ASU PhD Alumni Share Recommendations to prepare for the job market

This February, the Graduate College hosted  a Career Navigators Alumni Panel with a gathering of doctoral alumni who took different paths from varied disciplines into careers related to healthcare and medical communities.  

Sisi Gao, Ph.D. Biology (2017); Jana Wardian, Ph.D. Social Work (2015); Sarah Wherry, Ph.D. Physical Activity (2014) joined the Graduate College on February 24  for a discussion about their current roles.  

Dr. Gao, a Scientific Writer at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, currently works with colleagues to prepare grant applications, manuscripts and other written materials. Dr. Wardian, Assistant Professor at University of Nebraska Medical Center,  researches how to reduce the work of being a patient in collaboration with medical faculty.  Dr. Wherry, Research Faculty at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, has a joint appointment at University of Colorado and Veterans Affairs, conducting research and writing grants.   

The trio of alumni shared their journeys from completion of their Ph.D. programs to the pursuit of a profession, which involved reflection of their personal values and awareness of what motivated them, as well as feedback from faculty.  

For Gao, it was a compliment that she received on her writing that started her thinking about a career that focused on her communication skills rather than research that got her on the track to her current position. Wardian and Wherry noted that it was their willingness to reach out to individuals whose research they found compelling that launched their career trajectory.Alumni recommendations to prepare for the job market

When asked what they would recommend to students preparing to enter the job market, they noted that there are increased opportunities in the medical community, but new employees should be prepared for a hierarchical structure in many organizations. Suggestions shared for students approaching graduation included:

• Be persistent in applying.  If you have the skills but not the linear experience for the career that you pursue, you may need to submit multiple applications.  

• Do some reflection.What am I good at? What do I like doing? Reflection is really important in getting started, especially if you decide to follow a path beyond the academy.  

• If you pursue a postdoctoral position, distinguish yourself from the work of your P.I. so that you can demonstrate your independent contributions to research.   

• Be willing to network - even if that just means sending an email to ask for a Zoom meeting. Networking was stressed as a valuable asset to help students  find connections and position themselves well in the job market.  From the perspective of an employer, it is easier to consider someone for a position if you can put the name to a face. 

Thankfully, ASU has several resources that doctoral students can take advantage of to put some of these suggestions to work:

Start doing your personal career inventory:  Utilize MyIDP (for STEM fields) or ImaginePhD (for Social Sciences/Humanities fields).

Identify opportunities to network by signing up for Handshake through Career & Professional Development Services.