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PhD Career Ladder Program
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About PCLP

What is PCLP?

The Stony Brook University PhD Career Ladder Program (PCLP) is a peer-led career mentoring program for grad students and postdocs pursuing any career pathway. PCLP was founded by graduate students in the MCB program.

PCLP helps participants set aside a few hours each week to develop a framework for their job search. Biweekly meetings guide participants “up the ladder” of career exploration from self-assessment to career research and skill identification, to informational interviewing, to resume crafting.

Who should participate?

PCLP is open to all Stony Brook graduate students and postdocs. It is best suited to those preparing to transition to the next phase of their career. For doctoral students, that may be in your third or fourth year. For master's students, we recommend any time before you last semester since it's most useful before you actually have to start applying for jobs. For postdocs, we recommend as early as possible.

PCLP can help you plan for any career field you might be considering, whether inside or outside of academia, and can help you add career development goals to your annual IDP. Participants may choose from several PCLP groups each semester and summer.

When does PCLP start?

PCLP runs every Fall, Spring and Summer and meets every two weeks for 1.5 hours. In Fall and Spring, it runs as a 0-1 credit course, GRD 510, and in the summer, as standalone groups.

Enroll directly in SOLAR for GRD 510, and to join in the summer, contact us.

What are the seven steps of PCLP?

PCLP follows the Seven-Step Curriculum structure below:

  1. Self-Assessment: Identify interests, skills, and values, and use them to focus on careers that fit with your assessment.
  2. Career Match Research: Investigate careers compatible with your self-assessment to promote the greatest satisfaction.
  3. Informational Interviews: Gain first-hand knowledge about a career of interest by interviewing real people with that job.
  4. Skills Identification & Building: Identify core skills required in a career of interest, use transferable skills from graduate training, and enhance technical skills.
  5. CV & Resume Crafting: Update your CV and customize a resume for a target job, aided by peer review and feedback from industry experts.
  6. Networking: Learn strategies to engage new networks, to control your online presence, and to create your personal branding.
  7. Career Goals Planning: Develop a plan with concrete next steps to continue your career development.

How can I learn more?

If you have further questions, contact us. You are also invited to attend our information sessions before the start of each semester.