Career Events

UChicagoGRAD treks provide interactive exposure to career paths through coordinated employer site visits. Trek participants learn about the work of several organizations and have opportunities to network with alumni and professionals in a given field. The theme and location of each trek differs, providing a narrowed focus for students with specific career interests.

PAST TREKS

2023

• Industry and Tech Trek, Seattle
• Learning Design Career Exploration Trek, Chicago
• PATHS Media and Publishing Trek, New York City

2022

• PATHS Humanists in Industry Trek, Virtual
• PATHS Careers in D.C. Trek, Virtual

2021

• PATHS Careers in Media and Publishing, Virtual
• PATHS Careers in Foundations Trek, Virtual

2020

• PATHS Think Tank Trek, Virtual
• High School Teaching Trek, Chicago
• Media, Arts, and Entertainment Trek, Los Angeles

2019

• International Affairs Trek, New York City
• Literary Careers Trek, New York City
• Think Tank Trek, Washington D.C.
• Kreisman Fellows Housing Trek, Atlanta

2018

• High School Teaching Trek, Chicago
• Think Tank Trek, Washington D.C.
• GRID Trek, Washington D.C.
• Arts and Culture Trek, Philadelphia

 2017

• Data Science Trek, San Francisco
• Think Tank Trek, Washington D.C.

The next Consulting Spring Training will be held May 12–16, 2025. Learn more and register for the first session.

Consulting Spring Training is a week-long event for graduate students and postdocs interested in careers in consulting. We begin with a session on the landscape of the consulting industry; offer workshops on resumes and cover letters, behavioral interviews, and case interviews; and finish the week with “Meet the Firms,” an opportunity for attendees to connect with recruiters and consultants from a variety of firms. Whether you are just starting to explore consulting or are working on job applications, this series can help you prepare for the next step in your process.

Social Science Research Careers off the Tenure Track

This event will next be held on January 18, 2024. Learn more and register in GRAD Gargoyle.

Social Science Research Careers off the Tenure Track showcases how UChicago social scientists can apply their research skills in careers in industry and nonprofits. The event features short presentations by alumni working in leading research organizations, including NORC and Mathematica. It also provides opportunities for students and postdocs to receive tailored career advice via one-on-one chats with presenters. 

Academic Job Market Summer Camp

July 14–18, 2025; 9:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (Monday & Friday on Zoom; Tuesday–Thursday in-person)

Are you curious about the academic job market, or are you planning to apply for academic jobs this fall? Build your knowledge and confidence by attending UChicagoGRAD’s Academic Job Market Summer Camp. You’ll receive advice from UChicagoGRAD, Office for International Affairs, and Chicago Center for Teaching and Learning, advisors as well as faculty from a range of institutions in the US and beyond. The camp features presentations on immigration options for international PhD students and postdocs interested in the US academic market, as well as a panel on pursuing faculty positions outside the US. Learn more about each day of the camp and RSVP below.

This event is suitable for PhD students and postdocs from all disciplines.

• Day 1: Intro, Hiring Panels, CVs, and Immigration Options (Zoom)
• Day 2: Cover Letters, Inclusion, and Managing Your Academic Job Search (in-person)
• Day 3: Research Statements, Teaching Statements, and Academic Websites (in-person)
• Day 4: Interviewing Best Practices, Demystifying Job Talks, and Interview Stories from Recent Hires Panel (in-person)
• Day 5: International Academe, Mission-Driven Institutions, and Postdocs (Zoom)

The College Teaching and Teaching Careers mini-conference will be held Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Navigating from a graduate program or postdoc into a teaching-focused faculty position can be an exciting professional and intellectual experience as well as a challenging, uncertain transition. This mini-conference will provide graduate students and postdocs with opportunities to explore teaching best practices, as well as what it means to pursue a faculty career at a teaching-focused institution.

Learn more and register.

Especially for international graduate students, postdocs, and recent graduate alumni, GRADUCon International features virtual panel discussions with UChicago alumni who have built careers in the United States and beyond. By centering the career decision-making processes and practical advice of alumni, GRADUCon International provides students and postdocs with touchpoints for navigating immigration systems, cultural norms, and more as they discern and pursue their professional goals. 

GRADUCon International 2026 will take place on April 2, 2026. 

SCHEDULE 

8:45–9:45 a.m. — Careers in Canada and the UK

10:00–11:00 a.m. — The U.S. Job Search (Humanities and Social Sciences)

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. — The U.S. Job Search (STEM)

8:00–9:00 p.m. — Careers in Asia