Dear Reader,
A PhD who already works outside academia asked me an interesting question last week: How many of the folks in my program are still grappling with whether to leave?
The answer? Almost none.
In my experience, people who are genuinely undecided about whether they want to leave academia don’t usually invest money in a career coaching program.
They are doing things, but on their own: reading advice columns, scrolling job boards, coming up with plans B, C, D.
And they might have the same conversation with themselves, over and over:
- Is this just a bad semester?
- Would things feel different somewhere else?
- Am I done with academia, or just exhausted?
- What if I leave and regret it?
- What if I stay and regret it?
Ugh. Right.
And look, I get it.
You need to process things your own way, and asking for help before you’re ready to act on it isn’t the way either. (I don’t want that anymore than you want that.)
Maybe you’re reading my emails because you like the way I talk about academic culture.
Maybe you’re gathering insights to file away for the future.
Maybe you’re years away from making a change, but (like the good student you’ve always been), are low-key researching your options for assistance.
Maybe you’re just quietly trying to feel less alone with your thoughts.
That’s all fine.
But also: You don’t have to be 100% sure you’re leaving academia before you get help from outside folks.
In fact, waiting until you’re absolutely certain can keep you stuck for a very long time.
If processing has turned into endless rumination and reading the same generic advice you’ve read a million times already, this is your sign to move things forward.
That’s the work my PhD Career Clarity Program supports, including for folks not yet ready to decide which direction to go in, or even whether to pivot at all.
Here are some self-reflection questions to ask yourself:
- What do I want my work and life to look like now?
- What am I no longer willing to tolerate?
- What strengths, values, and interests do I want to build around?
- What kinds of roles, organizations, communities, or ways of working might actually fit me?
- What would help me feel clear, confident, and less alone while I sort this out?
And if you’re wondering whether it’s time to call in outside help as you navigate your own thinking, researching, and planning, reach out.
You can reply to this email and tell me what you’re wrestling with, or book a quick chat with me so we can talk through whether the program is a good fit.
Or, if not, what might help you based on where you are right now.
(And, if you’re a past program member with a job search underway and you’d like to rejoin, let me know—you can come back at the alumni rate.)
Cheers,
Jen
P.S. If you already know you’re ready to leave academia and want help figuring out what comes next, the program is very much for you, too. The point isn’t that you need to be undecided. The point is that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin.
Jennifer Polk, PhD
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