Dear Reader,
I spoke with a PhD researcher this week who’s applying for roles in and out of academia.
You might think I’m going to say that’s too scattered, but I didn’t get that impression about her job search.
She seemed quite focused on her area of expertise, and has been finding open roles and applying for them.
She’s getting interviews, too. Enough of them that it makes me think her materials are working.
At least for academic roles.
Because here’s the thing (you already know):
Jobs in and out of academia don’t want the same kinds of application materials, not completely, anyways.
If you’re applying to jobs across multiple sectors but only getting callbacks for academic opportunities, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re unqualified—or overqualified.
It doesn’t mean you’re getting screened out by AI, or that folks on the other end have negative assumptions about academics.
It may mean you’re trying to communicate the same way with two very different groups.
And most people don’t realize that—that’s why they keep trying harder instead of adjusting their approach.
Or, they give up entirely. (I see that a lot.)
The good news? This is a fixable problem.
Here’s where people tend to go wrong next.
They assume the answer is, “Okay, I just need to rewrite my resume.”
Sometimes, sure. Can’t hurt; might help.
But often?
The issue isn’t the document.
It’s that you’re not yet clear enough on exactly what you want (that actually exists in the world of jobs)—or how to position yourself for it.
You can tweak, but it’s like you’re flying blind, making it really tough to gauge where you are and how to correct your trajectory.
If you’re a job seeker right now, a more useful question than “how do I tailor my resume for this role” or “can you give me feedback on my interviewing skills?” is…
What problem is preventing me from reaching my goals?
In other words, what is blocking me right now? What’s the next hurdle I need to clear?
There are a few options, including
- You don’t yet know what you want with enough specificity to target your search
- You know what you want, but you’re not presenting it in a way that sticks the landing with employers
- You’re not taking the right kinds of action, or not consistently
You need to start from where you are. (No skipping!) Identify the challenge, choose the right solution, then go.
To get back to the person I mentioned above, we talked about her next step being informational interviews.
That is, strategic conversations with people who have the kinds of jobs she wants, to check if she’s appropriately targeting her applications (in terms of what she wants to do).
After that, armed with more knowledge and greater insights about non-academic opportunities and how hiring happens for these roles, she can revisit her application materials, and the strategy she’s using for her job search more generally.
Good plan, it seems to me.
Where are you in your job search?
If you need help with any of the above, let me know.
I’m happy to respond to your thoughts and questions by email, or we can have a quick chat if you are interested in us working together.
Cheers,
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
Free Webinar Job search advice for professors, postdocs, and other PhDs ready to leave academia
