Navigating Graduate School and Beyond

Preface vii

1 Introduction 1

2 Sowing 7

Cast a Vision 7

Do a SWOT 10                                                                               

Avoid the Resume 14

3 Your Advisor and You 19

What Your Advisor Expects From You 19

Manage Your Advisor 22

4 Skills 29

Work Ethics for a Graduate Student 29

Take Initiative: Becoming a Resource Center 32

Take Ownership 35

Work Hard and Smart 37

Be Whole 42

5 Organize 47

Now Is the Time 47

Manage Your Time 49

Beat the Stress 53

Don't Get Weary 56

6 Writing 61

Ditch the Dissertation 61

Write a Paper 65

7 Proposals 75

Why Write a Proposal 75

Budgets 80

The Actual Proposal 85

Top Ten Dos for Proposal Writing 92

Proposal Review Process 93

Proposal Evaluation 97

8 Communicating 101

Learn to Talk 101

Conferences 107

9 Teams 115

Pick Your Team 115

Become a Team Player 118

10 Jobs 125

Danger of Not Finishing 125

Staying on 126

Postdoc 129

Get a Job 130

Job Interview 139

11 Career Exercises 147

Job Hunting and CV Exercises 147

Proposal Writing Exercises 147

12 Concluding Thoughts: The Final Word 149

Index 153