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Interpersonal Skills

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In any field you decide to enter, in any capacity, professional success depends not only on your technical skills and talent but also on your ability to work effectively with others at different levels of your organization. When you develop strong and authentic interpersonal skills, you will be poised to build collaborative, genuine relationships and contribute to the teams you join, as you:

  • Interact, work with, and learn from others with diverse backgrounds and identities
  • Make positive contributions to the work of a team in various roles
  • Understand and effectively navigate cross-cultural norms
  • Negotiate, manage conflict, and problem solve within your professional life

March Career Exploration Opportunities

March brings a range of career exploration opportunities designed to help you connect your interests with meaningful paths forward. From conversations with guest speakers and professionals across global development, anthropology, and energy policy to Fulbright information sessions and international fellowship …

By Qingqing Ouyang
Qingqing Ouyang Career Exploration Leader
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February Career Exploration Events

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance—it’s also a great excuse to invest a little love in your future. 💘 This February, CAPD’s Career Exploration events are here to help you explore new paths, meet inspiring professionals, and spark ideas that might …

By Qingqing Ouyang
Qingqing Ouyang Career Exploration Leader
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Save the date: Professional certificates for PhDs and postdocs

Professional Certificate programming for graduate students and postdocs has entered its 3rd year. These popular programs provide opportunities for participants to go a little deeper into grant writing and research mentoring, two important topics  certain to play key roles in …

By Lydia Huth
Lydia Huth Communication and Program Manager
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EVENT: Spilling the Tea on Leadership | 24 April 2025, 5pm

Thursday, April 24 | 5-6pm | On-campus

There’s something very special about the opportunity to hear directly from a leader about what her path to success was really like, how she learned to lead, and what has helped her to thrive. In …

By Lydia Huth
Lydia Huth Communication and Program Manager
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Redefine success, identify challenges, and flip failure this new year!

Life comes with its fair set of challenges. The goal of building resilience is to equip yourself to weather life’s challenges as they arise. Much of that work involves redefining what success and failure mean and finding ways to use …

By Tara Thakurta
Tara Thakurta Graduate Community Fellow
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Featured Resources

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CAPD Podcast Playlist: Professional Development & Career Competencies

Check out CAPD’s ever-expanding playlist of podcasts offering insight into professional development & career competencies.

MIT Alumni Advisors Hub

Speak with people who have been there: get advice, insights, and prep from MIT alumni who are willing to share …

Resources for Intercultural Awareness

The MIT Intercultural Coordinating Committee provides access to various trainings to increase cultural competence and awareness. Please review the site …

myIDP

You have put a lot of time and effort into pursuing your PhD degree.  Now it’s time to focus on how …

iREFS

iREFS (institute-wide Resources for Easing Friction & Stress) are graduate students formally trained & certified in conflict management skills. They …

CAPD Videos

Whether you’re looking into programs, looking for networking tips, or just exploring, our video resources are always available to you. …