.
• Access full-time, part-time, internship,
and on-campus job postings.
• Get activated for our on-campus
interview program.
• Simplify the job application process by
storing resumes, CVs, and cover letters,
and apply directly to positions.
Career Coaching
Our confidential coaching services are
designed to address your academic and
non-academic career exploration and job
search needs and concerns on a one-on-one
basis. 15-, 30- and 45-minute appoint-
ments with a career coach can be scheduled
online by logging into your Handshake
account. The 15-minute appointments
are appropriate for resume or cover letter
critiques or to answer quick questions.
Wait times for the longer 30- and
45-minute appointments can range from
one day to two weeks depending on the
time of year.
Assessments
One of the best ways to increase your
self-awareness is through a professional
assessment focused on your personality,
career interests, or strengths. Below, you
will find a brief explanation of the assess-
ments we offer. These tools are excellent
resources for clarifying your interests,
developing a professional vocabulary for
yourself, and establishing a starting point
for your career exploration.
• T.R.E.E.
Tools for Career Readiness, Exploration,
and Evaluation (T.R.E.E.) will help you
list your career interests and design specific
goals to explore and pursue those interests.
Each phase includes activities and tips to
walk you through the career process. You
decide when and where to complete the
activities, how quickly to move along, and
which parts to complete. Find T.R.E.E. at
https://cdc-tree.stanford.edu.
If you are interested in one or more of the
assessments below, please contact the PhD
& Postdoc Career Communities team to
request access.
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The MBTI indicates your personality
preferences. It also provides feedback on
work settings and various careers where
your personality type might be either a
complement or a challenge. Based on
the personality theory of Carl Jung and
developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and
Isabel Briggs Myers, it is focused preference
type from sixteen possible combinations.
• StrengthsQuest
StrengthsQuest begins with a 30-minute
online assessment, the Clifton
StrengthsFinder. After you take the
assessment, you receive a customized
report that lists your top five talent themes,
along with action items for development
and suggestions about how you can use
your talents to achieve academic, career,
and personal success.
Programs
There are a variety of events and programs
offered throughout the academic year. To
view a list of upcoming events for PhDs
and postdocs, as well as the Career Fair
schedule, please log into Handshake at
https://stanford.joinhandshake.com.
• Meetups
A meetup is an informal gathering focused
around a specific career topic facilitated
by a Career Communities team member.
Students are encouraged to participate
in discussion throughout their time at
Stanford on a variety of topics, share
their experiences, ask questions, and hear
from their peers. Meetups take place at
BEAM, academic departments, and other
group spaces on campus. Meetup topics
cover opportunities in Academia, Beyond
Academia, or both, and have included
discussions on interviewing, teaching &
research statements, resumes and more.
Meetups occur often and may include a
special guest speaker or an opportunity
to connect with professionals in industry/
academia.
• Labs
Labs are interactive Meetups where we give
you the opportunity to work on a specific
document or project in the presence of
your peers. Labs will give you time to start
or update materials such as your resume
or CV, while Career Community team
members are present to immediately answer
related questions and provide suggestions.
• Networking Events & Career Panels
Networking events bring PhD alumni and
employers to campus to meet students in
a more casual environment. Career Panels
host alumni who all work in a specific
industry or sector and allow you to hear
their personal stories and insights.
• Career Development Programs
The PhD & Postdoc Career Communities
team is involved in several multi-week
programs and courses on campus.
The longer format allows for deeper
engagement with career-related material.
Examples are “Jumpstart Your Academic
Job Search”, “Designing the Professional”,
and the “Management Consulting
Preparation Program”.
5
Career Fairs
During the academic year, BEAM sponsors
14-16 career fairs covering a wide variety
of industries. These fairs enable you to
interact with employers and perhaps find
an internship or job.
Did you know that these Career Fairs
are not just for undergraduates? Many
employers that attend the fairs are also
interested in hiring PhDs. In addition,
the PhD Fair in February brings together
employers specifically looking for PhD level
candidates. Even if you’re not looking for a
full-time opportunity, these fairs are great
opportunities to network with employers
and learn what specific skills they are
looking for. Log into Handshake to see the
full list of Career Fairs and their dates.
Letter of Recommendation
Service
BEAM has partnered with Interfolio, a
web-based credential file management
service. This service is available to both
current students and alumni for a nominal
fee. The entire system is both secure and
convenient. Visit the Interfolio website at
interfolio.com for more information.
iNet Internship Network
Stanford University has joined ten other
select universities to offer you a wider
range of internships through the iNet
internship database. This is a separate
registration process from Handshake.
Recruiting Program
Recruiting is a program whereby employers
come to Stanford to interview current
students during fall and winter quarters.
PhD students are eligible to participate;
however, postdocs are not eligible to
participate.
6
Talent + Training
At Stanford University, we offer a unique
resource for advanced degree trainees (MD,
PhD, postdoc) in the medical and biosci-
ences: a specialized career center.
Established in 2004, the School of
Medicine Career Center (SoMCC) supports
the professional and career development of
over 3000 trainees—biosciences graduate
students and postdoctoral scholars, medical
students and residents.
Stanford’s School of Medicine trainees
are regarded among the best in the world
within their specialties and disciplines.
Their academic training prepares them for
a wide range of exciting career opportu-
nities. The SoMCC is pleased to provide
relevant guidance and support for their
decision-making, career planning and
development. From academia and clinical
practice to industry, government, and
non-profit roles, the SoMCC prepares
trainees for positions of leadership and
excellence in fields and sectors of their
choice.
Careers of Choice
Stanford trainees utilize their scientific
skills by pursuing different careers of
choice, such as:
• Research appointments in academia or
industry
• Early stage start-up company positions
• Jobs and fellowships in government
or non-profits within research, policy,
and regulatory settings
• Management consulting positions with
top firms across the globe
• Jobs in banking, finance, or venture
capital firms
• Technical specialist positions within
legal, regulatory, and technology
transfer settings
• Teaching positions in colleges and
other academic institutions
• Scientific writing, editing, and other
communication roles with journals
and in other media settings…and
more!
Success Stories
Some highlights of successes and career
paths followed by former Stanford SoMCC
trainees include:
• Consultant, Endocrinology and
Health Research and Policy, Stanford
University
• Assistant Professor, University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
• Publications Associate, Actelion
Pharmaceuticals, South San Francisco
• Consultant, Boston Consulting Group
(BCG), Chicago, IL
• Sr. Scientist, Union of Concerned
Scientists, Washington, DC
• Instructor, Chabot College, Hayward,
CA
• Business Development Manager,
Genomic Health, Redwood City, CA
• Project Leader, Duke Translational
Medicine Institute, Durham, NC
More such stories and examples can be
found on our website.
Trainees have myriad opportunities
to learn about, explore and find their
fit in sectors such as Academia &
Education, Banking & Finance, Biotech/
Pharmaceutical Research, Consulting,
Data Science, Government, Healthcare,
Law, Medical Devices, Media &
Communications, Non-Profit and more.
7
Programs and Services
SoMCC programs encompass the following three areas:
Curriculum Connections Counseling
Courses, workshops, programs and
resources for trainees to
✓ Augment their academic training
✓ Enhance professional development skills
✓ Introduce roles and functions in various
sectors
Partnerships with leading companies and
organizations to
✓ Build relationships with alumni and
employers
✓ Raise awareness of activities, trends and
opportunities
✓ Boost employment growth in the labor
market
Confidential career counseling with trained
professionals to
✓ Advise trainees on all areas of career-of-
choice development
✓ Provide timely feedback on career-
related documents
✓ Assess skills, fit, strengths and scope for
career development
Career Foundations
Assessment, Decision-Making &
Exploration
Career Preparation and Practice: skill
development in Biotech Business &
Finance, Consulting. Coming soon: Law,
Biotechnology & Govt. Research, Media &
Communication, Policy, Data
Career Transitions
CVs/Cover Letters, Job Search Strategies,
Networking & Social Media, Negotiation;
Academic Applications & Interviews Clinics
Career Exploration Opportunities
Internship Program
Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Workshops & Support
Industry Insights Series with C and
executive level speakers
Library: over 500 books to borrow with
your Stanford ID (eBrary coming soon!)
Postdoc Quarterly Panels
Residency Interview Practice Workshops
Biotechnology Industry Expo: not your
average career fair
Celebrating Future Careers: 4th Year PhDs
& alumni networking reception
Collaboration And Suport For Trainee
Organizations
Employer Site Visits
Online Presence
SoMCC website
Social media
@stanfordsomcc
Career Fair collaborations (start-up,
medical device)
SciMed Careers: Biosciences jobs/intern-
ships database
https://susm-csm.symplicity.com
Assessment Tools
MBTI, StrengthsQuest, myIDP, Strong
Interest Inventory, CareerLeader (business
focus), Values Inventory, Motivated Skills
Decision Making And Planning Support
Document Review And Interview Practice
Express Reviews/Drop-In Counseling
Informational Interviews And Resources
Mock Residency Practice Interviews
One-On-One Confidential Career
Counseling
Post-RRAP Drop-In Counseling
Through these offerings, the SoMCC helps trainees align their career goals with their academic training, develop professional skills
needed for success, and explore and find opportunities that best fit their interests, skills and values.
8
Additional Stanford University Services and Resources
The following campus offices provide
services and programs that complement the
BEAM - Career Education and the School
of Medicine Career Center offerings in
exploring and pursuing various careers.
Please note that for the sake of brevity, the
descriptions below focus on career-related
resources of the offices and do not reflect
their complete mission and work. Also note
that user eligibility for each office varies.
Vice Provost for Graduate Education
(VPGE) vpge.stanford.edu
Offers numerous professional skills-devel-
opment and training opportunities and
provides a comprehensive listing of various
on-campus resources for graduate students.
Office of Graduate Education (OGE)
biosciences.stanford.edu/contact/
graduate-education.html
Aims to help train and empower the next
generation of leaders and innovators within
and beyond academia and industry. The
office offers programs and services to
support graduate students and sustain the
level of excellence achieved by Stanford
Biosciences.
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)
postdocs.stanford.edu
Supports postdoctoral scholars’ career
development by providing professional
development and skill-building programs in
collaboration with various campus offices
and by providing guidelines for Career
Progress Mentorship Meetings.
Hume Center for Writing and
Speaking (HCWS) undergrad.
stanford.edu/tutoring-support/
hume-center
Provides extensive support for writing and
oral communication to graduate students
through workshops, boot camps, individual
consultations, and resources; including
workshops on research statements and
individual advising on written application
materials and oral presentations, such as
job talk and interviewing skills.
Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
teachingcommons.stanford.edu/ctl
Provides teaching training and resources
including consultations, classroom
observation, student small group evalua-
tions, video-recording and analysis, and
workshops and courses on teaching topics
including teaching statements and course
design.
School of Engineering, Technical
Communications Program (TCP)
engineering.stanford.edu/
portals/student/academic-
support-and-resources/
technical-communications-program
Supports students’ technical writing and/
or speaking skills development through
courses and individual consulting.
Primarily serves engineering students, but
also welcomes interested students from
elsewhere in the university.
Mentors for Humanities PhDs
shc.stanford.edu/phd-mentors
Provides a list, compiled by the Stanford
Humanities Center, of local humanities
PhDs in non-faculty positions who are
willing to share their career experience and
advice with PhD students.
Counseling and Psychological
Services (CAPS) vaden.stanford.edu/
caps
Rigors of graduate education or the job
search can bring up feelings of anxiety or
depression. CAPS offers a broad range
of services including individual therapy,
medication assessment and management,
group therapy, support groups, and
couples counseling.
Other On-Campus Career
Centers:
• Graduate School of Education,
Career Services Office
ed.stanford.edu/careers
• Law School, Office of Career
Services law.stanford.edu/school/
offices/ocs
• Graduate School of Business,
Career Management Center
gsb.stanford.edu/cmc
9
International Students
Pursuing jobs and internship opportunities
in the U.S. may feel especially unfamiliar
as an international student. The following
resources are available to help you
manage your career.
Career Counseling
Career coaches and counselors are
excellent listeners, problem solvers, infor-
mation providers, and motivators. Coaches
and counselors can:
• Help you clarify and articulate your skills
and interests
• Provide resources for exploring options
or researching industries
• Share tips on tailoring resumes, CVs
and cover letters for the U.S. job market
• Provide tips on interviewing in the U.S.
and conduct practice interviews
• Strategize your job search
Networking and Informational
Interviews: Stanford CareerConnect
Learn from experienced Stanford alumni!
Ask career questions, get advice and
gather valuable information from alumni
by going to http://alumni.stanford.edu/
goto/CareerConnect and clicking the
CareerConnect link. Identify alumni by
department, degree, specialty, industry
and/or location, and then ask for a brief
conversation to answer your career
questions.
Visa Issues
BEAM does not provide advice on legal,
technical or other issues related to your
visa. Please visit http://stanford.edu/
dept/icenter or consult with an advisor at
the Bechtel International Center for this
information.
Who Hires International Graduates and
Scholars?
Recruiting is expensive, so employers
generally prefer to hire for the long term.
Hence your attractiveness as a candidate
may depend on your potential to obtain
a subsequent work visa (e.g., H1B visa)
after you complete your practical training
or work eligibility allowed on your current
visa. Some employers sponsor interna-
tional employees for subsequent visas;
others do not.
Other than the defense industry, many
large companies strive to hire the best
candidate, regardless of nationality.
Universities and other educational
institutions also generally hire the
best candidates; additionally, there is
no restriction on the number of H1B
visas they may sponsor. It is harder to
generalize about smaller and mid-sized
companies, which may be less familiar
with hiring candidates on visas.
Positions within the U.S. federal
government, most national labs and the
security/defense industries generally
require U.S. citizenship or permanent
residency. Positions within state or local
government may be open to international
candidates; however, some states may be
more international-friendly than others.
Visit myvisajobs.com to find employers by
industry, profession and location that have
historically sponsored H1B visas. This
site also has current postings for available
positions at these international-friendly
employers.
Top Online and Library Resources for PhDs & Postdocs
• The Chronicle of Higher Education
News and jobs in academia and higher
education. At chronicle.com.
• CareerInsider—Vault, Inc.
Electronic guidebooks about employers
and career fields provided free of
charge to Stanford students and
postdocs. Choose any of the titles, such
as Advice from Top Tech & New Media
Gurus / Biotech Careers / Fundraising &
Philanthropy Careers / Top Consulting
Firms / Top Government & Non-Profit
Employers. At https://careerinsider.
vault.com/career-insider-login.
aspx?parrefer=269.
• Pivot: “Funding Connected”
Stanford University subscribes to this
professional tool for locating grants
and fellowships. The Advanced Search
allows you to construct a targeted,
field-specific search. You can track
funding opportunities by funding amount,
deadline date, sponsor type, and subject.
At http://pivot.cos.com/funding_main.
• Case Questions Interactive
Business case interview questions.
Practice for management consulting
and technology company job interviews.
By Marc Cosentino, author of Case
in Point: Complete Case Interview
Preparation. At https://www.stanford.
edu/dept/CDC/cqinteractive/.
• So What Are You Going To DO With
That? Finding Careers Outside
Academia
Rethinking life after graduate school;
soul-searching before job searching;
networking and transitional experience;
turning a CV into a resume; and how to
turn an interview into a job. Located at
the Cubberley Education Library.
• Job Search in Academe:
The Insightful Guide for
Faculty Job Candidates
Offers case studies of candidates
who have followed both academic
and non-academic paths. Includes
issues such as those faced by minority
candidates and by scientist candidates
needing to negotiate faculty contracts to
ensure adequate lab spaces/resources.
Sample application letters and vitae
are included. At http://styluspub.com/
resrcs/user/jsappendix.pdf. Also at
the Swain Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering Libraries.
• From Student to Scholar: A Candid
Guide to Becoming a Professor
Covers a range of critical issues: how
to plan, complete, and defend a disser-
tation; improve teaching performance;
publish research; develop a profes-
sional network; and garner support for
tenure. Also at the Jackson Business
and Cubberley Education Libraries.
• Put Your Science to Work:
The Take-Charge Career Guide for
Scientists
For new scientists and engineers or
those seeking a mid-career change,
this title gives you practical advice
and techniques for finding traditional or
non-traditional jobs in science. Includes
examples of resumes and cover letters,
and stories of scientists who have
moved into a wide range of careers.
Also at the Branner Earth Sciences
Library and Engineering Libraries.
1 0
So you’ve decided to pursue an academic
job! You may already know about the
potential challenges: There may be a
limited number of openings in your field
or area of expertise. The competition may
seem daunting. Crafting effective appli-
cation materials takes time and energy,
as does preparing for and traveling to
interviews. However, there is good news,
too: This process is typically very struc-
tured and there are reliable strategies that
you can use to enhance your candidacy.
You may not have control over the final
outcome, but by taking some time to
understand the process, carefully consid-
ering your own priorities, familiarizing
yourself with key strategies, crafting
compelling application materials, and
preparing strategically for interviews, you
can have much more control over your
experience than you would otherwise.
What Is Important to You?
When you started your doctoral program,
you may have had a vision of your profes-
sional future. As you progressed through
your program, this vision may have
sharpened, shifted, or changed completely.
In any case, it is important to reflect on
who you are now, what you most enjoy
doing, and what your priorities are. This
will help you identify the types of academic
opportunities that are likely to be the best
fit.
Do you enjoy research? Do you love to
teach? How do you prefer to spend your
time? What kind of department are you
looking for? What kinds of colleagues
do you hope to have? Looking at how
you prefer to direct your time and energy
can help you figure out if you are most
interested in applying to large research
universities, private liberal arts colleges,
public universities, institutions with
religious orientations, community colleges,
or others. There is no single right answer
for everyone; the goal is to figure out
where you will thrive professionally.
Family and partner considerations may
also play a substantial role as you look
toward the next step in your career. If you
have a partner, you may find it productive
to discuss your shared hopes and goals.
Are there parts of the country where one
or both of you would prefer to live? Do
you want to live in a city, a suburb, a rural
area? What other geographic and lifestyle
considerations are important? Consider
where each of you might be willing to
compromise.
Yes, the academic job market is compet-
itive—in some cases, staggeringly so. But
it is always easier and more effective to
make a compelling case for an institution
that matches your values and priorities.
Figuring out what you want may ultimately
give you more freedom to be flexible.
Gather Information
It is crucial to know how academic
positions are advertised in your disci-
pline. In many fields, a list of academic
positions is published annually. First-round
interviews then take place at an annual
conference. If you have the opportunity to
familiarize yourself with postings in your
field before you go on the job market,
by all means, do so! Take note of which
postings interest you the most, and what
types of qualifications are emphasized.
Speak with faculty members in your
department. At conferences, go out of your
way to chat with colleagues from other
institutions. Seek out alumni from your
department who have already graduated
and are now working in academia. You
will benefit from their experiences, and you
may be surprised how willing some will
be to share advice for your academic job
search.
Try to build a timeline for yourself in
advance. Simply developing a CV and
cover letter, along with perhaps a teaching
statement, a research statement, a writing
sample, a dissertation abstract, sample
syllabi, and/or evidence of excellence in
teaching, can be a time-consuming process.
Some PhD students find it helpful to begin
working on these materials well in advance
of the deadlines, which often occur in the
fall of their final year. These materials will
be addressed in greater depth in subsequent
sections of this handbook.
Samples used in this publication are actual
examples from successful candidates.
Names and projects have been changed,
when requested, to protect anonymity.
Samples used are not necessarily “correct”
or “recommended” for their content or
form. Rather, they are examples of how
others have presented their experiences to
best show fit.
Get t i nG You r Be a r i nG S
PART I: THE ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH
1 1
A curriculum vitae tells the story of your
professional life and accomplishments in
your discipline. It may take many pages to
do so. For an academic position, your CV’s
job is to convey—in a clear and readable
format—your educational background,
your research and teaching experience, your
publications and presentations, and your
honors and awards. There may also be
additional sections, depending on your field
and professional experience.
In addition to presenting factual infor-
mation about your educational and
professional accomplishments, your CV has
the potential to convey much more. For
example, it can indicate that your focus is
research, or that you are teaching-focused.
In this way, you can also communicate that
your focus and the focus of the institution
to which you are applying are the same.
How? First, the order of the sections is key.
If you place the teaching section before
the research section, or vice versa, that
will communicate to the hiring committee
that you share their priorities in respect
to teaching and research. If you apply to
a variety of institutions—i.e., both liberal
arts colleges and research universities—it
is strategic to develop multiple versions of
your CV.
How do you want to describe your teaching
experience? This is another way that you
can communicate that you share an institu-
tion’s priorities and that you understand the
role. One Stanford PhD student who was
applying for adjunct positions found that
department chairs were more responsive
when she rewrote her teaching section to
include detailed descriptions of what she
did in the various teaching roles she had
held. Someone applying for a position that
emphasizes research, however, might find
greater advantage in keeping their teaching
section very straightforward.
If you have unique accomplishments,
skills, credentials, or experiences that
are absolutely required for the academic
position to which you are applying, they
must go on the first page. For example, if
the job description emphasizes that candi-
dates must have a proven record of securing
grants and you have already experienced
successes in this area, it is essential that you
convey your own funding record on the
first page. Again, the key is to emphasize
those aspects of your experience that align
with the requirements for the position in
question.
When it comes to CV design, typically
hiring committees prefer a simple, classic,
clean look. Unusual fonts and formatting
are generally not well received. However, a
clear and easy-to-read format will enhance
any CV. Take the time to look at several
CV formats. Draw inspiration from the
ones you like best.
See the Resources for Sample CVs section
for suggestions of places to seek out sample
CVs. You may find it useful to download
and review CVs from faculty members in
your own department or departments at
other colleges and universities.
cr a f t i nG You r cV
1 2
CV Headings
There is not a single set of headings that
would be right for every PhD student or
postdoc. Rather, base your decisions about
which headings to include on conversa-
tions with faculty and colleagues in your
field; perusal of colleagues’ CVs and CVs
of faculty in your field; job descriptions for
the positions to which you are applying;
and your own experience and strengths.
The suggested headings that follow
are general ideas, organized loosely by
category, to get you thinking about which
headings would enable you to most effec-
tively convey the value you would bring to
a college or university:
• Education, Education and Training
• Certifications, Licensure
• Dissertation, Dissertation Research,
Thesis
• Research Experience, Grant-Funded
Research, Related Research
• Teaching Experience, Teaching and
Mentoring, Teaching and Advising,
Instructional Experience
• Honors, Awards, Fellowships, Research
Funding
• Industry Experience, Related Professional
Experience, Work Experience
• Publications, Presentations, Conference
Presentations, Invited Talks, Book
Chapters, Published Abstracts
• University Service, Academic Service,
Professional Activities, Committee Work,
Referee Services
• Media Coverage
• Volunteer Experience, Leadership
Activities, Community Engagement,
Scholarship in Action
• Professional Development, Continuing
Education, Training, Institutes
• Related Experience, Additional
Experience, Languages
• Professional Affiliations, Memberships
• References
A word about document length: More
pages are fine. In particular, do not
truncate relevant experience or publications
in order to “save space.” It can be helpful
to have a header or footer with your last
name and the number of pages (i.e., Name,
page 3 of 5).
Candidate’s Name
Name of Department
Stanford University
Address, City, State 12345
(650) 123-4567 [email protected]
Typically, you would include your department and university; you have the option of
also including a home address if you would like. For a phone number, include your
mobile number if that is the easiest way for a search committee to reach you.
EDUCATION
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
PhD in Name of Program, expected June 20xx
Dissertation title, brief summary, advisor’s name, and/or committee members may
optionally follow here. Could also appear in additional section below entitled “Disserta-
tion,” or could be included elsewhere, depending on your preference, the conventions
of the eld, and the job for which you are applying. There are times when you may also
wish to list a particular fellowship or honor here as well.
Previous University, City, State
MS, MA, etc. in Name of Program, June xxxx
Optional: Thesis title, advisor’s name
Previous University, City, State
BS, BA, etc. in Name of Program, June xxxx
Optional: Senior thesis title, advisor’s name
NEXT HEADING HERE
Choose your rst heading with great care, considering the primary focus of the position.
If the focus will be research, consider a heading such as “Research Experience.” If
the focus is teaching, consider “Teaching Experience.” The level of detail with which
you address either topic should reect the level of interest that the hiring committee is
expected to have in that area. For the purpose of this sample, examples of each follow.
