Professional Development Workshops
Career and Professional Development and the Graduate School offers many workshops designed for graduate students. Find more information below about upcoming workshops.
Get Career Fair Ready: What Graduate Students Need to Know
Thursday, August 28th 11-12 EST, Virtual
Fall career fairs start September 3rd—are you ready to stand out? This workshop will walk you through how to research employers, craft your pitch, and make a confident first impression. You'll leave with practical tips to help you navigate career fairs like a pro! Learn more and register here.
Get Your Résumé Ready: Essentials for Graduate Students
Tuesday, September 2nd 1-2 EST, Virtual
A well-polished resume is an important step toward getting an interview. Start preparing early to be ready for Fall career fairs. This workshop will provide tips for crafting an effective resume. The session will also include information on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and the use of generative AI tools to support your writing process. Learn more and register here.
Get Your Career Plan Ready: Career Research and Exploration for Graduate Students
Tuesday, September 9th 11-12 EST, Virtual
This workshop is designed for graduate students who want to clarify their current career goals or explore new possibilities. We’ll cover strategies and tools for identifying strengths and values, researching career options, and setting goals. Learn more and register here.
Graduate Students: Get Your CV Ready
Tuesday, September 16th 12-1 EST, Virtual
Learn how to structure and format your academic CV for faculty and research positions. This session will provide practical tips and examples to help you present your academic experience effectively. Learn more and register here.
Graduate Students: Get Ready to Make AI Work for You
Thursday, September 25th 1-2 EST, Virtual
Curious about how AI can support your career and professional goals? This workshop will introduce practical ways to use generative AI tools for tasks like resume writing, job search, and interview preparation. The session will also discuss how to use generative AI responsibly and ethically. Learn more and register here.
Get Ready for the Job Search: Tips and Tools for Graduate Students
Tuesday, September 30th 1-2 EST, Virtual
This workshop provides an overview of key steps, best practices, and effective strategies for a successful job search. Topics include gap analysis, parallel planning, informational interviews, and networking. The session will also highlight helpful resources such as Handshake, CareerShift, and GoinGlobal. Learn more and register here.
Get Interview Ready: Strategies for Graduate Students
Tuesday, October 7th 12-1 EST, Virtual
This workshop covers the interview process and offers practical tips to help you prepare and perform with confidence. You'll learn a clear formula for answering behavioral questions and explore strategies for managing interview anxiety. Whether you're preparing for your first interview or looking to improve your approach, this session will help you feel more ready! Learn more and register here.
Graduate Students: Get Ready to Negotiate
Thursday, October 16th 12-1 EST, Virtual
This workshop explores key factors to consider when making career decisions and introduces effective, professional approaches to negotiation. Participants will also learn best practices for following up on job offers—whether accepting or declining—and discover online tools for researching cost of living and salary ranges. Learn more and register here.
If you need an accommodation, please contact Dr. Suzanne Shelburne at sshelbur@vt.edu
Writing Series: Writing Sessions for Every Stage
Designed for graduate students in a writing phase at any level!
This series offers a variety of structured and flexible sessions to support your writing journey. Whether you’re seeking a structured writing period, a focused environment, or the freedom to drop in as needed, our offerings cater to diverse needs. From facilitated workshops and Pomodoro sessions to quiet, open writing spaces, this series allows you to develop skills, boost productivity, and bring your ideas to life. Embrace the chance to write, connect, and grow in a community dedicated to creative and academic excellence.
All-Day Writing Retreats | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Graduate Life Center
Pre-registration is required for each event*[You will receive a confirmation of your registration within 1-3 days after you submit the registration form]
Snacks, Coffee, and Lunch will be provided for registered participants
- Wednesday, September 3 - Register Here
- Tuesday, October 7
- Tuesday, November 18
- Thursday, December 4
Three Options for the All-Day Writing Retreat
- Facilitated Workshop | workshop in the morning, writing session in the afternoon
- Facilitated Pomodoro Writing Session
- Open, Quiet Writing Session [Recommended for Experienced Writers]
Zoom options available for all sessions
Open Writing Drop-In Hours | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
Need a flexible writing space? Drop in during open hours to work at your own pace in a quiet, supportive environment—no registration required!
Snacks and coffee will be provided during all sessions.
