What my clients say about our work together
PhD Career Clarity Program
Just what I needed as I was taking my first steps out of academia
“Thank you so much for your support in the Career Clarity program! It was just what I needed as I was taking my first steps out of academia. I felt alone, disoriented, insecure, clueless, and hopeless. Two weeks ago, just six months after that difficult start, I got the best job I could possibly hope for. I remember reading these kinds of sentences from other transitioning PhDs and thinking it couldn’t happen to me.
Well, it did! I’m over the moon, and the interactions with you have been an instrumental part of my success. My favorite part was the live Q&A sessions. Your personalized advice was super helpful, and the moral support was breathing life into me. I didn’t feel alone anymore because I felt that I have you to guide me and the rest of the group by my side.”
—Tania Smith*, PhD (philosophy)
Truly magical!
“I would like to share my sincere gratitude for your coaching and guidance. Throughout the period of 7 months, I learned a lot and was able to bag three full-time industry and two short-term consultancy offers (in the field I was aiming for and all through networking). Beginning from the period when everything looked so overwhelming, uncertain and unachievable to actually seeing things working out in the right direction is truly magical!
Your course, resources, and bimonthly group Zoom meetings were really helpful. As many also mentioned previously, just showing up for those Zoom meetings was encouraging. I have now become your ambassador in my network in India & Germany, directing everyone to your webpage whoever wants to transition into the industry.”
—Megha Tyagi, PhD (urban planning)
I found an amazing job much more quickly than I had anticipated!
“A year into a prestigious postdoc, I knew that I wanted to leave academia, but struggled to articulate what I wanted to do next. After attending one of Jen’s webinars, I decided to give the Career Clarity Program a try, because I resonated with the program’s focus on defining one’s values and goals before starting a post-academic job search. Through assessments, guided worksheets, and the invaluable biweekly Zoom calls, I was able to identify what I bring to an organization, and more importantly, craft a narrative about my career trajectory.
These factors gave me a much-needed confidence boost, and I found an amazing job much more quickly than I had anticipated! The Career Clarity Program was exactly what I needed during my transition out of academia. I loved the self-paced structure of the program, and felt supported knowing that I was not alone in the challenges I faced. As mentioned previously, one of the great strengths of the program is its focus on values and goals; knowing what drives you is critical to creating a life that allows you to flourish!”
—Alexa Wood, PhD (environmental social sciences)
Loving the course
“Hi Jen, loving the course so far! I’m just wrapping up the 5th lesson, and already I’ve learned so much about myself. Lots of what you talk about really resonates with me and also helped me feel less alone about the mental blocks I put up that are getting in the way of finding the right job for me.”
—Ari Bell, PhD (psychology)
Long-term vision
“I was able to better understand what was important to me in job searches, and, in turn, could articulate to employers why I was interested in their job posting, how my priorities align with their institution, and the long-term vision of my career.”
—Moriah Bellissimo, PhD, RD (nutrition and health sciences)
No longer feel alone
“Before joining the program, I was in a well-paying job, but it didn’t tap into the research and writing skills I honed during my PhD. I felt frustrated, because the typical career development advice didn’t apply to my situation. I joined the program hoping to redirect my career towards a role that would be more fulfilling while also drawing on my academic knowledge and using my PhD skills. One of my most profound “aha moments” came during a group coaching session. Fellow members pointed out that I probably felt isolated being the only PhD in my department! And I’d likely benefit from seeking PhD allies in similar situations. While I’m still on my journey, I no longer feel alone in the job search process. The concept of “gremlins”—those critical voices that can hinder job search efforts—has been a game-changer for me. The group coaching sessions have been invaluable, offering advice, shared challenges, and a supportive community. I’d recommend this program to anyone looking to transition out of academia or seeking fulfilling work post-academia.”
—Sarah Culpeper, PhD (music)
Finding my focus
“The best part of the course for me was finding my focus. I went through the recommended exercises and found that it was really helpful to write down exactly what I was seeking – this really helped me to limit my search and not get bogged down by just applying for jobs that were likely not suitable. I was lucky in that I could wait for the job that truly appealed to me and even though it was frustrating at times, my patience paid off and I was able to secure a short term contract in my dream job (role and organization)… I also found it helpful to be in a supportive environment and hear from other PhDs and also of course your support and listening ear! Thanks for asking the right questions and always being empathetic to the difficult task of job seeking.”