In some cases, the rst heading after Education will actually be “Honors and Awards”; in
other cases, this category will follow later in the CV.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Organization, Lab, or Project, City, State
Research Assistant, September xxxx to present
Concise but descriptive highlights of your work on this project follow. As you edit and
revise these descriptions, keep your hiring committee in mind. How can you describe
your work in a way that will be engaging and interesting?
cV ou t l i n e
1 3
Name • Page 2 of 3
Organization, Lab, or Project, City, State
Research Assistant, September xxxx to present
Remember that when you are describing your research experience, the emphasis should
be on your contributions and accomplishments, not solely on the project itself. Make a
special effort to be mindful of verbs: Coordinated, analyzed, investigated, presented, and
so on.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Name of College or University, City, State
Lecturer, September xxxx to June xxxx
There is no single, set-in-stone format for describing your teaching on a CV. Depending
on your situation and how much teaching experience you have had, you may consider
listing it by college or university, as in this example; or you may wish to list it by course,
or by some other classication. Sometimes it is sufcient to simply list courses taught;
other times it can be tremendously helpful to include a description of your role in the
course, including accomplishments that may have been unique to you (i.e., Built an in-
teractive website for course and moderated online discussion, or facilitated small-group
problem-solving in 150-person lecture).
RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
If you have industry experience that will enhance your candidacy, such as consulting in
your eld, teaching in other settings, internships, or other work that will contribute to the
committee’s understanding of how and why you would be a good t for a position, con-
sider including it as well. Again, the placement of a category like this is potentially quite
exible. Think carefully about which experience you would like to be part of a search
committee’s initial impression of you, which experience can be deferred until later in the
CV, and which experience may not need to appear in the CV at all.
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Have you served on committees, organized speakers or events for your department, or
taken leadership roles in activities on campus? Perhaps you have served as a reviewer
for journals in your eld; you could re-name this section or add a new one to include that
experience.
PUBLICATIONS
Especially for research-oriented positions, this section may be read very carefully. When
you list your publications, you may wish to bold your name. You may also wish to
include and indicate publications that have been submitted and/or are in press. Typically
you would follow the citation conventions of your eld.
cV ou t l i n e
1 4
Name • Page 3 of 3
PRESENTATIONS
As with publications, listing your presentations is helpful as well. In some cases a candi-
date may choose to combine both sections into one (Publications & Presentations); if you
nd that you have quite a few of each, it typically works best to keep them in separate
categories.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Of course, you do not need to include a category with this name. However, you may
have experience, volunteer work, or other experiences that do not t neatly into any of
the other categories and have not already been addressed in the CV. Be both proactive
and conservative in nding ways to include information that is expected in your eld (for
someone with a PhD in Drama, this may be a list of performances directed, for example).
You may want to have a heading for professional development, media coverage, or
other topics. Find ways to include information that will help the search committee better
understand who you are as a scholar, a teacher, and a colleague.
HONORS AND AWARDS
When you list awards, consider including a bit of explanatory text if that would help the
reader better understand an award’s signicance. If there is a particular award that might
signicantly elevate your application, consider nding a way to include it on the rst
page where it will be noticed immediately. Sometimes specic awards can be included
right in the Education section; sometimes this entire category may be moved to the rst
page.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Memberships in professional organizations are commonly listed at or toward the end of
your CV.
REFERENCES
List your references, along with their titles and contact information, here.
cV ou t l i n e
1 5
Sa M Ple cV #1 - PaGe 1
STACY HARTMAN
CURRENT POSITION
Project Coordinator, Connected Academics Project, Modern Language Association, 2015-present
Design and implement proseminar for current PhDs, recent PhDs, and contingent faculty in the New York
area. Recruit seminar participants and build relationships with local cultural institutions, non-profits, and
businesses for site-visits. Write and design content for the Connected Academics website. Coordinate efforts of
partner institutions. Design and organize programming for annual convention.
EDUCATION
Stanford University, Stanford, CA (2010-2015)
Ph.D German Studies
The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom (2007-2008)
M.A. German Studies (Distinction)
The University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA (2001-2005)
B.A. Modern Literature with a German emphasis (Highest Honors) and Feminist Studies (Honors)
DISSERTATION
Title: “The Ethics of Emotion: The Dialectic of Empathy and Estrangement in Postmodern German Literature
and Film”
Abstract:
Although the question of the role of empathy in our experience of fiction is currently an active one in
psychology, most of the relevant research has been conducted on “immersive” or popular literature and
film. This dissertation seeks to change that by using cognitive approaches to literature to examine how and
why postmodern literature and film disrupts the reader or viewer’s expected empathic connection with the
narrator or protagonist. Drawing on research by both cognitive psychologists and cognitive cultural theorists,
I examine first how this disruption is accomplished, through narrative techniques which include unreliable,
mediated, or detached narration, and through thematic concerns such as an interest in the grotesque and
the disgusting. Ultimately, however, I argue that in the wake of the disastrous failure of empathy that was
World War II, postmodern writers and directors have sought to render moral judgment and decision-making
conscious and deliberate, rather than unconscious and emotion-based. Principle authors and texts include
Günter Grass’s Die Blechtrommel, W.G. Sebald’s Die Ausgewanderten and Austerlitz, and Michael
Haneke’s films, Die Klavierspielerin, Das weiße Band, and Amour. This argument has implications for not
only the field of cognitive cultural studies, but also for psychology, ethics, and education.
Advisors:
Professor Amir Eshel (German)
Professor Blakey Vermeule (English)
Committee Members:
Professor Russell Berman (German)
Assistant Professor Jamil Zaki (Psychology)
Street
City
Phone
Website:: http://www.mynamehere.com
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Sa M Ple cV #1 - PaGe 2
2
LANGUAGES
English (native reading, writing, and speaking)
German (fluent reading, writing, and speaking)
Spanish (proficient reading, writing, and speaking)
PUBLICATIONS
Articles
“Reforming Graduate Education through Discussion and Data.” Co-authored with Russell A. Berman. ADFL
Bulletin, Volume 43, Number 2, 1 July 2015, pp. 102-108.
“‘A Romance with One’s Own Fantasy’: The Nostalgia of Exile in Anna Seghers’s Mexico.” Edinburgh
German Yearbook, Volume 3: Contested Legacies: Constructions of Cultural Heritage in the GDR. Ed.
Matthew Philpotts and Sabine Rolle. New York: Camden House, 2009.
Book Reviews
Jaimey Fischer and Barbara Mennel, ed.: Spatial Turns: Space, Place, and Mobility in German Literary and
Visual Culture.” The Modern Language Review, Volume 107, Number 1, 1 January 2012, pp. 324-326.
David Clarke and Renate Rechtien, ed.: The Politics of Place in Postwar German: Essays in Literary
Criticism.” The Modern Language Review, Volume 106, Number 2, 1 April 2011, pp. 605-606.
Axel Goodbody, Pól Ó Dochartaigh, and Dennis Tate, ed.: Dislocation and Reorientation: Exile, Division
andthe End of Communism in German Culture and Politics. In Honour of Ian Wallace.” The Modern
Language Review, Volume 105,Number 3, 1 July 2010, pp. 923-925.
Katharina Gestenberger: Writing the New Berlin: The German Capital in Post-Wall Literature.” The
Modern Language Review, Volume 105,Number 2, 1 April 2010, pp. 608-609.
PRESENTATIONS
“The Ethics of Emotion,” Stanford University, German Studies Colloquium, June 2015.
“Parting the Gray Veil: Psychoanalytic and Biological Approaches to Memory in Sebald’s Austerlitz and
Kandel’s In Search of Memory,” Modern Language Association Convention, January 2015.
“Slippery as an Eel: Disgust, Empathy, and Estrangement in the First Book of Die Blechtrommel,” German
Studies Association Conference, October 2013.
“‘False Leads and Cold Cases’: The Insolubility of History in Michael Chabon’s The Final Solution,”
Vanderbilt University, German Studies Graduate Student Conference, March 2012.
“White Ribbons and Purifying Punishments: The Metaphoric Construction of Morality in Das weiße Band,”
Stanford University, German Studies Colloquium, March 2012.
“‘What difference does it make who is speaking?’: Removing Günter Eich from the Günter-Eich-Debatte,”
University College London, German Studies Postgraduate Colloquium, March 2008.
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3
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Courses Taught
Instructor, “Memory, Modernity, Mourning: 20th Century German Short Fiction,” Stanford University
(Winter 2015).
Designed and taught a German-language literature seminar to Stanford undergraduates. Authors include
Kafka, Mann, Seghers, Langässer, Borchert, and Böll.
Co-instructor, “Empathy in Science, Society, and Stories,” Stanford University Hope House Program (Fall
2014)
Co-taught a course on the broad topic of empathy with a colleague from the Center for Ethics in Society
at Hope House, a halfway house for women transitioning out of prison. Topics include social science,
literary, and personal narrative approaches to empathy. Contributed to syllabus design, facilitated
discussion, and graded assignments.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, German 5A (summer intensive), Stanford University (Summer 2014)
10-week German 1 course compressed into 2.5 weeks. Focus on student-centered communicative
methods.
Co-Instructor, German 182, “War and Warfare in Germany,” Stanford University (Spring 2013)
Co-taught an English-language German literature, film, and culture course with Professor Russell Berman
to Stanford undergraduates. Texts included All Quiet on the Western Front, Mother Courage, and The
White Ribbon. Contributed to syllabus design, facilitated discussion, and graded assignments.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, German 1, 2, 3, and 21, Stanford University (Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall
2012, Winter 2013)
Beginning and Intermediate German language. Received training in ACTFL language level evaluation
standards. Focus on student-centered communicative methods.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Intermediate German Conversation, Stanford University (Spring 2011, Spring
2013)
Designed and implemented conversation courses for Stanford undergraduates either returning from or
preparing to go abroad to Germany.
Instructor, English as a Foreign Language, NEXUS: Lenguas y Culturas, Cuenca, Ecuador (Spring 2007)
Provided English language instruction to K-12 and adults at a private language school.
Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, English as a Foreign Language, Trave-Gymnasium,
Lübeck, Germany (2005-2006)
Provided English language instruction to middle school and high school students.
Undergraduate Instructor, 20th Century Children’s Fantasy Literature, University of California (Winter
2005)
With a fellow undergraduate, designed and facilitated an undergraduate seminar.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Feminism, University of California (Fall 2003)
Served as the facilitator of a discussion section for fellow undergraduates.
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4
Other Teaching and Course Design Experience
Graduate Writing Tutor, Hume Writing Center, Stanford University, 2013-2014.
Provided Stanford undergraduates and graduates with support at all stages of the writing process and in
all disciplines.
Instructional Designer, Shmoop University, Inc., 2013.
Designed online literature courses for high school students, including: Holocaust literature and film, Kate
Chopin and Emily Dickinson, and Franz Kafka.
Academic Support and Educational Research
Instructional Designer and Researcher, Lacuna Stories Project, Stanford University, 2013-present.
Conduct classroom observations, student surveys, and analysis for Lacuna Stories, a digital humanities
pedagogy platform. Design instructional manual for instructors using the platform and provide
personalized consultations for instructors implementing their courses using the platform.
Graduate Teaching Consultant, Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University, 2013-2015.
Facilitate small group midterm evaluations and provide video consultations and other services that
enhance and enrich the teaching experiences of graduate teaching assistants at Stanford.
Academic Skills Coach and Advisor, Undergraduate Advising and Research, Stanford University,
2014-2015.
Provide one-on-one support to Stanford undergraduates returning from academic suspension, with a
particular emphasis on time management techniques.
Academic Advising Fellow, Undergraduate Advising and Research, Stanford University, 2014-2015.
Provide drop-in advising to Stanford undergraduates and administrative support to UAR.
Coordinator, Faculty-Graduate Student Collaborative Teaching Project, Stanford University 2012-2014.
Designed and co-ran seminar on humanities pedagogy. Coordinate meetings, communicate with
participants, and arrange catering. Facilitate and organize site visit by the Teagle Foundation (funding
body).
Program Management and Administration
Co-Organizer, Series on the Public Humanities, Stanford University, 2013-2014.
Conceptualized and coordinated a series of speakers on the humanities in the public sphere and on public
scholarship generally. Coordinated travel and arrange catering and hospitality while managing a $13,000
budget.
Founder and Coordinator, “Alt Ac” Speaker Series, Vice Provost for Graduate Education, Stanford
University, 2012-2013.
Conceptualized and coordinated a series of speakers about alternative academic careers for PhDs.
Researched, interviewed, and selected speakers; scheduled speakers, arranged catering, and moderated
sessions.
Coordinator, Assessing Graduate Education Project, Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages,
Stanford University 2011-2013.
Designed, implemented, and reported on a broad survey of best practices in graduate education.
Manager, Kaplan Tutoring, 2008-2010.
Hired, trained, and managed over fifty part-time tutors as an Academic Specialist and Academic Manager.
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ACADEMIC SERVICE
Student Representative, Graduate Academic Committee, Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages,
Stanford University (2012-2013)
Member, Steering Committee, DLCL Graduate Student Conference: Urban/Jungles, Stanford University
(2012)
Co-founder and Coordinator, German Studies Forum for Graduate Students, Stanford University
(2010-2012)
Student Representative, Postgraduate-Taught Committee, School of Languages, Linguistics, and Cultures,
University of Manchester (2007-2008)
GRANTS AND AWARDS
North American Foundation of the University of Manchester Award (2007)
Fulbright Grantee (2005)
Dean’s Award, Humanities Division, University of California, Santa Cruz (2005)
Humanities Undergraduate Research Award, University of California, Santa Cruz (2004)
Regent’s Scholarship, University of California, Santa Cruz (2001-2005)
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Sa M Ple cV #2 - PaGe 1
Martina Bayes-Price, PhD
1234 My Road •• postbox # •• Stanford, CA 94305
Cell Phone: (123) 456-7890 •• Lab Phone: (123) 456-7890 •• E-Mail: myname@stanford.edu
Education
Stanford University, Stanford, CA & San José State University (SJSU), San José CA 2012-2015
NIH Institutional Career and Research Development Award (IRACDA) Postdoctoral Fellowship
Research Mentors: Professors Lydia Chavez, Kathryn Boroughs, Sharin Evans (Stanford)
Teaching Mentors: Professors Kevin Brake, Bechtel Holmes (SJSU)
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 2005-2011
PhD, Immunology
Research Mentor: Professor Lydia Chavez
Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 2001-2005
BA, Chemistry, Summa Cum Laude
Minors in: Computer Science and Mathematics Advisor: Professor Victor Jarvis
Teaching Experience
Lecture Courses
BIOL116 – Molecular Genetics, Co-Instructor, SJSU Fall 2014
• developed and taught curriculum for new exam block on DNA recombination
BIOL1B – Foundations of Cell Biology and Physiology, Co-Instructor, SJSU Spring 2014
• prepared and delivered lectures for large introductory lecture class
BIO230A – Cellular and Molecular Immunology Literature Review, Stanford University Fall 2012
• developed curriculum and ran discussion section of primary literature
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR), Stanford University 2008-10, 2012-14
• lectured on transplantation immunology and B cell biology to high school participants
IMMUNOL201 – Advanced Immunology I, Stanford University Winter 2008
• teaching assistant, co-developed curriculum, and lecturer (B cell biology)
BIO230 – Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Stanford University 2007, 2012-14
• teaching assistant (2007), head teaching assistant (2012), guest lecturer (2012-14)
Lab Courses
Stanford Immunology StartUp Fall 2012
• instructed incoming graduate students on theory and practice of Western blotting
Mentoring
• Advised one high school student, ve undergraduate students (including one senior thesis), 2006-2014
three graduate students, and one medical student on independent research projects
• Training support provided by: SIMR & Stanford University Summer Research Program (SSRP)
Outreach Activities
SIMR Immunology Institute, Teaching Assistant, Stanford University 2014
• assisted with program-wide admissions, planned summer course curriculum, and monitored progress and
program goals for 12 high school Immunology Institute participants
“The Itch to Stitch”, Instructor, The Girl’s Middle School 2009
• co-developed curriculum and implemented a one-week course to teach knitting and crocheting to middle school girls
Oberlin Institute for Girls in Science (DIGS) Counselor, Oberlin College 2002, 2003
• assisted with teaching labs in physics and chemistry, assisted in preparation of posters describing the
experimental results, served as resident assistant during the camp
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Bayes-Pryce, M. P.
CV
Research Experience
NIH IRACDA Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University 2012-2015
• Dening the functional Natural Killer (NK) cell repertoire in the immune response to latent Epstein-Barr Virus
(EBV) infection
• Decoded the rules of the T cell receptor repertoire to allow specicity to be read by primary sequence
(collaboration with Achak Atal in Jose Myers’ Lab)
Stanford Immunology NIH Postdoctoral Training Grant, Stanford University 2012
• Explored regulation of host microRNA expression by the EBV protein LMP1
PhD Doctoral Candidate, Stanford University 2005-2011
• Studied syk activation and downstream survival signaling in EBV+ B cell lymphomas
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Oberlin College 2003-2004
• Puried and characterized helix-turn-helix transcription factors from the archaebacteria M. acetivorans
Summer Undergraduate Research Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center 2004
• Developed functional characterization of recombinant human Mgs1/Werner’s Helicase Interacting Protein 1
(WHIP1) and its interaction with the DNA pol holoenzyme (Advisor: Professor Jim Horowitz)
Science Research Fellow, Oberlin College 2001-2002
• Used computer modeling to show the eects of laser frequencies on vibrational excitation of HCN (Advisor:
Professor Victor Jarvis)
• Synthesized novel multinuclear copper-lanthanide complexes in ionic liquids (Advisor: Professor Kim
Mayes-Hogan)
Publications
M. Otis-Mendel, A. Otis, E.M. Harris, M. Bayes-Price, S. Evans, T. Esteves, L. Chavez. Modulation of EBV Host Cells
to Promote B Lymphoma Cell Survival. Journal of Lymphoma, currently under nal review.
M. Bayes-Price, M. Otis-Mendel, E.M. Harris, S. Evans, L. Chavez. Epstein- Barr Virus and B Lymphocytes. Journal
of Immunological Research, 58(2-3):216 (2014).
M. Bayes-Price, L.J. Baker, P. Masters, V. Chang, W. Nakimoto, T. Esteves, S. Evans, L. Chavez. Kinase Activation in
Epstein-Barr Virus, Post- Transplant. Journal of Transplantation, 17(3):712 (2013).
M. Bayes-Price*, L.J. Baker*, S. Evans, L. Chavez. PI3K Signaling by a Chimeric Latent Membrane Protein 1 in
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). PLoS, 6(8):e3138 (2012). * authors contributed equally to this work.
M. Bayes-Price, L. Chavez, T. Esteves. Emerging Treatments of Epstein- Barr Virus (EBV)+ Post-Transplant.
Transplantation, 14(2):820 (2012).
M. Bayes-Price, L.J. Baker, V. Chang, R. Carr*, S. Evans, L. Chavez. Promoting Survival of Epstein Barr Virus
(EBV)+ B Cell Lymphomas. Journal of Chemical Change, 612(38):43368 (2011). * denotes mentored undergraduate student
as co-author
V. Chang, M. Bayes-Price, S. Zimmer, O.M. Richards, P. Huang, S. Evans, and L. Chavez. Tumor- Derived Variants of
EBV. Journal of Chemical Change, 610 (55):40575 (2008).
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Bayes-Pryce, M. P.
CV
Academic Leadership & Service
IRACDA Conference: Elevating Science and Education, Albuquerque, NM 2014
IRACDA Conference: Increasing Diversity in Science – Classroom to Bench, Atlanta, GA 2013
IRACDA Pedagogy Class, SJSU 2013
Postdoctoral Teaching, Mentoring Workshops, Stanford University 2012
Steering Member, Intervarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship, Stanford University 2007-2009
Interview Weekend Coordinator, Program In Immunology, Stanford University 2006-2007
Grants & Fellowships
NIH IRACDA Postdoctoral Fellowship K12-GM088033 2012-2015
Stanford Immunology NIH Postdoctoral Training Grant T32-AI007290 2012
Stanford Graduate Fellowship 2007-2010
Awards & Honors
Stanford Immunology Scientic Conference – Best Postdoctoral Fellow Poster 2012
Hugh McDevitt Prize in Immunology 2011
American Transplant Congress Young Investigator Award 2010, 2011
Stanford Immunology Scientic Conference – Best Graduate Student Poster 2007
Rubin and Sara Shaps Scholar, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center 2004
Dow Chemical Scholarship 2002-2005
Oberlin College Science Research Fellow 2001-2005
Selected Presentations & Invited Talks (of 27)
M. Bayes-Price, G. Pearson, K. Quill, D. Trujillo, T. Esteves, S. Evans, L. Chavez. Bypassing Tetramers:
T Cell Repertoires Allow Specicities to be Read. International Transplantation Society 2014, San Jose,
CA, Oral Presentation.
M. Bayes-Price. Exploiting the Relationship between Epstein-Barr Virus and the Host Immune System.
SJSU Seminar Series, May 2014, San Jose, CA, Invited Lecture.
M. Bayes-Price, S. Lambert, C. O. Esquivel, S. Evans, and L. Chavez. Dening Biochemical Pathways
of PI3K/Akt- Dependent Cell Survival. International Transplantation Society 2013, Paris, France, Oral
Presentation.
M. Bayes-Price, S. Lambert, S. Evans, C. O. Esquivel, and L. Chavez. Targeting Treatment of
Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD). U.S. Transplant Congress 2011, Pittsburgh, PA,
Plenary Oral Presentation & Young Investigator Award.
M. Bayes-Price, S. Lambert, V. Chang, E. Gallo, S. Evans, T. Esteves, and L. Chavez. Novel Targets
for Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)+ B Cell Lymphoma Growth & Survival. International Congress of the
Transplantation Society 2008, Sydney, Australia, Mini-Oral Presentation.
M. Bayes-Price, V. Bermudez, and J. Hurwitz. Biochemical Characterization of the human genomic
stability factor Mgs1/Werner’s Helicase Interacting Protein (WHIP). American Chemical Society
Regional Poster Session 2004, Greencastle, IN. Poster Presentation.
2 3
Sa M Ple cV #3 - PaGe 1
Luanne Von Buellar, PhD
105 Jordan Hall, Stanford, CA 94305
cell: (123) 456-7890; ofce: (123) 456-7890; [email protected]
EDUCATION
PhD, Higher Education Expected, June 2015
Stanford University Graduate School of Education, Stanford, CA
Master of Education, Marriage and Family Counseling 2000-2002
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Bachelor of Arts, English and Women’s Studies (minor) 1999
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
DISSERTATION
Advocacy and Agency in Student Affairs
Chair: Prof. Emily A. Liston; Committee: Profs. Harriet Manning, Turkus Busch, & Henri Piccou
A study examining how student affairs professionals make decisions in situations where they
experience role conict between their responsibilities for advocating on behalf of students while
serving as university agents. Using a participatory methodology, student affairs professionals
engaged in in-depth research dialogues focused on the following issues: 1) the extent to which
participants experienced role conict regarding their positions as advocates for students and
university agents, 2) strategies employed to negotiate role conict, 3) values reected in these
strategies, and 4) the extent to which these values demonstrated the theoretical construct of
transformational leadership
AWARDS
Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, Stanford University 2015
Distinguished Graduate Teaching Fellow Award, Stanford University 2014
PUBLICATIONS
Chapters in Edited Volumes
Von Buellar, L. (2015). Managements’ role in productive conversations about racism. In
Waley, L. (Ed.) 217, 16-24. Race in American Education, Santa Ana, CA: Pierre Publishing.
Von Buellar, L. & Santomire, S. (2013). Teaching Appreciative Inquiry. New Directions for
Student Affairs 114, 66-75. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Von Buellar, L. (2011). Transforming leadership. In Young. R. (Ed.) New Directions for
Student Affairs, 111, 41-52. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Refereed Publications
Stiles, M. & Von Buellar, L. (In Press). Challenging correctional education. Journal of
Educational Change. 42(2), 28-31.
Stiles, M. & Von Buellar, L. (2015). Critical thinking or vocationalism? Equity and Excellence
48(2).
Von Buellar, L.& Kaye, S. (2015). The role consumerism plays in student learning. Active
Learning in Higher Education 16(1), 67-76.
2 4
Sa M Ple cV #3 - PaGe 2
Luanne Von Buellar, p.2
Kaye, S. & Von Buellar, L. (2014). Correlations between college presidential compensation
and performance. Australian Education Journal 55(2), 31-35.
Von Buellar, L. (2014). Learning to advocate: A phenomenological study. Journal of Colleges
and Integrity 11(3), 165-178.
Stiles, M. & Von Buellar, L. (2013). Democratic education and MOOCs. Higher Education\97(4), 20-25.
Von Buellar, L. (2013). Faculty and student affairs collaborations. Journal of Colleges and
Integrity 9(4), 365-372.
Von Buellar, L. (2011). Critiquing power issues in transformational leadership. In Crane, N. & Hall, J. (Eds.)
