Career Toolkit for Graduate Students
Explore our guidebook for converting your academic CV into a resume, along with grad-focused programs such as workshops and events to strengthen your job materials, build skills, and grow your network before entering the job market.
CV to Resume Guidebook
Most graduate students applying to industry roles submit a shortened CV and wonder why they don’t hear back. This guidebook shows you why that approach doesn’t work and gives you a proven framework for building a resume that does.
Inside you will find:
- Side-by-side CV and resume examples with annotations explaining every decision
- A four-part bullet formula with examples across humanities, STEM, health sciences, and public policy
- Metric frameworks for quantifying research and teaching impact
- Full annotated CV and the resume it became, side by side
- Optional AI prompts in every section to accelerate your drafting
- A Quick Reference Checklist to audit your resume before you submit
Professional Development Resources
Hands-on sessions and ongoing programs to strengthen your job materials, teaching, and writing practice
Career Design Workshops are a multi-week sequence of one-hour professional development workshops for graduate students. The workshops are designed to address career goals beyond academia by engaging in discussions and activities that help students plan and implement their professional goals
University Center for Teaching and Learning provides extensive support specifically tailored for graduate students, particularly those serving as Teaching Assistants (TAs) or aspiring to academic careers. They equip graduate students with structured training, inclusive teaching resources, credential-building opportunities, and ongoing support—empowering them to excel as instructors and bolstering their preparation for future academic roles.
The Writing Institute offers several options for graduate students to cultivate a sustainable writing practice, including individual consultations at the Writing Center, Project Camp, Writing Days, and Writing Accountability Groups.
Programs tailored to your field, from health sciences to humanities to STEM teaching.
Help! I’m A Scientist is an online resource supported an NIH Institutional Development Award which houses articles written by graduate and postdoctoral scientists on topics such as choosing a research group, reading the literature, picking research questions, writing papers, presenting work, work/life balance, and more.
Humanities Engage embeds humanities graduate students in experiential, professionally grounded work, backed by strong mentorship and institutional resources as a bridge from scholarship to broader career paths.
Pitt-Center for Integrating Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) mission is to enhance excellence in STEM undergraduate education through the development of future faculty. Sign-up for CIRTL’s Weekly Happenings to receive weekly newsletters on upcoming professional development opportunities available to Pitt PhD students, postdocs, and faculty. Students can also receive non-degree certificates in STEM teaching.
Office of Academic Career Development, Health Sciences (OACD) provides application preparation resources for those interested in pursuing academic faculty positions in the health sciences. Their Career Development Series lists recorded and upcoming webinars on career-specific topics for academic and non-academic job seekers.
Ongoing mentorship, funding guidance, and career resources beyond the classroom
University Graduate Professional Development Events Calendar provides a list of upcoming graduate events and workshops to support teaching, research, and professional development.
The Office of the Provost – Graduate Studies Team offers resources for funding, mentoring best practices, support resources, and professional development.
University Library System hosts workshops and events on topics that include scholarly communication, copyright, and grant funding.
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) is a nationally recognized, independent organization that provides online career development and mentoring resources not just for faculty but for postdocs, and graduate students as well. The University of Pittsburgh’s institutional membership with the NCFDD means that you can register and claim your membership for free.
