Category: Uncategorized
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This isn’t a boring online course
Dear Reader, When folks first learn about the PhD Career Clarity Program, I think some imagine it’s a course they’ll log into, work through alone, and it will be boring and maybe useful. That’s hardly a ringing endorsement, eh! Well, good thing that’s not reality. Yes, there is a structured core course to work through…
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Are you still in the same place as last June?
Dear Reader, Earlier this week, I wrote about people who don’t hate academia but still want something else. That distinction matters. Because if you’re not in crisis, it can be easy to tell yourself you should wait. Wait until you feel more certain. Wait until the semester is fully wrapped up. Wait until you have…
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You don’t have to hate academia to want something else
Dear Reader, “I turned 40 last year and I feel very satisfied with my academic career. I just really have nothing else I want to do.” One of my program members said this during a group discussion. She’s tenured. She likes her colleagues. She genuinely has no major complaints about her institution or her work.…
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Not every job-search problem is a resume problem (+ co-working info)
Dear Reader, Here for co-working info? Sign up for the new session starting tomorrow on this page: Co-Working Sessions. I have two reflections for you this morning, both about what gets misunderstood in career change. First, who actually needs support leaving academia. Second, why a stalled job search often looks like a resume problem, even…
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Astronaut advice for career exploration
Dear Reader, Did you watch any of the NASA livestream on Monday, when the Artemis II astronauts were on their lunar flyby? I had it on for a lot of the day. So exciting. (And, yes, I’ll be checking on things as they splashdown today at 8:07pm EDT!) There were a bunch of great moments,…
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Read this before you rewrite your resume again
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…
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You’re job searching. But it’s not working.
Dear Reader, You’re doing things. Reading job ads. Tweaking your materials. Applying. But it’s not really working. What would it be like if you were applying and interviewing for roles you were excited about, in places you wanted to live, with employers you felt shared your values (for the most part, anyway)? What if you…
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Why what you’re putting out there isn’t landing
Dear Reader, Can writing on LinkedIn actually help your job search? It’s a question that’s on the minds of many of the PhDs I work with. Recently, I attended a workshop led by Julia Gray, PhD, who teaches academics how to write like humans. And I was struck by her approach. Not because I don’t…
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What PhDs get wrong about career coaches
Dear Reader, Here’s a misconception PhDs often have about career coaches: That you’re paying for advice. I get why people think this. And I also get why you wouldn’t want to do that, especially if money is tight. I mean, advice is everywhere, and it’s not hard to find it. ChatGPT will give you all…
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Leaving academia? Last chance to register for IMPACT 2026
Dear [FIRST NAME GOES HERE], Quick reminder that IMPACT 2026 is tomorrow, and I’ll be leading a short session called Leave Toward Something. In that session, we’ll begin creating what I call a “leaving inventory.” When people leave academia, the focus is usually on what isn’t working anymore. Burnout. Mismanagement. Toxic departments. Totally valid. And…