Category: Comment
-
Want to apply to industry jobs for PhDs? Read this.
Recently, I was reading advice about how to apply for industry jobs for PhDs. It got me curious about how folks were defining “industry” in this context. I had a sense in my mind that “industry” referred mainly to STEM PhDs working in research roles at companies. But I also knew that some folks —…
-
Choose your words wisely, professors
I recently heard a faculty member jokingly refer to a former student as “unfortunately” working in a certain industry. “Why ‘unfortunately,’” I asked? She explained the ethical implications that might be involved in his new line of work. Cool, fair. This throw-away remark reminded me of a different kind of throw-away remark. I was speaking…
-
Do PhDs really want tenure-track jobs?
Well, the seemingly obvious answer is, “Yes!” but dig a bit deeper and it’s not so clear cut. In my newest post for University Affairs I go beyond survey data to show that it’s not good enough to only support students who dream of tenure. An excerpt: It’s a fair assumption that most, and perhaps…
-
Striking for a better now, and a better future
This week’s post for University Affairs is my contribution to the debates about the strikes happening here in Toronto, and especially the situation at the University of Toronto, where I do my PhD in the Department of History. I quote from a marvelous open letter written by an English professor, and from a memoir I…
-
Why job hunting is like an election campaign
What? Yes. It’s election season here in Ontario. Where I live, the lawn signs went up a few days ago, and the campaign offices are up and running, their outsides and insides plastered with orange (NDP) and red (Liberal). On my walk home from the library just now, I noticed one home sporting two election…
-
Resume writing tips for academics
This post was inspired by the most recent #withaPhD Twitter chat as well as a real-life in-person conversation! Here’s how it begins: I was recently chatting with a friend here in Toronto who’s ABD and looking for full-time employment. He told me that when he “buried his degree” on his resume — placed education last…
-
Moving!
From now on, new From PhD to Life posts will appear over at University Affairs. This means a potentially larger readership and a few bucks for me. For you, it means that I’ll keep posting on this blog, but only to link to new UA pieces. Check out my first post here. It begins: I’ve just…
-
Money
My friend Liana Silva-Ford posted what she called a “rant” on Twitter this morning about blogging and earning money. “Folks gotta eat, yo.” Indeed, they do. Reading her Tweets has spurred me to write this post. One of the topics I’ve been vague about on this site is my own financial situation. A couple days…
-
Working on it
My life’s changed a great deal over the past year. In mid-June 2012 I received my diploma, my PhD in history from the University of Toronto. It was a big moment, getting that piece of paper. I’d been through some less-than-pleasant administrative experiences, and did not fully trust that I would actually graduate. So even…
-
Thank you!
I’ve had a great time with this blog over the past 6 months—my half-year-iversary is coming up this weekend on Thursday! When I began, I was excited to write about my own transition process, reflect on what I’d learned, and provide support and helpful resources for others in my situation: PhDs trying to figure out…