Writing a resume, perfecting your presentation, and looking like a LinkedIn pro are a few of the topics in focus for the School of Graduate Studies’ (SGS’) 2018 Career Week.

Each year, SGS hosts a multi-day program aimed at supporting students as they prepare to finish their studies and transition to the working world, while also giving them useful skills to help them complete their dissertation and communicate the value of their research.

“Career Week is an important time for our students to both equip themselves for the remainder of their studies, and prepare themselves to transition to the workforce – whether that is in academia, government, or private industry,” says Fahim Quadir, Vice-Provost and Dean (School of Graduate Studies). “We encourage all of our graduate and post-doctoral fellows to take advantage of our programming this week.”

Career Week 2018 began on Tuesday with a session, hosted by Mitacs, focused on presentation skills. The daylong workshop will provide a number of valuable tips and tricks and will also offer participants the opportunity for on-site practice.

On Wednesday, a presenter from Queen’s Career Services will review how to use LinkedIn and, in particular, how to research the career paths of alumni from a variety of disciplines to help inform job searches.

Thursday and Friday are the busiest days, with sessions designed to help graduate students and post-doctoral fellows articulate the value of their experience, prepare their CV, resume and cover letter, and practice mock interviews. These sessions will speak to those who are pursuing graduate degrees and work inside and out of the academy.

The capstone for the week will be a presentation on Friday, Oct. 19 from Shari Graydon, an award-winning author, advocate, and educator. Ms. Graydon will be giving a presentation designed to help graduate students and post-doctoral fellows how to communicate their research to increase their impact.

"Brilliance, without the capacity to communicate it, is often wasted," she says. "Scholars who've mastered the basic skills needed to translate their evidence-based knowledge into accessible and engaging analysis are better equipped to achieve impact beyond academia. Jettisoning the jargon, making clear why people should care, and complementing data with stories -- these are among the practical strategies we'll cover to help students amplify their voices." 

Also on the Friday, a reception at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre will bring together 100 graduate students and post-docs to mingle with community members from local organizations, businesses, and alumni.

For the full program and other details, visit the School of Graduate Studies’ website.