Articles
Disillusioned by your PhD program? Here are 3 things you can do.
"I am a PhD student and recently I have felt extremely discouraged with academia. I've invested a lot at this point and don't want to quit. What's your suggestion for my next step?" I get this feeling. Here are my 3 bits of advice for you if you find yourself in this...
How Personal Branding Helped This PhD Land A Science Writer Role
I talk about personal branding for PhDs a lot because it was my ticket to transitioning from academia into a non-academic role. So imagine my delight when this week's guest, Dr. Guadalupe Manrique-Maldonado shared with me that my videos on leveraging your skills and...
Did I waste my time at the bench if I don’t use those skills in the future?
"Did I waste my time at the bench if I don't fully use that skillset in the future?" When I talk about moving from academia into non-academic roles, one of the comments that usually comes up is that changing career paths as a Ph.D. is daunting. I'm not going to lie...
This one’s for the over-doers.
I once exclaimed to my husband, "I think I'm a lazy person." To which he gave me the most "get out of here with that nonsense" look. At the time, I felt being "lazy" was the reason I was "failing" in my career, and why my attempts at finding a non-academic role were...
Meaningful work doesn’t pay the bills. Why you SHOULD get paid more as a PhD.
I've recently laid off the "money and PhDs" issue because that always brings out the "you-know-who" folks. I would like to re-state it though. You can do all the "meaningful work" you want. But at the end of the day, gas pumps, landlords, and the electric company are...
Unpopular opinion: Don’t follow your passion
Should you follow your “passion” when it comes to your career? Now comes my unpopular opinion. As romantic as following your passion sounds, it is tricky. Hear me out. I honestly never knew I was passionate about writing. Until I was well into my thirties, I had no...
Networking is a long game
Networking is a long game. During my post-doc, I attended a career event and that is where I learned about scientists who were making a living writing. The panel consisted of 4 people - one who had leveraged his PhD and launched a successful novelist career, two...
Why I left academia
"Why did you leave academia?" My answer. I don't hate academia. I LOVE IT. I think it's because college campuses make me feel like I'm in my 20s again - a time of my life I enjoyed thoroughly. Anyway, why did I leave? I did not leave completely. I was still teaching...
Why nobody can help you choose your “dream” career (PLUS what to do instead)
“I have a PhD in XYZ. I know I don’t want to be in academia. Could you recommend a career path for me?” Here’s why I can’t. I am definitely one of those crazy people who believes you should do work you love, and which aligns with your goals and values. "A tad...