—Jane Doe,* PhD (public health)
Excellent experience
“Working with Jen was an excellent experience. I have a PhD and am in the midst of an academia to industry transition. Jen understood what I was going through in a unique way as only someone who has also gone through it can. Every session, she challenged my assumptions and preconceived notions about my career transition and asked the right questions to unlock feelings and ideas I did not even know I had. I have come out of this experience immersed in a new industry sector with goals that better align with who I am and my core values. Jen taught me to identify and name my fears and how to work through them to move forward. I highly recommend working with Jen, especially if you have a PhD unsure of what to do outside of academia or how to go about finding a job in industry.”
—Matthew G. Doyle, PhD, PEng (mechanical engineering)
Gave me space
“The PhD Career Clarity Program gave me the space I needed to reflect on who I am, what matters to me, and how I define meaningful work, helping me lean on my own inner wisdom to navigate decisions about next steps in my career. Each section reinforces that central guidance—you can find work that matters to you and aligns with your goals and values. Tools in the Prep and Focus sections (like the “Gremlins and Other Unhelpful Stories” worksheet) made me more mindful of the stuff gunking up my thoughts around career choice and reminded me of personal strengths I could call upon. Building on this foundation of self-knowledge, the Identify and Market lessons provided highly practical, expert strategies and exercises aimed at making the job search process more targeted and effective. I feel fortunate to be moving forward in my career with the gems of self-insight that came from taking this course alongside a wonderful community of fellow jobseekers. Thanks Jen!”
—Katie Hynes, PhD (English)
Demystify the process
“Jen’s Career Clarity program helped demystify the job search process and made me feel less alone. I felt pretty lost knowing I had to find a new job but not knowing the steps I needed to follow to get there. But with Jen’s help, I feel so strong and confident in my marketability and my ability to change careers (in the middle of a pandemic!) without sacrificing my values.”
—Rachel Hynson, PhD (history)
A game-changer
“When I first joined this program, I was burnt out, demoralized, and overwhelmed by the prospect of leaving academia. The transformation since then has been nothing short of remarkable. Through the program’s exercises and chats with the community, I’ve gone from feeling lost to having a clear direction. I’ve identified my concrete skills and the roles that genuinely excite me, and I’m now confidently pursuing project management/language scientist roles. The program’s reflective nature was more intense than I expected, but it’s been invaluable, providing insights I continually refer to during my job applications. The webinars and weekly sessions have been awesome, helping me understand the subtle shifts in industry practices. While I’m still actively job seeking, my morale has done a complete 180. I’m hopeful, grateful for the support, and eager to stay connected even after my search ends. This program has been a game-changer for me.”
—Lex Konnelly, PhD (linguistics)
Transformative
“Before joining the program, I was a few months into my job search, feeling like I was spinning my wheels. I was using the “spray and pray” method, applying to various roles without a clear direction. I felt isolated, thinking that leaving academia was a betrayal of my training. My job search was a very private endeavour. Joining the program was transformative. The initial personal exploration module helped me articulate my goals.
The real game-changer was the biweekly check-ins. It was exciting to connect, learn from, and share my experience with others on the same journey. The community was invaluable. As I invested in the program, opportunities started to come my way. I secured a role that was an ideal opportunity for me. The program taught me the power of structured self-exploration and the invaluable support of a like-minded community. Now, I trust in my ability to adapt and build a network, something I’ll be doing in my career going forward. I recommend the program to anyone feeling lost in their transition out of academia.”
—Steve Lundy, PhD (classics)
Genuinely helped me
“I joined the program when I was writing up and I knew that I didn’t want to take a long break, that I was going to job hunt. But at the same time I knew that because I had worked in academia for a number of years, I wanted to switch gears and try something different. I’m an organized person, I like things structured, and I like to know what I’m doing next. And that’s when I thought the program could help me with that. I thought I owed it to myself after working for so long and studying for so long and having three degrees.