Transformational Leadership (pp.120-140). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
In Progress
Wu, S. & Von Buellar, L. (under review). Examining Chinese Students’ Higher Education
Experiences Using Narrative.
Von Buellar, L. & Brown-Kessler, K. Leveraging the Educational Potential and Power of Student Activism.
Books
Liston, E., Von Buellar, L. & Brown-Kessler, K. (in progress). Consequences and strategies of student affairs
professionals’ advocacy. New York City, NY: Routledge.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Stanford University Graduate School of Education (2012-Present)
Assisted with curriculum development, instruction, and evaluation for up to 30 graduate students
• Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Higher Education (Fall, 2012)
• Teaching Assistant, Research Design (Spring, 2013)
• Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Counseling (Winter, 2012-15)
• Teaching Assistant, Scholarly Writing (Fall, 2014)
• Teaching Assistant, Theory to Practice Seminar (Fall, 2013-14)
• Instructor, Leadership and Change Management (Spring, 2013-14)
• Co-Instructor, Diversity in American Higher Education (Spring, 2015)
University of San Francisco (2001-2)
Assisted with course evaluation and assisted up to 20 graduate students with content questions
• Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Assessment (Spring, 2001-2)
• Mentor, Service Learning Spring Break Class (Summer, 2001-2)
HIGHER EDUCATION PRACTITIONER EXPERIENCE
Associate Dean of Students, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Ofce 2005-2010
Vice-Provost for Student Affairs Division, Stanford University
Planned professional development opportunities for the division, executed campus-wide program assessment
instruments, investigated alleged violations for the Organizational Conduct Board, and supervised community
writing student practica.
2 5
Sa M Ple cV #3 - PaGe 3
Luanne Von Buellar, p.3
Assistant Dean/Director, Women’s Community Center 2003-2005
Vice-Provost for Student Affairs Division, Stanford University
Built program and service plan, provided advising, mentoring, and leadership development opportunities for
6000 undergraduate and graduate students. Supervised professional and student staff, managed budget, wrote
grants for supplemental funding, and worked with campus and community partners to create collaborative
initiatives.
Counseling Intern, Ronaldo M. Moss Health Center 2002-2003
Counseling and Psychological Services, University of San Francisco
Diagnosed and counseled students with issues such as eating disorders, academic anxiety, grief, and substance
abuse; advised Students Teaching about Racism, a peer outreach group.
PRESENTATIONS
Refereed Presentations
Peters, H. & Von Buellar, L. (2015, March). Teaching student activism, advocacy and courage.
Paper presentation, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), New Orleans, LA.
Von Buellar, L. (2014, January & March). Tools, pedagogies, and strategies to transform
your campus. Paper presentations, College Student Educators International (ACPA),
Indianapolis, IN; OCPA Conference, Columbus, OH.
Von Buellar, L. & Peters, H. (2014, March). Leveraging the educational potential of student
activism. Paper presentation, College Student Educators International (ACPA), Indianapolis, IN.
Von Buellar, L. & Peters, H. (2013, March). Using appreciative inquiry to inspire students.
Paper presentation, College Student Educators International (ACPA), Las Vegas, NV.
Misbah, F.H., Stidham, B., & Von Buellar, L. (2012, October). Overcoming faculty leadership
vacuums. Paper presentation, American Association of University Professors, Washington, DC.
Von Buellar, L. (2011, March). Advocacy as power. Paper presentation, National Association
of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), Philadelphia, PA.
Invited Presentations
Von Buellar, L. (2013, October). Tools, pedagogies, and strategies to transform your campus.
Addresses: Vice Provost for Student Affairs Lecture Series, Stanford University, Stanford,
CA.; Women’s Center, Ohio University, Athens, OH.
Crane, F. & Von Buellar, L. (2012, November). Cyberbullying research and prevention.
Address: University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Reviewer, College Student Affairs Journal. 2014-present
Reviewer, Journal of College and Character, 2014-present
Graduate Student Mentor, Ohio College Personnel Association, 2014-present
Scholarship Chair, NASPA Northern California Executive Board, 2010-2011
Board Member and Panelist, Stanford Judicial Affairs, 2008-2010
2 6
Like effective CVs,
compelling cover letters
for academic positions
reflect the priorities of the
institutions and positions
to which you are applying.
An academic cover letter,
which can be one to two
pages, is an opportunity
to make a persuasive case
for how and why you are
an excellent fit for that
particular position.
Be selective and strategic
about your tone and on
what you choose to focus.
For example, if you are
applying to an institution
that values involving
undergraduates in
research, you may choose
to emphasize how, in
your own work, you have
involved and mentored
undergraduates. Again,
you will likely not have a
single cover letter that you
send out to a wide variety
of institutions, but several
different, personalized
letters.
In a typical academic cover
letter, it is likely that you
will introduce yourself,
describe your research
and teaching experience,
and write about how and
why you find the position
appealing.
Each university and
department will have
different application
requirements. CVs, cover
letters, research statements,
and teaching statements
are standard. At times,
however, a CV and letter
of application or statement
of purpose are requested.
These are simply longer
cover letters which include
statements on institutional
fit, research history/plans,
and teaching history/plans.
Wr i t i nG coV e r let t er S for
ac a de M ic JoBS a n d PoSt doc PoSi t ionS
Cover Letter Outline
Name of Your Current Department
Stanford University
Address
Stanford, CA 94305
Date
Name of Recipient
Recipient’s Title
Name of Department
Name of University
Address
City, State 12345
Dear Dr. Recipient (or Dear Hiring/Search Committee, or Dear Professor Recipient):
In the rst paragraph, you will want to formally apply for and express interest in the position, and
introduce yourself. You may share that you are in the process of completing your PhD/postdoctoral
fellowship in your particular discipline at Stanford University. You can also introduce your specialty or
area of focus. Ideally, you will also use this rst paragraph as an opportunity to begin personalizing your
letter to this department and institution.
In the next paragraph, you can choose whether you would like to focus on your research or your
teaching. In either case, be clear and descriptive. An academic cover letter can be one or two pages, so
you are not limited in terms of space. When describing your dissertation and/or your research, provide
sufcient context to help the reader understand why your work is interesting, new, and compelling. Your
description will likely be two to three times as long as this paragraph. If a research statement has also
been requested, try to maintain consistency between the two descriptions without sounding repetitive.
In addition to your past research, your future research is also likely to be of interest to the hiring
committee.
When you write about your teaching experience, consider whether or not a teaching statement has also
been requested. If it has, you will want to reinforce your message without actually repeating it word for
word. This paragraph is not only about your teaching experience, but can also address the courses you
would like to teach, particularly at the institution to which you are applying. This will require a certain
degree of familiarity with their department and curriculum.
You also have the opportunity to address accomplishments, interests, or experiences that are relevant
to the position including, but not limited to, service to your university or your eld. If the culture of the
department or institution is particularly unique or appealing to you, consider addressing that here as
well.
In your concluding paragraph, it is appropriate to reiterate your interest in the position and to offer
thanks for the committee’s consideration. You may also make reference to the other materials you have
submitted, and let them know that you look forward to hearing from them. It can be helpful to include
your email and phone number in the nal paragraph for their convenience.
Sincerely,
Your Name
2 7
Sa M Ple coV er let t er #1
STANFORD CANCER INSTITUTE
Address, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Dr. Maurice Brown
UCLA Department of Oncology
770 DeWitt Building, #D106
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Dear Dr. Brown,
Recently I met with Dr. Elaine Smith at the National Oncology Conference and she shared with
me some of the novel approaches to research that your department is undertaking. We had
an enjoyable discussion and she recommended that I contact you regarding the possibility of
a postdoctoral appointment in your lab. It appears that we have mutual interests within the
eld of oncology; my graduate work in mouse models and therapies in the cure of cancer
compliments the focus of your research on signicant biomarkers in breast cancer. Currently I
am a graduate student in Muirel Matthew-Slack’s lab at Stanford University’s Department of
Cancer Biology and expect to complete my PhD at the end of summer quarter, 2015.
As an independent researcher for the past four years, much of my focus has been on developing
a therapy to attack the Pro-8 biomarker. The challenge has been to develop a therapy that
targets only the diseased cells. Recently my results have indicated a signicant decrease in
the size of the Pro-8 biomarker after treatment and I have achieved those results by running a
second course of treatment 10 days following the initial treatment. Since your research leads
the eld in breast cancer biomarker identication I know my background and skills will address
the challenges of targeted therapeutics and will help move the eld closer to amazing scientic
breakthroughs in drug development.
In addition to a background in research I have also sought out teaching experience. For the past
two years I have advised three undergraduates through their honors thesis projects and have
appreciated my role both as mentor and collaborator. By understanding how to clearly explain
complex scientic techniques and how to teach to differing learning styles, I have developed
my own a strong mentoring approach which will serve well in a postdoctoral appointment with
mentoring responsibilities.
By bringing together my accomplished scientic background in mouse modeling and
therapeutics along with my mentoring experience, I believe that I am particularly well qualied
for your position and would like to have the opportunity to meet with you to explore how I
may be of value to your team.
Sincerely,
Frasier Connor, PhD
2 8
Sa M Ple coV er let t er #2
1234 My Road, Postbox #, Stanford, CA 94305
Cell Phone: (123) 456-7890, Lab Phone: (123) 456-7890
E-Mail: [email protected]
Biology Faculty Search Committee
Williams College, Department of Molecular Biology Williamstown, MA 01267
September 12, 2014
Dear Members of the Search Committee,
I am writing to apply for the position of Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology at Williams College. I received my PhD in Immunology
from Stanford University. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow in the NIH Institutional Research and Career Development Award (IRACDA)
joint program between San José State University (SJSU) and Stanford University. The IRACDA program combines a traditional postdoctoral
research experience at research-intensive universities, like Stanford, with mentored teaching experiences at minority-serving institutions, like
SJSU. Having personally benetted from the liberal arts education, close faculty interactions, and undergraduate research programs at Oberlin
College, I am excited about the opportunity to return to an institution, like Williams College, where both teaching and research are greatly
valued.
My commitment to teaching is evidenced by the diverse teaching experiences I have pursued during my graduate and postdoctoral training.
These experiences range from teaching a primary literature-based discussion section of 20 students in an upper-division immunology course
to a lecture section of over 100 students in an introductory biology course. As an IRACDA fellow I have capitalized on opportunities to teach
courses outside of my expertise in immunology. For example, in an introductory biology course for both majors and non-majors at SJSU, I
taught units on gene expression and enzymes. I also used beer brewing to provide an enjoyable context for a new cellular energetics activity
I designed for this course. I have also planned course content for a unit on recombination in an upper division molecular genetics course that
begins this November at SJSU. In all of my teaching activities, I incorporate techniques, like problem solving exercises and case studies, to
increase student interaction and to promote active learning. My favorite part of teaching is interacting with students outside the classroom
and nding ways to adjust my approach to address individual student’s needs. At Williams College I am excited about the opportunity for
increased student interaction the block plan provides. I am interested in teaching courses like Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology,
Genetics, Cells and Genes, and Immunology. I would also like to develop new courses. These include courses on cancer biology and on signal
transduction. I discuss my ideas further in my Teaching Philosophy.
As undergraduate research experiences were critical in developing my love of science, I look forward to supervising students in independent
research projects. I have mentored several undergraduates, graduate students and high school students at Stanford University. I also have
co- authored a paper with one of these undergraduate students. Broadly, my research interests pertain to immunology and cancer biology,
complementing your faculty’s expertise in molecular microbiology, genetics, and developmental biology. Specically, my research interests
center on Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and understanding how this virus manipulates its hosts cell biology to evade detection from the immune
system and to transform normal cells into cancerous cells. In my graduate work I characterized a signal transduction pathway used by EBV to
promote survival of infected cells and examined the potential of targeting this pathway for the treatment of EBV-related malignancies. I am
currently nishing up projects that examine the natural killer cell and T cell responses to EBV and elucidate how the virus manipulates host cell
microRNA. At Williams College I plan to expand on the results from my graduate and postdoctoral work using an in vitro system that models
two of the main signaling proteins of EBV. This program provides projects that teach a wide-range of technical skills from immunology to
cellular and molecular biology. As a previous student researcher at a liberal arts university, I intentionally designed this program be amenable
for the interests, schedules and abilities of undergraduate researchers and the resources of a similar institution.
I believe a critical benet of a liberal arts education is that it allows students to explore their interests outside the classroom. I have been
involved in science outreach programs like the Oberlin Institute for Girls in Science and the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research
Program. These programs are aimed at giving middle and high school students experience in science research. I developed and taught a
one- week course on knitting and crocheting for Girl’s Middle School in Palo Alto, California. I also served on the leadership committee for
InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship (IVGCF) at Stanford. During my tenure as an IVGCF leader, we were able to bring current NIH
director Francis Collins to campus to discuss matters of faith and science. After his lecture I led discussions about his lecture and his book, “The
Language of God”, that were open to anyone interested. I am committed to working within the department, campus, and community to provide
similar opportunities for exploration and outreach.
My liberal arts background, enthusiasm for science education and undergraduate research, and commitment to campus service are all strengths
I would bring to the Department of Molecular Biology and Williams College. I would like to thank you for considering my application. I
have enclosed my curriculum vitae, statements of teaching philosophy and research interests, a teaching portfolio, and have provided contact
information for my recommenders Drs. Lydia Chavez, Kathryn Boroughs, Sharin Evans. Please feel free to contact me by email (mbayesp@
stanford.edu) or phone ((614) 735-6671) if you have any questions or require any additional materials. I look forward to hearing from the
committee and wish you the best of luck in nding the ideal candidate.
Sincerely,
Martina Bayes-Price, PhD
2 9
Depending on the position for which you
are applying, you may be asked to include
one or more of the following documents as
part of your application.
Research Statements
Research statements may vary quite a
bit from one discipline to another. Your
advisor and other faculty members in your
department are wonderful resources in this
area. Length of a research statement may
vary from one job application to another
and across fields; typically, they will range
from one to five pages.
However, what most research statements do
have in common is that they address four
primary areas: the context and significance
of your work, the educational and research
foundation you bring to your work, your
current and/or dissertation research, and
your research plans for the future.
Striking the right balance in your research
statement can provide a special challenge.
Keep in mind that a hiring committee will
almost certainly include faculty members
who are not specialists in your precise
subfield. Help them quickly grasp what you
study and why it matters.
addi t iona l aPPl icat ion Mat er i a l S
Focusing Your Research Statement: Questions to Consider
When writing research statements for
postdoctoral and faculty job applications,
it is important that you pay close attention
to your audience and the context of the
“conversation” in which your statement
is engaging with its readers. Research
statements are more than a description
of your research: in reading your state-
ments, your readers will consider whether
your research topic, your qualifications,
and the significance of the work match
the mission and interests of the institution
and fulfill the expectations of the position.
Use the following questions to help write
in context of the institution and job. In
many cases, you’ll need to adjust and
frame your research for each application.
1. Identify the context of research in
the institution: Circle all references
to “teaching” and “students.” Then
underline references to “research”
or “publication.” Usually the number
of repetitions of these key words (or
similar terms) in the job description
signals the priorities of the institution.
What type of university or college is
it? Are you applying to a liberal arts
institution that emphasizes teaching
and desires some scholarly research
activity? Or a research institution
that encourages a strong publication
record or research commitments?
Alternatively, is there an interest in
a balanced commitment to teaching
and scholarship?
2. Have you shaped the narrative in
your research statement based on
the priority of the institution? Although
research is encouraged, liberal arts
colleges and universities usually look
for faculty who seek to be teachers:
A research narrative for this position
might tie future scholarship and
significance of the research to its
ultimate effects on teaching.
3. Communicate the need for your
current (or last few) projects as
clearly and as early as possible: Why
is there a need for your research?
Why should they care about
the research? Think of concrete
examples that highlight the need or
problem in the field.
4. Communicate your research objec-
tives and methodology as clearly
as possible: What is your research
about? How will you conduct your
research? If relevant, how does
your research fit the interests of the
department or the program?
5. Communicate your qualifications as
clearly as possible: How does your
research support your continuing
intellectual development as a
scholar or researcher? What related
publications have you written and
what related research have you
conducted? If relevant, how are you
prepared to conduct and successfully
complete the research?
6. How will your research contribute
new knowledge to the discipline
or more broadly to the field? Think
of examples that might explain the
potential impact of your work or the
important questions it raises for future
researchers.
7. Review the language you are
using in your statement so that it
is understandable to non-specialist
audiences. Are you minimizing
the use of jargon? Describe your
research without jargon if you can.
8. Did you provide a clear “story” of
your research or scholarly interest
that connects the past and present to
future research goals?
Adapted from Stanford University’s
Hume Writing Center’s workshop writing
kit: “Writing Research Statements for
Graduate Student Fellowship and Grant
Proposals.” To discuss your research
statement with a writing consultant,
please visit the Hume Center for Writing
and Speaking at undergrad.stanford.
edu/tutoring-support/hume-center.
3 0
When you are writing about your research
plans for the future, you may describe
both your short-term research goals as
well as broader ideas for long-term goals.
These descriptions might include plans
for funding or for future collaborations.
Ensure that your research plans are in line
with what the institution to which you
are applying can offer in terms of support
(space, technology, funds, and so on) and
that institution’s mission and priorities.
If you are applying, for example, to both
large research institutions and small
liberal arts colleges, you would likely have
two different versions of your research
statement to send. If involving undergrad-
uates in faculty research is a priority for
a certain institution, you can explain how
you would involve undergraduates in your
research.
Always take some time to step back and
look at your research statement in the
context of the other materials you are
sending. You want these materials to work
together to provide a rich and coherent
understanding of who you are and how
you are a fit for a particular institution,
department, and position.
Teaching Statements
Sometimes called a Statement of Teaching
Philosophy, this document—typically one
to two pages—is where you bring your
teaching to life for the search committee.
Getting started is often the hardest part
of writing a teaching statement—see the
sidebar “Getting Started on Your Teaching
Statement: Questions to Consider” for
questions to jump-start your writing
process. Check the BEAM schedule for PhD
workshops taught by staff from Stanford’s
Center for Teaching and Learning as
well, including sessions on how to write a
teaching statement as well as a hands-on
clinic where you can review and revise a
draft with others.
The best teaching statements convey your
passion for teaching and include specific
examples. Sometimes applicants think that
“teaching philosophy” means they are
supposed to only describe their theories
about teaching. On the contrary, your
statement should convey your values about
teaching and students through evidence,
anecdotes, and examples. Paradoxically,
the more invested you are in teaching,
the harder it can be to develop your
teaching statement. Start early, write
multiple drafts, and do not hesitate to seek
another perspective from a career coach
or counselor at BEAM or SoMCC, or a
writing consultant at the Hume Center for
Writing and Speaking.
Dissertation Abstract and/or
Writing Sample
Generally, this is an area where support
from your advisor and department is
very helpful. Naturally, the conventions
of your particular field, along with your
understanding of the position and the
department’s priorities, will provide the
foundation for your decisions regarding
these materials.
Evidence of Teaching
Excellence and/or Sample
Syllabus
In many cases, your teaching statement,
CV, and cover letter will be the primary
vehicles for conveying your teaching
experience, accomplishments, and
approach. Occasionally, you may be
asked to supply what is sometimes called
“evidence of teaching excellence,” and in
some cases, a sample syllabus. Application
materials vary by field; investigate what is
typical in your field by speaking to faculty
and PhD alumni from your department.
Whenever you teach or TA a course, save
your student evaluations! They will come
in handy later to jog your memory, remind
you of your strengths, and provide feedback
for how you can grow and develop as a
teacher. In some cases, you may want to
explore the possibility of also saving student
work (consult with your department to find
out what is acceptable). Stanford’s Center
for Teaching and Learning can help PhD
students develop as teachers in many ways
(see the resources section at the beginning
of this guide), including with the devel-
opment of a teaching portfolio that may
include syllabi from past courses, assign-
ments, and other materials. You may also
seek out CTL’s assistance with creating
a video recording of your teaching. Even
if you never actually show your teaching
portfolio to a committee, having a record in
one centralized place can be helpful both in
preparing for interviews and in your own
professional development as someone who
plans to continue teaching.
If you find your “dream job” at an insti-
tution that places special value on teaching
and your own teaching experience is not
quite as substantial as you might like, you
may want to consider developing a sample
syllabus for a course you would like to
teach. Of course, developing a syllabus is a
tremendous amount of work, but it can also
be a dramatic way of demonstrating how
interested you are in a specific job and how
willing you are to go above and beyond to
demonstrate that interest. And you would
always want to be certain that the class
you are proposing would be a good fit at
the particular institution on which you are
focusing. Developing a syllabus in advance
will also allow you to have a head start in
preparing to teach your first course when
and if you get the job!
Applying to Community Colleges
There are many compelling reasons to
teach at a community college, particu-
larly for candidates who have a strong
focus on teaching and an interest in
working with a diverse community of
students from a broader range of ages
and life experiences than might typically
be found at a four-year institution.
Community college hiring committees
tend to be most interested in those
candidates who demonstrate a genuine
and substantiated interest in teaching,
as well as an interest in the mission of
community colleges and the students
they serve. If you would like to apply to
one or more community colleges, devote
time and energy to understanding their
culture and priorities. For an excellent
introduction, visit the Chronicle of Higher
Education’s website (chronicle.com)
and search for Rob Jenkins’ excellent
articles on this topic. He is also the
author of Building a Career in America’s
Community Colleges, published by the
American Association of Community
Colleges.
3 1
Getting Started on Your Teaching Statement: Questions to Consider
When you are setting out to write a
teaching statement, it can be challenging
to figure out how to start. Use the
questions that follow to start thinking
about your experience as a TA, an
instructor, or in other teaching roles. Get
some thoughts down on paper, take a
break, then come back and write some
more. When you are finally ready to look
at paring down your ideas and memories,
you may decide to include all of your
answers, some, or just a few. You may
rearrange the order or take a creative
approach to your statement. In any case,
you will have a treasure trove of material
with which to work.
1. Start with your passion for
teaching the subject in which you
are an expert! What attracted you
to your field or to what you study?
What do you hope to pass on to
your students?
2. What does your teaching
contribute to your students’
education? How does what you
teach help your students grow
as learners, scholars, and/or
citizens?
3. How does your research inform
your teaching—or vice versa?
4. Finish this sentence: “I feel best
as an instructor when…”
5. Think of examples or concrete
moments of your teaching. What
examples come to mind that
worked and highlight the very
best of your teaching? Why were
these examples so successful?
6. Think of a challenging moment
in the classroom that turned out
just fine. How did you handle the
challenge? What did you learn
from it?
7. What are your learning objec-
tives? For example, think of a
specific course. What will your
students take home from this
course? What should they be
able to do at the end of your
course? Why would these goals
be important?
8. How do you know that your
students learn what they are
supposed to learn? How do you
assess their learning?
9. How do you engage your
students in the classroom? How
do you motivate them? Can you
think of examples?
10. How do you take into account
the diverse racial, ethnic, cultural,
social background, and/or
learning styles of your students?
11. Go over your teaching evalua-
tions: What are the highlights?
Can you detect patterns in the
comments? What are the areas
students want you to improve?
12. What new courses would you like
to develop, or redesign?
13. How do you grow as a teacher?
How do you invigorate your
teaching? What do you hope
to learn about teaching in the
future? What are your profes-
sional development plans?
For more information on the Center for
Teaching and Learning, visit ctl.stanford.
edu
Adapted from Stanford University’s
Center for Teaching and Learning
Letters of Recommendation
When it comes to letters of recommen-
dation, choosing whom to ask is generally
the most pressing question. Letters of
recommendation may come from your
advisor, PI, dissertation committee
members, and research collaborators,
among others. You may find yourself
considering the value of requesting a recom-
mendation from a faculty member who is
well known in your field versus a faculty
member who knows you well. There is
no single right answer, although it can
be extremely helpful to consult with your
advisor, faculty in your department, and/or
faculty in your field. Remember, too, that
you will generally be asked for at least three
letters of recommendation, and each letter
may serve a different purpose. Think about
how those letters will work together to
paint a portrait of you as a job candidate.
Particularly if you are planning to apply to
institutions that value teaching, consider
how one or more of your recommenders
could speak to what you are like as a
teacher. If you TA a course, you may wish
to ask the professor for a letter of recom-
mendation at the conclusion of the course,
when their recollections of your work are
still fresh. Your recommenders can speak
to your teaching in more depth when they
have seen you teach—so invite them to
observe your teaching!
