Articles
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...
You did not go to school JUST to get a job.
More than 10 years ago, I had a professor who told me, "Your education is supposed to make you think and be a problem-solver, not just fill a job title." That was a game-changer for me. As I've gotten older, the idea has been cemented for me: when it comes to careers,...
20 non-academic career paths PhDs should consider!
You want to do something outside of academia or which does not require teaching or academic research but you're not sure where to get started? Here are 20+ career paths PhDs can consider that do not involve teaching or academic research (for both STEM and non-STEM...
What I learned from applying to two high-paying jobs in 2022
I recently applied to two high-paying roles: one in academia and one outside of academia. I landed both of them in the SAME week. Eventually, I chose to stay on the non-academic path. Here's what I learned through the process. The power of building independent career...
Stop saying you don’t have experience
Whenever I have the opportunity to do informational interviews with academics seeking to change careers, one comment that NEVER FAILS to come up is, "But I don't have XYZ experience. I've only ever taught in a classroom/worked in a lab/worked in the clinic." And I get...
3 Mistakes You MUST Avoid In Your Non-Academic Job Search
Searching for non-academic jobs? Here are 3 mistakes to avoid at all costs. It never fails. I log into Twitter and I see a PhD complaining about how hard it is to land non-academic jobs. First of all, I acknowledge that it is hard. It took me two years to finally...
5 Questions To Ask Yourself As You Navigate Non-Academic Careers
"I had no idea jobs existed outside academia for PhDs." Several PhD holders have sent me a version of this message over the last couple of years. It sounds shocking but until recently, very few academic institutions actually prepared PhDs for non-academic careers. It...
3 Reasons To Use LinkedIn For Your Non-Academic Job Search
LinkedIn is no longer that old, cold, resume platform it used to be. Yes, it is still more of a professional platform than other social media channels but it has evolved into so much more. If you're currently on your non-academic job search, I'm going to give you...