The process was definitely made easier by the program. I’m not saying it for the sake of it! It genuinely helped me, and I’m really grateful for that. I had to do some self reflection and I didn’t know where to start. And having this structure really helped me plan it accordingly. It’s really cool how much the program enabled me to do things that I had heard about but didn’t have the right tools or the right methods to do it.”
—Sej Modha, PhD (bioinformatics)
Wonderful resource
“It’s been a wonderful course/resource. Thank you for the work and nuance you’ve put into it. Super helpful to think about what skills I would have liked to deepen during my work in industry that I can do so now as a PhD student (grant writing and program evaluation, for example).”
—Yvette Ramirez, PhD student (information)
Speaking and Workshops
Truly unique
“I wanted to thank you again for yesterday’s workshop. The warmth, honesty, and generosity you bring to such a difficult topic was truly unique. Elisa were discussing how necessary and, unfortunately rare, these conversations are in grad school—especially in the humanities. Thank you for doing this important work!”
—Danielle Taschereau Mamers, PhD (Managing Director, Critical Digital Humanities Initiative, University of Toronto)
Timely and beneficial
“Thank you for your session, I think it was really timely and beneficial for all that attended. We have had some students ask about doing StrengthsQuest as a follow up to your advice. We have gotten them connected to that resource at our university, and I plan to offer a StrengthsQuest workshop to the attendees from your session. Thank you for inspiring them to take action!”
—Rachel E. Begley (Director, Professional Development Center, School of Graduate Studies, Case Western Reserve University)
That 90 minutes flew by
“You’re an absolute pro with virtual workshops! Really love how you used the Google Doc to collect real-time responses, keeping them on their toes throughout. That 90 minutes flew by. Thank you!”
—Peter Carlton, PhD (Senior Brand Manager, CAS)
Our trainees really got a lot out of it
“Thank you so much again for this presentation! It was a great format and I think our trainees really got a lot out of it.”
—Ivy Elkins, Scientific Programs Manager, Zuckerman Institute for Mind, Brain, Behavior, Columbia University, 3 Mar 2023
Loved by all of the participants
“Thanks for hosting two amazing sessions at the Women in the Business of Health Science Bootcamp. Your sessions were really loved by all of the participants! Was a pleasure to listen in.”
—Serena Mandla, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization, 16 Sep 2022
Open, honest and uplifiting
“I wanted to thank you so much for being our keynote speaker at Peer Beyond yesterday. You did a wonderful job and I could tell your talk impacted many of our grad students. Thank you for your open, honest and uplifting presentation.”
—Shannon Jakel, Graduate Students’ Association, University of Calgary, 24 Feb 2022
Actionable
“This is one of the most actionable talks about the subject I’ve been to.”
—Postdoc, Moffitt Cancer Center, 28 May 2021
Insightful presentation
“Thank you for the insightful presentation. It was worth waking up at 3am. Loved that the guidelines given are systematic and actionable. I graduate in 2 years time and the information will help me better prepare for the dreaded job search.”
—Amina
Really enjoyed it
“Really enjoyed it! I’ve attended so many webinars about this same topic but really feel like I have a good game plan now thanks to you!”
—Dr. Nicole Ritter
Wonderful
“Thank you for the wonderful workshop at the CAS Future Leaders program! I appreciated it. In fact, I reframed my [LinkedIn] ‘About Me’ right after your workshop.”
—Croix Laconsay, PhD
Amazing keynote
“Thank you for such an amazing final keynote for our #PhDDay2022. You gave us so much to think, reflect and act upon for our current and future job search.”
—Jess Ramos-Sanchez, Radboud University
Fun and meaningful
“I wanted to convey to you how incredibly grateful we are to you for your workshop sessions earlier today. As I said when we were wrapping things up, the only disappointment was that you weren’t actually in the room with us, as there was such genuine interest in you and what you presented; the dynamic in the room was really wonderful and the conversations over lunch about the content you delivered was so positive!
So, thank you for preparing and delivering such relevant and worthwhile content for us. You are right – you are great at building communities as evidenced in today’s workshop sessions which brought our ECRs, all at different career stages and geographically dispersed, together in a way that was fun and meaningful.”
