Career Counseling for Postdocs - MIT postdocs benefit from career guidance and strategies for industry, academic, and other tracks, thanks to a collaboration between the Office of the Vice President for Research and Career Services, Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD).
- Schedule a one-on-one appointment. Discuss your career plans or concerns and receive support tailored to your needs, such as developing your resume, CV, research and teaching statements, cover letters, and LinkedIn profile. Conduct a mock interview to strengthen your interview skills, and get help evaluating and negotiating job offers.
- Career-related Opportunities and Resources – Take advantage of CAPD's many seminars, employer presentations, on-campus recruitment opportunities, job postings, including videos and the Career Development Handbook.
Individual Development Plan – MIT postdocs benefit from having a career planning strategy.
- For resources and guidelines, see the Individual Development Plan and Career Planning Strategy section of MIT’s Postdoctoral Mentoring and Advising Toolkit.
- For postdocs in the humanities and social sciences, see also Imagine PhD, a free online career exploration and planning tool.
MIT Professional Development Presentations - Attend presentations and consult notes and videos from past sessions.
Your Department, Lab, or Center – Check with your faculty sponsor or Key Administrative Contacts for Postdocs regarding career-related presentations and opportunities. Many departments, labs and centers receive notices regarding academic positions that are open at other universities.
MIT Postdoctoral Association – See the PDA website and sign up for the MIT postdoc listserv to be informed about presentations and networking opportunities. The PDA also posts job openings on the postdoc forum listserv, an additional listserv.
Writing & Communication Center (MIT) – Schedule one-on-one consulting sessions with professional writers. The Center provides free professional advice about all types of writing and speaking/oral presentations. Specialized help is available to non-native English speakers.
MIT Alumni Association’s Infinite Connection – Register for an Infinite Connection account to gain access to MIT’s online alumni directory and other resources, including the MIT Alumni Job Board. The Alumni Association sends an email message to postdocs once they become eligible. The message contains registration instructions and a unique user ID. See the postdoc page of the Infinite Connection website for information.
MIT Teaching and Learning Laboratory (TLL) – Explore TLL’s programs and services, including workshops, seminars, and consultations related to teaching and learning. The Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program is offered twice a year at no charge to MIT postdocs and graduate students who wish to develop their teaching skills. It is very popular, and sessions typically fill immediately after registration opens.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation - IMPACT, MIT Venture Mentoring Service, Translational Fellows Program, StartMIT, and other information
MIT Online Classes and Training
- The Learning Center in Atlas (requires an MIT web certificate)- Take online sessions on technical topics; “soft” skill topics (such as leadership, communication, management, and career transitions); and MIT required and recommended training modules.
- MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) and MITx – Access MIT course content
MIT Classes – Information on registering for a course, or listening in on a class while you are a postdoc at MIT.
Other Resources and Reference Guides
National Postdoc Association – Using your MIT email address, join the NPA for free as an affiliate member to access a wide variety of members’ only online content.
MASS AWIS - http://massawis.org/ The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association for Women in Science sponsors many local events (for all genders) related to science, mathematics, engineering and technology fields. MIT is a Collegiate Rep of AWIS, so the MIT community can attend Mass AWIS events at the member price. First, apply for your free membership through the AWIS website as a Collegiate Rep and select the Massachusetts Chapter. Do this prior to registering for any events.
Survival Guide for International Postdocs - This online resource from the National Postdoctoral Association was compiled with assistance from university international offices, postdoctoral offices, and an immigration attorney, and draws on experiences of current and former postdocs.
Advancing Postdoc Women Guidebook (pdf) has information about professional development, mentoring, and more. Edited by Belinda Lee Huang, ©National Postdoctoral Association, 2015.
Parents in the Pipeline: Retaining Postdoctoral Researchers with Families – Available as a free download
The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited – Request a free download from National Academies Press
Phds.org – This site has information for scientists and would-be scientists at all levels. “The goal of the site is help students to prepare for the changing demands of today's job market and to provide a voice for early career scientists.”