Plan for Success
Career Readiness
Start early in your college career to gain skills employers are looking for. Schedule a meeting with an Engineering Career Center Advisor at 785-864-3891 or ecc@ku.edu
- Are you prepared for workplace success?
- Career Readiness Defined - provided by NACE
- Workplace Competencies for the Greater Kansas City region (pdf) - provided by KC Rising
Career Accelerator Lecture Series
- The KU Engineering Career Accelerator Lecture Series launched in Fall 2020 to help students develop professional skills such as leadership, teamwork and communication that are often not part of a regular classroom environment. The series features lectures from School of Engineering advisory board members who share their insight on a range of topics designed to promote career success.
The Job & Internship Search Process
- Strategies for a Successful Job Search (docx)- Accessible Version in Word
- Graduating in a Pandemic: Advice for the Anxious Post-College Job Search - NPR
- What Does the Coronavirus Pandemic Mean for Your Job Search? - The Muse
- Resources to Help You Navigate the Challenges of Today's Job Market - LinkedIn Learning
Networking
- Build a Great Profile (pdf) (tip sheet)
- Top Five Profile To-do's for LinkedIn (~ 1minute video)
- Using LinkedIn to Find a Job or Internship (pdf)
Increase your visibility and virtual network:
- Sign up and network through KU Mentoring.
First days & months on the Job or Internship
- Your First Year on the Job
- Five Tips for the First Day of your Internship - provided by NACE
Graduate Student Career Planning
Prepare for career paths in industry as well as academe (both faculty and nonfaculty positions):
Professional development resources through KU:
- National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD): Learn strategic planning, explosive productivity, work-life balance and more.
- KU Center for Teaching Excellence: Develop and improve teaching practices.
- KU Office of Research
- Grants Process & Funding
Helpful articles for PhD candidates from The Chronicle of Higher Education:
- How to Read a Faculty Job Ad by Manya Whitaker, August 19, 2019
- From Doctoral Study to ... Administration by Jennifer S. Furlong and Julie Miller Vick, December 18, 2016
- From Doctoral Study to ... Institutional Research by Jennifer S. Furlong and Julie Miller Vick, August 30, 2017
- 4 Tips on Applying for Jobs Outside of Academe by Ben Dumbauld, December 11, 1019
- The First Steps to a Nonfaculty Job Search by Julie Miller Vick and Jennifer S. Furlong, April 20, 2016
- Using Your Last Two (or More) Years Wisely by Julie Miller Vick and Jennifer S. Furlong, July 9, 2014
- Hedging Your Bets by Julie Miller Vick and Jennifer S. Furlong, March 11, 2015
- Graduate School is a Means to a Job by Karen Kelsky, March 27, 2012
Helpful articles for PhD candidates from Cheeky Scientist:
- Best Industry Transition Articles for PhDs, February 22, 2020
- Top 10 Reference Websites for PhDs Transitioning Out of Academia into Industry Jobs by Cathy Sorbara
- Top 10 List of Alternative Careers for PhD Science Graduates by Arundodoy Sur
Engineering Licensure
In the United States, engineering boards at the state level award the P.E. license based on education, experience, and exams. Typically the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first step to becoming a professional licensed engineeer (P.E.):
FE Exam (available for students and recent graduates of ABET accredited programs):
- FE information & registration through NCEES
- Professional Licensing Boards - Links by state
- ABET accredited programs at KU
- Topic review materials available for check-out through Engineering Career Center (1410 LEEP2) - Chapters of FE Review Manuals by Michael R. Lindeburg