—Melissa McKain, Business Manager, ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, the University of Queensland, 19 Jun 2023
More feedback from participants
“Loved your presentation! This was extremely helpful for me.”
“The interactive portion was very engaging. It’s great to have this doc as a resource for later.”
“Thank you for the great talk today… and I look forward to learning more from you tomorrow!”
“Thank you so much Jen for all the details. It was really fun listening to you.”
“Thanks for all your resumé, interview and job search tips. Got a lot of valuable insights.”
“Thank you for your insightful (and fun!) talks and for providing useful and actionable advice for career development.”
Coaching and Consulting
for individuals
I finally landed a job!
“Wanted to let you know I finally landed a job! Actually got three offers last week—two remote positions and one hybrid. One of the remote offers paid literally twice what the other offers paid so I took that one.
Your insights were very helpful! After meeting with you and reorganizing my resume and reframing my approach to interview prep, my rate of securing first interviews went from about 10% to 25% and my rate of getting secondary + interviews went from about 25% to over 50%. I cannot thank you enough!”
—Postdoc in a STEM field
(now a data scientist in industry in the United States)
Worth every penny. Thank you so much.
“I was going through a horrible experience last year of thinking my department was going to close. The session I had with you (and some of the videos I watched) were incredibly helpful for me.
I applied for a position of Director of Research at the [Nonprofit] last August. I was incredibly fortunate that I got this job and my institution gave me a 1.5 year leave of absence to figure out if I wanted to make this transition permanently. I am making way more money, have an incredible staff that works under me, and I get to determine what research projects will be done. And the job is 100% remote. It is wild.
When I met with you, I didn’t think there was an option for me outside of being a professor. But you said that you could see me in a managerial position and that I had time and options. Just hearing this made such a huge difference. I do feel I lucked out that this job and the timing of me wanting to leave my current position perfectly aligned. You definitely gave me the courage and perspective to not only apply, but take a risk and try something new. I just wanted to send you this note of appreciation because the money I spent on our meeting and From PhD to Life was worth every penny. Thank you so much.”
—Associate Professor of Sociology
(now a Director of Research at a national nonprofit organization in the US)
People like you are giving PhD students hope
“Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me earlier today! It is thanks to people like you that are giving PhD students hope: 1) not only to make it to the other side, but 2) to do our part to make things better for the next generation once we get to the other side of this degree (and to do right by our future students).
Thank you for your thoughtful suggestions and the unique book recommendations which will serve as continued motivation for me over the next few months.”
—PhD Student in Health Sciences
Manageable, focused priorities to guide your career choices
“Jen provides practical advice and tools that can help take the chaos of past experience, career interests, and job search uncertainties into manageable, focused priorities to guide your career choices. When working with Jen, you identify your goals and topics to address. She then helps you identify what would be most helpful to work through your problem and provides resources that address your goals.
I was able to better understand what was important to me in job searches, and, in turn, was able to articulate to employers why I was interested in their job posting, how my priorities align with their institution, and what my long term vision for my career is.”
—Moriah Bellissimo Myers, PhD
Improve your self-understanding and motivation
“Working with Jen helped me to clarify my goals and vision and identify my skills and capacities to achieve them. Each meeting we would discuss what I hoped to achieve and I would leave the meeting with clear, actionable items to move me forward toward my long term goals. Jen helped me identify ways to align my work with my values, whether I choose to continue that work inside or outside of academia. I would recommend Jen’s coaching for people at any career stage who are interested in improving their self-understanding and motivation.”
—Rebecca L. Schewe, PhD, Associate Professor
Every step of the process was positive and encouraging
“To tackle my time management concerns, she worked with me to break up my ‘to-dos’ into manageable pieces and to develop realistic and measurable goals. I was able to make a workable plan to finish a manuscript. The plan was one that I could accomplish, feel good about and build upon. The plans we made were so easy to integrate into my life that I was able to start building sustainable habits. This increased my productivity to advance my thesis work in an efficient way.
Every step of the process with Jen was positive and encouraging. This allowed me to be free to explore what I really wanted and find the clarity I needed. Of course, everyone’s needs are different and Jen works with people on their own goals. This is why a coach like Jen is a great addition to your team of teachers, friends, mentors and advisors.”
