Feeling stuck in your job search? How to get moving

Hello Reader,

One of the things that connects a lot of my professor, postdoc, and other PhD clients is wanting to feel in control of their working lives.

This control comes out of being confident in the direction they’re headed, and able to effectively communicate—to partners, friends, and colleagues—what they’re doing and why it makes sense.

This sense of control also means feeling more calm, collected, and connected, as opposed to stressed, overwhelmed, and isolated.

If you’re nodding along, I get it. We can all use that, whether you’re actively job-searching or not.

Let’s add one more C-word to this list: Compassion, particularly self-compassion.

Job searches can be challenging, and these days they seem to be taking longer, especially for those entering new roles, industries, or sectors. It’s easy to get caught up in “What am I doing wrong?” or “Why hasn’t anything happened yet?”

That’s why I encourage my clients to recognize their progress and celebrate small wins. Did you draft a thoughtful cover letter? Reach out for an informational interview? Add a few relevant keywords to your LinkedIn profile? Those are wins too.

Each of these moves you forward, even if achieving your ultimate win (such as a great job offer from an amazing employer to work with a fantastic team of people) isn’t coming as soon as you’d like.

I can see the change in clients’ faces when they recognize and embrace how much they have done and achieved.

Sorted out a brand-new-to-you field to pivot into? That’s huge, because now you can focus your efforts and stop wasting time on bad-fit roles.
Composed a compelling, highly relevant resume? Wonderful! You understood the assignment.
Told an attention-grabbing story in a cover letter that really sells who you are? Wow! Great work.
Applied strategically to select positions and got interviews nearly 10% of the time? That’s a fantastic outcome. Well done.

Ultimately, while you can’t control whether you get that job offer or an interview invite, you can keep clarifying what you want, focusing on what matters to you, and following a strategy that you know is right for you and your goals.

In the end, those are wins you can truly own, ones where you were in control of your actions every step of the way.

If you’d like more support or want to share a recent win with me, please do! I’m here for you.

What’s Happening

The PhD Career Clarity Program is open for enrollment! Join to get clear, collected, connected, and feel in control every step of the way 😁. Not sure it’s right for you? Ask me!
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Are you based at a university or other organization that serves PhDs and academics? I love facilitating workshops for groups.

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Making money while unemployed

Here’s one way →

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There’s no easy solution for PhD career changers

Add your thoughts →

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Are you a “catch” as a job seeker? Yes.

Let’s celebrate each other! →

#PetDeath I didn’t send these weekly emails at all in October. It was a difficult month. My cat, Izzy, died. I know some of you appreciated seeing photos of her here and on social media.

And today? I’m not in the US, but I know many folks getting this email are. I’m sorry. I want better for all of us, wherever in the world we call home.

Best wishes to you and yours,

Jen

P.S. Want to explore working with me? Visit my Services page to learn about options, or reply to this email and let me know what you want my help with!

Jennifer Polk, PhD