Grad School Career Exploration Workshop
Date & Time: October 11, 2019 | 02:00 AM – April 19, 2024 | 04:40 AM
Location: Nittany Lion Inn, Boardroom
The Graduate School at Penn State is hosting its annual Career Exploration Workshop on October 10, 2019, from 3:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Nittany Lion Inn, Boardroom. It is intended for currently-enrolled graduate students, including Penn State World Campus students and students at campuses other than University Park. Livestreaming will be available for both sessions. Participants are invited to join the panelists and members of the Graduate School Alumni Society’s Board of Directors for an informal Networking Reception at 6:15 p.m. This is also an opportunity for participants to network with their fellow graduate students.
Registration is open now until Friday, October 4, 2019. Registration for the workshop is required for all participants. All graduate students are invited to attend.
Panelists include Graduate School alumni who are leading professionals in their fields. A list of panelists is available on careerworkshop.psu.edu.
Career Exploration Workshop Schedule
4:00 p.m., Session I - The Journey to the Right Job: Where to Begin
How do you go about identifying the career path, much less the specific type of job, that you want to pursue? What is the best way to approach a job search: through networking, searching job listings, attending career fairs, all of the above? How do you market your skills once you have identified job opportunities both in your job application materials and during the interview process? Panelists will share effective career exploration experiences that provide insights into the many twists and turns that are inevitably associated with a search for employment that will provide personal satisfaction and professional fulfillment.
Panelists:
- Paula Bach, Principal User Research Manager at Microsoft
- Jon Lozano, Senior Advisor to the Dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University
- Melanie McReynolds, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Princeton University
- Lauren Wright, Assistant Director, Alumni Career Services, Penn State
5:15 p.m., Session II - Congratulations on the Job Offer(s)! Now What?
What are the factors that should be considered when comparing multiple job offers? What are the best approaches for negotiating your salary with your prospective employer? What other benefits, conditions, and opportunities associated with a job offer are negotiable? What are good strategies to employ when starting that new job to ease the process of learning the ropes and fitting into a new work environment and job culture? Before taking those first steps along the career path to success, aspiring professionals in any field must consider a variety of personal preferences and necessities. Panelists will provide insights into various factors that can influence the acceptance of a job offer, such as the size and location of the organization; work/life balance; and opportunities for advancement. Discussions will focus on the skills that job seekers need to have to successfully conclude the job search process.
Panelists:
- Craig Jackman, Vice President, Human Resources-Global Operations, Technology and EMEA Region, W.R. Grace
- Sharon Melzer, Strategic Policy Specialist, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, D.C.
- Becky Savikas, Global HR Business Partner, Automotive OEM Coatings and Procurement, PPG
- Lauren Wright, Assistant Director, Alumni Career Services, Penn State
6:15 p.m., Networking Reception
Faculty Staff Club, Lower Level, Nittany Lion Inn
Participants are invited to join the panelists and members of the Graduate School Alumni Society’s Board of Directors for an informal Networking Reception in the Alumni Fireside Lounge. This is also an opportunity for participants to network with their fellow graduate students.