—Nadia Ayala-Lopez, pharmacology & toxicology PhD candidate
“Need Clarity? Hire a Career Coach,” Pushing Your PhD, 16 Feb 2016
This was what I needed
“When I first started thinking about where I’d land, I worked with Jennifer Polk, a coach who specializes in postacademic careers. She listened well, let me verbalize what steps I wanted to take, and kept me on track as I sorted out my strengths and weaknesses. She was especially great at helping me to articulate what I wanted (a job with some flexibility but not necessarily the terror of freelancing) and what I didn’t want (a low-paid position at a nonprofit) without any sort of guilt or emotional attachment. I felt a lot of guilt at first for not wanting to work in the nonprofit sector. Jen made me feel like I was under no obligation to go into any particular career. This was what I needed at the time.”
—Elizabeth Keenan, ethnomusicology PhD
“Ph.D.s Do Have Transferable Skills, Part 2,” Vitae, 10 Aug 2015
Reflecting on what I wanted made my transition go smoothly
“I am writing, belatedly, to say thanks for the work we did together a few years ago. The sessions we did together were really impactful in helping me think about what I wanted to do with my career. Focusing on what I love (research) helped me feel good about career transition, though it did take me a year to find the right fit.
After our sessions I started to look in earnest for a new job (and went back to work in a university in the meantime). I did a series of information interviews with private sector health research companies and museum folks. I also worked to re-do my resume. In the end I am working as a museum curator. I truly feel so much better off in this role. I think it was the process of reflecting on what I wanted that made my transition go so smoothly (and relatively quickly).”
—Jenny Ellison, PhD
It was truly an epiphany for me, the clarity was freeing
“My biggest challenge was in my head; I was preventing myself from addressing the real issue that was the instigation for the intense writer’s block I was experiencing with my dissertation. With one simple question, Jen inspired a process of deep reflection within myself, one that took me to a place I had not consciously wanted to go. I was instantly able to address the real challenge that was preventing me from moving forward. It was truly an epiphany for me. The clarity was freeing!
While this realization was the true challenge behind my writer’s block, I still felt a need for reassurance that I am capable of building sustainable work habits, and I had to realize that only I have the power to keep myself on this forward path. Jen was instrumental in helping me see the real problem, and inspiring me to find ways to keep the motivation attainable with a strategy that works for me. Jen’s ability to ask the right, and real questions was not only invaluable, but I feel it was also priceless!
I see this as Jen’s greatest gift; her ability to ask the right questions, at the right time. I needed to solve the problem in a way that fits into my life, and the simplicity of what that looks like for me developed from the gentle, yet provocative questions posed by Jen. Not only have I been able to free myself of the excuses I was making for not moving forward, I have been able to feel the excitement about writing, and the research that has eluded me for over a year.
—Cathy Coulthard, PhD candidate
Think beyond jobs into how I wanted to shape my career
“Working with Jen helped me think beyond jobs into how I wanted to shape my career. I knew that I wanted to develop career goals outside of the tenure track but beyond vague ideas about starting to consultant after work hours didn’t know what to do.”
—Katharine Bullard, PhD
https://katharinebullard.com/
A helpful, positive voice in the process
“I didn’t know what to expect from a career coach before working with Jen, but a friend recommended her and I liked that her approach is grounded to some degree in positive psychology. I wasn’t necessarily wedded to leaving academia, and I liked that Jen took a more holistic approach to helping you figure out your career future.
In working with Jen, I developed some more clarity about what my goals are and what steps I can take to get closer to them. I won’t say I have everything figured out, but I think it really did help to have someone pushing me with focused questions, helping figure out what my goals are and what steps might help get there. Her process is centered around asking directly what you hope to achieve in each session, and then hashing that out as clearly as possible so that you can achieve it. Mostly, the answers end up coming from you. Jen might offer a few ideas, but mostly she helps guide your own thinking, helping you answer your own questions.
I think people who are looking for a more general approach to what their career ambitions are could benefit from working with Jen. Someone who wants specific help on updating a resume or crafting a cover letter are better off with someone who focuses more on that. But if you’re puzzling through what it is you want to do, Jen can be a helpful, positive voice in that process.”
