Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars can strengthen their career readiness through Beyond the Professoriate and Beyond Graduate School, two online platforms available at no cost through the Graduate School. This fall, Beyond the Professoriate will offer webinars on topics including Is a Faculty Job Right for You? on Sept. 16, The Key Difference Between Academic and Nonacademic Hiring on Oct. 7 and Building a Network to Help You in Academia and Beyond on Nov. 18. Master's students can take advantage of Beyond Graduate School sessions focused on AI skills, LinkedIn best practices and strategies for standing out in today's job market. Explore upcoming events and access both platforms through the Graduate School website.
Explore Beyond career resources
Beyond the Professoriate
You have more options than you think. What can you do with your PhD?
Log in to get started at:
- You have more options than you think. And as a doctoral student or postdoc, you can explore these options through.
- Beyond the Professoriate — a platform you already have access to.
- Log in to access on-demand videos, workbooks, and live webinars that will help you build a career in academia or beyond.
Autumn 2026 Events for PhD Students
September 2, 2026 | 12:00 - 12:45 pm
- In this webinar, you will learn how to make the most of the PhD Career Training Platform. Access to this platform means you have a research-informed toolkit designed specifically to support doctoral students and postdocs in both academic and nonacademic job searches — so you can move forward with a clear strategy from day one. This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs who are wondering:
- How do I get started on the PhD Career Training Platform?
- What resources are available to support my academic or nonacademic job search?
How long does a job search typically take, and what should I be doing right now?
September 16, 2026 | 12:00 - 12:45 pm
- Join the Beyond Prof team for this webinar where we’ll walk you through the key factors to consider as you evaluate whether a faculty career is the right path for you. PhDs are building careers in a wide range of roles — both within and beyond academia — and understanding your options is an important first step. This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:
- How do I know if pursuing a faculty position is the right choice for me?
- How long should I stay on the academic job market?
What are my options if I decide not to pursue a tenure-track path?
October 7, 2026 | 12:00 - 12:45 pm
- As a PhD exploring your career options, one of the most important things to understand is that academic and nonacademic employers value very different aspects of your PhD training and experience. This means that to job search effectively — in academia or beyond — you need to understand what each type of employer is looking for and adopt a strategy accordingly. This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:
- How is academic hiring different from nonacademic hiring?
- What do nonacademic employers look for in a candidate, and how will that affect my job search?
Why do I need to focus my job search on a specific career pathway?
October 21, 2026 | 12:00 - 12:45 pm
- In this webinar, you will learn how to reflect on your graduate training, identify the transferable skills you’ve developed, and communicate your value clearly to nonacademic employers — in your job documents and in interviews. This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:
- How do I identify the skills I’ve developed in my graduate training?
- What do nonacademic employers look for in a candidate — and how does my background align?
How do I communicate my value to employers when my expertise is highly specialized?
November 4, 2026 | 12:00 - 12:45 pm
- Join the Beyond Prof team for this webinar where you’ll learn how to begin identifying and researching nonacademic career options that align with your background and professional goals. This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:
- Why is it so difficult to identify career options that align with my background and expertise?
- How do I research career options that fit my skills, values, and personal goals?
Once I have identified career options, where do I begin my job search?
November 18, 2026 | 12:00 - 12:45 pm
- Join the Beyond Prof team for this webinar where we’ll walk you through how to build and grow a network that supports your career goals, whether you are exploring careers in academia or beyond. This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:
- How can networking help me in an academic or nonacademic job search?
Where do I find people to connect with?
December 7-10, 2026 | 12:00 - 12:45 pm
- This special workshop series is designed to walk doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs through the key questions, frameworks, and strategies you need to clarify your values, identify your most marketable skills, and evaluate your options — so you can make an informed decision about whether a faculty career or a nonacademic path is the right fit for you.
- Prerecorded: How to decide and what you will need to consider.
- December 7: How to identify your values
- December 8: How to identify your most marketable skills
- December 9: How to build your network using on-campus resources
- December 10: Practical considerations and your decision rubric
- Prerecorded: How to decide and what you will need to consider.
Beyond Graduate School
- What’s Waiting for You:
Templates, workbooks, and step by-step guides. - Follow a proven process to launch your career and stop wasting time on strategies that don't work.
