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Cornell University

Career Services

Career Options

Review the brief descriptions of the career options below to start your brainstorming. Visit the Current Graduate Student Module in the Career Development Toolkit to learn about each of these career options in-depth and the resources that can help you gain more information about them.

Academic Careers

Many graduate students plan to pursue a career in academia after their graduate program. While Career Services provides support to review CVs and improve various skills that are important for careers in academia, the Cornell Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers Office offers comprehensive support and resources to prepare graduate students and postdoctoral scholars for academic careers. 

Cornell’s Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI) also provides support on teaching and learning practices for graduate students who want to enter academic careers. Visit CTI’s webpage to find out more about their services and programs. 

Careers Beyond Academia

When considering careers beyond academia, many people only think about the ultimate job search and application. While finding and applying for a suitable position are important steps, there are many other important components involved in launching a career. Visit the Career Services office to meet with the Graduate Student Career Advisor to develop a specific game plan that fits where you are and moves you towards the final goal. 

The Careers Beyond Academia Office in the Graduate School is dedicated to helping PhD students and postdocs from all disciplines make the most informed decisions about their career paths after Cornell. You are able to “test drive” your career ideas through experiential programs both on and off campus.

Read through the Graduate School Announcement that goes out every Monday evening for career workshops and job opportunities information.

Postdoctoral Careers

You may not be ready to enter the workforce right away after your current academic journey, so pursuing a postdoctoral position may be a good step to take to continue honing your skills before you start applying for positions elsewhere. Visit the Office of Postdoctoral Studies to get support for exploring a postdoctoral career. In addition, explore the offerings of the National Postdoctoral Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of postdoctoral experience.