Career Coaching
The Postdoc Program has partnered with four amazing coaches to prepare customized coaching programs that qualify for the Postdoc Training Grant. If you are interested in pursuing any of these opportunities, please send an email request to pd-training@lbl.gov. Please note, coaching sessions are provided on a first come basis and subject to coaching availability.
Career Exploration Coaching
Dr. Josh Henkin
Coaching Description:
Dr. Henkin provides a multitude of coaching topics for early career professionals who are exploring jobs, building their "brand," and developing their skills and talents in preparation for employment and networking. Josh provides 3 different coaching series, each with various sessions and topics:
Series Topics
Career Exploration
Mastering the Essential Tools for Job Searching
I'm Ready To Apply For Jobs
Click here for details and coaching topics
To request coaching with Dr. Josh Henkin, please send an email to pd-training@lbl.gov. If approved, participants will submit payment for coaching fees to Dr. Henkin directly and complete this request for full reimbursement.
Personalized Writing Coaching
Dr. Jennifer Huber
Coaching Description:
This one-on-one coaching opportunity is available to Postdocs who attended the 'Writing in Science' workshop series. The personalized coaching plan will include one to two zoom sessions focused on specific writing topics. Possible writing topics include: English grammar, sentence structure, active voice, conciseness, plain English, outlining, document organization, proofreading, target audience, and writers block.
Dr. Huber will need a personal writing sample to review, such as a journal article, grant proposal, or technical report. The writing sample will be used to evaluate the Postdoc's writing and develop a personalized coaching plan.
Dr. Huber will review the writing sample in detail, and will work with the Postdoc to make revisions together with a focus on the selected topic. As part of the personalized coaching plan, Dr. Huber may also direct the Postdoc to outside resources (such as articles to read or short online courses to take). Dr. Huber may also provide some limited professional editing of the writing sample to guide the Postdoc.
To request coaching with Dr. Jennifer Huber, please send an email to pd-training@lbl.gov. If approved, coaching fees will be paid directly by the Postdoc Program. If you were unable to attend the 'Writing in Science' series and would like to participate in a future session, please send an email to pd-training@lbl.gov.
Career Coaching
Dr. Patti Meyer
Coaching Description:
Dr. Meyer provides career coaching topics for early career professionals who are exploring jobs in Industry, Non-Profits, and places beyond Academia. She also works on interviewing and offer-negotiation skills for a client headed to any sector (including academic-based careers). Dr. Meyer's coaching sessions will include two 60-minute appointments and three email exchanges within a 30-day timeframe. Written and verbal feedback will be provided to support the client’s next steps, and clients will have the opportunity to engage in active learning, such as practicing a phone interview.
Dr. Meyer uses a client-driven approach to developing the focus of the coaching sessions; the topics often deal with one of the following categories:
Navigating Your Career
Moving Beyond Academia
Representing Your Skills and Experiences
Click here for details and coaching topics
To request coaching with Dr. Patti Meyer, please send an email to pd-training@lbl.gov. If approved, coaching fees will be paid directly by the Postdoc Program.
Academic Career Coaching
Dr. Daniel Olson-Bang
Coaching Description:
Dr. Olson-Bang provides career coaching topics for early career professionals who are exploring jobs in Academia. Daniel's coaching topics include academic career search, academic application documents, interview prep, and academic job negotiations.
Academic Material Prep
All academic job documents can be reviewed in 3-4, 1-hour sessions. Two to three documents can be reviewed during a session (must be submitted in advance), with subsequent sessions offering opportunities to review new drafts of materials. CV, cover letter, teaching/research/diversity statements can be reviewed.
Academic Interview Prep
Hourly sessions can be used in preparation for screening interviews (Zoom or phone), or for on-campus interviews.
Sessions can be used to review chalk talks, teaching demos, job talks, and mock interviews.
Academic Job Negotiations
Preparation in anticipation of (or after receiving) an interview can be done in hourly sessions.
Ad hoc sessions can be completed via phone or Zoom for negotiations as they arise.
Multiple sessions can be used during the process to review offers and to determine successful strategies for optimizing opportunities that arise.
To request coaching with Dr. Olson-Bang, please send an email to pd-training@lbl.gov. If approved, coaching fees will be paid directly by the Postdoc Program.