The sooner the better. It can take a long time to prepare for your future after graduate school. Knowing early on what you will help when you are on the job market helps you take advantage of the opportunities available during your stay here at Berkeley. Start by reading As a 2nd Year Grad Student , and check the Calendar under Programs for Graduate Students and PhDs for upcoming workshops on topics of interest. The PhD counselor offers frequent programs up on-campus and most of our resources and information are on the website.
Letters of recommendation are a critical part of the academic job search process.
The Letter Service holds, duplicates, and upon request sends out you letters of recommendations to academic employers. It is a convenient way to avoid having to ask your professors to write multiple letters for different openings and to ensure that they are sent out in a timely and professional manner. Having your letters on file facilitates your academic job search if your recommenders are on sabbatical or difficult to reach. There have been a number of changes in the letter service this summer that have greatly increased the degree of automation and ease of use for students and PhDs on the market. Some departments provide this service for their graduate students, and in some recommenders prefer to send out individual letters in every case, so you should check with your professors to find out what they would prefer you to do.