Think about how you can best prepare
your recommenders to write compelling
letters that speak to your strengths. Are
there materials with which you can provide
them? Make sure they are aware of the
audience and the types of institutions to
which you are applying. It is not unheard of
for faculty members to ask PhD students to
jot down some notes or even draft a sample
letter for them to edit and revise. If you put
together such a draft, it is imperative that
you do not privilege modesty above making
a strong case. This is not the time to be
worried about bragging. Write persuasively
and generously about your accomplish-
ments and provide evidence for your
assertions. If you still feel reluctant to “sell”
yourself, ask a trusted friend, colleague, or
classmate for help.
3 2
An academic interview is something to
look forward to! Consider it an unparal-
leled opportunity to share how you are a
fit and to connect with colleagues at other
institutions. At BEAM and SoMCC, we
have found that interviewing is a skill in
which tremendous improvement can be
had in a short period of time when candi-
dates are motivated, have access to good
strategy and helpful feedback, and put in
the necessary time and effort. Even if you
find yourself anxious about an upcoming
interview, know that it is likely that you
can improve your performance considerably
by preparing in advance.
When it comes to preparation, in a nutshell:
know yourself, know your research and
teaching, know the college or university
where you are interviewing, know the
department, and know the position.
The emphasis of the questions may vary
dramatically if you are considering both
research-focused and teaching-focused
institutions.
Don’t underestimate the value of under-
standing what a department is looking for
or its priorities. Talking with your advisor,
colleagues at other institutions, and friends
of friends who work in that department or
know people who do can all be helpful as
you try to understand their priorities. These
interactions can help you build a proactive
strategy that will address what is important
to the department.
In general, it is helpful to undertake some
substantial self-reflection in advance of the
interviews. Candidates often find that when
they invest time and energy in their teaching
and research statements, they are better
prepared to approach questions about those
areas.
For teaching, be ready with stories and
examples. Don’t just say that you use
technology in the classroom; tell the story
of the dynamic multimedia presentation you
rigged up for your students last quarter,
and the unexpected ways in which it
engaged the quiet student in the back.
The sections that follow address four
specific types of interviews: phone, Skype,
conference, and campus. We also look at
key questions to prepare, as well as how to
strategically approach thank-you notes and
interview follow-up.
First-Round Interviews: Phone
You may be invited to take part in a first-
round phone interview. It is likely that at
the other end of the line, there will be a
search committee who has you on speak-
erphone. Naturally, this can be a stressful
situation! However there are a few tips that
can help. The standard advice with phone
interviews: dress up and stand up. Thinking
of yourself as a valued future colleague
and faculty member feels much easier
when you’re dressed the way you would
be to teach a class or deliver a talk at a
conference. Standing up allows your voice
to be more resonant, gives you more room
to breathe fully, and lets you pace quietly
about the room if needed. Understand that
when you’re talking to a group you can’t
see on speakerphone, there are bound to be
interruptions. Expect these and handle them
with humor and good cheer. That said, it is
helpful to minimize distractions and noises
on your end, selecting a place to talk that
is likely to be silent and, if possible, using a
landline instead of a cell phone.
During a telephone interview, it is especially
important to ensure that the conversation
feels like a dialogue. Resist any temptation
to lecture or hold forth at great length
on any topic. Committee members may
zone out, write notes to each other, and
check their email if you are speaking at
great length when not necessary. As in any
ac a de M ic in t erV i eWS
3 3
interview, strive to build rapport right from
the start; this will go a long way to cover
minor missteps later.
It is very useful to have your materials
handy, but don’t let them capture your
attention. Remember: the answers to their
questions are not in your notes, your
CV, or printouts from their department
webpage. These materials function largely
as a security blanket—it can be reassuring
to have them close by for reference.
Similarly, it can also be useful to have a
pen and notepad handy during the phone
interview, but write only as much as you
need to—for many people that will be
nothing, or just a few words or phrases to
serve as reminders of topics to address later.
Make sure that either during the interview
or afterwards, you find out the names of
the people with whom you spoke, so that
you can send each of them personalized
thank-you notes. Use your best judgment to
decide whether the thank-you notes should
be emailed or handwritten and mailed.
First-Round Interviews: Skype
Interviewing on Skype brings its own
benefits and challenges. Be sure that you are
comfortable using Skype in advance of the
interview. Enlist the help of a friend, family
member, or colleague to assess different
backgrounds, outfits, lighting options, and
camera angles. If your own office and home
are not suitable locations, consider finding
another location.
Do what you can to minimize distrac-
tions—for example, if you are in a setting
with a landline phone that never rings,
be prepared for it to ring precisely in the
middle of your Skype interview! Turn off
the ringer in advance.
Eye contact is particularly tricky on Skype.
Naturally, there is a great temptation to
stare at your own image on the screen.
Some people have found success in closing
their own image so they are not distracted.
Then, there is the paradox: to give the
impression of eye contact on Skype, it is
necessary to look directly into the camera.
However, this prevents you from observing
the facial expressions of committee
members, which may provide clues that
would be valuable to have in regard to how
they are responding to your answers. One
approach is to aim for about 75% looking
into the camera, 20% checking in with the
committee’s expressions, and 5% taking
a quick peek back at your own image to
make sure you’re still staying in the camera
frame. It is wise to practice this in advance
to find a balance that works for you.
Finally, it can be helpful to enlist a friend
to chat with you on Skype immediately
before the interview. That way, you have
the experience of speaking online in your
natural voice and style and can carry at
least some of that over to the interview
itself.
First-Round Interviews: Annual Conferences
A number of fields hold interviews on site
at an annual conference. (For an excellent
chapter on conference interviews in the
humanities, see Kathryn Hume’s Surviving
Your Academic Job Hunt: Advice for
Humanities PhDs.) Conference interviews
can be dizzying; preparation, organization,
and planning ahead will improve the
experience immensely. If you are inter-
viewing with various types of institutions
at the same conference, you may need to
switch gears rather abruptly from answering
rapid-fire questions about your research in
one interview to sharing engaging anecdotes
about your teaching in another interview.
If possible, find out with whom you will
be meeting, so you can anticipate possible
questions and common ground.
One notable feature of conference inter-
views is that your interviewers are likely
encountering many candidates in a short
span of time. Your goal is to be memorable
for the right reasons. Some experts
recommend wearing one distinctive yet
appropriate accessory, such as a tie or a
pin, to help distinguish yourself visually
from other candidates.
In any interview with faculty in your field,
you have an opportunity to represent
yourself well and forge positive connec-
tions with your interviewers. Enjoy this
opportunity.
On-Campus Interviews
Typically by the time you are invited
for an on-campus interview, you have
already interacted with representatives
of the department through one or more
of the types of interviews described
above. An on-campus interview for an
academic position can be a demanding
experience, combining travel, a marathon
of conversations, giving a talk in front of
a potentially challenging audience—not
to mention the pressure to make a good
impression. Here are some tips that can
help smooth the way:
Travel: A bit of planning for the worst can
go a long way. Even putting the phone
number of the search chair in your cell
phone before you set out can make it easier
to reach him or her if you are delayed.
On flights, carry on anything (clothing or
presentation materials) that is essential to
your success at the interview.
3 4
Interviews: Whenever you are meeting with
a committee, remember not to take things
personally. The dynamics of the committee
are certain to involve issues that arose
long before your visit. This is true for the
job talk as well; sometimes listeners will
ask questions that seem irrelevant because
they are trying to make a point about a
departmental issue. The key is to treat all of
these situations with good grace and move
forward.
One of the biggest and most exciting
challenges for those interviewing for
academic positions, particularly if it is
the first year you are in the academic job
market, is the shift in role. No longer are
you perceived as a student! Many PhD
candidates have returned from on-campus
interviews remarking on their surprise at
being received as a colleague. The audience
at your job talk is not like your dissertation
committee. Be prepared for different kinds
of questions—more along the lines of
questions one colleague would ask another,
as opposed to those that a professor would
ask a student.
Common sense and courtesy rule the day
in how to conduct oneself at an on-campus
interview. Avoid or minimize alcohol
at meals (positions have been lost after
inebriated candidates made statements they
would later regret). Treat everyone you
encounter—students, staff, faculty, and
administrators—with respect, consider-
ation, and interest. Resist the temptation to
vent or complain at any point during the
day to anybody. If the flight was tedious
or you don’t care for the campus archi-
tecture, save those details for private phone
conversations later. For some reason, the
temptation to let down one’s guard and
vent is especially great when walking from
one appointment to another with a member
of the search committee or a student. Strive
to maintain the pleasant and engaging
demeanor you had during the interviews.
Chalk Talks
Chalk talks are sometimes included in the
academic science and technology interview
structure. Think of these as a more
advanced “quals.” They usually include
members of the search committee and
faculty from other departments. Organize
your talk similar to an R01 to explain the
significance of your research and your plans
for developing a successful research plan.
Preparing for an Academic Job Talk
When you’re invited to give an academic
job talk at an on-campus interview, it’s
an exciting opportunity to enhance your
candidacy and share your work! The right
preparation will help you prepare and
deliver a successful talk.
Expectations can vary by campus and by
department, so it’s important to find out
what to expect. How long a talk does your
host expect? Who and how many will be
in the audience? Is this a seminar or a
class? Is this on your dissertation…or on
anything but your dissertation? Should
you bring copies of your talk to distribute?
If you need audio-visual technology (a
projector, the necessary cables, an LCD
screen, etc.), will they be supplied? At
what time of day will your talk be held
(and is there a way you can build a break
in before the talk, so you have some time
to catch your breath and prepare mentally
and emotionally)? Where will you speak,
and will there be time afterward to take
questions?
Your advisor and other faculty in your
discipline can be an extraordinarily
valuable resource as well. Talk to them
to find out the conventions, norms, and
traditions surrounding academic job talks
in your field. Solicit their perspectives
on how you should dress, whether you
should bring copies of your paper and/
or use technology, and to what level
you should pitch your talk. Strategically
speaking, what do your advisor and
others know about the department and
the people with whom you’ll be talking?
How can you find out more about them?
What questions should you be prepared
to answer? Are there any “land mines” for
which you should be prepared?
As you compose your talk, ensure that
you set a context, showing the impor-
tance of your research. Answer the “So
what?” question, and demonstrate how
your work is related to major issues in the
field. Indicate not only what you’ve done,
but what you will be doing in the future.
Then try to find or create opportunities
to practice your talk for others. Ask them
if they think you’ve found the right level
for the talk (one professor described it
as “sophisticated but not specialized”).
Do you seem simultaneously prepared
and spontaneous? Are you prepared to
handle questions seriously and courte-
ously, without getting defensive? And was
the talk interesting? If you plan to use
slides during your talk, be sure to include
them in your practice as well. Talk to the
audience, not to the screen!
One terrific strategy is to anticipate
questions beyond your presentation and
develop slides (in addition to those that
you will use in your talk) “in reserve” for
topics about which you might be asked,
or for details that might be difficult to
remember off the top of your head. For
instance, if a faculty member asks, “Did
you perform any statistical analyses?”
you can say, “Yes, I did—in fact, I have
a summary of the statistical results right
here,” and put up your reserve slide. You
can put these reserve slides at the end of
your presentation, or if you are presenting
using a laptop, you can save the slides
in another presentation file entirely, so
that you don’t accidentally initiate them at
the end of your presentation. Of course,
when planning to include any type of
technology in your talk, be sure to set it
up in advance—and have a backup plan
in place if it doesn’t work.
When it comes time to deliver the talk
at your interview, consider introducing
yourself individually to audience members
as they arrive, instead of isolating yourself
at the front of the room. It can be helpful
to imagine that these are friends and
supporters sitting in the audience. In fact,
these people might indeed become your
friends and colleagues one day soon!
Many students have reported a feeling
of surprise at presenting to appreciative
listeners who respond as they would to
a colleague, not to a graduate student.
In fact, sharing your research or a topic
that interests you can be a very rewarding
experience.
PhD students can get feedback and
advice on job talks at the Hume Center
for Writing and Speaking. For more infor-
mation, visit undergrad.stanford.edu/
tutoring-support/hume-center.
Adapted from the Stanford University Oral
Communication Program
3 5
Interview Questions
Talk to colleagues, faculty, and classmates
to get ideas regarding the specific types of
questions for which to prepare. Sometimes
field-specific lists of questions circulate
through departments or among friends—
these can be enormously helpful.
Broadly speaking, there are several
categories of questions that can be
anticipated.
General Questions
• It is helpful to be prepared for generic-
sounding questions like “Tell us about
yourself.” At this early stage of an
interview, you likely have the commit-
tee’s complete attention. Organize
your thoughts in advance so that you
proactively focus on elements in your
background, skills, interests, teaching, or
research that demonstrate why you are an
excellent fit for this particular position.
Research
• What do you study? Have a variety
of answers ready to address questions
about your work. You will want to have
a friendly, accessible, short version for
describing your research to questioners
who are not familiar with your field. At
the other end of the spectrum, be ready
to describe your work at an advanced
level, invoking the jargon and context of
your field.
• Importance and context: Why does
your work matter? Why is it different,
interesting, or important? Why do you
study this, but not that? Questions like
these can sometimes be interpreted by
interviewees as attacks, when in fact
they may simply be signs of interest, or
questions asked by potential allies who
want to be prepared when making a case
for your candidacy to skeptical colleagues
or administrators. Help them walk into
those conversations well-armed with
compelling arguments.
• Future research: What ideas and direc-
tions do you have for future research?
You want to convey your sense of
momentum, so that the interviewer
not only believes your interest in the
topic but your readiness and capability
in completing the work and making a
contribution to your field. Your future
plans for research should be clear and
credible. If you are in a field where
securing external funding and/or setting
up and managing a lab are an integral
part of your work, be ready to talk about
your plans and strategy in these areas as
well.
Teaching
• Examples of your teaching: Go in
prepared with specific stories, examples,
and anecdotes from your teaching
experience. Stories are interesting to listen
to and easy for committee members to
remember. They also lend credibility to
any assertions you may make about your
teaching. Identify examples of specific
times in your teaching when you encoun-
tered a challenge in the classroom and
how you handled it, when you found an
innovative way to capture your students’
interest, and more.
• Awareness of your field: What are
conventions and trends in teaching your
discipline? What are the goals of a major
in your current department? How is
learning evaluated? Your field may have
journals that are devoted to the topic of
teaching specifically in that field; you
may find it productive to investigate these
as you reflect on your teaching.
• What to teach here: Much of how
you talk about teaching is likely to be
informed by your understanding of
what you might teach at the institution
where you are interviewing. If you have
a sense that they are seeking a candidate
who would enjoy teaching broad survey
classes to non-majors, for example,
you might share different examples and
approaches than if the focus were on
graduate seminars. You may also be
asked outright which classes you would
like to teach in this department. Study
their offerings in advance and be familiar
with their current schedule (as well as
what new elements you might be able to
add).
• Theoretical orientation: What is your
approach to teaching? How do you
think about what you are doing in the
classroom? What are your overarching
goals for your students?
• Blending teaching and research: In
some settings, there may be interest
in how your research and teaching
complement each other in various ways.
If this is likely to be a topic where you
are applying, it can be helpful to think
through these ideas before the interview.
Why This University
• Why us: Put yourself in the shoes of the
hiring committee. They want to find a
candidate who is not only well qualified,
but who understands their institution
and their department and is enthusi-
astic about being a great fit. Conduct
background research to understand the
institutional priorities, the history of the
department, the student population, and
other areas. Your goal is not to appear
disinterested (“You had an opening in
my field”) or awestruck (“You’re the best
there is!”) but to come across as a well
informed and deeply interested future
colleague.
• Geography: In some cases, the committee
may want to ensure that you are
interested in moving to their location.
Take the time to learn about the area,
including the climate. Find out what
this area is known for, and even track
down some key features in which you are
particularly interested, such as natural
resources, good school districts, or
cultural institutions. Remember, too, that
the committee members have chosen to
make their homes in this location. Even if
the weather or other factors are different
from what you may be accustomed to, all
of your comments and questions should
convey respect, interest, and optimism
(instead of “Wow, I can’t imagine how
you stand the snow here,” consider “I’ve
always wanted to learn how to ski!”).
Questions for the Department
• Questions to convey interest: What is the
real purpose of asking questions in a job
interview? It might be argued that the
goal is to convey interest in the people
with whom you are speaking and their
institution. For this reason, one category
of questions would be ones that you
strategically select to illustrate common-
alities in your values or interests. To be
clear, these questions are not “fake” (it is
very easy to see through such questions),
but are designed to highlight common
ground. For instance, if both you and
the department value interdisciplinary
collaboration, you might simultane-
ously communicate this value while
learning more: “Can you tell me more
3 6
about opportunities for interdisciplinary
collaboration?”
• Questions to get answers: There may
be things about which you are simply
curious. Doing due diligence in advance
will answer many questions; typically,
you would want to avoid asking
questions that could be answered by a
simple visit to the department website.
That said, you may be curious about
other things. The one catch is that it
is quite likely that by the time you are
asked for questions, the committee has
already answered all of yours. If you
find yourself absolutely stumped, you
can always explain that at the moment
you don’t have any questions, because
although you were wondering about X,
Y, and Z, the committee had answered
all of your questions. This is much more
effective than simply saying, “No, I don’t
have any questions.”
• Questions to wait on: Negotiation
is a delicate process! There are some
questions you might want to hold off
on asking until late in the interview
process or even until you have received
an offer. A good rule of thumb is not to
ask questions that will make negotiation
harder for you later on. Also, consider
whom to ask what. There are some
queries that are better posed to an
individual than to a group, for example.
• Questions to avoid entirely: Never be
negative! Or, to put it differently, stay
positive. Avoid questions like “What do
you dislike most about the students?”
or “What don’t you like about teaching
here?” If you would like to under-
stand the concerns and frustrations of
faculty and/or students, stick to asking
individuals open-ended questions and
follow up with clarifying questions.
After the Interview: Thank-You Notes and Waiting
It is strongly recommended that you send
personalized thank-you notes to everyone
on the search committee and to everyone
with whom you met individually. In
these notes, it is especially effective to
refer specifically to topics you discussed,
questions they asked, etc.
Drafting thank-you notes can be taxing, but
waiting to hear back is even harder. Try
to take good care of yourself during this
stressful and potentially busy time. Social
support from friends, family members, and
significant others can help as well. Remind
yourself that regardless of the outcome,
life will go on. It is natural to be worried
during this time but do your best to
preserve your health and well-being while
you wait for responses.
Negotiation
If you get one or more offers for academic
positions, you may find yourself in a
position to negotiate not only your starting
salary, but a very wide range of other
things. Several principles dictate successful
negotiation:
Know Your Value
Remember what you bring to the table! If
you ask for more money or more resources,
it is helpful to remind yourself why the
value you bring to the table warrants a
higher salary than the one offered. Be
prepared to offer substantive evidence for
why your unique skills, experience, and
qualifications warrant a higher salary or
additional resources.
Know the Numbers
It is extremely helpful to have a sense of
your peers’ salaries. Of course, this is not
always possible. State colleges and univer-
sities publish salary information, which
helps tremendously. A number of online
surveys include salary information, but
often the information is more general than
you need for negotiation purposes. If you
have contacts at the school or university,
consider diplomatically checking with them
to see if they can share any helpful context.
Know Your Priorities
There are various things for which you can
negotiate, from salary to office space to
time to finish turning your dissertation into
a book. (See the list that follows for more
than 30 elements that may be negotiable.)
The key is to figure out which ones are
most important to you. Think about what
you need to thrive in your new role. For
some, family interests may play a prominent
role in your priorities, with preferences
relating to your teaching schedule taking
center stage. Negotiating is generally the
most effective when you have a clear sense
of your priorities.
View It as a Win-Win
It is to the department’s great advantage if
you can be successful in your position. If
you are looking at a tenure-track position,
being successful likely means getting tenure.
You must seek to have the resources (time,
space, equipment, staff) that you will
need in order to gain tenure, whether that
means a reduced teaching load so you can
turn your dissertation into a book, or the
resources necessary to write a successful
grant in your first or second year that will
enable you to conduct essential research.
Get Absolutely Everything in
Writing
The importance of this step cannot be
overstated. The person who agreed to your
terms may leave or forget. Circumstances
may shift. It is crucial to have a written
record. One very simple way to accom-
plish this is to send an email following a
phone conversation in which you came to
an agreement. The email should describe
precisely what you agreed upon, and
explain that you just wanted to confirm
that these terms were agreeable. Keep
your email and the confirmation and/or
clarification(s) you receive in return in a
safe place, as you may need to draw on
them down the road.
3 7
36 Negotiable Items in an Academic Position
1. Appointment title or titles (all special
titles are typically renewable after
five years in the U.S.)
2. Units (for joint appointment, specify
fraction of appointment in each unit)
3. Tenure status
4. Starting date (January 1, September
1, etc.)
5. Starting salary (options: bonuses;
additional time off for consulting;
additional contributions to retirement
account)
6. Living expenses (university housing;
housing allowance; closing costs;
housing bonus; or mortgage for a
year if applying to industry)
7. Contributions to housing relocation
expenses (selling/buying costs;
realtors’ fees)
8. Benefits (healthcare; dental;
insurance; parental leave; spousal
benefits; time off)
9. Child care (availability of child
care resources and referral; also
care during time for research data
collection or conferences)
10. Tuition benefits for children
11. Spousal job opportunities
12. Reimbursement of moving expenses
(may be capped at 10% of salary)
13. Travel budget (including travel
for projects and for continuing
education)
14. Facilities / Space (amount and nature
of the space commitment. For a joint
appointment, expect only one office.
Check the allocation of space, often
public record)
15. Office furniture and computer
equipment (on campus and/or at
home)
16. Parking fees
17. Staff support (direct and indirect)
18. Nine month or twelve month
appointment (or a variation)
19. Immigration and Naturalization
contingency
20. Research support or continuing
research support (amount, fungi-
bility and source of start-up funds;
fungibility = degree to which money
can be used for different purposes).
Specify length of time during which
start-up funds must be used (e.g.,
first three years)
21. Research equipment
22. Research staff (full-time)
23. Additional hires in a specific research
area (for program building)
24. Reduced or free service from campus
facilities (machine or wood shops,
instrumentation centers, such as
NMR, etc.)
25. Support for Postdocs
26. Graduate student fellowships
27. Normal teaching duties in the unit(s)
(option of selection of courses)
28. Particular teaching expectations (for
joint appointment, clarify distri-
bution of teaching responsibilities
among units)
29. Number and source of summer
ninths (number paid from general
fund)
30. Number of course releases (and any
time constraints on this)
31. Center or Institute affiliations
(support for)
32. Service expectations (committees—
clarify if extra pay is a stipend or
part of your base)
33. Sabbatical (any recognition of
sabbatical equity accrued elsewhere
(can take the form of a Duty Off
Campus Leave rather than early
sabbatical)
34. Consulting release time (in academe,
industry or government based on
experience)
35. Date by which candidate should
respond
36. Time for candidate to resign from
current position
Used by permission of Jane Tucker of Jane
Tucker Associates and Barbara Butterfield
of HumanEd Consulting who developed
this list for their workshop on Strategic
Persuasion: Effective Negotiations, Problem
Solving and Conflict Resolution in Higher
Education.
Possible Outcomes and Looking Ahead
No matter how your job search process
concludes, in a sense, it is truly a beginning.
If you receive and successfully negotiate
an offer for an academic job, congratula-
tions! In addition to planning for a move,
approach your next professional steps with
the same strategy you brought to your
job search. If your new academic job is a
tenure-track position, start thinking now
about laying the groundwork for tenure.
Consult with your advisor or faculty in
your department or field about how best to
do this at the type of institution where you
will be working. If your academic position
is a fixed-term visiting professorship or
an adjunct role, think about how you will
manage your time effectively to balance
your teaching commitments with other
professional activities, potentially including
research, that will continue to strengthen
your candidacy for future academic
positions.
If you do not receive an offer, or do not
receive an offer that you choose to accept,
multiple paths lie before you as well. After
the emotional highs and lows, the travel,
and the sheer amount of time devoted to
the academic job search—not to mention
to your doctoral studies—not getting an
academic job can feel devastating. Every
year, many, many brilliant candidates on
the academic job market do not receive
offers. Not getting an academic job in your
field of choice is in no way an indicator of
your value as a scholar or as a teacher.
If this happens to you, please keep in mind
that there are a variety of resources and
options available to you. Your advisor,
faculty in your department, colleagues
in other departments, and even faculty
members you connected with during
interviews may all be excellent sources for
brainstorming and strategy.
Remember that Stanford’s BEAM and
SoMCC also offer services and resources that
can help you plan your next steps. Whether
you plan to keep your focus on academia
and go back on the academic job market
next year, pursue a postdoctoral fellowship,
or explore options beyond academia, you
can make an appointment to come in and
discuss your situation with a career coach
or counselor. We can also work with you
to figure out how to connect with alumni
of your program or similar programs who
pursued a variety of paths. These connec-
tions can be refreshing and provide a new
and useful perspective. We also invite you to
explore the parts of this guide devoted to the
non-academic job search as well. Know that
there are many ways to express the skills
and experience you have gained throughout
your education, and that the most rewarding
paths may even be ones you haven’t yet
explored.
