1. The Gap Year: Tips, Considerations, and Experiences
Cindy Broderius, M.Ed., NCC
Duke University Career Center
March 3, 2015

2. Pathway For Tonight’s Discussion
Why a gap year(s)?
What factors should I think about?
What are my options?
Where can I find resources to identify options?
What is involved with the application process?
Is there a timeline for planning?
How can the Career Center help me?
Questions?

3. Questions From You?
What ideas have you been thinking about?

4. Why a Gap Year (or More)?
Focus on classes, research during 4 years of college
Strengthen your application to graduate school
Confirm a career decision
Develop or strengthen particular skills
Try something new
Take a break
Travel and meet new people
Strengthen application: CONSIDER: plan your experience with an ultimate goal in mind

5. Reflection: Imagine the Possibilities

6. What Factors Should I Think About?
9 Domains for Crafting Your
Gap Year(s) Experience
Knowledge
Skills
Goals
Values
Environment
Relationships
Compensation
Location
Challenges & Barriers
• think about these as different “lenses” through which you consider what you want the year to be
• refer to “Nine Domains…” handout; strongly encourage working through these aspects, and other areas that may be important for your consideration, by yourself

7. What Are My Options? For Example:
Study:
Scholarships and fellowships
Teaching:
Blue Engine Teaching Fellowship
Citizen Schools
City Year
• these various categories of “options” are also like looking through different lenses, e.g. inter-relationships among them
• STUDY: scholarships & fellowships of the study-based type; be sure to watch for application timelines—some of “big” ones have application dates before beginning of senior year (INFO SESSIONS re: Fulbright, Marshall, Rhodes, etc. next week)
• TEACHING: you may already have lots of teaching experience, see such an opportunity a great way to give back; large variety of programs, e.g. length, population, geographical location, etc. IMPORTANT: consider how your application timeline intersects with opportunity, e.g. how difficult will it be to travel for interviews, complete application process?

8. What Are My Options? For Example:
Fellowships:
Working
Domestic vs international
Sector most applicable to your goals
Interning:
Various industries, organizations
Short-term or longer
E.g. CDC’s Office of Minority Health & Health Equity; RTI International Metabolomics Group
• “FELLOWSHIP” can refer to many types of experiences; a “working” fellowship usually 1 to 2 years paid experience in wide variety of arenas, e.g. teaching, health, social justice, business, etc.
• OUSF post-graduate scholarship and fellowship database one invaluable resource, will be getting more populated with wider variety of opportunities
• INTERNING: can take place in wide variety of industries or organizations; may be what another organization calls “fellowship”—KEY: post-baccalaureate option; series of shorter-term internships strung together could comprise year of experience

9. What Are My Options? For Example:
Government:
ORISE opportunities for recent grads
USAJobs for Recent Grads = Pathways
Research:
NIH Post-baccalaureate IRTA (1-2 yr)
Research assistant/associate (1-2 yr)
Labs of interest at Duke or other institutions
ORISE, Pathways to Science
• RESEARCH: interest in further developing your research skills because you see yourself headed towards MD/PhD OR take a 1-2 year position in area of interest to further develop skills

10. What Are My Options? For Example:
Industry: what are your interests, goals?
Biomedical device
Biotechnology
Pharmaceutical
Start-ups
Life Science
• JOB: maybe you’re really interested in testing the waters of “the business side of healthcare” or you’re still vascillating between professional school and another option; working in that sector for a period of time gives valuable perspective on the work as well as helps clarify where passion really is

11. Where Can I Find Resources to Identify Options?
Online resources
People
Duke/Career Center events
See handout for examples of resources
to get you started…
• REFER TO HANDOUT for resources, we’ll go into more depth with search strategies at Tuesday’s workshop
• Many types of resources to tap in your explorations:
Internet: Google searches; websites of organizations, professional associations, other career centers
People: Duke gap year alums, Board of Advisors, DukeConnect, professors/researchers/former supervisors
Events: take advantage of on-campus info sessions and career fairs to talk with recruiters, e.g. fall fairs have lots of working fellowship reps, employers of interest

12. Online Search Strategies
Resources:
eRecruiting (Experience.com when alum)
LinkedIn for jobs
Job boards
OUSF and ProFellow scholarship & fellowship databases
Networking
Career Center website

13. Networking Strategies
Who:
Board of Directors
Faculty
Upperclassmen
Duke alums
Former supervisors, e.g. summer experiences, labs, jobs, etc.
Additional resources:
DukeConnect
LinkedIn, Duke University Alumni Network LI Group

14. Networking Strategies, cont.
How:
Informational interview
Networking opportunities, e.g. on campus, departmental, professional meetings, etc.
Important:
The power of keeping in touch
The power of thank you

15. What Have Other Duke Students Done?
Darya T’13: summer internship with metabolomics group at RTI International turned into full-time position; now at UCSF in pharmacology PhD program
Russell T’13: NIH Post-bac IRTA with National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; plans to pursue PhD

16. Documents For Application
Resume
Tailored to specific position
Transferable skills
Accomplishment statement = action + impact/result
Cover letter
Tell story of fit with examples
Personal Statement/Application Essays
Develop around provided prompts
Research program or position
Reflect: on yourself, past experiences, accomplishments

17. Letter of Interest Aka “prospecting letter” or “inquiry letter”
Sent to employers of interest, e.g. company/organization, laboratory, etc. who may be hiring but have not listed specific job posting
Include information on why lab/company interests you, why/how your skills and experience would be an asset to organization
Be specific—make the connection between you and organization
Helpful to include resume

18. Is There a Timeline For Planning?
YES! Be aware of deadlines, resources to track
Deadlines for some scholarships and fellowships are summer and early to mid-fall; may require institutional nomination
On-campus recruiting vs Just-in-Time hiring timelines different
Reflect, explore options, make supporting networking contacts early

19. Take For Example…NIH Post-bac IRTA
Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award
“Applying to the NIH Postbac Program” video presentation focuses on eligibility, application tips, and follow-up to be a successful candidate
PI research and networking

20. Take For Example…PREP (Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program)
Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program Institutions
Application submitted to each program
Application deadlines vary among schools

21. Take For Example…ORISE
ORISE = Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education
Internships + post-baccalaureate opportunities
Application strategy: monitor posted positions, create account, submit application materials

22. How Can the Career Center Assist Me?
Explore various options and develop effective search strategies
Assist with resume/cover letter/personal statement review
Mock interviews
Networking preparations
Appointments: 30-min counseling (F2F, phone, Skype) or 15-min drop-in
Alumni support up to 4 years out

23. Questions For Me?
What ideas have you been thinking about?

24. Career Center