How to finish and get a job, then live

happily ever after…

Dongho Kim
October 10, 2001

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Before Defense

• When to take the defense?

 Ask your advisor

• What to prepare?
 Defense packet
– Pick up from graduate school (GFS 300)
 Thesis committee
– Three or more faculty members

• Scheduling
 Takes some time

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Before Defense

• Draft of the thesis

 To the committee members
 At least three weeks in advance

• Meet with committee before the defense

 Bring slides
– Go through at least first seven slides
 Answer questions
 Find out their concerns in advance

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Before Defense

• Practice talks (dry-runs)

 As many as you can
 Alone first
 With group members
 With advisor
 With different audiences
• Seven slides rule
• Backup slides

• Defense announcement through the department

 Lorraine

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Finishing vs. Job hunting

• It is hard to do both

• So, you might want to consider finishing first, and

 then concentrate on finding a job

• However, job hunting takes time.

 Sometimes, quite long time,
 Especially when the economy is not good.

• Trade-offs

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During the defense

• Be confident!
 You are the one who knows about your thesis most.

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After defense

• Getting signatures
• Submit thesis to graduate school
 Thesis editor  another signature
 Degree Progress dept.  check the requirements

• Graduating consists of two parts

 Oral, and
 Written

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Job searching

• Get connections
 Introduce yourself to other people at conferences
 Introduce yourself to the speaker at seminars
 Get to know your colleagues

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Job searching - Academia

• Start early
 For fall semester/quarter,
 September – January
• Research area
• Publications
• GPA

• Research schools vs. Teaching schools

• Consider research labs also

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Job - Academia

• Interview
 Among 5 or 6
 Talk
 Meeting with faculty
• Have research agenda for the next five years or so
 During the talk and meetings
 Potential future collaboration
• Know your research needs
 Equipment
 Support for students
 Make sure the school is willing to provide those

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Job searching - Industry

• Prepare several versions of resumes

• Customized cover letters
 Do not waste time on the positions that do not match
• Learn about the companies in advance
• Knowing someone inside is a BIG plus

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Job searching - Industry

• Interviews are different than that of academia

• No formal talks, but
• Very short, but carefully prepared talks
 Several versions with different lengths
• Technical questions
 Refresh your memory
• Strange questions
• Phone interviews
• Prepare questions
 Technical
 HR

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Making decision

• Two-body problems
• Timing
 Scheduling is important

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Good Luck!

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