3 8
Perhaps you are rethinking an academic
career path or may simply be interested in
learning what options exist. You may have
always wanted to use your PhD outside
of academia or have recently decided that
you need a Plan B. Regardless of your
reason, the process of exploring options
outside academia can be both exciting
as well as daunting. It certainly feels like
venturing into the unknown compared to
the familiar landscape of academic careers.
However, your graduate training will
serve you well, as the process is similar to
research work. As you well know, each new
research project requires launching into
the unknown and figuring things out as
you go along. Your ability to ask relevant
questions, locate resources, research, solve
problems and synthesize complex and
disparate information will help you success-
fully navigate this process.
Our Philosophy
Trainees who do great research find
a world of opportunities to make a
difference. We believe that individuals do
their best—providing the most meaningful,
substantial contributions to society—when
their activities are aligned with their
passions and when they are encouraged,
trained, and provided outlets to pursue
them. Stanford graduates and postdocs have
tremendously impacted universities, indus-
tries, and communities. Just as you set goals
for your next experiment, next paper, and
next avenue of research, there are short-
and long-term goals you can set while at
Stanford to help you explore and define
your next professional steps. Your mentors,
BEAM - Career Education, and the School
of Medicine Career Center are here to help
guide you along whichever path is right for
you.
Know Yourself
The essence of career planning is finding
a fit between who you are and an
environment that suits you. The first step is
to assess your skills, interests, motivations,
personality, and talents. Career planning
is not a one-time event, but a dynamic,
ongoing process as you learn and respond
to change in yourself, your employer, and
your field.
PhD Skills
As a PhD student or postdoc, you might
be concerned about your lack of skills for
jobs outside of academia. However, the
reality is that you have developed many
skills that are valued both in academia and
in private and public sectors. PhD students
and postdocs may have many of these traits
and skills:
ca r eer oP t ionS BeYond ac a de M i a
Advice from Stanford PhD Alumni: What PhD Students and Postdocs Need to Know When
Considering All Career Options
“Making a change to a non-traditional
career path was the most frightening
decision I ever made. It also was the
best. The message that needs to be
passed on is that the choices look far
scarier from the inside of academia. Once
out in the ‘real world,’ so many options
become visible!”
“Be sure to target a number of
potential career avenues to pursue and
pursue them all until you find a good fit;
recognize that there are many meaningful
careers through which you can use the
skills and talents you’ve honed in grad
school; develop an interesting and logical
narrative that explains why you’re looking
to make a change; practice telling your
story until you feel comfortable and
natural telling it; and most important, be
persistent!”
“You should develop an understanding
that corporate people are interested
in the product, and that they want high
quality work, but they are not as inter-
ested in the process through which you
worked, as they are in the product itself.
Although work outside of academia may
not be as scholarly as academic work,
it is often just as challenging and more
practical. In addition, there are many very
bright people outside of the university.”
“Determine how your personality
matches the work you will do;
understand how broad and flexible the
opportunities offered by each alternative
path are.”
“Be flexible, keep an open mind, and
know that your skills are transferable.
Many of the skills you have developed
are directly applicable and valued in the
business world.”
PART II: PHD PATHWAYS
3 9
• Ability to learn quickly, work under
pressure, and willingness to work hard
• Flexibility, functioning independently in
a variety of environments and roles; can
handle ambiguity and differing views
• Ability to investigate, synthesize infor-
mation from disparate sources, critically
analyze data using scientific methods and
statistics, problem solve, and support a
position with argumentation and logic
• Communication skills including concep-
tualizing, explaining, writing, and public
speaking
• Creation, design of complex studies
and projects; implementation and
management of all phases of complex
projects and follow through to
completion
• Organization, multi-tasking, and time
management skills
• Ability to work with the committee
process, do advocacy work
• Competitiveness, enjoyment of
challenge
• Creativity, resourcefulness, and ability to
persevere
Interests, Personality, Values,
and Other Considerations
In addition to a personal list of your
skills, reflect on your interests, person-
ality, values, strengths, preferred work
environment, goals, and life circumstances.
Use this information to assess your fit with
various career fields. BEAM and SoMCC
offer a number of career assessment tools
as well as individual career coaching and
counseling to assist you with this process.
Career Inventories and Worksheets
Will Help You:
• Crystallize what you want to do and
what is important to you
• Improve self-understanding and build
better relationships with others
• Increase your chances of career success
by considering appropriate options
• Articulate your strengths in cover letters,
interviews, etc.
Formal assessment tools offered through
BEAM and SoMCC include Strong Interest
Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,
StrengthsQuest, and Skills and Values
card sorts. In addition, you can access
worksheets that you can do on your own
using (TREE)—Tools for Career Readiness,
Exploration, and Evaluation at https://
cdc-tree.stanford.edu.
Careers in Engineering
An advanced degree in engineering
opens doors to many career paths,
both traditional and non-traditional. The
following resources will help you under-
stand and pursue the path that is right
for you.
Research
Will you focus on basic research or
more applied research? At a university,
government lab, research institute
or industrial lab? In a tenure-track
faculty position, or as adjunct research
faculty? As a faculty or staff member
who manages a research lab, center or
institute?
To find organizations conducting cutting-
edge research in a particular area:
• Confer with your thesis advisor and/or
committee members
• Look up and contact presenters and
others who attend conferences in that
field
• Search academic journals, trade
magazines and Google Patents by
relevant keywords
• Search alumni directories and LinkedIn
using relevant keywords
To change your research focus, build
your network and knowledge of your
intended subject area. In this case, your
transferrable competencies, such as the
methods, tools and equipment you have
used, may be more valuable and relevant
assets than your expertise in a narrow
specialty.
Product Development
Do you want to work in applied (product-
oriented) research, product design
or development? Would you like to
use applications engineering to help
customize products to customers’ specific
needs? What about Manufacturing?
At what size company? Who are your
customers/clients?
Gather information and advice from:
• Career Insider/Vault industry and
career guides: https://careerinsider.
vault.com/career-insider-login.
aspx?parrefer=269
• Informational interviews with alumni and
others in your intended field—alumni.
stanford.edu/get/page/career
• Find field-specific job postings at the
website of your professional society or
association
Ask yourself (and others!), “Who would
benefit from my specific knowledge and/
or transferrable skills?” For instance, if
you have ideas for improving equipment
you’ve used in your research, contact
your equipment supplier.
If your research project has potential
to become a product, then check the
Stanford Entrepreneurship Network
(sen.stanford.edu).
Other Roles
What about working in technical
consulting, or management consulting for
that matter? Failure analysis? Have you
considered Technology Transfer—moving
ideas from the lab to reality? Patents and
intellectual property? Developing policy?
Or perhaps something else enitrely?
Whatever your intended path, a career
coach at BEAM can help clarify your
objective, articulate your relevant
strengths and guide you to the most
appropriate resources.
4 0
Career Fields by Skills
The skills that you have developed during graduate studies are readily transferable to a variety of occupational settings. The following
chart outlines some possible career options. For a deeper overview of Biosciences career options and skills related to these choices,
see http://biosciences.stanford.edu/current/career/sectors/index.html
CAREER FIELD
Business & Media Education Non-Profit Public Policy
High Tech
Research & R&D, risk journalism, research ctrs, research efforts, government
Analysis analysis, market educational think tanks, research, state
market research research & research centers, & local agencies
research, evaluation, foundations
consulting archival work
Teaching sales, training, sales, radio/ teaching, public education, politics,
development TV, freelance, development, executive
advertising, lecturing community branch,
journalism organizing fundraising,
interest groups
Writing & corporate journalism, publishing PR, speech &
Communication communications, writing, editing, (educational), newsletter & report
communications publishing, PR, reporting, publications writing
analysis, PR, advertising writing editing
advertising
Administration & management editing, academic event planning, program
Management positions, publishing, administration foundation management,
consulting corporate (college dean, management agency
publications, school principal) administration
management
Problem consulting, investigative academic management, government
Solving marketing, reporting, PR, administration, nonprofit positions, policy
management management, educational consulting, think research,
specialty consulting tanks political
consulting consulting
People consulting, sales/ student development, politics,
Skills marketing, marketing in services management, (candidate or
management in publishing, (counseling, advocacy staff),
interviewing administration) fundraising,
lobbying
Technical & info. systems, specialty computers in R&D, national labs,
Scientific Skills R&D, publishing, education, consulting for EPA, Census,
actuarial professional curriculum hospitals, info. NSF, NIH,
consultant journals, tech. development systems, local & int’l
writing environmental scientific
groups agencies
International cultural int’l media, int’l education, int’l Peace Corps,
Expertise consulting, risk specialty curriculum consulting & int’l orgs &
analysis, int’l publishing development, orgs. agencies, policy
business educational tours think tanks
Arts & Other advertising, criticism, art education museums, administration of
Creative Skills computer music, writing, art, music therapy, arts agencies
graphics illustration arts orgs.
SKILLS
Modified from Outside the Ivory Tower. Reprinted with permission from Outside the Ivory Tower, by Margaret Newhouse © 1993
President and Fellows of Harvard College.
4 1
Brainstorm Career Ideas
Once you have a sense of who you are
and what you are seeking in a career, start
brainstorming career ideas. They can be
career fields that you have been thinking
about, suggested by people who know you
well or by career assessment inventories,
or areas that you’ve stumbled upon during
your research. A career coach or counselor
can help you clarify your thoughts during
this process. For additional ideas, search
alumni directories (alumni.stanford.edu/
get/page/career) and LinkedIn, talk to
peers, faculty (if they are open to discussing
non-academic options), and other contacts
whom you may encounter through profes-
sional associations, conferences, panels,
industry collaborations, or your career
research. Below is a list of additional
resources for your career exploration
outside academia.
Forums & Articles
• Chronicle of Higher Education
Runs regular columns on fresh ways
to put your PhD to work with articles
such as “Every Ph.D. Needs a Plan B”
(chronicle.com) and hosts a forum on
Leaving Academe (chronicle.com/forums/)
Below are other relevant articles:
- What Else Can I Do? And Other
Frequent Questions
(chronicle.com/article/
What-Else-Can-I-Do-Oth/45257)
- How to Do What You Love: Questions
to ask yourself when deciding on a
direction for your career
(chronicle.com/article/How-to-Do-
What-You-Love/46105)
- Outside, Over There: A discussion
of web blogs and other sites for
non-academic careers
(chronicle.com/article/
Outside-Over-There/44964)
- Where to Find Information on
Nonacademic Careers
(chronicle.com/article/Where-to-Find-
Information-on/45379#humanities)
- A Sample Plan: This article
discusses a one-year plan for a
non-academic job search (chronicle.com/
article/A-Sample-Plan/45453)
- 10 Tips for Developing an Alternate Career
While in Graduate School
How to start preparing for alter-
native careers while in graduate
school (psychologytoday.com/blog/career-
transitions/201110/10-tips-developing-
alternate-career-while-in-graduate-school)
- Finding an Internship to Change Careers
Helpful advice for PhD students on
how to look for an internship in alter-
native fields (chronicle.com/article/
Finding-an-Internship-to/137007/)
Online Resources
• Beyond Academe
Produced by and for historians; the tips
on this site are applicable to those in
other fields as well. The site includes an
FAQ section designed to help historians
learn more about job options outside of
academia and tips on transforming a CV.
(beyondacademe.com)
• Sellout
Resource for PhDs considering careers
beyond the university. Created by an
English literature PhD who works in
the software industry. (ironstring.com/
sellout)
• PhDs.org
Relevant articles on career development
and academe, as well as numerous job
postings. (phds.org/career-resources)
• Science Careers
From the journal Science, contains career
information for PhDs in science and
technology including career profiles,
advice, jobs, and more. (sciencecareers.
sciencemag.org)
• Leaving Academia
A blog, podcast and community that
provides insight, inspiration and infor-
mation for grad students and faculty
considering post-academic careers.
(leavingacademia.com)
• How to Leave Physics
A physics PhD describes her experience
leaving academia to work on Wall Street
and beyond. (poplarware.com/personal/
lvphys.html)
• Mathematical Association of America
Offers over forty-five career profiles of
professionals who use mathematics on
a daily basis—some in academia and
government, but most are drawn from
industry. This database contains mathe-
maticians from all degree levels, and is
especially easy to scan for position title
and organization/firm. (maa.org/careers/
index.html)
reSea rch Your oP t ionS a n d
Wh at’S ou t th er e
4 2
• Who We Are
A public database with information on
over 200 Humanities PhDs who are
pursuing a non-academic career path.
Great tool for exploring career options
and networking. (altacademy.wufoo.com/
reports/who-we-are)
• My Individual Development Plan (my
IDP)
An interactive, web-based tool that will
help science PhD students and postdocs
set and achieve long-term and short-term
career goals. (myidp.sciencecareers.org)
• “Non-Academic Career Options for PhDs in
the Humanities and Social Sciences”
Hosted by Columbia University’s Center
for Career Education, this article provides
a comprehensive introduction to career
fields available for PhDs in Humanities
and Social Sciences.
(careereducation.columbia.edu/
resources/tipsheets/non-academic-
career-options-phds-and-mas)
• “Career Exploration for PhDs in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math
Disciplines”
Hosted by Columbia University’s Center
for Career Education, this article provides
a comprehensive introduction to career
fields available for PhDs in Math, Science
and Engineering.
(careereducation.columbia.edu/resources/
tipsheets/non-academic-career-options-
phds-sciences-engineering-and-
mathematics)
• Career Alternatives for Art Historians
A comprehensive job search resource for
art historians considering non-academic
careers. Hosted by the University of
Notre Dame.
(nd.edu/~crosenbe/jobs.html)
• Non-Academic Careers for Scientific
Psychologists
Hosted by the American Psychological
Association, included are career stories of
psychology PhDs pursuing non-academic
careers.
(apa.org/careers/resources/profiles/index.
aspx)
Investigate Options
Investigate possible career options system-
atically, the way that you would test out
research hypotheses. Start with a “literature
review” by reading various career publi-
cations and online resources to gain an
overview of the career field including the
industry trends, possible employers, and job
positions.
Once you have narrowed the choices,
you can conduct informational interviews
(see networking in the next section) with
professionals who are working in those
fields or organizations to delve deeper into
relevant career information and to find
answers to questions in which you are
particularly interested.
Gain Experience
If you are beginning your graduate or
postdoctoral program or can make the time,
take some related courses or participate
in internships, part-time, contract/project/
consulting, or volunteer work to test out
your interest and suitability for the job.
Gaining relevant experience will allow you
to build more confidence in your career
decision and demonstrate your employability
to future employers. Use your research
to narrow the field of options, overcome
barriers, and decide on the next step.
• “Gain Experience” – Finding an
Internship to Change Careers
Helpful advice on how to look for an
internship in alternative fields as a PhD
student.
(chronicle.com/article/Finding-an-
Internship-to/137007/)
4 3
You may have heard of the importance of
networking during a job search. However,
many of us are reluctant to utilize this
method as it provokes discomfort, anxiety,
or perceptions of barriers. You may surmise
that you don’t have appropriate contacts or
that “using people” is distasteful to you or
that it takes too much time and effort. You
might also be afraid of possible rejection.
What is networking as it relates to career
exploration and the job search? Networking
is connecting with people in a field or
organization in which you wish to work,
for information and advice. Networking,
including informational interviewing, is the
job seeker’s equivalent of market research.
It is essential, when exploring fields and
job functions, to learn about the skills they
require, jobs not publicly advertised, ways
to enter a specific field, and inside infor-
mation about a particular organization’s
culture and expectations.
For PhDs and postdocs in particular,
networking is key to successful career
exploration and job search. For you, it’s
often not clear what jobs are appropriate
for your background and where you fit
into within an organization. You may be
considered overeducated for entry-level
positions but lack the experience for
senior jobs. Consider the typical case of
applying to an advertised job opening.
Human Resources is usually inundated
with numerous, sometimes hundreds of
applications. Faced with so many resumes,
they often rely on seeking candidates with
the most relevant experience and strongest
track records. They don’t have the time or
motivation to give the benefit of doubt to
an unproven candidate.
Networking, especially in the form of infor-
mational interviews, can be a low-pressure
but extremely effective way to research
career fields while giving you a chance to
communicate your skills and fit to industry
insiders. Having met or interacted with you,
they may be much more willing to give you
a chance or even create jobs to utilize your
talents. In a sense, you are bypassing the
resume screening process that may work
unfavorably for you and gaining a toehold
to interview opportunities with possible
employers. At minimum, the insights
gained allow you craft particularly effective
resumes and cover letters that will help
you stand out during the resume screening
process.
The purpose of informational interviewing
is to obtain current information about
a career field directly from the source,
people who are working in that field. It
is about learning and researching and not
about asking for a job. If you think about
it another way, you’ve probably used this
strategy many times previously and have
granted informational interviews to others.
If you were approached for advice and
information by an undergraduate student
interested in pursuing graduate studies in
your field, would you be willing to share
some insights?
Similarly, most professionals are willing and
pleased to talk about their career field or
job. For you, the benefits are numerous:
• Gather first-hand, current career
information.
• Have control over who you’re contacting,
the kind of information that you’re
requesting, and how you present yourself.
• Observe professionals in actual work
settings and ascertain whether the
environment is right for you.
• Receive feedback, advice, and answers to
questions that wouldn’t be appropriate in
a job interview.
• Gain visibility and become known to
insiders who may be aware of job oppor-
tunities, both advertised and hidden.
• Practice interviewing skills so that you
will be ready for actual interviews.
• Begin building the foundation for a
professional network in your chosen
career field.
net Wor k i nG a n d
in for M at iona l in t erV i eWS
4 4
Five Steps for Conducting Informational Interviews
1) Develop a List of Possible
Contacts
Think about what fields you want to
explore and develop a list of contacts
relevant to your interests. Where can you
find contacts?
• Check your own network through
LinkedIn, Facebook, family, friends,
colleagues, professors, and others you
may know well through affiliated groups
(clubs, sports, religious organizations,
etc.).
• Use Stanford CareerConnect (alumni.
stanford.edu/get/page/career) to locate
alumni in relevant career fields; in
addition, look through alumni databases
of other institutions you have attended.
• Attend related events, including profes-
sional and industry conferences, Stanford
events, BEAM and SoMCC networking
events, and career fairs and expos.
• Contact members of related professional
organizations.
• Contact people who write blogs in your
field, who have published articles in
newspapers or journals in your area, or
whose names came up in your research.
• Be creative! Your network is all around
you.
2) Ask for the Informational
Interview
You can do this by email, phone, or in
person if applicable. Assume that the person
is very busy but will enjoy giving you
advice. Informational interviews are often
most effective when they are conducted
in person or over the phone. An email
exchange can be very useful for setting up
such a conversation.
• Introduce yourself and explain how you
got their name.
• Tell them you are exploring or
researching their field, and asking for
advice (not a job).
• Ask for a 15-20 minute phone or
in-person meeting at their convenience,
and assure them you know they are busy
and you value their time.
• If you don’t hear back after a week or
more, consider following up your initial
email with a second email; the recipient
may have lost track of your original
message but still be interested in helping
you.
• It is usually best not to enclose a resume
with an email, as it looks more like you
are applying for a job. Describe your
experience in your note in a brief, natural
way. If you do enclose your resume,
mention in your note: “I have enclosed
my resume so you will have some infor-
mation about my background.”
3) Prepare Yourself
Read about your contact’s field and organi-
zation in order to get the most out of your
meeting as well as show your interest.
Come up with a concise description of your
background and prepare a list of questions
you might like to ask:
• “What kinds of projects do you work
on?”
• “What led you to this position?”
• “What do you like most about your
work?”
• “What are the personal qualities of
people who are successful in this field?”
• “How would you describe a typical week
in terms of the percentage of time you
spend on the various parts of your job?”
• “What kinds of backgrounds do people
in this organization (field) have?”
• “What are the most pressing needs and
issues for your department within the
overall organization?”
• “What are typical career paths in this
field?”
• “I’ve built a target list of organizations
in this field to research. Would you be
willing to look at my list and give me any
suggestions you might have?”
• “In what other kinds of organizations do
people with your role work?”
• “Given my background and interests,
are there other organizations you might
suggest I explore?”
• “How would you advise me to get started
in building experience in this field?”
• “What organizations hire entry-level
people in this field?”
• “How do you see the next few years in
terms of job prospects in this field?”
• “Are there conferences which might
be useful for newcomers to attend? A
professional association I could join as a
student?”
• “Are there certain classes or training
programs you would recommend for
building experience for this type of
position?”
• “What is the work environment like
in terms of pressure, deadlines, new
projects, teamwork vs. independent
work, etc.?”
• “How is performance evaluated? What is
rewarded?”
• “How do employees balance career and
personal life?”
• “Do you know anyone else who could
provide me with advice on this topic or
might be willing to share their knowledge
and experience?”
4) Conduct an Effective
Meeting
Your goals are will depend on where
you are in your own career development
process, the person with whom you are
speaking, and the circumstances of your
conversation. These goals may include some
or all of the following:
• to learn more about the career path
you’re considering
• to present your background and interests
clearly
• to learn more about the company itself
• to obtain referrals
During the informational interview, let your
natural curiosity and interest shine through.
As an engaged listener and learner, you will
build rapport and find out quite a bit. Stay
alert—rather than letting the interview be
governed by your assumptions, be open
to hearing new and surprising things. If
the person you are speaking with says
something you do not understand, follow
up and ask for clarification. It’s much more
important to be an authentic participant in
the conversation than to give the impression
that you already have all of the answers.
4 5
5) Follow Up
Send a thank-you note, by email and/or
handwritten, and include your address,
phone, and email, so that your contact can
get back in touch with you if they so desire.
Remember to keep track of your contacts
by keeping a record of your interaction.
Periodically you may want to update your
contact to let them know how they assisted
you. Let them know that you followed up
with the additional contacts they provided
and what outcomes resulted from these
conversations. Other ways of staying in
touch include sending them articles or other
helpful information based on your conver-
sation or even holiday greetings.
Networking Online
Online processes have the capacity to
enormously enhance real-life networking,
interviewing, collaborating and career
development. Rewards in this realm
reflect your investment and your
willingness to take strategic risks. The key
is thinking the process through, gaining
basic familiarity with online tools, and
then using these tools to develop and
enhance real-life professional relation-
ships. Writing a blog, becoming active
on Twitter, and maintaining your own
website can all contribute to your social
media presence and relationship-building.
However, if you’re just starting out, there
may be no better place than LinkedIn: a
free, easy-to-use, and professional tool
for branding and networking.
Whether you already have an account
on LinkedIn (linkedin.com) or are just
starting out, it’s important to ask yourself
several questions:
• Overall Purpose(s): What are your
professional goals? What are your
immediate goals?
• Community: With whom do you want
to interact? Whom do you want to find
you?
• Framing Your Identity: How do you want
to be known? How would you like to
be perceived in terms of age, profes-
sionalism, confidence, affiliation(s),
personality, approachability? For what
type of expertise would you like to be
known?
After some initial brainstorming around
these topics, it’s time to build awareness
and identify trends by reviewing the
profiles of LinkedIn members. What are
colleagues and role models in your field
doing? What keywords keep coming up?
How do the photographs vary? What
kind of tone do their profiles take? How
have they utilized the “summary” and
“specialties” sections of their profile?
To what groups do they belong? How
many connections do they have?
What additional applications have they
installed? What did they write for their
headline? By taking the time to get
familiar with these profiles, you will start
to notice nuances that make a difference.
To use LinkedIn strategically, this
knowledge can be very powerful.
Once you have considered both your own
professional goals and learned about
how others make the most of their own
profiles, you are much better positioned to
draft and revise your own profile. Connect
with friends and colleagues on the site,
and search out groups—popular choices
include alumni groups from your under-
graduate and graduate institutions, such
as the Stanford Alumni Group. Adding
connections and joining groups will
fundamentally change your search results
when you begin to actively use LinkedIn
for networking.
As you ready yourself to network, do not
underestimate the importance of your
profile picture! Ensure that the photo you
select is flattering and professional. If you
are currently anticipating a transition in
your role (i.e., moving from being a PhD
student to becoming a faculty member),
make sure that the photo represents
you in the role to which you aspire. It is
worth asking a friend with a good camera
to take new photos of you instead of
searching through casual candids.
The title of one popular book on this topic
is I’m on Linked In, Now What??? This
is a common question. In a nutshell, now
you revisit your career goals. It is likely,
for example, that you are seeking to learn
more about people in a particular field
or fields. LinkedIn is an excellent way
to find people with interesting positions
and contact them for informational inter-
views (see the section on Informational
Interviews in this guide for more details).
