Advancing Beyond
For advanced graduate students preparing for the transition to professional roles.
Student
Establish or join a dissertation support group
Serve on the UNL Graduate Student Association executive committee
- As you write your dissertation, some of the best support will come from students who are in the middle of their dissertation as well. If your department does not offer a dissertation support group, start one.
Serve on the UNL Graduate Student Association executive committee
Teacher
Researcher
Write a grant proposal
Apply for postdoc fellowships
Apply for postdoc fellowships
- Postdoctoral opportunities provide beneficial experience for recent graduates. Postdocs have the opportunity to participate in collaborative, funded research which often leads to publication. The Office of Postdoctoral Studies provides valuable resources for students seeking a postdoc position at UNL.
Professional
Begin to finalize your application packet
Participate in the Preparing Future Faculty program
Organize and practice job talks and arrange for a mock job interview
Volunteer to serve on your department's faculty search committee
- As you begin seeking post graduate school employment, you will be required to submit and application typically including: cover letter, curriculum vita, sealed letters of recommendation, transcripts and other materials that will vary depending on the position. At this stage, you should be contacting your recommenders and finalizing your cover letter and curriculum vita.
Participate in the Preparing Future Faculty program
- PFF fellows are advanced doctoral students selected by each participating department. The first part of the program is a five-week, on-campus summer seminar. The second part takes place over the fall semester, as students make two to four visits to a partner campus and participate in various mentoring activities. Fellows may opt for a spring mentoring activity at a second campus.
Organize and practice job talks and arrange for a mock job interview
- During the interview process, every encounter you have with faculty should be a quality encounter. You may have ten minutes to talk to a faculty member and you may have twenty. Use practice job talks and mock interviews as a way to practice talking about your research and teaching experiences in variety of different time frames.
- Before your mock interview, meet with your advisor to discuss which questions are most common for your field and the type of institutions that have asked you for an interview.
Volunteer to serve on your department's faculty search committee
