Author: Jennifer Polk
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Should you leave your PhD program?
You can always justify completing a PhD program and earning a doctorate. There are always reasons why that’s a good choice. That doesn’t make it always a good choice for you. You might be better off not finishing your program. Like, sure, we can make a big list of folks who did PhDs and went…
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Co-working for community and accountability
I’ve always worked from home — at the desk in my bedroom, at the dining room table, or now in the corner of my apartment that serves as my home office. From a day-to-day labour perspective, the pandemic hit me less hard than it did others. But familiarity with working from home is only part…
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PhDTalk podcast interview
Earlier this month I joined Eva Lantsoght and Rico Massa on their podcast. I shared my story and we talked about what graduate students can do to prepare for their careers after graduation, ideas for advisors and universities, and more. Listen to the full episode and read the show notes here.
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Departments can help students by building community
Imagine this: Your academic department hosts weekly or biweekly Zoom meetings. Each time, one former student is celebrated, their career highlighted. A current student or faculty member asks interview questions such as “What’s the most fun part of your work?” “What’s most meaningful about it?” “What would surprise grad student you?” Everyone in the department,…
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Your PhD won’t get you a good job (sorry)
One of the key texts for PhDs seeking careers outside academia is called “So What Are You Going to Do With That?” (affiliate link). I’ve got the third edition on my shelf, and I was re-reading the chapter on resumes and cover letters the other day. The chapter tells the stories of three people (two…
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My grad school application advice
‘tis the season for graduate school application advice. (Fun fact: The advice is often contradictory. “Reach out for prospective advisors because your relationship with your PI is the most important predictor of your success.” “Don’t email professors before applying; we don’t have time to talk to you.” Ugh.) I don’t work with folks on application…
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What if academic job apps were less burdensome?
I’m thinking this morning about what it would be like if academic job searches in North America required a LOT less from applicants. Imagine if all you had to do was submit a CV and a cover letter that includes X key info (as specified)? After an initial screen, 10-12 people could be asked for…
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My Most Popular Content from 2020: Top Tweets by Replies
My tweets that got the most replies (400+ each) in 2020: 🐤 What’s the origin story of you doing your PhD dissertation topic?🐤 Okay, fess up, everyone. Who has PhD parent(s)?🐤 What got you to finish your PhD? What kinds of intrinsic and external motivation were important to you? What helped?🐤 What’s a thing you’re…
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New Report on PhD Career Transitions in Canada
The Council of Canadian Academies’ new government-sponsored report, Degrees of Success, is now out and available to read in English and French. The report is a response to the question, “What are the main challenges that PhD students in Canada face in transitioning to the labour market, and how do these differ by field of…
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Featured on Science for Progress podcast
Thanks to Dr. Dennis Eckmeier for inviting me on his podcast, Science for Progress. We discussed how to make a career change after a PhD. You can also listen to the episode on the SfP website.