The easiest way to begin finding whom
you might contact is to type words or
phrases of interest into the main search
box, which at the time of this handbook’s
printing was set to “people” as the default.
This will turn up people in your network
(including your connections, their connec-
tions, and members of your groups) who
also have these phrases in their profile.
LinkedIn has excellent and efficient tools
to help you filter your results. Using
the Advanced Search option, you can
streamline your results to focus on people
who live in a specific geographic area,
attended a particular school, and more.
Once you find someone with whom you
would like to chat, simply send them a
brief message in which you introduce
yourself, explain why their background
was interesting to you, and request a brief
phone conversation to ask them more
about what they do, their own career
path, and advice they might have about
entering their field. For those who reply,
take the time to put together a list of 10
questions to guide your conversation.
After the phone conversation, remember
to follow up with a personalized thank-you
note.
Social media is not an end in itself, but a
way to find and get to know people who
share your professional interests and
perhaps your values, goals, and skills.
Take it one step at a time, and you may
be amazed at how much of its power you
can harness to move your own career
forward.
4 6
• Schedule time for your job search: As a
graduate student or postdoc, spare time
is hard to come by. Set aside time in
your busy schedule to devote to career
exploration and the job search. Make
concrete, realistic goals (e.g., work on
polishing resume and have it critiqued
this month, print out business cards to
use for networking, conduct 1-2 infor-
mation interviews per month) and check
your progress. Partner with someone you
trust and hold each other accountable
to work on career issues. You can also
check in with a career coach or counselor
to assess your progress and to strategize
your next steps.
• Customize your resume/CV and cover
letter: Evaluate the job description,
and organize the information on your
resume to highlight the knowledge, skills
and abilities the employer is seeking.
Employers initially spend around 20-30
seconds scanning your resume. Make
sure your most relevant and impressive
experiences easily catch the attention of
the reader. Depending on the career field,
you may need to convert your CV into a
resume or create a CV/resume hybrid.
• Hone your interviewing skills: Learn
how to respond to various types of
questions and direct the employers to
your strengths and relevant experiences.
Describe your experiences in succinct
and effective ways including the problem
you faced, the action you took, and the
results you achieved. Be ready to address
why you have decided to leave academia
and how your skills transfer to this career
field.
• Tailor your job search: Research your
target employers and find out the best
ways to secure employment. Many
industries and small organizations
(entertainment, venture capital, small
nonprofits) do not post jobs on the
internet and require proactive job search
strategies. Other organizations may rely
on college recruiting as their primary
hiring strategy (consulting, investment
banking, etc.) and you will need to famil-
iarize yourself with their recruitment
schedules and processes.
• Learn how to effectively search for jobs
online: Accessing jobs posted on the
Internet is convenient and easy to do.
However, big, highly visible job boards
make it difficult for job applicants to
distinguish themselves. Studies show
that only 4% of users find jobs through
these sites. Focus on niche websites or go
to the company website when possible.
Use keywords to search for jobs, and
gradually add more search criteria to
narrow your results. Experiment with
each search engine to get the best results.
• Target employers directly: Whether
employers have openings or not,
contacting employers directly, though
intimidating, can be extremely effective.
Job seekers need to research the organi-
zation thoroughly before approaching
the employer and tailor their resume and
their cover letter for maximum impact.
• Participate in Recruiting: Recruiting
enables employers to schedule interviews
with students on-campus (not available to
postdocs). Employer representation tends
to be fairly narrow, primarily technical,
consulting and finance organizations, but
you should take advantage of this service
if you are interested in these fields.
• Attend Career Fairs: If you are interested
in looking for a job or finding out more
about a potential career, this is a conve-
nient way to connect personally with
various employers in one location. BEAM
and SoMCC sponsor more than a dozen
career fairs each year, including a PhD
Fair, and provide a list of participating
employers before each fair through your
Handshake account and the SoMCC
website.
- Research who will be present and
target employers accordingly. Have a
plan of action.
- When getting dressed for the event,
keep in mind the industry and type of
position you desire.
- Prior to attending a fair prepare a
30-second pitch to engage recruiters.
The goal is to connect your background
to the organization’s need. In less
than a minute, you need to introduce
yourself, demonstrate your knowledge
of the company, express enthusiasm and
interest, and relate your background to
the organization’s need, and end with
a relevant question. This is meant to
be a dialogue, not a monologue. Keep
in mind that this is your opportunity
to interact with a company insider,
collect valuable information, and make a
positive impression.
- Bring copies of your resume (prepare
several versions if you are targeting
different industries) for employers who
wish to collect them to take notes and
remember you. It’s standard for most
employers to ask you to submit your
resume online. You may choose to
gather pertinent information during the
fair to enhance your application.
- Job fairs can be stressful for attendees,
who often find they must wait on line
to speak to employers. Demonstrate
professional behavior and etiquette at all
stages of interaction with an employer,
even while waiting. Be both assertive
and respectful to those around you.
- Keep track of those organizations and
representatives with whom you spoke.
If appropriate, send thank-you notes
to those representatives you wish to
pursue. This will set the stage for future
correspondence.
Making Your Advisors and
Other Mentors a Part of Your
Professional Development
Your advisors and mentors play a key
role in helping you define yourself as a
researcher and making the connections
necessary to be successful, regardless
of what your career of choice may be.
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and
an annual planning meeting with your
advisor and other mentors can help with
this process by allowing you to:
- Take ownership of your training and
professional development.
Mor e JoB Sea rch tiPS
4 7
- Pause and reflect! Amidst daily research
activities, it is easy to lose sight of
longer-term goals.
- Think intentionally about your short-,
mid- and long-term training and devel-
opment goals.
- Identify and use resources to help you
achieve your goals.
- Have open and direct dialogue with
your mentor(s).
- Establish clear expectations/steps.
Following NIH recommendations, the
Stanford Biosciences IDP program and
forms were carefully re-designed with
rounds of student and faculty input.
If you do not have such a program in your
department, setting up a meeting with
your mentors is still important and content
should focus on: facilitated self-reflection
and fruitful discussion about academic and
professional goals and a written action plan
tailored toward meeting these.
The Effective Public Service Job/Internship Search
Timeline
Nonprofits tend to advertise openings
only 2-3 months before the job will start.
• Fall: Start researching and networking
with organizations
• Winter/Spring: Apply to posted jobs/
internships/fellowships and follow up
with contacts made in Fall as they may
now know of available opportunities
• Exceptions: Fellowships, larger national
nonprofits, organizations that always
need help (tutors, family/mental
health services) may have earlier Fall
deadlines
Government agencies can take several
months to hire if a background check
is required as part of the application
process.
• Start in Fall for larger agencies that may
hire in volume
• Apply when you see a posting. Smaller
offices may have more jobs open in
Winter/Spring
• Follow up directly with the office, if
possible
Strategies
The following are some key strategies
and resources for finding a nonprofit or
government job/internship:
Networking
Nonprofits tend to hire one person at a time
so they alert their employees and ask them
to contact colleagues in the field and friends
to spread the word about a job opening.
Don’t expect networking to result in instant
job leads. The likelihood of the person you
talk to knowing about a job opening on that
exact day is low. The purpose of networking
is to gain advice, tips, and establish
relationships so when jobs eventually
become available you are already on their
“to contact list.” Below are a few key groups
to help expand your network:
• Young Nonprofit Professionals
Network (ynpn.org)
10,000 members in over 12 cities. The
website lists jobs, events, and email
list subscriptions for topics such as
mentoring.
• Young Women Social Entrepreneurs
(ywse.org)
This organization, with chapters in 5
large cities, provides an environment
in which young women social entrepre-
neurs’ visions and goals are affirmed,
supported, promoted, and propelled.
• Net Impact (netimpact.org)
Net Impact is a global network of
leaders who are changing the world
through business.
Career Fairs
Organizations that come to career fairs
tend to be those who have money and
time to send staff out of the office for an
entire day and know their hiring needs
well in advance (6 - 9 months). Nonprofit
and government organizations that attend
career fairs will be those whose services
require multiple hires and need to hire
frequently (teaching-related, family/mental
health services, Peace Corps, State
Dept., etc.).
Online Postings
If nonprofits decide to post their positions
at all (they may just use word-of-mouth)
they will use targeted job sites such as
idealist.org or opportunityknocks.org.
Federal government positions are listed
on usajobs.gov or on specific agency
websites. State and local opportunities
may be centralized on one site such as
calopps.org, but more likely you will
need to search by agency or city/county.
Making the Difference (makingthe
difference.org)
Federal Government Information
World Bank (worldbank.org) Search for
“Young Professionals Program”
Asia Development Bank (adb.org/
site/careers/adb-young-professionals-
program)
Young Professionals Program
4 8
When applying for jobs outside of
academia, you will typically need to submit
a resume instead of a CV. A resume is
not just a CV minus the publications. The
language and value system of academia
often no longer apply. The process of
converting your CV into a resume requires
you to see and present yourself in a new
way and can be both exciting as well as a
little painful. It can be difficult to edit hard-
earned academic credentials, publications,
and experiences from your CV. Although
it will be tempting to leave as much as
possible and let the employers figure out
what might be useful, keep in mind that
your readers will not have the time or
motivation to do so.
Employers often say they initially spend less
than 30 seconds reviewing a resume. Unless
you quickly and clearly demonstrate how
your graduate training and other experi-
ences allow you to bring value to their line
of work, they would rather move on to the
next resume. You will need to translate
your skills from academic jargon into the
language of the field for which you are
applying.
The resume is a marketing tool and in order
for you to write an effective one, you need
to 1) know what you have to offer (skills,
knowledge, experience, achievements), 2)
know the market or employer’s needs and
3) demonstrate fit in an attractive and clear
format. It needs to be written to let the
reader know why you can do a particular
job well.
Samples used in this publication are actual
examples from successful candidates.
Names and projects have been changed,
when requested, to protect anonymity.
Samples used are not necessarily “correct”
or “recommended” for their content or
form. Rather, they are examples of how
others have presented their experiences to
best show fit.
Resume Sections
Name and Contact Information
• Your Name
• Address (personal mailing address, not
your institutional office address; can
leave it out for privacy and security
reasons if circulating the document
widely).
• Phone Number (list the number that
you’ll answer; make sure your voicemail
greeting is appropriate)
• Email Address (avoid using your “fun”
address name; list your simple, profes-
sional one)
• Website or LinkedIn address (if pertinent)
Education
• Listed in reverse chronological order,
with the expected or most recent degree
first.
• Include institution, location (especially
if overseas), degree, field of study,
graduation date or expected date of
completion.
• Can also include research focus (keep the
description broad unless the employer
would be interested in your exact area
of specialization), relevant courses, study
abroad experience, selected honors.
Experience
• Listed in reverse chronological order,
with the most recent experience first.
reSuM eS a n d coV er let t erS
What is the Difference Between a CV, a Resume and a Resume Vitae?
The curriculum vitae (also referred to as
CV or vita) is a comprehensive record
of your scholarly credentials, research and
teaching experiences, and has no limita-
tions in length. It is used in academic or
research settings to apply for jobs, tenure,
grants or fellowships.
A resume, on the other hand, is a concise
(1-2 pages) and selected summary of
your most relevant skills and experiences
as they relate to a particular employer’s
needs. The language, value system,
and format of a resume differ from an
academic CV and align more closely with
the position and company to which you are
applying.
A resume vitae is a cross between a
CV and a resume. It is typically used for
industry or policy positions when a skills
focused tone is needed, yet your academic
record matters. It is longer than a resume,
shorter than a CV, and will include only
your most relevant publications, talks, and
experiences.
4 9
• Include name of organization, location
(optional; be consistent in usage with
other sections), position title, dates
(include month if appropriate).
• Describe your accomplishments,
starting with action verbs rather than
using passive language such as “duties
included” or “responsible for” (see
sample action verbs on the pages that
follow or Google “resume verbs” for
additional suggestions).
• Use either past or present tense as appli-
cable and keep your format consistent.
• Leave out personal pronouns such as “I,”
“me,” “my.”
• Quantify and highlight results and
accomplishments whenever possible (e.g.,
Received fellowship awarded to 5% of
applicants, Increased efficiency by 40%).
• Include paid jobs and any non-paid
experience (internships, volunteer
community service, relevant academic/
extracurricular projects, and professional/
student activities) that relates to the job
you are pursuing.
• Divide experience into two or more
sections, when relevant. Possible section
headers include Relevant Experience,
Additional Experience, Research &
Project Management Experience,
or Leadership & Communication
Experience.
Other Sections
• You can choose to include other
optional sections if they are relevant
and can provide helpful information
to prospective employers. Sample
headings may include: Summary of Skills,
Computer/Technical Skills, Languages,
Activities, Honors/Awards, Professional
Affiliations, Professional Development,
Interests, and Additional Information.
Resume Format
There is no single way to format your
resume. Choose a resume format that will
best present your strengths.
Chronological Format
• An arrangement of your qualifications in
reverse chronological order, starting with
your most recent.
• Most familiar to employers and often
preferred.
• Best for someone with a clear history of
directly relevant experience.
Combination Format
• Highlights specific skills and experiences,
which are listed in reverse chronological
order and categorized under relevant skill
or experience headings (e.g., Research
and Writing, Public Service, Leadership);
offers flexibility and strength of both the
functional and chronological formats.
• Familiar to employers and easy to follow.
• Helpful for candidates who lack a linear
history of related work experience but
have experience that can be grouped
under relevant headings.
Functional/Skills Format
• Highlights your skills by function rather
than work experience and conveys skills
and abilities possessed even if they were
not used in related work settings.
• Not as familiar to employers and less
frequently preferred.
• Useful for career changers, candidates
with very limited or no experience.
Resume Tips
• Make sure the way you prioritize infor-
mation reflects the priorities of the
organization to which you are applying;
consider placement on page, order of
bullet points, and number of lines.
• Use limited amounts of bold, italics,
CAPITALS, and underlining strategically
to bring attention to the most relevant
information.
• Balanced use of blank spaces and margins
is important. Don’t make your margins
and font size too small. Keep margins to
around .7 to 1 inch and font size to 10
or 11 point (adjust as needed for various
font styles).
• Don’t include personal information such
as marital status, photo, or physical
characteristics unless you are applying to
jobs outside of US and Canada and this is
the norm for that country.
• When sending emails electroni-
cally, attach as a PDF file to preserve
formatting and name your file clearly to
allow employers to easily identify your
resume (e.g., Your name_Resume).
• References do not need to be listed
unless they have been requested. Instead
of using space to include the line:
“References available upon request,”
have a separate list ready for submission,
typically during the final stages of your
interviews.
• Have your resume critiqued by several
people for content and grammar. Bring
your resume to BEAM or SoMCC to
have it reviewed by a career coach or
counselor.
• It is recommended that you tailor your
materials to the industry and organi-
zation of interest. Be sure to know the
standards of your career of choice.
5 0
Sample Action Verbs Listed By Functional Skill Area
Communication
Aided
Advised
Arbitrated
Clarified
Co-authored
Collaborated
Consulted
Coordinated
Counseled
Defined
Enlisted
Formulated
Influenced
Informed
Inspired
Interpreted
Interviewed
Mediated
Merged
Negotiated
Promoted
Publicized
Recommended
Represented
Resolved
Suggested
Creative
Acted
Adapted
Composed
Conceptualized
Created
Designed
Developed
Directed
Drew
Fashioned
Generated
Illustrated
Imagined
Improvised
Integrated
Innovated
Painted
Performed
Planned
Problem-solved
Shaped
Synthesized
Visualized
Wrote
Detail-Oriented
Analyzed
Approved
Arranged
Classified
Collated
Compared
Compiled
Documented
Enforced
Followed through
Met deadlines
Prepared
Processed
Recorded
Retrieved
Set priorities
Systemized
Tabulated
Financial
Administered
Allocated
Analyzed
Appraised
Audited
Budgeted
Calculated
Computed
Developed
Evaluated
Figured
Maintained
Managed
Performed
Planned
Projected
Manual Skills
Arranged
Assembled
Bound
Built
Checked
Classified
Constructed
Controlled
Cut
Designed
Drove
Handled
Installed
Invented
Maintained
Monitored
Prepared
Operated
Repaired
Providing Service
Advised
Attended
Cared
Coached
Coordinated
Counseled
Delivered
Demonstrated
Explained
Furnished
Generated
Inspected
Issued
Mentored
Provided
Purchased
Referred
Submitted
Organizing
Achieved
Assigned
Consulted
Contracted
Controlled
Coordinated
Decided
Delegated
Developed
Established
Evaluated
Negotiated
Organized
Planned
Prepared
Prioritized
Produced
Recommended
Reported
Leadership
Administered
Chaired
Convinced
Directed
Examined
Executed
Expanded
Facilitated
Improved
Initiated
Managed
Oversaw
Produced
Recommended
Reviewed
Supervised
Research/
Investigation
Calculated
Cataloged
Collected
Computed
Conducted
Correlated
Critiqued
Diagnosed
Discovered
Evaluated
Examined
Experimented
Extrapolated
Gathered
Identified
Inspected
Investigated
Monitored
Proved
Reviewed
Surveyed
Tested
Technical
Assembled
Built
Calculated
Computed
Designed
Engineered
Fabricated
Maintained
Operated
Programmed
Remodeled
Repaired
Solved
Tested
Teaching Skills
Adapted
Advised
Clarified
Coached
Developed
Encouraged
Evaluated
Informed
Inspired
Motivated
Participated
Provided
Represented
Supported
Taught
Trained
Verified
5 1
Giancarlo (John) Marconi
563 Salvatierra Walk • Stanford, CA 94305 • Cell: (650) 123-4567 • [email protected]
Summary of QualificationS
• Five years experience modeling, designing, testing and optimizing wireless networks
• Proven ability to work on teams, communicate effectively and manage projects
Education
PhD in Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA expected 6/20xx
MS in Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA GPA 4.0/4.0 20xx
BS in Electrical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy GPA 98/100 20xx
rElEvant ExpEriEncE
Research Assistant, Ginzton Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 20xx–present
• Developed energy-efcient routing protocols, data collection algorithms and collision-free scheduling for
multi-cluster wireless sensor networks for use in smart environments
• Envisioned new vision-based applications for camera networks. Initiated collaboration with 2 professors and
3 students to demonstrate proof-of-principle
• Modeled convex and combinatorial optimization problems in wireless sensor networks
• Proposed practical, near-optimal data collection and scheduling algorithms
Wireless Network Intern, ABC Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA Summer 20xx
• Evaluated heuristic algorithms under different network assumptions. Improved the network delay and
lifetime tradeoff up to 50 percent for wake-up scheduling
• Worked with 2 team members to develop and evaluate efcient node supervision and scheduling algorithms
for wireless security/re alarm systems
• Presented ndings and recommendations to Chief Technology Ofcer
Research Assistant, Politecnico di Milano, Italy 20xx–20xx
• Evaluated and improved multi-rate multi-user OFDM-CDMA systems, including multi-modulation,
multi-code, variable-spreading-length, and bi-orthogonal schemes
Technical Communication
• Published 7 technical journal articles and presented 2 conference papers; 2 patents pending
• Assisted in writing and editing 2 research proposals, resulting in a 2-year $500,000 grant
• Teaching Assistant for 3-quarter graduate-level networking course series
activitiES
Treasurer, Graduate Student Council—coordinated 5-person team that raised $6,000 20xx
SkillS
Programming: Matlab, C/C++
Technical: OFDM-CDMA systems; familiar with IEEE 802.11g/n standards
Languages: Italian (native), English (uent), Japanese (conversational)
HonorS
Nokia Wireless Design Competition—2nd Place 20xx
Presidential Fellowship 20xx–20xx
profESSional affiliationS
IEEE, Stanford IEEE Student Chapter
Sample Resume #1
5 2
STACY M. HARTMAN
(123) 456-7890
Website: http://www.myname.com/
Twitter: @myname
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
• 10 years of varied teaching and advising experience, including K-12, undergraduates, and adult learners.
• 5 years of program management and administrative experience in both corporate and university settings.
• 6 years of research experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
CURRENT POSITION
Project Coordinator, Connected Academics Project, Modern Language Association, 2015-present.
Coordinate career initiatives for humanities PhDs. Design and implement proseminar for current PhDs, recent PhDs, and
contingent faculty in the New York area. Write and design content for the Connected Academics website. Coordinate eorts
of partner institutions. Design and organize programming for annual convention. Manage the budget of the grant.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
Co-Organizer, Series on the Public Humanities, Stanford University, 2013-2014.
Conceptualized and coordinated the series. Coordinated travel and arranged catering and hospitality. Managed a $13,000
budget.
Founder and Coordinator, “Alt Ac” Speaker Series, Vice Provost for Graduate Education, Stanford University, 2012-2013.
Conceptualized and coordinated the series. Selected speakers; scheduled speakers, arranged catering, and moderated sessions.
Coordinator, Assessing Graduate Education Project, Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, Stanford University
2011-2013.
Designed, implemented, and reported on a broad survey of best practices in graduate education.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND EDUCATION RESEARCH
Instructional Designer and Researcher, Lacuna Stories Project, Stanford University, 2013-present.
Conduct observations and analysis for a digital humanities pedagogy project. Design instructional manual and provide
personal consultations for instructors using the platform.
Academic Skills Coach and Advisor, Undergraduate Advising and Research, Stanford University, 2014-2015.
Provide one-on-one support to Stanford undergraduates returning from academic suspension.
Academic Advising Fellow, Undergraduate Advising and Research, Stanford University, 2014-2015.
Provide drop-in advising to Stanford undergraduates and administrative support to UAR.
Graduate Teaching Consultant, Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University, 2013-2015.
Facilitate small group midterm evaluations and provide video consultations and other services for graduate teaching assistants.
Coordinator, Faculty-Graduate Student Collaborative Teaching Project, Stanford University 2012-2014.
Co-ran seminar on humanities pedagogy. Coordinated meetings, communicated with participants, and arranged catering.
Facilitated and organized site visit by the Teagle Foundation (funding body).
TEACHING AND COURSE DESIGN
Courses Taught
Instructor, “Memory, Modernity, Mourning: 20th Century German Short Fiction,” Stanford University, 2015.
Co-instructor, Seminar, “Empathy in Science, Society, and Stories,” Stanford University Hope House Scholars Program, 2014.
German Language Instructor, Beginning and Intermediate Language and Conversation, Stanford University, 2011-2014.
Co-instructor, Undergraduate Seminar, “War and Warfare in Germany,” Stanford University, 2013.
Other Teaching and Course Design Experience
Graduate Writing Tutor, Hume Writing Center, Stanford University, 2013-2014.
Instructional Designer, Shmoop University, Inc., 2013.
EDUCATION
Ph.D, German Studies, Stanford University. September 2010-2015.
M.A. German Studies (Distinction), University of Manchester. 2007-2008.
B.A. Modern Literature (Highest Honors) and Feminist Studies (Honors), University of California, Santa Cruz. 2001-2005.
Cambridge Certicate for English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), St. Giles International, San Francisco, 2005.
