phd Archives - Beyond The Tenure Track

Is your resume telling your story?

FatimahPhD2018-10-02T02:29:27+00:00June 16th, 2015|Tags: altac, alternative careers for academics, careers for PhDs, careers outside academia, job seeker, jobs for phds, nonaca, nonacademic jobs, nontraditional careers for academics, phd, postacademic careers|

Tooting your own horn on your resume during your transition from academia to your first postacademic job can be tough. All of your accomplishments to date have been relevant to academia and they are expertly displayed on your multi-page academic CV. But the resume makes you wonder, How are my experiences relevant to an employer or recruiter? How can I pack all my experiences and accomplishments into a 1-page resume? What should I cut when transitioning my CV to a resume? Will employers take chance on me even thought most of my experience has been in the academy? There’s no one size fits all answer to these questions. Overall your goal is to communicate where you’ve been, what you accomplished while there, and how you want to contribute those skills (and your awesomeness) in the next position. Sounds easy enough, right? Here [...]

Career Jumpstart Programs

FatimahPhD2018-10-02T02:29:27+00:00February 27th, 2015|Tags: externships, fellowships, graduate students, internships, nonacademic careers, phd|

Graduate students and recent graduates who are considering nonfaculty careers are in a unique position to take advantage of career jumpstart programs. Career jumpstart programs, as I call them, are fellowships, internships, externships and other experiential learning opportunities that provide participants with hands on work experience in a target career field. These short-term paid and unpaid opportunities can range from 10-week summer programs to two-year work experiences. They provide the critical work related experience that PhD job seekers need to develop relevant job skills, grow their professional networks and gain exposure to the world of work. These practical experiences can be significant launching points for career paths that PhD job seekers and their advisors may not have considered. Here is a brief list of career jumpstart programs for graduate students and recent graduates in the social sciences, humanities, and STEM. Many of these [...]

Take Advantage

fatimahphd2018-10-02T02:29:29+00:00December 19th, 2013|Tags: alt-ac, alternative careers for academics, Career changer, career development for PhDs, career transition, careers for PhDs, humanities PhDs, nonacademic careers, nonacademic careers for phds, phd, PhDs, post-ac, professional development, quitting academia|

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 [...]

Is your resume telling your story?

Career Jumpstart Programs

Take Advantage

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Be Bold.

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