VSPA and LBL Career Pathways Office team up for another successful Postdoc Career Fair

August 20, 2024
Choekyi Lhamo

Career Fair event with multiple tables and attendees sitting around tables.The UC Berkeley Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA) Office in collaboration with the Berkeley Lab Career Pathways Office co-sponsored their annual 2024 Postdoc Career Fair on Friday, August 9, 2024 with over 250 attendees participating at the UC Berkeley campus.

Opening remarks by UC Berkeley Vice Chancellor for Research, Dr. Katherine Yelick and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Deputy Director Carol Burns kicked off the event. The keynote speaker Dr. Keith Yamamoto, Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy from UC San Francisco, gave the introductory speech at the career fair. Another anticipated highlight was the popular CV and Resume Clinic of the day-long fair that aimed to bring together UC Berkeley visiting scholars, postdocs, and Berkeley Lab postdocs for an assessment of their professional bios. 

The clinic with 13 volunteer reviewers from UC Berkeley and the Berkeley Lab met with around 100 postdocs and visiting scholars from both campuses to review their CVs and resumes. The participants were provided with career advice for their respective fields and given professional guidance during their one-on-one meetings. 

The industry panel was packed with curious fellows from different fields. Experts including Jim Ciston from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, principal engineer at Exponent Erwin Lau, PPG Research Associate Ross Moretti, and KLA Principal Research Scientist James Spallas gave their presentations. The packed room saw over 75 participants who engaged and asked questions about their career paths after discussions on their specific topics from each panelist. 

Employers manned exhibit booths in the afternoon to share information about why their companies stand out as a great place to work. Participants roamed the exhibition hall to meet with recruiters and other representatives to ask questions and possibly schedule interviews for open positions.

The fair neared the day’s end with a Compensation Negotiation Strategies Seminar. Career Coach Bill Lindstaedt worked with participants to navigate the job search process in his presentation, “Job Hunting for Industry Research Positions”.

The day was capped off with a well-attended reception of light refreshments and beverages, music and raffle prizes. 

Here are some photos from the event taken by Photographer Brittany Hosea-Small:

Career Fair event with multiple tables and attendees sitting around tables. Wide shot of four company panel speakers and two moderators on dais with blue curtain background Attendee holding a microphone asking the panel speakers a question at career fair with wood slats in background with other attendees in foreground

Four Postdoc Career Fair attendees smiling and talking with each other Employer representative speaking with a postdoc career fair attendee at exhibit booth Career fair attendees speaking with company representative at exhibit booth exhibit hall 

Career fair attendees chatting inside exhibit hall two company representatives speaking with attendees at their exhibit booth Three women attendees smiling and speaking to each other at career fair event

 Woman attendee holding coffee cup speaking with male attendee sitting at career fair eventCareer fair attendee at resume clinic with reviewer going over resume wide shot of career fair attendees meeting with reviewers at resume clinic with stained glass window in background 

Career coach Bill Lindstadt speaking at podium to career fair attendees in foreground Career fair attendees standing around tall tables with umbrellas on outside patio with trees in background VSPA and LBL Career Pathways organizers in group photo wearing blue career fair polo shirts and lanyards