LANGUAGES: English (native); German (uent); Spanish (procient)
Sample Resume #2
5 3
Nikhil Godinho, PhD
EDUCATION
STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Stanford, CA Sept 2009- ‐Present
Ph.D. , Neuroscience GRE: 800 (Q), 750 (V), 7 (A); GPA: 3.91
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Boston, MA Sept 2005- ‐June 2009
B.A., Biology, magna cum laude GPA: 3.90
AWARDS & HONORS
• National Research Service Award 2012 • Magna Cum Laude 2009
• Distinguished Honors Thesis Award 2009 • Goldwater Fellowship 2008
• National Science Foundation Fellowship 2009 • Undergraduate Research Grant 2007
• Novartis Scholars Fellowship 2008 • National Merit Scholar 2005
WORK EXPERIENCE
GRADUATE STUDENT, Lance Taylor, Department of Neuroscience, Stanford University Sept 2009- ‐Sept 2014
• Investigate how inammation contributes to pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders in mouse models of
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease using genetic and pharmacological approaches
LIFE SCIENCE ANALYST, Proseco Ventures June 2013- ‐Sept 2013
• Competitive intelligence analysis to identify early risks and growth opportunities in regenerative medicine
• Performed risk adjusted NPV analyses to provide buy- ‐side recommendations of stem cell companies
INVESTOR RELATIONS CHAIR, StartX Med, Stanford University Nov 2012- ‐May 2013
• Develop strategic direction for StartX Med to grow as a life sciences focused startup incubator
• Establish and maintain relations between life sciences venture capital investors and StartX Med startup founders
CO- ‐FOUNDER & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, Your Story, Inc. Jan 2011- ‐Sept 2011
• Member of Stanford Design School founding team for social media startup company, Your Story
• Launched in May, and successfully secured $50K seed funding from incubator 500 startups for summer 2011
SUMMER RESEARCH INTERN, Genentech June 2009- ‐Sept 2009
• Used transgenic viral techniques to test therapeutic strategies to protect the brain against excitotoxic injury
• Investigated intracellular mechanisms of cell death in rat and mouse neurons in vitro and in vivo
NOVARTIS SCHOLARS FELLOW, Espie Marks, Department of Psychology, UC Berkeley June 2007- ‐August 2007
• Investigated cognitive visual processing and executive control
• Processed fMRI data from human stroke patients and used computational analyses to test hypotheses
SALES REPRESENTATIVE, Cutinc July 2004- ‐Sept 2004
• Performed interactive demonstrations of kitchen cutlery products and developed critical business and customer relations
skills contributing to personal career sales of over $1600
LEADERSHIP & COMMUNITY SERVICE
• Co- ‐founder and Managing Partner, Baytech Fund 2013- ‐2014
• Investment Analysis Project Manager, Stanford Bio Business Group 2012- ‐2013
• Vice President, Stanford Biosciences Student Association 2011- ‐2013
• Co- ‐founder and President, Stanford Zen Society 2010- ‐2013
• Event manager, Stanford India Association 2009- ‐2013
• Graduate level course instructor, Stanford University 2009- ‐2012
• Community building chair, Stanford Genetics Program 2010- ‐2012
SKILLS & INTERESTS
• Languages – Hindi and Marathi (Procient), Spanish (Basic)
• Computer – Microsoft Ofce (Procient), C++, Matlab and Linux (Some experience)
• Interests – Meditation, weight training, event management, hiking, cricket, tennis, photography
Sample Resume #3
5 4
Cynthia A. Gonzales, Ph.D.
Address, Palo Alto, CA 94123 [email protected]ord.edu
Summary
• Highly skilled scientist with over 10 years of research experience in academic and industry settings.
Exhibits excellent organizational, communication, collaboration and leadership skills
• Passionate about science communication, and building and managing cross-industry relationships
• Strong language skills, with abilities to translate complex scientific concepts for various audiences;
English and Spanish, Citizenship: United States of America
Education
Stanford University 2008-2014
Ph.D. Genetics
University of California, Davis 2002-2005
B.S. Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
Relevant Experience
Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 2014-Present
Project: The role of stem cells in the mammalian response to viral infection
- mRNA and small RNA profiling of induced pluripotent stem cells by next-generation sequencing
- Prioritized research objectives, established collaborations, and implemented new study designs
Doctoral Research Scientist, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 2008-2014
Project: The role of the 5’-3’ exoribonuclease Xrn2 in RNA virus infection
- Discovered a novel cytoplasmic function for Xrn2 in the hepatits C virus (HCV) antiviral response
- Described the proteolytic cleavage of Xrn2 during poliovirus infection.
Research Associate, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 2007-2008
Project: Mapping a genetic modifier of MerKD retinal degeneration
- Studied the role of Tyro3 in the phagocytosis of the retinal pigment epithelium
Undergraduate Student, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 2004-2007
Project: Development of a novel method to deliver therapeutic drugs to the brain
- Contributed to the development of RNA aptamers as delivery agents to the brain for the treatment
of lysosomal storage disorders
Summer Intern, Protein Chemistry Department, Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, CA 2001/2002
Project: Purification of HIV and HCV proteins for therapeutics and diagnosis
Publications
Gonzales CA, Silman R, Bernard A, Otenofer T. The antiviral response of stem cells. (Manuscript in
preparation)
Votlin HK, Yamura D, Fang B, Matthewa D, Bench J, Nymius OM. Gonzales CA, Carleton MA. An
Expression Quantitative Trait Locus Modifies Mertk-Associated Retinal Degeneration. (Under revision
in PLOS Genetics)
Gonzales CA and Schneider J. Subversion of liver-specific miR-122 by hepatitis C virus RNA genome
to protect against exoribonuclease Xrn2 (In revision for Cell Host and Microbe).
Gonzales CA and Schneider J. The role of the exoribonuclease Xrn2 in poliovirus infection.
(Manuscript in preparation).
Char A, Dellamaggiore KR, Myer MD, Gonzales CA, Lizorey V, Chernoy LM, Gonzales M, Billings FT,
Fan AL. Aptamer-based Endocytosis of a Lysosomal Enzyme. PNAS. 2008 Oct; 105(41):15908
1
Sample Resume #4 Page 1
5 5
Science Communication Experience
Editor and Writer, Postdoctoral Periodical, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 2015-Present
- Wrote and edited articles about science news for a monthly newsletter
- Worked collaboratively with other writers under tight time constraints to meet monthly deadlines
Science Writer and English-Spanish Translator, Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CA
“Ask a Geneticist” Website 2010-Present
- Authored short scientific articles to answer online questions about Genetics
- Communicated and instructed the general audience about scientific material in English and
Spanish
Laboratory Teaching Assistant, Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY)
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 2011
- Taught Molecular Biology and AP Biology to middle school and high school students
- Developed science curricula for laboratory classes
Science Communicator, Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CA 2010-2011
Stanford at the Tech Outreach Program, the Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CA
- Performed science experiments with museum visitors (young children through adults)
- Explained basic concepts in science and Genetics to museum visitors
Professional Development
Scientific Writing Workshop, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine Feb 2015
- A one-day workshop taught by Judy Swan, Associate Director for Writing in Science and
Engineering at Princeton University
- Workshop focused on article structure and crafting compelling arguments to establish new
scientific knowledge
Novartis Drug Discovery and Development, Stanford University School of Medicine March 2014
- Course focused on achievements, risks and challenges of target discovery and validation, drug
development, clinical trials, medical affairs and FDA regulations
- Learned fundamental concepts and processes of drug discovery and development at Novartis
Leadership Laboratories, Stanford University Graduate School of Business Apr 2011
- Class focused on strategic decision-making, critical-analytical thinking, and organizational behavior
- Participated in a series of exercises and simulations designed as real-life leadership challenges
Leadership from the Inside Out, Stanford University Graduate School of Business Nov 2010
- Workshop designed to assess core leadership strengths and areas for development
- Covered thinking strategically, influencing others, building relationships, achieving results, and how
to become an effective leader
Selected Leadership and Service
President, Biomedical Association for the Interest of Minority Students (BioAIMS) 2011-2012
Stanford University School of Medicine
- Promoted the recruitment and retention of Biosciences graduate students by initiating and
coordinating programs for academic and professional growth
- Developed and managed budgets of $5000 - $12,500
Graduate Student Representative, Committee on Graduate Admissions and Policy 2011-2012
Stanford University School of Medicine
- Assisted in establishing standards and policies for Biosciences graduate school admissions
- Advocated for professional and career development resources on behalf of students
2
Sample Resume #4 Page 2
5 6
REFERENCES FOR JORDAN HOSAY-BATES:
Prof. Richard Choksi (Dissertation Advisor)
Department of Chemistry
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 123-4567
Jennifer Chen (Internship Supervisor)
Business Analytics Manager, Google
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
(650) 123-4567
Michael River (Internship Supervisor)
Director, New Ventures
400 Main Street
Palo Alto, CA 94315
(650) 123-4567
Sample Reference Page
Cover Letters
Cover letters provide you with the oppor-
tunity to:
• initiate contact and introduce yourself
• respond to job postings or inquire about
openings
• personalize your resume and show enthu-
siasm and interest in the job
• highlight information that addresses the
needs and interests of the employer
Bear in mind that the letters you write
not only convey your interest and quali-
fications, but also give the employer an
opportunity to observe how you commu-
nicate and present yourself. What you
choose to include in the letter and how you
choose to say it reveal much about you,
from your attentiveness to detail (including
spelling and grammar) and professionalism
to the overall quality of your writing skills.
The following tips and guidelines are
provided to help you craft an effective cover
letter. Please remember that sample cover
letters should not be used as scripts to copy
but as examples to help you compose your
own letter.
Cover Letter Tips
1. Focus on the employer’s needs rather
than your own. Ask yourself: “What
are they asking for, why do I want this
position, and in what ways do I meet
their qualifications and needs?” “What
value can I add to this company?”
Address these questions in your letter.
2. Tailor your letter for each employer.
Generic letters do not make good
impressions and are usually ignored.
For practical purposes and limitations in
time, plan to at least prepare a tailored
letter for each different type of job (e.g.
one for consulting, one for industry
research) and customize 1-2 sentences
for each employer.
3. Keep it concise, typically only one page,
and in business letter format.
4. Demonstrate your knowledge of the
organization. What attracts you to this
company?
5. Highlight your skills and abilities and
go beyond or expand on your resume
content. Be clear about your objective
and communicate your top 2-3 skills or
experiences as they relate to the position.
6. Ideally, address the letter to the hiring
manager, including a specific individ-
ual’s name, title, and organization (all
correctly spelled). Use “Dear Hiring
Manager” as an alternative or when
preferred by the employer.
7. Address specific skills and interests
without copying them verbatim from the
job announcement.
8. Have several people proofread your
letters to avoid errors. An effective cover
letter requires careful research, strategic
thinking, and multiple revisions.
5 7
Your Street Address
City, State, Zip
Date
Employer’s Name
Title
Company/Organization/Institution Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. Last Name:
Who are you and what do you want? Your opening paragraph should briey introduce you and
your interest in the organization or position. If you are aware of a specic position or opening, refer
to it now and how you learned about it. This paragraph could also mention the name of an individual
who recommended that you contact the employer, or cite other research that prompted you to write.
It is important to indicate why you are interested in their organization.
Why are you a good candidate? The middle paragraph(s) should consist of a selection of highlights
from your background that would be of greatest interest to the organization and consequently
create the notion of “t.” Focus on your top 2-3 skills and experience and include supporting
evidence for any claim of skills or accomplishments. Again, try to display knowledge of the eld
and organization. Use action verbs to describe relevant skills and expertise and mention specic
knowledge you may have (i.e., lab techniques, computer applications, etc.) that would be needed in
the work. You can also touch on a particular topic that seems important in the job description that the
employer developed. Whet the employer’s appetite and entice them to read your resume in detail and
schedule an interview.
What will you do next? Your closing paragraph should outline next steps. Express your willingness
to provide additional information and desire to further discuss the position in an interview. Include
your phone number and email address. If you will be in the area, let them know. Thank the reader(s)
for their time and interest.
Sincerely,
(Your signature; may omit extra spaces if sent electronically)
Your Typed Name
Cover Letter Outline
5 8
P.O. Box 12436
Stanford, CA 94108
March 10, 20xx
Dr. Yolanda Lee
Director, Admissions Ofce
University of California, Berkeley
University Hall - Room 21
Berkeley, CA 94022
Dear Dr. Lee:
It is with great enthusiasm that I submit my application for the position of Student Affairs Specialist
with the Admissions Ofce of the University of California at Berkeley, which I saw listed in The
Chronicle of Higher Education. Currently I am completing a PhD in Communication at Stanford
University. I would like to continue to work in a university environment, especially within the
University of California system, and believe that my past experiences as an employee and a student
of the University of California will enable me to succeed in this position.
As a Graduate Intern with the Dean of Students Ofce at Stanford during this past year, I assisted the
Dean of Students on a number of research projects. I also served as a Graduate Program Coordinator
with Residential Education at Stanford, where I was able to develop a “Speakers on Campus”
program and supervise student assistants. This program brought alumni/ae speakers to the residences
to conduct presentations regarding their experiences in arts, law, medicine, and business. As a
Resident Assistant during my undergraduate years at the University of California at Los Angeles,
I enjoyed the freedom to plan a variety of stimulating programs to best suit the needs of other
students. I was able to successfully juggle the details of complex schedules while attending to the
personal attention the students and staff needed to provide a well-organized program. I am condent
that these skills transfer to the fast-paced environment of an admissions ofce.
I work effectively with diverse groups of people. While serving as Conference Host with the
Hayward State Summer Housing Program, I interacted closely with international students and
enjoyed both introducing them to the university environment and referring them to resources. I also
collaborated with a staff of 22 hosts, where we supported and encouraged one another. With the
College Readiness Program at Hayward State, I had the opportunity to encourage students of color
to pursue educational opportunities and establish learning goals.
I look forward to further discussing my qualications and enthusiasm for this position with you
and members of the search committee. I can be reached by phone at (650) 123-4567 or by email at
[email protected]. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Estelle Perez
Sample Cover Letter #1
5 9
1483 California Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94302
December 14, 20xx
Ms. Patricia Morisette
Manager, Corporate Administration
Corvie Systems
2604 Calderon Ave.
Mountain View, CA 94040
Dear Ms. Morisette:
In response to your advertisement on Stanford’s Cardinal Careers for a Systems Analyst, I have
enclosed my resume for your consideration.
As a Physics graduate student at Stanford University, I have developed extensive programming
experience through assignments using C++, JAVA, and other programming languages in both Mac
and PC environments. Through these projects, I honed my programming skills and learned a great
deal from my peers in a project team setting. The collaborative potential of the Systems Analyst
position, combined with Corvie Systems’ signicant advances within the tech industry, is what most
attracts me to this position.
Through my internships at both Klavin, Inc. and Interbold, I acquired the necessary capabilities to
successfully handle the responsibilities of a Systems Analyst. Through these opportunities, I have
gained considerable experience with telecommunications applications, database management,
spreadsheets, and graphics software.
I have a high degree of initiative and am able to learn new concepts quickly, which proved
invaluable to the fast-paced environments in which my internships and education were completed.
Further, I believe that my analytical skills and enthusiasm for the work that I do would positively
contribute to the systems strategy department of Corvie Systems.
Please nd attached my resume for your review. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my
qualications in person and to learn more about the opportunities at Corvie Systems. I can be
reached at (650) 123-4567 or [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration and I look
forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Mazalia Kuanni
Sample Cover Letter #2
6 0
Dear Ms. Oreskes,
I recently graduated with my PhD from the Stanford Neuroscience program. I am interested
in going into biotech consulting and was very impressed with the breadth and depth of
healthcare focused projects that are undertaken at Health Consulting Partners. My unique
skill set and interests make me a great t for the analyst position you have posted.
I have been passionate about the life science industry ever since I came to the Bay Area
for graduate school, which has led to myriad entrepreneurial endeavors in healthcare and
biotechnology. While at Stanford I helped found the Bio Business group, through which we
invited thought leaders from industry to come speak at Stanford. We also launched a life
science investment program that attracted teams of students who wrote due diligence reports.
I led one of those teams, and two of our reports were published on the website Seeking
Alpha. One was on DiagnosX (DGS), a cardiovascular diagnostics company, while the other
was on Noroxis (NOR), a stem cell therapeutics company. Our work was noticed by a Bay
Area investment rms, which gave me the opportunity to conduct more detailed nancial
modeling and valuation of public regenerative medicine companies. It was a fantastic
learning experience and further fueled my interest in healthcare.
In addition to my work there, I also co-founded Baytech Fund in collaboration with colleagues
from Stanford and UCSF. We successfully raised over $55K in outside investor funding and
actively manage a portfolio of life science companies to maximize returns for our clients.
My experience researching and nding the companies with the best growth potential led to
my interest in consulting.
Health Consulting Partners is an especially great t for me due to your commitment of
providing high value to your clients. I want to contribute to a team that functions at the
highest level to deliver on their promises to their clients. An analyst position at Health
Consulting Partners offers an ideal mix of technical research and information gathering from
industry leaders, allowing me to make the most useful strategic recommendations to client
companies. Thank you for considering my application; I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for your consideration,
Nikhil Godinho
Genetics PhD
Stanford University
Sample Cover Letter #3
6 1
Address
Palo Alto, CA 94123
Phone: +1. 123. 456. 7890
April 25, 20XX
Dear Hiring Manager:
I am contacting you with high interest and enthusiasm for the position of Medical/Regulatory Writer in your
San Jose ofce. I obtained my Ph.D. in Genetics at Stanford University in 20XX. After spending the last year
as a Postdoctoral Fellow conducting stem cell research, I am excited to pursue a career as a Medical/Regulatory
Writer.
A Drug Discovery and Development course at the Stanford School of Medicine and my two summer internships
at Chiron Corporation taught me the achievements, risks and challenges of drug discovery and validation,
and also provided a basic overview of Medical Affairs. These experiences sparked my interest in the science
communication and education arm that supports a healthcare organization. I believe my unique combination
of a strong and broad scientic research background, sharp analytical skills, a vast experience in science
communication, and extensive experience in collaborating and mentoring others provide me with a strong
platform to pursue work as a Medical/Regulatory Writer.
I have over ten years of research experience in Microbiology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Immunology.
I have always been passionate about Science Communication. I have personally volunteered my time to assist
my advisers in the reviewing of manuscripts for various scientic journals in diverse elds, from RNA Biology
to Infectious Diseases. I have also supported and guided my colleagues in structuring their manuscripts and
gures, as well as reviewing their language and grammar. I am highly skilled and experienced in learning
complex scientic topics quickly, and then teaching simplied versions to audiences of varying scientic
knowledge. I have volunteered extensively with different organizations, such as The Tech Museum in San
Jose, California, as a Science Communicator and Genetics Liaison. In these roles, I drafted short articles on
popular topics in Genetics to the general public, and translated these articles from English to Spanish for the
community. Since accepting my postdoctoral position, I joined the Postdoctoral Periodical team as a writer and
editor. I write about hot topics in science and medicine in our time-sensitive monthly publication for the broad
postdoctoral audience in the hospital.
I hold over seven years of science outreach, public-service/advocacy, and leadership experience. I have taken
leadership courses at the Stanford Graduate School of Business that have focused on leveraging personality
differences, team development, and conict management. I am capable of building strong working relationships
within my team as well as across teams due to my varied experiences in different organizations.
I would love the opportunity to discuss this job position further with you, and nd out how I may contribute to
the International Consulting Group. I can be reached via email ([email protected]) or cell phone at
+1. 123. 456. 7890. Thank you very much in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Cynthia A. Gonzales, Ph.D.
Sample Cover Letter #4
6 2
Whether you have just been contacted for
an industry interview or are preparing in
anticipation of possible interviews, you
may have questions about non-academic
interviews. What can I expect in terms of
interview format or questions? How much
do I tell them about my research? How
do I convince the interviewer that I can do
the job even though I have limited work
experience in this area? How do I handle
difficult questions? What do I say if they
ask why I’m leaving academia? How can I
best prepare for the interview?
Interviewing well is a skill that most of us
have to practice and develop. It’s natural
for you to feel nervous or uncertain about
the process. However, the following guide-
lines and tips will help you prepare to do
your best.
Before the Interview
Know Yourself
1. Review your resume/CV, past work and
accomplishments, academic and extra-
curricular experiences.
2. Develop a checklist of the most relevant
skills and experiences that you have
to offer. Also, be prepared to reassure
employers about areas of weakness in
your resume.
3. Recall concrete examples to demonstrate
each of your top skills or qualifications
Research the Position/
Organization/Industry
1. Match your qualifications to the job
description. What are their needs and
interests? If a job description does not
exist, research the career field and review
sample job postings.
2. Review the organization’s website as
a starting place for your company
research and search for additional news.
Find out key information about their
business, company structure, leadership,
culture, recent news and issues, and
how they are doing. If possible, conduct
information interviews with company
insiders, current and past employees, for
additional information and advice.
3. Research current industry trends and
news. Figure out who’s who in the
industry, including key players and
competitors. Learn about the challenges
and opportunities facing the industry.
Practice, Practice, and Practice
1. Most of us are not used to talking about
our accomplishments. Finding the right
vocabulary, wording, and tone does not
come easily. Practice articulating your
skills and providing clear examples.
2. It’s not enough to think about your
answers. Practice saying them out loud
and if time permits, with someone else.
3. Attend one of the BEAM or SoMCC
meetups conducted throughout the year.
Meet with a career coach or counselor
for a mock interview and receive
individual feedback. We can also help
you strategize your answers and present
yourself most favorably in an interview.
4. Videotape yourself. Although it can be
painful to watch yourself perform, it’ll
provide very useful feedback. The Hume
Center for Writing and Speaking offers
videotaped mock interview sessions for
students (speakinghelp.stanford.edu).
Interview Tips
• Employers are seeking two major criteria
when interviewing:
1) Ability: Can you do this job? (skills
and qualifications)
2) Fit: Are you a good fit with the organi-
zation? Are you motivated to do this
job? Will you remain committed to
this company? (personal qualities,
motivation/interest, and goals)
• Based on your research of the employer’s
needs, plan your answers ahead of time.
What information needs to be commu-
nicated to ensure that the employer
in t e rV i eWS
6 3
will have confidence in your abilities,
motivation, and fit?
• The interview is a two-way conversation.
Keep in mind that you are interviewing
your potential employers as much as they
are interviewing you. Observe carefully
and ask thoughtful questions to help you
to determine whether this is the right job
and organization for you.
• Work to create a positive impression
and build strong rapport. Interviewers
remember their impressions of you,
how you answered the questions and
conducted yourself, rather than exact
content of your answers.
• Ask for clarification if you are confused
by a question. This shows poise on your
part and allows you to answer questions
appropriately.
• Be yourself. Do not exaggerate, give
insincere answers, or memorize perfectly
scripted answers. Interviewers prefer
candidates who are authentic, focused,
and engaging.
Preparing for Questions
1. Whenever possible, answer questions
using specific examples to support your
response. Think of the acronym STAR
(situation, task, action, and result):
• Situation/Task: Describe the situation
and/or task
• Action: What action did you take?
(Even if it was a team scenario, identify
YOUR contributions and action steps)
• Result: Discuss the outcome of your
action, making sure to mention accom-
plishments or improvements resulting
from your action
Link this example back to how it relates to
the requirements of the job.
2. Emphasize the most relevant and
impressive aspects of your background
and qualifications (paid work, research
experience, projects, extracurricular,
volunteer experience, specific skills).
3. Stress and clarify how skills you have
developed in the past are transferable to
the employer’s organization.
4. Speak in positive terms about previous
experiences and employers.
5. Talk about your accomplishments and
skills (remember what you don’t tell
an interviewer, she/he won’t know).
Also, don’t assume they have read your
resume in depth or remember it in detail.
Walk them through your most relevant
experiences and explain how they have
prepared to you to handle the responsi-
bilities of the new job.
6. Every question is asking one of three
things: why do you want to work here;
why should we hire you; and how will
you fit in here? Knowing the answers to
these general questions helps you define
your “brand” and gives you something
to fall back on when you get stuck on a
question.
Types of Interviews
Screening Interviews
These are usually shorter interviews,
approximately 20-30 minutes, used for the
purpose of conducting a brief evaluation of
a candidate. Employers are usually looking
to verify qualifications, check your commu-
nication skills, and form a quick impression
to help them decide whether to move you
forward in the interview process or to
screen you out. These types of interviews
are often conducted over the phone, Skype,
or on campus.
Take screening interviews seriously and be
ready to discuss your relevant qualifica-
tions for and interest in the position. If you
receive an unexpected screening phone call,
it is important to remain composed. If the
timing of the call is inconvenient, let the
employer know and ask if you can return
their call. Arrange to take the call at a
private and quiet location and if possible,
consider using a landline, rather than a
cell phone, for a more reliable connection.
Make sure your voice projects (sit up or
stand up) and conveys your enthusiasm for
the job. Even though your interviewer will
not be able to see you, consider dressing up
for the phone interview to put yourself in
the right frame of mind. Arrange to have a
copy of your resume, cover letter, and notes
in front of you to use for reference.
For Skype interviews, in addition to
dressing appropriately, plan out how to
optimize your environment (quiet and
private location, suitable background and
lighting, right camera angle) so that you’ll
be viewed in the most positive way possible.
Work out any technical issues beforehand
and practice using Skype with a friend and/
or career coach or counselor until you feel
comfortable using this medium for the
interview.
One-on-One Interviews
These interviews are quite common and
involve the candidate being questioned by
one person.
Panel/Committee Interviews
This scenario involves a panel of inter-
viewers each with questions to ask. These
interviews are common for government,
academic, and some corporate positions.
It is important to maintain eye contact
and build rapport with all members of the
committee.
Behavioral Interviews
Behavioral interview questions are based on
the premise that past performance is a good
predictor of future behavior. You will be
asked to talk about specific examples from
your past that demonstrate characteristics
and skills that are important to the job.
Prepare by anticipating employer’s needs and
thinking of relevant past examples. Use the
STAR format (see Preparing for Questions
section) to organize your answers.
Case Study Interviews
Some organizations, especially management
consulting firms, rely on case study or
6 4
situational questions to evaluate a candi-
date’s analytical skills. A good resource
to prepare for this is Case Questions
Interactive: https://www.stanford.edu/dept/
CDC/cqinteractive/.