- Monday, September 8
- Thursday, September 11
- Monday, September 15
- Thursday, September 18
- Monday, September 22
- Thursday, September 25
- Monday, September 29
- Thursday, October 2
- Monday, October 13
- Thursday, October 16
- Monday, October 20
- Thursday, October 23
- Monday, October 27
- Thursday, October 30
- Monday, November 10
- Thursday, November 13
- Monday, November 17
- Thursday, November 20
This event is intended for graduate students.
If you have any questions, please contact wdh@vt.edu.
The Individual Development Plan (IDP) concept is designed to help students define and pursue their career goals. Throughout the academic year, Dr. Surprenant leads this interactive workshop in-person and virtually. Learn what an IDP is, why IDPs are useful, and provide some tools for you to get started on making your own. Please note: NSF GRFP grantees are required to have an IDP on file with the Graduate School. View slides from this workshop.
This two-part workshop series is designed to foster professional development in graduate students planning to work in research intensive fields, whether in academia, government, or industry organizations. Graduate students will learn how to make their research more competitive, find funding opportunities, and make their research and themselves more visible and impactful for their graduate careers and beyond.
Workshop 1: Presented by Connie Stovall and Sarah Over
October 15, 2025, 3-5 pm EST. Zoom
- Strengthen your research through conducting research intelligence:
- Employ smart and effective use scholarly literature databases
- Conduct a basic patent and patent application search for existing technologies
- Use tools effectively for maintaining awareness of funding opportunities and conduct retrospective
- Utilize market reports to understand trends and gaps in STEM fields
- Find collaborators to strengthen your research
Register here.
Workshop 2: Presented by Rachel Miles and Emily Mazure
Nov 13, 2025, 3-5 EST. Zoom
- Strengthen your research visibility and impact:
- Manage your researcher profiles: what they are, why they matter, and how to manage them to your advantage: ORCID, Virginia Tech Experts, Scopus, Google Scholar
- Select publication venues for maximum visibility and impact
- Share or publish your work Open Access
- Promote presentations and publications for greater visibility and impact
- Understand research metrics and altmetrics: pros and cons
Register here.
Writing Series: Writing Sessions for Every Stage
Designed for graduate students in a writing phase at any level!
This series offers a variety of structured and flexible sessions to support your writing journey. Whether you’re seeking a structured writing period, a focused environment, or the freedom to drop in as needed, our offerings cater to diverse needs. From facilitated workshops and Pomodoro sessions to quiet, open writing spaces, this series allows you to develop skills, boost productivity, and bring your ideas to life. Embrace the chance to write, connect, and grow in a community dedicated to creative and academic excellence.
All-Day Writing Retreats | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | Graduate Life Center
Pre-registration is required for each event*
Snacks, Coffee, and Lunch will be provided for registered participants
- Thursday, January 30 | Register Here
- Thursday, February 27 | Registration Will Open 2-3 Before Event
- Thursday, March 20 | Registration Will Open 2-3 Before Event
- Thursday, April 24 | Registration Will Open 2-3 Before Event
- Reading Day Writing Retreat, May 8 | Registration Will Open 2-3 Before Event
Three Options for the All-Day Writing Retreat
- Facilitated Workshop | workshop in the morning, writing session in the afternoon
- Facilitated Pomodoro Writing Session
- Open, Quiet Writing Session [Recommended for Experienced Writers]
Zoom options available for all sessions
Open Writing Drop-In Hours | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | Graduate Life Center
Need a flexible writing space? Drop in during open hours to work at your own pace in a quiet, supportive environment—no registration required!
Snacks and coffee will be provided during all sessions.
- Tuesday, February 4 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Monday, February 10 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room D
- Tuesday, February 18 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Tuesday, March 4 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Wednesday, March 12 [Spring Break] | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Tuesday, March 18 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Tuesday, April 1 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Wednesday, April 9 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Tuesday, April 15 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
- Tuesday, April 29 | Graduate Life Center, Meeting Room C
This event is intended for graduate students.
If you have any questions, please contact brogan@vt.edu
New Faculty Hire Conversation Series 2025
As another faculty application period approaches in Fall 2025, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will host a series of new faculty hire conversations with individuals who have recently navigated the faculty job market to land assistant professor positions at Virginia Tech and beyond.
Attendees can hear about former postdocs' experience applying for faculty positions and are encouraged to come with questions on navigating the faculty job market. A variety of fields will be represented across the series which, aims to provide space for more personal conversations with new faculty hires. Each 1-hour session will be held over Zoom and will feature one new faculty member.
Attendees can register for sessions aligned with their field or all sessions to gain a wider perspective on the faculty job search and interview process.
Find the events here.