You’re more qualified than you think (workshop invite inside)

Hello Reader,

You’ve done a ton of different kinds of work as a professor, postdoc, or in another related role as a PhD.

But when it comes to applying for non-academic jobs, it’s hard to explain what you’ve done—and why employers outside your field should care (and, more to the point, hire you).

Sound familiar?

I’m running a workshop on April 3rd to help PhDs like you identify your transferable skills, so you can make your academic experience understandable and relevant to employers.

Here’s what two participants realized during a version of this workshop last year:

“I do have transferable skills—and it takes time to fully identify and articulate them—but it is possible to do!!”

And:

“I noticed how I tend to fall back into disciplinary expertise and can feel a bit stymied there.”

That second comment really stuck with me—because it’s such a common challenge.

When you’re trained to think, write, and teach within a specific academic field, it can be hard to step back and see your skills for what they also are:
✔️ transferable
✔️ relevant
✔️ valuable in roles beyond academia

This workshop is designed to help you start doing just that.

Promotional graphic for a workshop titled "Transferable Skills: How to Make Your Work Experience Legible to Non-Academic Employers." The background features a collage of six semi-transparent images, tinted blue, depicting different work and academic settings: a person typing on a laptop with code on the screen, a scientist using a microscope, a professional giving a presentation in front of a whiteboard, a speaker addressing an audience in a lecture hall, a historic university building, and a person searching through a card catalog. The main title, "Transferable Skills," is in large white bold letters, while the subtitle is in black text with yellow underlines highlighting key words. The bottom text provides event details: "Workshop (live and recorded), 3 April 2025, 1pm EDT | Jennifer Polk, From PhD to Life."
See you next week?

We’ll take 90 minutes to:
🧠 Identify the skills you’ve developed in your academic work
🗣️ Practice describing them language employers outside academia understand
📄 Analyze job descriptions to find alignment with your experience

If you’ve been feeling stuck or unsure how to even talk about what you bring to the table, this is your next step.

🗓️ Thursday, April 3rd at 1pm EDT (90 minutes run time)
💬 Interactive + engaging
🎥 Yes, it’ll be recorded (do join live if you can)

Cost: $47 USD, all taxes included.
💸 Use TARIFFS for $10 off
💸 Use CANADA for $15 off

Register for the workshop

Cheers,

Jen

P.S. Join us! This workshop will provide you with some time, structure, and momentum to propel your job search forward. Register for the workshop.

Jennifer Polk, PhD

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You may be ready to join my PhD Career Clarity Program. Most people start with this free webinar.

For Professors, Postdocs, and Other Overworked, Underappreciated PhDs Ready to Change Careers
After this free 80-minute training you will know how to focus on what’s important instead of letting academia dictate your future; job search strategically without wasting time trying to follow advice that doesn’t apply; apply for the right jobs, ones that let you do what you love without burnout
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Something else on your mind? Email me at Jen@FromPhDtoLife.com