Career & Professional Development
Welcome to Career & Professional Development at OGPS!
The Career & Professional Development (CPD) team supports trainees throughout their career exploration and professional development journey. Our offerings include individual advising, professional development workshops, cohort-based learning, career exploration panels, and more. Feel free to check the additional resources at the bottom of the page.
Want to talk?
The CPD Team provides FREE and unlimited 1:1 advising appointments with personalized career coaching and guidance.



About Us
Our team offers weekly seminars, workshops, and panels to meet trainee needs for academic and professional success.
We embrace the University of Michigan’s vision of developing “leaders who will challenge the present and enrich the future,” and follow an interdisciplinary approach toward our program and resource development. Our model uses a rigorous and tailored approach in our intentionally planned programs to meet the needs of our graduate, postdoctoral, and post-baccalaureate communities. Our programs are intended to empower learners in the eight competency areas using a hands-on approach. Because of the current diversity in interests, opportunities, and outcomes, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows need to be exposed to many different career paths. We ensure that every member of our academic community can develop the necessary professional skills and use the best resources available to enhance their current training outcomes and to smoothly transition into their chosen career paths.

Additional Career Resources
Your Portfolio: CVs, Resumes & Cover Letters
University of Michigan Resources
Applying and Interviewing
Interview Etiquette
- U-M University Career Center Interview Resources
- “Job Hunting in Industry: Searching, Applying, Interviewing, and Negotiating for a Science Position in Biotech and Pharma” – Bill Lindstaedt (UCSF)
- National Postdoc Association Interviewing Resources
- Yale University Illegal Interview Questions
- Duke University Postdoc Interviews & Negotiating Resources
- Penn Career Services 10 strategies for more effective interviewing
Self-Assessment
- Individual Development Plan (IDP): a free tool to help align your skills, interests, and values with career options.
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): an online assessment to help you identify what motivates you and how you interact with the world around you.
- PathwayU by jobZology: an online platform that helps identify passions, values, interests, and skills to guide career decisions.
Cohort Programs
- BCDP:
- The Biotech Career Development Program (BCDP), formerly the Biotech Career Exploration Program, is a structured program
to educate, train, and provide career exposure to many aspects of biotechnology outside of the traditional academic tenure-track faculty position. There will be multiple sessions per month (each an hour and a half in length, generally). Some sessions will be a panel discussion focused on different career sectors. Other sessions will be focused on skill building. Applications will be available in the spring of 2024.
- The Biotech Career Development Program (BCDP), formerly the Biotech Career Exploration Program, is a structured program
- You3:
- A Leadership and Management Program for Postdocs is a structured program aimed at filling a critical need in postdoc
professional development for current training and future career success. This program is designed by postdocs for postdocs under the guidance of OGPS’ Associate Director of Professional Development & Trainee Support. Using statistical tools to analyze survey data and aligning them with pedagogical best practices, this program is structured as eight 1.5-hour weekly modules to develop mastery in three aspects of management and leadership. These modules will be facilitated by topic experts. The program will be enriched with effective tools and case-studies to provide learning opportunities for participants. The 2024 cohort information will be announced in early 2024).
- A Leadership and Management Program for Postdocs is a structured program aimed at filling a critical need in postdoc
Fellowships and Funding Resources
Professional Development Resources
Maas Professional Development Award – The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies supports our graduate students in professional development opportunities such as non-scientific conferences and workshops. Eligible applicants will be students in good academic standing who are actively pursuing a degree in one of the 14 degree-granting programs within PIBS. Application deadlines are rolling and will be reviewed on a first-come basis. Grants are up to $500.
Postdoc Professional Development Award – The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies provides support for postdoctoral trainees to pursue professional development opportunities. All Michigan Medicine Postdoctoral Fellows are eligible. Application deadlines are rolling and will be reviewed at the end of each month. Grants are up to $500.
Rackham Professional Development Grant – Looking for funding for professional development workshops, training, or activities? Apply for a Professional Development Grant. Application deadlines are rolling. Grants are up to $400.
Postdoctoral Fellow Travel Award – The Office of Postdoctoral Studies provides $500 travel support to Postdoctoral Fellows whose first author abstracts are selected for oral or poster sessions at a conference or meeting. Each year, 20 travel grants will be awarded. Applications are due January 31 for meetings March 1-June 30. Applications are due May 15 for meetings July 1-December 31.
Additional Resources
Michigan Medicine Corporate and Foundation Relations Funding Opportunities – The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations within Michigan Medicine is a centralized office that helps to foster relationships between Michigan Medicine and companies and private professional foundations. The office helps faculty and external funding partners connect and collaborate to advance mutual goals that align with the university’s research, teaching, and clinical care mission.
Postdoctoral Funding Opportunities compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Negotiating
Negotiating Offers & Salary
- Negotiating an Academic Position – Drs. Kassandra Ori-Mckenney, Omar Quintero, Raychelle Burks, Mónica Feliú-Mójer – iBiology Professional Development
- Yale University Job Offers & Salary Negotiation
- U-M University Career Center Evaluating and Negotiating Offers
- Harvard University How to Negotiate Salary: 3 Winning Strategies
Communication
- Broad Institute CommKit
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Communication Toolkit
- Revamp Your LinkedIn Resources
- Elevator Pitch Resources