Core Skill: Career Development

Career Development is the process through which people develop and achieve professional goals. It involves assessing one’s career values, interests, and skills and actively exploring career fields of interest through networking, mentorship, and gaining relevant professional experiences to expand one’s competencies.

Light blue background with white icons of a briefcase, globe, lightbulb, apple, compass, speech bubble, heart, and groups of people scattered throughout.
  • Rackham Resources

    Rackham offers several annual career-development programs, including:

    Rackham Embedded Coordinator for Graduate Student Career Advancement

    Kirsten Elling and Anna Wagner provide career coaching, advising, and programming to doctoral students in order to help them navigate challenges and build a successful career. You can schedule an appointment with Drs. Elling and Cavnar on the Career Center website.

    Gear Your Career

    At this two-hour event held annually in January, participants take professional headshots, get business cards printed, and/or consult briefly with a U-M career and professional-development expert on their LinkedIn profile. This event is open to master’s and doctoral students.

    Ph.D. Connections

    This one-day, multidisciplinary career conference is held annually in April to support doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in their exploration of career paths beyond academe. Participants learn about career opportunities beyond the professoriate through interactive sessions with Ph.D.s working in diverse fields and workshops focused on career exploration and job search preparation.

    Rackham Workshops

    Rackham also regularly offers workshops on career-development topics, including future-faculty workshops and alumni career conversations. Check the Rackham events page for these regular programs and workshops.

  • Campus Resources

    Back to Top

    CRLT Preparing Future Faculty Web Resources

    Academic careers, writing a teaching philosophy, productivity in grad school.

    University Career Center

    Confidential career consultations and workshops on diverse career options.

    Rackham-CRLT May Seminar on Preparing Future Faculty

    Nationally recognized program to prepare Ph.D. candidates for the academic job search and faculty positions.

    NextProf

    Michigan Engineering workshops to strengthen and diversify the next generation of academic leaders.

    Innovation Partnerships Licensing Fellows Program

    Fellows work part-time to assist Innovation Partnerships licensing specialists to assess the technical and market potential of new U-M inventions.

    Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

    Career and professional development for biomedical post-baccalaureate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees.

    Imagine PhD

    Career exploration and planning for humanities and social-science doctoral students.

    MyIDP

    Career exploration and Individual Development Plan tool for STEM doctoral students.

Contact Us

Hours: Professional Development and Engagement is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is closed Saturdays and Sundays and on university holidays.

  • Location
    1530 Rackham Building
    915 E. Washington St.
    Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070

  • Contact
    Phone: 734.647.4013
    Fax: 734.936.2848
    Email: [email protected]