—Joseph Tyler, linguistics postdoc
I was initially skeptical
“Jen kept me on task, gently prodding me out of my ‘Woe is me!’ hyperbole, and urging me to productive action. I came to Jen with a rather vague whine of a goal to make sense of my employment options. Instead of allowing me to wallow in own self-pity, Jen asked probing questions that forced me to consider which factors were most important in choosing a job (management style, organizational mission, day-to-day work, relationship to my doctoral work, etc.), and to weigh these elements in evaluating job announcements and offers.
The work that Jen and I did together gives me confidence about accepting the job I will start later this week, without the usual what-ifs? and coulda-should-woulda feelings that sometimes accompany such big changes
I was initially a bit skeptical of Jen’s approach. Coaching? Therapy and advice were more my cup of tea. But Jen made me a believer. Her gentle — but firm — approach took me in new directions with my thinking, forcing me to go one step further, and ultimately coming to an illuminating new (to me) set of conclusions and insights about what I was really looking for in a job.
I think that Jen is best positioned to work with PhDs who are just starting out in their careers, who perhaps don’t have a sense of what professional options are available to them.”
—Rachel Burstein, history PhD
Better vision for what my life and career might look like
“Working with Jen helped me narrow my focus, be accountable, and got me to really think about my career in a more critical way and helped me adopt better habits that I am now building on. Jen’s great at asking questions and is a friendly guide to an exploratory mindset about their careers.
“The surprising thing I got out of working with Jen for a couple months is a better vision for what my life and career might look like. It seems like possibilities have opened up, and I hold a lot of things more loosely than I did before, too. I still stress out about what’s next, but I have a better sense that there is a next that keeps growing with time. Working with Jen really solidified the realistic optimism ideal as well. I am grateful I connected with Jen and worked with her.”
—Ian, STEM postdoc
Ready to move forward with my life
“Jen took me from a lost and distressed postdoc needing a change to a person who understands and acknowledges her values. With these tools in tow, I am now ready to move forward with my life in a healthy and more positive manner, rather than trying to fit myself into the ‘ideal scientist’ who values science above all else life has to offer.”
—M.P., STEM PhD
I am delighted where things turned out
“I have enjoyed all of my conversations with Jen. I had no idea what to expect when I began with her, but I am delighted where things turned out. I should say that I think I had a great mindset going into my coaching sessions—I never felt like I was in a hopeless place or that I couldn’t change things. Jen has a wonderfully friendly report and openness that make talking to her very enjoyable indeed.”
—Jonathan Auyer, philosophy PhD
Got me over the hump
“Jennifer got me over the hump that was preventing me from writing. I am now moving ahead with a lot more confidence and clarity about what I am doing and how I should do it. Having someone who is not related to me or on my committee interested in listening on a specific time and date was tremendously useful in terms of getting my thoughts organized—like a self imposed deadline that provides you with accountability to someone else who is not judgmental or critical.”
—Carolyn, ABD
Narrow down what I wanted
“The process helped me narrow down what I wanted [in my next job]. Jen helped me articulate what I was looking for and keep those goals at the forefront of my mind.”
—Michelle Youngblood
Helped me get out of the rut
“Jen helped me get out of the rut that was the post-PhD dead end. Being on so many levels invested in my field of study, through our sessions, I gradually separated myself from the academic image so many of us have in our head, towards the reality of really getting on with things, albeit in a different, but even more positive way. I still value my personal academic inclinations, but am no longer deluded by the ivory tower as a place of employment for me.”
—M.N., PhD
Coaching for groups
I highly recommend it!
“Jen’s Non-Academic Career Group has been a great source of information, encouragement, and networking. I highly recommend it!”
—Jarret Ruminski, history PhD
This will help you realize that you’re not alone
“Fellow dissertators: I’m defending in a week, and I strongly encourage all of you to join the dissertators group! I’ve been meeting with Jen’s Non-Academic Career Group for the final few months of my dissertating, and found it extremely helpful to have the community. We tend not to even realize how isolating the dissertation process can be, and this will help you realize (and remember!) that you’re not alone!”
—Julie Graves, psychology PhD