Professional Development

grad forum

Professional Development

Libby Cox and Lisa Thai
Libby Cox and Lisa Thai

Professional Development Award

April is National Counseling Month, a time to recognize the transformative work of professional counselors who help individuals gain insight, develop strategies, and find solutions to life’s challenges. 

Learn more about how the Professional Development Award helped two graduate students in the UO's Couples and Family Therapy program take bold steps to further the intersections between mental health and their lifelong interests.

Blending Passion with Purpose: Counseling Students Explore Innovative Paths to Healing

Graduate Resume, Curriculum Vitae & Cover Letter Review Program

The Division of Graduate Studies, through our gradCAREERS program, is reviewing cover letters, résumés, and CVs that will be used for academic-adjacent or non-academic job or internship applications. Students will either receive feedback via email or be contacted for a brief advising appointment. 

Submit your materials for review

For tips on developing your application materials, visit the Graduate Level Resume and CV Guidance webpage.

Workshops and Events

The Division of Graduate Studies is committed to helping our graduate students reach their professional and academic goals by providing workshops and opportunities that support the graduate student experience.

sport professional development event
Aug 28
Debunking Academia vs. Industry Myths: Own Your Career 2:30 p.m.

Less than a third of PhDs get tenure-track jobs. The vast majority of PhDs are left to figure out the labyrinth of a non-academic job market on their own. Yet, the industry job...
Debunking Academia vs. Industry Myths: Own Your Career
August 28
2:30–3:30 p.m.
This is a virtual event.

Less than a third of PhDs get tenure-track jobs. The vast majority of PhDs are left to figure out the labyrinth of a non-academic job market on their own. Yet, the industry job market is far from the panacea it was touted to be: intense competition, mass layoffs, dwindling job security, lack of intellectual rigor, lack of time freedom, discriminatory treatment of international job candidates. This talk by Kaidi Wu, PhD, Career Coach, will take an honest look at the challenges faced by PhDs in both academia and industry. We will explore ways to design a fulfilling career that provides financial stability for doing what you enjoy.

Register now at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dB82sgIkTWu94EB_uNhoww#/registration

Aug 29
Fall 2025 Writing Challenge for Graduate Students 3:00 p.m.

Graduate students! The fall 2025 14-Day Writing Challenge is an opportunity for you to experiment with daily writing, online community, and supportive accountability....
Fall 2025 Writing Challenge for Graduate Students
August 29
3:00 p.m.
This is a virtual event.

Graduate students! The fall 2025 14-Day Writing Challenge is an opportunity for you to experiment with daily writing, online community, and supportive accountability. It's very simple:

  • You commit to write every day for at least 30 minutes.
  • At the beginning of your writing time, you login to our online community, start the timer, complete your writing, and post your progress at the end.
  • You take 5 minutes to support other writers from across the U.S. in your group by commenting on their progress.

This is NOT for you if: 1) you don't want to post your progress on a daily basis and/or 2) you don't want to interact with other people.

If you're up for the challenge, then we can't wait for you to join us!

Sign up by August 29 at https://members.ncfdd.org/sessions/14dayfall2025. The event will run daily between September 8 and September 21. All UO students and faculty have free access to this resource. Please activate your NCFDD account before logging in. If needed, you can activate your account by visiting this link and selecting "Is your institution already a member?"

Sep 23
Graduate Student Welcome Lunch and Resource Fair 11:00 a.m.

Kick off the year right at the Graduate Student Welcome Lunch and Resource Fair! Come hang out with fellow new and returning grad students, explore the resource fair, and (best of...
Graduate Student Welcome Lunch and Resource Fair
September 23
11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Erb Memorial Union (EMU) Ballroom (room 242)

Kick off the year right at the Graduate Student Welcome Lunch and Resource Fair! Come hang out with fellow new and returning grad students, explore the resource fair, and (best of all) enjoy some seriously delicious FREE food. You don’t want to miss it!

At the fair get connected with:

  • UO Health Services
  • Housing
  • Student Funding
  • Identity support groups
  • Career Services
  • Graduate student resources and more!
Sep 25
Job Search Strategy for International Students 2:00 p.m.

This workshop, intended for international graduate students, introduces well-established processes for positioning onerself to execute a focused and successful US-based job...
Job Search Strategy for International Students
September 25
2:00–3:00 p.m.
This is a virtual event.

This workshop, intended for international graduate students, introduces well-established processes for positioning onerself to execute a focused and successful US-based job search. Take away a four-step framework to optimize your job search game plan. Learn how to:

  • Efficiently target companies that sponsor H-1B visas and hire international students
  • Cultivate professional connections through strategic networking and informational interviews
  • Leverage your story, skills, expertise, your university network, and brand to achieve your goals
  • Practice how to use your cultural diversity as an advantage

Register for this workshop, offered by Interstride, at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iS5PU0CsSNuRAqbjkrSPsg#/registration 

Oct 15
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches) 11:00 a.m.

Did you know you can have someone review your resume before the Fall Career & Internship Expo on 10/23? Drop-in with a career readiness coach or peer coach in Tykeson...
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches)
October 15
11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall Commons (First Floor)

Did you know you can have someone review your resume before the Fall Career & Internship Expo on 10/23? Drop-in with a career readiness coach or peer coach in Tykeson Hall Commons to get feedback on your resume! Free cookies & hot chocolate too :)

Don’t have a resume? Come learn how to make one!

This University Career Center event is part of the 2025 Fall Career Readiness Week sponsored by Enterprise Mobility and Sherwin Williams. To learn more about all of the week's events visit http://career.uoregon.edu/events  

Oct 22
The BIG10 Academia Career Fair 9:00 a.m.

Calling all graduate students and postdoctoral scholars! If you are considering a faculty, researcher, lecturer, postdoc, or other academic-adjacent position, then consider...
The BIG10 Academia Career Fair
October 22
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
This is a virtual event.

Calling all graduate students and postdoctoral scholars! If you are considering a faculty, researcher, lecturer, postdoc, or other academic-adjacent position, then consider attending the 2025 BIG10 Academia Career Fair, offered in a virtual, highly interactive, and completely free, format! Details and sign up on Handshake soon.

  • Meet with academies and research organizations. Interact with recruiters through video, audio, or chat.
  • Discover new tenure, non-tenure track (lecturers, researchers,...etc.), postdoctoral trainee, and fellowship career opportunities. All levels of graduate students and postdocs (first years to those finishing) are welcome to explore career opportunities in academia and research.
  • Never wait in line, ever. Pre-schedule individual (10 minutes - recommended for those looking for jobs now or completing their program in 2026) and/or group sessions (30 minutes) with organizations ahead of the fair or on the day-of the career fair. Both types of sessions are limited, so don't miss out! Once registered, you can add sessions with recruiters for specific organizations attending the career fair.

DEADLINE for C.V. submissions is Tuesday, October 7, at 9:00 PM Pacific Time. This is a HARD deadline, so submit early just in case you have technical difficulties. It is recommended that you add your C.V. on Handshake, as this platform is a great place to search and apply for positions at your level.  

See all upcoming workshops and events

Training and Resources

From writing support to distinguished alumni speakers and from exploring your career options to planning your career, 
the Division of Graduate Studies offers a variety of resources to help get you started.

A resource to help guide grad students in their career development

Access to free platforms for training for your field and career

Take assessments to understand and confidently choose your career path