Second Round or Site
Interviews
Often, the interviewing process entails
several rounds of interviews. If you are
considered a serious candidate, after the
first interview you may be contacted for
a second on-site interview with other
members of the organization. If travel
arrangements are involved, usually the
company will pay for your expenses and
make the necessary travel and lodging
arrangements. Site interviews usually
consist of a series of interviews with several
individuals including your potential super-
visor, co-workers, and higher-ranking
management staff. These interviews can
range from very casual to very technical.
You may spend a half or whole day
interviewing, which may also involve a
luncheon, dinner meeting, or social activity.
Stress Interviews
Although interviews can be nerve-racking
in general, some are designed to cause the
applicant stress. The interviewer may ask
confrontational or particularly difficult
questions. It is important to remain calm and
think carefully about your answers. Don’t
be afraid to take time to think through your
answers and don’t get tricked into losing your
cool. The purpose of these types of interviews
is to evaluate your behavior and maturity in
difficult situations. Stress questions are most
commonly used for those positions in which
your reaction to stress is critical.
Typical Stages of an Interview
The First Impression
1. Introduction and greeting
2. Small talk (brief, informal conversation
on a topic of mutual interest—keep
comments short)
3. Employer is looking for appearance and
dress appropriate to the organization,
a firm handshake, eye contact, ease in
social situations, good manners, and
poise. Arrive on time, bring extra copies
of you resume and don’t forget to smile
and be yourself.
Discussion of Background and
Qualifications
Employer will be asking a variety of
questions to better understand and assess
your education/training, experience, and
skills as they relate to the job require-
ments. It’s important for you to review your
resume and be ready to elaborate on any
aspects of your background. Plan ahead
what information should be shared with
your interviewer based on your research of
their needs.
Determination of Your Career
Goals
Employers will want to know whether this
job aligns with your future career goals and
whether you will be motivated to do the
work. You want to convey a strong under-
standing of the job/industry and how this
work fits with your own goals.
Demonstration of Your Interest
in the Organization
Through the ways in which you both
ask and answer questions, show your
knowledge of, and genuine interest in, the
organization. You can ask informed and
relevant questions to learn more about the
employer at any point in the interview, and
especially at the end.
Conclusion
1. Next steps in the interviewing process
are discussed—ask for the organization’s
time-line in the decision-making process
if one is not mentioned
2. Volunteer to provide additional
information
3. Thank the interviewer for his/her time
4. Ask for a business card—this will be
helpful when sending a thank-you letter
or email
Follow-up
Send thank-you letters to everyone with
whom you interviewed. Email them
promptly within 24-48 hours. For a special
touch, you may also follow up with a
handwritten note. If you have interviewed
with many individuals in one day and do
not have everyone’s contact information,
you could address the thank-you to the
person who served as your main contact
or coordinator and ask him/her to convey
your thanks to the others. The letter
provides an opportunity to demonstrate
your professionalism, build further rapport,
and reiterate your qualifications, interest,
and fit.
Review how the interview went. You will
use interviewing skills again and again
during your professional career. Learn from
your mistakes and build on your strengths.
Sample Interview Questions
• Tell me about yourself.
- Keep your answer brief and relevant,
one or two minutes. Offer highlights of
your qualifications, goals, and interests
as they relate to the job.
• What are your top 3 strengths?
- Of your many strengths, choose ones
that are important for the job and back
up your assertions with clear examples.
• What is your weakness?
- Identify a weakness that is not too
detrimental to the job and discuss what
you have been doing to overcome or
improve it.
- If appropriate, present a weakness that
can also be a strength.
6 5
• What is your expected salary?
- If possible, defer salary discussions until
after a job offer has been made. You
may want to state that you are more
interested in establishing a good fit
between you and the job at this point
and would be happy to discuss salary
when an offer is presented.
- Be ready to offer a salary range based
on market research but defer actual
negotiations until job has been offered.
• What did you enjoy most about your
most recent job experience?
• Please elaborate on your most relevant
work experience.
• What do you see as your major strengths
as they apply to this position?
• Why are you interested in this position/
industry? In our organization?
• Why did you choose to study ______?
• What motivates you?
• How do you deal with pressure?
• Describe a frustrating or challenging
experience you’ve encountered and tell
me how you dealt with it.
• Who was the most difficult person you
have ever dealt with, and how did you
handle the situation?
• Discuss some of your past leadership/
teamwork roles and your accomplish-
ments in them.
• Think of a specific situation that reflects
your ability to show initiative/handle
conflict/work in team. Describe it.
• How have your studies/training prepared
you for this position?
• If I asked your friends or colleagues to
describe you, what would they say?
• What is your preferred supervision style?
• Give me an example of a time when
you had to deal with unreasonable
expectations.
• What are your long-term career goals and
how are you preparing to achieve them?
• What do you see yourself doing in 3-5
years?
• Of what accomplishment are you most
proud?
• Why should our organization hire you?
Why are you the best candidate for this
position?
• What else would you like us to know
about you?
Unusual Questions
These questions seldom have right or wrong
answers. Even though the questions may
not seem to be job-related, employers may
try to determine your confidence, values,
and/or creativity through your answers.
• If you could be any tree, which would
you choose and why?
• Think about your favorite product. Now
think up five better names for it.
• How would your friends describe you?
Some companies are known to ask
brainteasers during the interview. They
serve two purposes. One, employers
want to see how you react to unexpected
questions and think on your feet. The
other is to gauge your cognitive abilities in
solving these questions. Rather than trying
to silently come up with a solution, “talk
through” these problems so that the inter-
viewer can follow your thought process and
offer help. The interviewer is often more
interested in how you solve the problem
than the answer itself.
Questions to Ask Employers
It is important to have prepared questions
to ask of each employer; these questions
will indicate your interest in the position
and organization. Additional questions
may occur to you during the course of the
interview. Conversely, if your questions
have already been answered by your
research, contacts with the company,
or even by the interviewer during the
interview, you can also tell this to the
employer while summarizing what you
have learned and mentioning key points.
Otherwise, lack of questions on your
part may convey a lack of interest in the
company or job.
About the Organization
• How would you describe your organiza-
tion’s culture?
• How would you describe your organiza-
tion’s style of management?
• What are some of the challenges the
organization is currently facing?
• What do you see as your organization’s
strengths and weaknesses?
• How will industry trends affect this
organization within the next 3-5 years?
• Where are the areas of future growth for
the organization?
• How are goals established for areas of
future development?
• What is the method of feedback/evalu-
ation used by this organization?
About the Position
• Can you describe recent projects on
which a person in my position has
worked?
• What are the common career paths for
people entering the organization in this
position?
• What skills or qualities are especially
important in order to be successful in this
position?
• What projects would be given to a
successful candidate within the first six
months of starting the position?
• How are people trained or brought
up to speed with regard to their
responsibilities?
• How and when is performance
evaluated?
Inappropriate Questions
Do not ask for information that is readily
available through the company’s website or
literature. It will be obvious that you have
not bothered to do your homework. You
should also initially refrain from asking
questions about benefits, perks, and salary.
This conversation should wait until it is
clear that they want to hire you. Your focus
should be on explaining how you can add
value to their organization and on gaining
a better understanding of the job and
organization.
6 6
Job Search Endgame
As a PhD or postdoc, you’ve invested
considerable time and effort in your
education and job search, and now it is
about to pay off. It is an exciting time, but
potentially confusing and stressful. We offer
these brief guidelines to address common
concerns related to anticipating, weighing,
accepting and/or negotiating job offer(s).
Receiving the Offer
Thank the person extending the offer
and express enthusiasm for the position.
Reiterate how important this decision is for
you and ask for some time to think it over
in order to make a good decision. If it is a
verbal offer, ask about getting the offer in
writing so there are no misunderstandings.
Ask when your response is expected.
An offer letter, at minimum, states your
job title, salary, expected start date and
your department or supervisor’s name. It
may further enumerate your benefits and/or
briefly describe your responsibilities.
Managing Multiple Employers
You have a job offer in hand. Or you may
sense an offer is imminent; sometimes an
employer will tell you outright, “We plan
to make you an offer.” This is a great time
to reconnect with any other prospective
employers that are still considering you
as a candidate or finalist. Contact those
employers to inquire about the status of
your application and their timeframes for
making a decision. Reiterate your enthu-
siasm for the position, alert them that
another offer is in hand or seems imminent,
and ask about the possibility of them accel-
erating their hiring process.
First, Evaluate the Big Picture
Ask yourself the following questions about
the position(s) you are considering. It may
be helpful to compile your answers in a
spreadsheet or similar document. If these
factors are not a good fit, it will be difficult
or impossible to rectify them through
negotiation. Think carefully whether you
want to accept or decline the offer.
Revisit Your Values and
Preferences
What do you find important and fulfilling
about your work? What are your values
and priorities? How do you prefer to work?
What work environments do you prefer?
And finally: How well aligned is your
job offer with your goals, values and
preferences?
Assess the Organization and
Industry
Research the financial stability, growth, and
trends of the industry and organization.
What growth or trends are happening in the
industry?
How financially stable is the company? Has
it had significant layoffs recently?
If a startup, is it well funded? Is it likely to
meet milestones to secure future funding?
Will you have appropriate resources and/or
budget to support your work?
What are the opportunities and expecta-
tions about publishing your work?
Is there a budget for conferences, travel
and/or professional development?
Helpful resources:
• The Vault/Career Insider at https://
careerinsider.vault.com/career-
insider-login.aspx?parrefer=269 offers
informative industry overviews
• Google Finance has profiles and news
feeds for most businesses
If you have questions, address them with
the organization contact before accepting
the offer.
Review Your Role and
Responsibilities
Review the responsibilities and daily activ-
ities of the position. Consider additional
information you gathered while going
through the interview process. Does this
position seem interesting and engaging?
How does it fit with your long-term goals?
Evaluate the Offer
Ultimately, you will accept, reject, or try
to negotiate changes to the offer. After
determining the industry, organization
eVa luat i nG a n d neG ot i at i nG JoB off er S
6 7
and position are a good “fit,” evaluate the
details of your job offer.
Salary and Market Value
Salary doesn’t necessarily correlate with
the value you add or the contribution
you make to society. It’s what the market
will bear to purchase your services, which
include your skills, expertise, knowledge,
and special talents. Check your profes-
sional society or the NACE Quarterly
Starting Salaries Survey to determine a
range for your market value. Often recent
graduates don’t have the experience or
expertise to warrant a higher salary.
However, exceptions that may justify a
higher salary include:
• Proven expertise in a specific and sought-
after area
• Relevant work experience through
previous industry experience, internships,
or summer jobs
• A written offer for a higher salary from
another organization
The Overall Compensation
Package
Salary is only one part of a total compen-
sation package. Your package might include
any of the following:
• base salary
• signing bonus and/or relocation expenses
• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• life insurance, accidental death insurance
and disability benefits
• 401(k) or other retirement plans (and
perhaps matching contributions from the
employer)
• pretax contributions for child or elder
care
• bonuses based on performance and/or
profit sharing
• stock; discounted stock purchase plans
and/or stock options
• paid sick leave, holidays and vacation
time and/or sabbaticals
• reimbursement for future education
• laptop computer and/or technical
equipment
• flexible work schedule
• extras such as commuting allowance,
parking subsidy, health club membership,
etc.
Ask your HR representative to explain
the benefits package before you make a
decision.
Some organizations offer a fixed package
that is not negotiable; other organizations
may be willing to negotiate on salary,
bonuses, stock options, date of salary
review, relocation costs, or extras.
Though many people focus on the base
salary, these other items may significantly
impact your income and/or quality of life,
both now and in the future. One position
may offer free meals and a higher salary in
San Francisco, an expensive city. Another
may offer a lower salary but match
contributions to your retirement plan in a
different city with a lower cost of living and
less expensive housing. You will need to
conduct a cost/benefit analysis to determine
which is better for you.
Preparing to Negotiate
Do You Want or Need to
Negotiate?
The only reason to negotiate is to get fair
market value for your skills, experience
and knowledge. You are not obligated to
negotiate; do not negotiate for negotia-
tion’s sake. Some job seekers believe they
are expected to negotiate, or that salaries
should be negotiated as a general principle.
Although organizations respect employees
who can articulate the value they add,
recent grads (or anyone else) can quickly
alienate potential employers if they are
inappropriate or go overboard in negoti-
ating to “get a fair deal.”
Organizations, large and small, generally
establish salary ranges for each position
based on standards and general practices
for the field. Organizations determine
where an employee falls within the salary
range based on experience and special
expertise or knowledge. Recent graduates,
with limited experience in entry-level
positions, generally will be paid in the
low- to mid-range, reserving the midpoint
salaries for more experienced individuals.
It’s in the organization’s best interest to
compensate you fairly. Organizations
want to hire and retain good employees.
Hiring and training new workers is costly.
Organizations do not want to make low
offers that are rejected and then have
to repeat the recruiting process. Nor do
they want you to leave to work for other
employers—potentially competitors—that
offer better compensation.
When Should You Negotiate?
• After you have received a formal offer,
preferably in writing. Having detailed
discussions about compensation before
this point could eliminate you prema-
turely from consideration.
• You have decided that the overall oppor-
tunity is a good fit.
• You understand how your skills benefit
the organization. This may be difficult to
assess with limited work experience. In
this case, try to identify the needs of each
person who interviewed you. How are you
a solution to their problems/challenges?
Then, when you’re negotiating, you will
have specific ideas about how you will
add value. You will be able to confidently
state that you are worth $5k more because
of your ability to create specific software,
design the new manual, or write the
necessary grant proposal.
• The offer does not reflect the fair-
market worth of your services in this
field. Research salary ranges for your
role and industry. These facts will help
you determine if the compensation is
reasonable, and support your argument for
a higher salary. You’ll be more persuasive
if your negotiation is based on verifiable
evidence. Familiarize yourself with the
entire package before initiating negotia-
tions; employers who can’t offer a higher
salary may instead offer “perks” such as
extra vacation days or free parking.
• You are clear about what you want and
what you need. What aspects of the
job offer are essential for you, affecting
the tipping point of whether or not
you accept or decline the offer? What
aspects are sweeteners, but won’t change
your decision? Where are you willing to
6 8
compromise? What is your “walk away”
point—the barest minimum you need
for the offer to be acceptable? Envision
your ideal (yet realistic) outcome from
the negotiation. At the same time, identify
several backup options that are acceptable
should your first request be denied.
• You know your alternatives in case
negotiations fail to produce the changes
you seek. If your negotiations produce all
the changes you requested, you should
be prepared to accept the amended offer.
If your negotiations produce some of
the changes you requested, you’ll have
to decide whether it adequately satisfies
your needs and exceeds your threshold
for accepting the position. If negotia-
tions fail to produce changes that will
make the position acceptable, you will
probably decline the offer—but talk to
a career coach or counselor, or someone
you trust before you do. It is important
to clearly assess your alternatives. If
negotiations fail, what is your next Best
Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement
(BATNA)? Do you have other offers?
Will you hold out for another employer
to make an offer? Can you sustain your
current employment (or unemployment)
situation?
Negotiating
Negotiation is a process for reaching an
agreement on what an organization will pay
for your skills, knowledge and expertise.
Your success in negotiating for higher
compensation (and the only reason you
should be negotiating) depends on evidence
suggesting your market value is higher
than that reflected in the offer. Contrary
to popular belief, this is not an adversarial
process. It is in your best interest and
the organization’s to come to a mutually
beneficial agreement. Adopt a Win-Win or
No Deal mentality.
You will usually negotiate with your
Human Resources representative, but
sometimes the negotiation is conducted
directly with your manager. If you are
unsure, you can ask.
What to Say and Do During a
Negotiation
Ask the employer to explain how compen-
sation is determined, and then listen. Ask
how your distinguishing and exceptional
strengths and expertise were accounted for.
State clearly and succinctly the evidence
suggesting your compensation should be
higher, and then listen.
Here is a sample script for the negotiation
process:
Student: “I want to say again how
extremely pleased I am to have
the opportunity to work with you
and this organization. However,
I would like to discuss the
compensation.”
HR Rep: “Sure. What questions do you
have?”
Student: “First, I’d like to know how your
organization structures salary
ranges to understand how this
salary was determined. I want this
to work for both of us.”
Listen to the response.
Student: “What flexibility is there with the
starting salary?”
Listen to the response.
Student: “I understand the organization
prefers to bring inexperienced
graduates in at the lower end
of the range for this position.
However, I feel this offer does
not reflect the experience and
perspective I gained from working
in this industry prior to starting
my PhD.” (If you have other hard
salary data from your research,
diplomatically mention it here.)
If the salary is not negotiable, suggest the
next option from your backup plan (such
as a higher signing bonus, if applicable, or
early performance review,) then move on
to any other part of the job offer that you
would like to negotiate.
For further help with negotiation, consult
Perfect Phrases for Negotiating Salary and
Job Offers by Matthew J. DeLuca and
Nanette F. DeLuca.
Negotiating Other Elements
Salary is important, but other elements of
the job offer may be important to you as
well. Some of these items will be negotiable;
others not. Perhaps you have already
committed to a much-needed vacation after
you complete your dissertation. Adjusting
your start date or arranging for extra time
off could be very important to you. Things
that mean a lot to you may incur little or
no cost for the employer. For example, if
reducing a long, stressful commute improves
your quality of life, ask about telecommuting
(working from home) for one day a week.
Negotiate creatively, but always in good
faith and with a Win-Win attitude.
Accepting and Rejecting Offers
If you and the company have come to a
mutually satisfying agreement, ask for
something in writing that reflects your
mutual understanding. If negotiation
produces changes to the original offer, ask
for an amended offer letter so all parties
are clear about the revised offer. To accept
the offer, sign and return the (amended)
offer letter by the agreed-upon deadline.
We recommend including a short job accep-
tance letter as well (see the sample in this
section). You will likely phone or email
your contact to enthusiastically accept the
offer, and inform the employer that the
signed document is on the way.
If negotiation failed to produce a mutually
satisfactory agreement, you must make
your decision based on the employer’s final
offer. In this case, you would generally
phone your contact to express gratitude for
the consideration and offer, but to politely
decline the offer. Follow up this call with a
formal written letter or email that declines
the offer in a clear, polite and professional
manner (see samples in this section).
6 9
Ethics and Etiquette
Candidates and employers have a joint
responsibility when accepting or extending
a job offer. BEAM and SoMCC expect
recruiters will abide by its policies and
by the ethical standards of the National
Association of Colleges and Employers.
These guidelines include the statement that
employers “will refrain from any practice
that improperly influences and affects
job acceptances . . . including undue time
pressure for acceptance of employment
offers.”
BEAM and SoMCC expect students to
observe similar ethical practices, including
the following code of conduct:
• Once you accept an offer, you have made
a commitment to that employer and it
is your ethical responsibility to discon-
tinue interviewing with other employers.
After you accept an offer, you are no
longer eligible to interview through the
Recruiting Program.
• If you accept an offer, and later a better
offer comes along, remember that
you have made a significant personal
and professional commitment to the
first employer; you should honor that
commitment. Reneging on a job offer is
highly unprofessional. If you are unsure
about accepting a job offer, it is always
better to negotiate for more time to
make your decision than to accept the
offer prematurely and later rescind your
acceptance.
Consider the reverse situation:
An employer offers you a job and later
a stronger candidate comes along. How
would you feel if the employer called you to
withdraw its original offer to you? Clearly
that would be unacceptable. The recruiting
and hiring process works best when all
parties adhere to ethical and behavior.
(In rare cases, a candidate who has already
accepted an offer may find him- or herself
in an unusual position with extenuating
circumstances, such as a family emergency;
career coaches and counselors at BEAM
and SoMCC are available to meet with you
one on one to discuss your situation.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do I say if I’m asked for my
salary requirements before I have
received a formal offer?
A: You’ll generally defer discussing your
specific requirements until a formal
offer has been made. Early in the
interview process, you may reply, “If
it’s okay with you, I’d like to defer that
question for now and focus first on the
content of the work. I’m interested in
knowing more about the specific duties
and responsibilities of the job.” If the
hiring manager insists, you might say
something like, “I assume a range has
been established for this position and
wonder what the organization has in
mind?” or “A salary competitive for this
position and industry.”
Later in the interviewing process, as a
finalist, you may need to provide an
actual range (not a single number) for
your desired salary. You might say,
“Based on [objective salary survey], I
believe [$ range] is the fair market range
for this position.” Make sure you have
done your homework!
Q: What do I do if all my requests
are rejected in the negotiation
process?
A: You must decide to accept or reject
the position based on the terms of the
original offer.
Q: How committed am I to a job
offer I have accepted, if a better
offer comes along?
A: First, if you are unsure about accepting
a job offer, it is better to negotiate
for more time to make your decision
than to accept the offer prematurely
and later rescind your acceptance.
Second, it is very important to honor
your commitment. Backing out of the
agreement is highly unprofessional and
reflects negatively on you and Stanford.
It may taint your reputation in your
chosen field now and in the future. If
you signed a contract that included a
signing bonus, check the contract for a
clause requiring you to pay back the full
signing bonus if you leave the organi-
zation before the stated duration. The
signing bonus amount that you receive
will be the total amount, minus taxes,
but the amount you must repay will be
the full amount of the bonus.
Q: How do I request an offer in
writing?
A: If a verbal offer is made, you can say,
“I’m very excited about the opportunity
to work with you and this organization.
Since this is such a significant decision
for both of us, I’d be more comfortable
if the offer was in writing and I could
look it over.”
Q: What if I don’t understand
something in the employment
offer letter?
A: Organizations are usually happy to
clarify or answer any questions about
the job offer. Students may also seek
legal advice regarding job offers,
employment contracts and other profes-
sional commitments through the ASSU
Legal Counseling Office for Students at
(650) 375-2481.
We recognize that juggling job offers and
employer deadlines can be daunting for
you. Since each individual’s situation is
unique, we encourage PhDs and postdocs
who have questions about managing
offers or negotiating for time or additional
compensation to meet with one of the
career coaches or counselors at BEAM or
SoMCC.
Contact ASSU Legal Counseling at (650)
375-2481 for legal advice regarding job
offers, employment contracts and other
professional commitments.
7 0
Dear Ms. Gonzalez,
Thank you for offering me the position of
Research Scientist with XYZ, Inc. However, I
regret to inform you that I cannot accept your
generous offer at this time. After carefully
evaluating all opportunities available to me, I have
accepted another position that seems a better t
for me at this point in my career.
I truly enjoyed meeting and speaking with you
and other representatives from XYZ.
Thank you again for your consideration. Best
wishes for the continued success of XYZ, Inc.
Sincerely,
Nick Gupta
Dear Madeleine,
I hope this email nds you well.
I am writing to inform you that I will unfortunately not
be accepting the generous offer of Assistant Director
at ABC. I really appreciate the care and hospitality
extended to me during this time. Foremost, I am
grateful that ABC granted me an extension so that I
could fully consider my options.
At this time, I feel that ABC is not the best t for me.
It was an extremely tough decision for me to make, as
evident in my request for an extension. I again want
to thank you and everyone else at ABC for this great
opportunity and for your help and support through this
process.
Sincerely,
Mara Baker
Sample Job Offer Communications
Declining a Job Offer
7 1
Dear Mr. Polanco,
I enjoyed meeting with you and your colleagues last
week regarding the position of Project Manager.
Thank you for your time and consideration during
this process.
While I am not sure where the hiring process
stands, I wish to inform you that I must withdraw
my application from consideration for this position.
I have accepted a similar position at another
organization.
Thank you again for your consideration and best of
luck in completing your search.
Sincerely,
Anna Udell
Dear Ms. Fuqua,
It is with great excitement that I accept the
offer for the position of Senior Analyst. I
have included the signed offer letter as you
requested.
I have been communicating with the
relocation company and am currently in the
process of moving to Seattle. I expect to be
settled in by the end of the month and ready
to start in early August.
I will contact you as my start date
approaches. Please feel free to contact me
if you have any questions. I look forward to
my new position at LMN.
Sincerely,
Sarah Gold
Withdrawing Your Candidacy
Sample Job Offer Communications
Dear Ajit,
Thank you for your employment offer for
the position of Program Coordinator. I
would like to reconrm my acceptance of
this position. As I mentioned earlier, I look
forward to joining ZZZ and am condent
in the contributions I will make to your
organization. I am truly excited to apply my
passion and skills to this position.
Per our phone conversation, I will start work
on Monday, August 22. I will be out of town
until mid-July but can be reached by cell
phone at (650) 123-4567.
Thank you again for this opportunity.
Sincerely,
John Lee
Accepting an Offer
7 2
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