December 2024

Welcome to the monthly Office of Postdoctoral Affairs newsletter! To learn more about our office and to see a complete events calendar, please visit our website. We also invite you to join our listserv to get timely communications about upcoming events. Feel free to email us at postdoctoralaffairs@utexas.edu with any questions.

News
January Events
Importance of Professional Development - Supportive Networks
Professional Development Tip - Self Care

News

The Office of Career and Life Design New Website

The Office of Career and Life Design (formerly Texas Career Engagement) is proud to announce their new website, which reflects their holistic approach to facilitating graduate-level career and professional development for the UT Austin community. The new platform is designed to provide comprehensive resources and support tailored to the needs of graduate students and postdocs.

About the Office of Career and Life Design:

The Office of Career and Life Design (OCLD) aims to empower all graduate students and postdocs to design their own paths. They are a central hub for resources, services and support so that all grad students and postdocs can excel in their work, build essential skills, maintain personal well-being and prepare for their future careers.

The OCLD provides individualized and group career advising, teach career design classes and workshops, and connect career offices and employers across disciplines to increase access to opportunities. They convene campus units to advocate for graduate level services and work closely with constituents to coordinate support.

Check out the brand new website for the Office of Career and Life Design.

Holiday International Travel Reminders

Do you have plans to travel outside the United States during the upcoming holiday break? Global Risk and Safety has published a new blog post, Holiday International Travel Reminders, with precautionary advice and guidance on how to facilitate safe international travel during this holiday season.

Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentoring Award

The Graduate School has a new award this year for postdoc mentors. Nominations are initiated by a postdoctoral scholar in a letter submitted to a department chair, Graduate Adviser or faculty member.

Learn more and nominate your mentor

Teaching Preparation Series

The CTL’s 2025 spring Teaching Preparation Series schedule is now available! Every semester, the Center for Teaching and Learning and campus partners offer a series of 14-16 workshops for graduate student instructors to learn about, observe, practice, receive feedback on and reflect upon classroom teaching techniques. Join the online and in-person sessions to learn about teaching and earn a certificate.

Learn more

January Events

We invite you to join us for events throughout the spring semester.

Navigating the Job Search for Graduate Students & Postdocs
Wednesday, Jan. 21, noon - 1:30 p.m., Flawn Academic Center (FAC) 2.142

During this session, you will practice the key skills to conduct a targeted job search for positions in industry, government, non-profits and business. Specifically, you will learn how to identify your career interests, understand the steps and structure to a job search, identify organizations and job titles to target in your job search, and learn strategies to maximize your use of job boards and networking to increase your chances of success. Lunch will be served.

Sign up here
(If you have any problems registering, please email: gradcareer@austin.utexas.edu)

Lunch Workshop: Building an Effective 3 Minute Pitch
Thursday Jan. 22, 11:30 - 1:00 p.m, Texas Union Quadrangle Room

Delivering a captivating 3-minute pitch is challenging. It compels you to focus on the most critical aspects of your research, eliminating anything that is less relevant. Join us for this skill-development workshop designed to equip you with the strategies needed to effectively communicate complex ideas in just three minutes. Lunch will be provided.

Register here

Resume Lab for Graduate Students & Postdocs
Monday, Jan. 27, noon - 1:30 p.m., Flawn Academic Center (FAC) 2.134 Conference Room

Are you a graduate student or postdoc looking to polish your resume before application deadlines or the upcoming career fairs? Come to our interactive Resume Lab event! Pair up with peers for valuable feedback on your resume drafts and get expert advice from a staff member from the Office of Career and Life Design in The Graduate School.

Register here

Importance of Professional Development

Supportive Networks

Check out this interesting article from the NPA’s Postdocket on building and maintaining a supportive network as a postdoctoral scholar.

“Who’s Got Your Back? Build a Supportive Network for Academic Success”

Professional Development Tip

Self-care

As we near the holiday break, it is important to take time for yourself and reflect on what self-care looks like for you during your postdoctoral journey. Work-life balance isn’t always simple, but finding what balance looks like for you is a vital aspect of creating a sustainable postdoc experience. The National Postdoctoral Association acknowledges that postdocs are particularly susceptible to burnout and created a guide for developing self-care practices in the context of the hectic postdoctoral experience. Here are some key points from the NPA’s Guide to Work-Life Balance for postdocs:

Write a Work-Life Balance Plan into your Individual Development Plan:
It is important to acknowledge that personal development is just as important as professional development. It can be helpful to be explicit with your needs, especially in collaboration with important figures such as your mentor.

Seek Out a Financial Advisor:
Money can be a huge stressor as a postdoc. Having a monetary plan, potentially developed with a professional, can take off some of that burden.

Being a Parent While in a Postdoctoral Position Can Be a Unique Challenge:
The NPA acknowledges that being a parent during your postdoctoral position can be a unique challenge for many. The NPA provides further resources for parents in this guide on how to balance your familial responsibilities with your professional goals.