Dear Reader,
I’ve been working on something new (fun!) and I’m not sure how I feel about it (hmm!).
The new thing is a chatbot based on my approach to career transition coaching for PhDs.
It’s a guided reflection tool designed to help users better understand the problem they’re facing right now in their job search, and what to do about it.
Let me explain how this started.
A couple months ago, I created a custom GPT to help me with a weekly business task.
It’s pretty basic, but has proven to be effective for me. Win!
I did it as part of a pilot course taught by Ravit Dotan, a philosophy PhD turned AI ethicist and entrepreneur.
(So, not your typical techbro hyped on AI.)
Now I’m doing the next version of her program, and I decided to make something for other people.
The idea came to me after a few familiar emails landed in my inbox, and I wondered if there was a way of automating at least some of the back and forth I have with potential clients.
A common scenario is PhDs or professors write to me, tell me what’s not working in their job search, and ask whether I can help them.
Often, they’ve identified the solution but are struggling to implement it on their own. (Think “better resume” or “improve my interviewing skills”).
Sometimes, though, it turns out their solution isn’t actually the thing they need to work on right now (or at all).
Could a chatbot process enable that kind of reflection? Not to replace me entirely, but to let more people benefit from what I know in general about PhD job searches without me replying to every message myself?
By now, some of you might be feeling uneasy (or worse) about this. I’ll get back to my—and perhaps your—concerns in a bit.
The chatbot walks people through a structured conversation.
It asks one question at a time, collects what’s shared, summarizes, and then suggests next steps based on their input and it’s knowledge base, which includes details about my own PhD career clarity framework and how I approach these conversations.
The folks I imagine benefiting most are those who are searching (or wanting to) and frustrated.
They’ve been applying for jobs, tweaking materials, maybe even interviewing on occasion, but they aren’t getting offers, at least not ones they can accept.
My perspective is that, a lot of the time, folks in these situations don’t need another resume template or networking tip.
Instead, they need to pause, sort through their thoughts, and get clear on what the real problem is.
So, if someone sat down with the bot, they might walk away with a new insight like:
- “I keep saying I want a research job, but actually I miss mentoring people. I’m going to do a few informational interviews as my next steps.”
- “I realize I’m networking in ways that feel safe but not strategic. It’s time to ask my community for help in connecting me to relevant folks they know.”
- “It turns out I’m not confused about what I want, but have been afraid to explore options because I worry I’m giving up on myself. Nope!”
That’s the kind of reflection it’s built to guide, and then suggest an immediate next step.
I shared it last week with a few current program members. The reactions? Mixed. From curiosity to concern to outright rejection of the whole premise. Ha!
I get it.
I’m conflicted, too.
I’m doing this to learn new skills, experiment, and better understand how/if this technology might fit into my work… or kill my career entirely (I don’t think so).
It’s been a fun project, but I’ve haven’t talked much about it because I don’t want to come across as either anti-AI (that wouldn’t be true) or fully on the bandwagon (also not true).
What do you think based on what I’ve shared here?
Reply and tell me what you think.
Here are three things I’d love to know (among others):
1️⃣ Your reaction to this kind of technology in general or for my line of work
2️⃣ Whether the idea itself makes sense or seems useful
3️⃣ Who (if anyone) you think it could help most
Whatever your take—curious, skeptical, cautiously optimistic—I want to hear it.
Oh, and the bot is not yet available for testing, but that may be my next step! Let me know if you’re potentially interested in trying it out.
Thank you for reading,
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!
