FAQ: How do I get a job doing what I love?

2018-10-02T02:29:29+00:00January 6th, 2014|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been compiling a list of FAQs that I receive from graduate students and PhDs so that I can share insights with you. I'll occasionally post these FAQs and my responses in an effort to show that you're not the only one asking real, practical questions about nonacademic careers and to help you think through your career journey. This FAQ is from a client consultation I did via email with a prospective graduate student in filmmaking, who has a background in Anthropology and Digital Media.  CLIENT FAQ: "I'm mostly looking for mentorship and guidance with some issues I'm struggling with in terms of my future professional pursuits. I know that I am not satisfied with the reality of pursuing filmmaking in isolation of my passion for community outreach and organizing, academia, writing and minority advocacy. However, I am stuck in discovering a way to integrate [...]

Job security outside of academia?

2018-10-02T02:29:29+00:00December 30th, 2013|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I present to PhDs on college campuses and conferences, graduate students express their concern about the lack of job security in nonacademic careers.  The academic career path comes with a sense of job security because job options are clearly set. You either get a postdoc fellowship, visiting professorship, lecturer position, research position, tenure track job, or the dreaded adjunct or contingent position (but that's another topic for another day). Take note of the ratio of temporary to long-term positions among these options.  Perhaps what PhDs are really saying is that academic careers come with a high level of job predictability, rather than job security. Nonacademic careers are the vast unknown for many graduate students who may not have spent much time in career planning, career exploration or out-of-classroom/department/university experiences.  When beginning to look at careers outside the academy, PhD career changers tend [...]

Take Advantage

2018-10-02T02:29:29+00:00December 19th, 2013|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some of the most common concerns I hear from PhDs considering a career outside of academia go something like this: How do I know what kind of job I would be good at? What company will want to hire someone my age with little “real world” experience? Who will serve as references for me when all my references are from my lab or dissertation committee? These concerns are valid for any graduate student who wants to be a viable candidate for industry careers. However, the divide between the academic and the workplace can be bridged with one or two well-placed volunteer, intern or part-time work experiences.  A little experience goes a long way to helping you get your foot in the door in a new field. You’ve heard this advice before but you aren’t sure where to find such opportunities and the [...]

Taking a Break Along Your Current Career Path

2013-09-17T15:53:44+00:00September 17th, 2013|Tags: , , , , , |

I left the house this morning geared up for at least a four-mile run. I headed out to one of the parks in my neighborhood. The sites were particularly active and sensory this morning with kids playing soccer, families barbecuing, and photographers canonizing their subjects. Along the way I felt like what I really needed was to slow down and enjoy the scene around me. This shift in focus meant I would have to change my course of action from running to walking and even sitting on a park bench to people watch. There are times in life when we have to be willing to surrender our plans and shift to what we need in the moment. It's easy to live life by routine or on autopilot. We take this same tact with our graduate studies and related career choices even when [...]

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