On-demand answers to your job search questions. Learn how to launch a successful job search in your
field. - Live workshops and conferences.
- Join online trainings to explore career options, learn common job search mistakes master’s students make, and keep your job search moving
forward. - Log in with your school credentials – no separate account needed.
"Being able to watch live content and review it later has been immensely helpful — and encouraging, in a very difficult job market."
— Master's student
Autumn 2026 Events for All Graduate Students
September 2, 2026 | 2:00 - 2:30 pm
Join Beyond Graduate School for this webinar where we’ll discuss what master’s students need to know about career fairs. You’ll learn what the purpose of a career fair is, how to prepare before you attend, and how career fairs fit into your broader job search strategy. A career fair is just one part of your job search — but knowing how to use it effectively can make a significant difference in your results.
September 14-18, 2026 | 2:00 - 2:30 pm
Join Beyond Graduate School for this special webinar series where you’ll learn strategies for an effective job search, what you need to do before you begin applying for jobs, and what steps to take when you are ready to apply. By the end of this series, you’ll have a clear plan for what you can do right now to prepare for your job search after graduation.
This special webinar series is designed for master’s students from all academic backgrounds:
- September 14: 3 mistakes master’s students must avoid in their job search
- September 15: The role of recruiters in the hiring process
- September 16: How to build a network when you don’t have one
- September 17: Strategic resume writing for master’s students
September 18: Career advice for international students job searching in the US
October 7, 2026 | 2:00 - 2:30 pm
- Join Beyond Graduate School for this webinar where you’ll learn what employers actually expect when they ask about your AI skills — and how to prepare to answer those questions with confidence. This webinar is designed for master’s students from all academic backgrounds who are wondering:
- I am not in a technical field — what AI skills will employers expect me to have?
- How do I demonstrate to employers that I can use AI tools responsibly and with good judgment?
How do I talk about my AI skills in an interview in a way that shows critical thinking, not just familiarity with tools?
October 21, 2026 | 2:00 - 2:30 pm
- Join Beyond Graduate School for this webinar where we’ll explore how you can use LinkedIn effectively as part of your job search. We’ll discuss the 3 most common mistakes master’s students make when using LinkedIn, and what to do instead. This webinar is designed for master’s students from all academic backgrounds who are wondering:
- What are the most common mistakes master’s students make on LinkedIn, and how do I avoid them?
- How do I reach out to people on LinkedIn without my messages being ignored?
What should I actually be doing on LinkedIn to move my job search forward?
November 4, 2026 | 2:00 - 2:30 pm
Join Beyond Graduate School for this webinar on how to stand out in an AI-driven job market. You’ll learn why a strategic and personalized approach to your job search will get better results than relying on AI tools, and ways you can still use AI thoughtfully in your job search. This webinar is designed for master’s students from all academic backgrounds who are wondering:
- What are the risks of using AI in my job search?
- What makes a candidate stand out in a highly competitive job market?
- What are effective job search strategies that help master’s students land interviews?
- How can I use AI in my job search without losing my own voice or my ability to stand out?
November 4, 2026 | 2:00 - 2:30 pm
- Join Beyond Graduate School for this webinar designed specifically for international master’s students who are considering working in Canada or the United States after graduation. This webinar is designed for master’s students from all academic backgrounds who are wondering:
- What do I need to know about working in Canada or the US as an international student?
- How is the job search process different for international students compared to domestic students?
What steps can I take right now to prepare for my job search as an international student?
December 14-17, 2026 | 2:00 - 2:30 pm
- This two-part webinar series is designed specifically for master’s students with 5 or more years of professional experience. This two-part webinar series is designed specifically for master’s students with 5 or more years of professional experience. Register for the series that best matches your situation:
- Strategies for Career Changers (For master’s students who are completing their degree to move into a new career field)
- December 14: How to Use Your Master’s Degree to Successfully Move Into a New Career Field
- December 15: How to Build a Professional Network in a Field Where You Have No Connections
- Strategies for Career Advancers (For master’s students who are completing their degree to advance in their current career field)
- December 16: How to Use Your Master’s Degree to Get a Promotion or a More Senior Role
- December 17: How to Build and Use Your Network to Find Better Career Opportunities
Still Have Questions?
Development, Engagement, Careers, Wellness and Workshops
Assistant Dean Karin Jordan jordan.1193@osu.edu