Postdoc Essential Skills Series 2026
The Virginia Tech Office of Postdoctoral Affairs' Essential Skills Professional Development series is designed for Virginia Tech postdoctoral associates and other early career Ph.D.-trained researchers interested in learning more about how to leverage a variety of tools, resources, and approaches to assist in career exploration and job search process, craft effective application materials, interview effectively, and ultimately negotiate for a position that meets your needs.
The series will be held monthly at 12 - 1 p.m. Eastern via Zoom on the second Wednesday of the month, beginning on Jan. 14. NOTE: The March meeting will take place on the second Tuesday, a day earlier than scheduled.
What can a postdoc do with Ph.D. and postdoctoral training beyond becoming a faculty member? This workshop will focus on assessing skills, interests, and values; and how those can map to a variety of career paths after the postdoc experience. During the session, information regarding a FREE online assessment and career exploration tools will be provided to help plan for a variety of career possibilities.
Jan. 14 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
Learn the value of creating an Individual Development Plan to map out training and scholarly milestones in addition to planning for the next stage in the postdoc career path.
Feb. 11 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
Postdocs will learn how to engage effectively with former postdocs and other professionals through informational interviews to gain insights into career options and job search strategies.
Note: This event will take place on Tuesday, not the usual Wednesday.
Mar. 10 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for building a professional brand, identifying contacts for informational interviews, and connecting with recruiters seeking new talent.
This session will introduce attendees to the basics of creating a strong LinkedIn profile and offer strategies to help ensure attendees are discoverable to individuals and organizations seeking candidates to join their teams.
Apr. 8 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
Building off the April workshop on crafting an effective LinkedIn presence, this session will focus on leveraging LinkedIn for career exploration and networking purposes.
May 13 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
We will discuss how you can leverage generative artificial intelligence tools to aid in your career exploration process.
June 10 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
What makes an effective curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé—and how are they different?
In this interactive session, postdocs will learn the essential components of both documents and how their content and purpose differ. Having a well-prepared CV and résumé ready to tailor for job applications allows postdocs to respond quickly and confidently when opportunities arise.
July 8 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
While many job applications do not require a cover letter, designing an effective document that highlights the postdoc’s fit for a position can support the application. In this workshop, postdocs will learn about the key components of an effective cover letter, which can be relevant for those applying to both academic and non-academic positions.
Aug. 12 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
While networking can be perceived as extractive and stressful, this session will discuss strategies for attendees to build their network with a focus on connecting with people via curiosity and a desire to learn more about them and their work.
Sept. 9 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
This session will focus on tips and advice for navigating interviews with hiring managers.
Oct. 14 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
“Tell me about a time when…” is one of the most common prompts in job interviews.
This session will introduce a practical framework for developing story circles that highlight past experiences and accomplishments. Attendees will learn how to respond to behavioral interview questions in a way that clearly demonstrates their abilities and contributions.
Nov. 11 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY
Negotiations—whether about a starting salary or a specific aspect of work—don’t have to be adversarial.
This session will introduce strategies for structuring professional negotiations in a constructive and collaborative way, with the goal of “getting to yes.”
Dec. 9 | 12 - 1 p.m.
ONLINE-ONLY