Articles
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"Tell Yourself a Different Story: An Essay on Surviving the Job Market," by Jeffrey Aaron WeingartenJeffrey Aaron Weingarten explains how storytelling can help PhDs survive the jobmarket. Rather than focusing on a single story, in which a tenure track position at a top research institution is the only possible outcome of a PhD, Weingarten challenges his readers to imagine "many different versions of yourself, your career, and the best use of your expertise," to find out what kind of career and life they really want, and which skills of the skills they acquired during their PhDs they can use for this. Friday, July 20, 2018 - 2:15pm |
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"Does a PhD actually make a difference in a non-academic work environment?" by Jennifer PolkJennifer Polk interviews five PhDs working in various industries on the value of doctoral degrees in industry jobs, including the transferable skills gained during the PhD program that set the PhD apart from other job candidates, with project management and strong writing skills being valuable assets in the search for industry jobs. Thursday, July 12, 2018 - 6:45pm |
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"3 Things Every PhD Needs to Know About Getting a Job Outside Academia," by Kristine LodgeKristine Lodge gives PhD candidates who are exploring alternative careers three core pieces of advice to consider in the transition into a nonacademic job. She reminds her readers to rely on their networks and build them where possible, and to thoroughly consider their story and their work values, and offers helpful resources to figure out all three of these points. Sunday, July 1, 2018 - 6:30pm |
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"From Doctoral Study to... Digital Humanities," by Jennifer S. Furlong and Julie Miller VickJennifer S. Furlong and Julie Miller Vick explore how the digital humanities can open up alternative career tracks for graduate students, such as digital humanities librarians assisting others with digital scholarship, or in administrative positions that focus on campus data curation or digital publishing. Sunday, June 17, 2018 - 2:45pm |
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"What’s it like to work beyond the professoriate? Six PhDs explain," by Jennifer PolkJennifer Polk interviews six PhDs who have left academia on their experience in working beyond the professoriate, with questions ranging from workplace policies, working hours, and what to wear. Saturday, June 2, 2018 - 3:15pm |
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"Academic Careers You May Not Have Considered," by David A. McDonaldDavid A. McDonald illuminates the vague notion of "academic administration" as an alternative career path for PhD-holders with an elaborate list of positions that can be found on university campuses, and offers suggestions on how to explore these careers for PhDs who are lookng for a career beyond the professoriate. Monday, May 21, 2018 - 2:00pm |
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"Another Piece of Quit Lit," by Joseph ConleyJoseph Conley shares an honest report of the soul-searching (and temp jobs) he did when he decided to quit academia, encouraging his readers to ask themselves the same questions to determine whether they really want to stay in academia or would be better off doing something else. Wednesday, April 25, 2018 - 3:15pm |
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5th Annual Beyond the Professoriate, the Online Career Conference for PhDsThe 5th Annual Beyond the Professoriate Career Conference for PhDs is here! Hosted entirely online, graduate students and postdocs will learn about the array of career options for PhDs and how to launch and manage their job search. Watch live and interact with panelist on Saturday, May 5, and Saturday, May 12. Can't attend live? All registered attendees will be able to replay videos for a month post conference.
Presenters include 16 PhDs (and one ABD) from disciplines ranging from comparative literature to chemical engineering. Day 1 speakers are all experts in the PhD career transition process, having working with institutions and individuals across the United States and Canada. Day 2 panelists work in a wide variety of fields, industries, and sectors, including higher education, government, nonprofits, tech, and healthcare.
Rice University Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies will sponsor 30 graduate students and postdocs to attend the two-day conference. Sign up via this form and GPS will follow up with you with instructions on how to gain access to the conference for FREE! Deadline to sign up for your free registration from GPS is Thursday, April 12th. Wednesday, April 4, 2018 - 3:45pm |
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"It’s Not If It’s Going to Be Awkward, It’s When: A Beginner’s Guide to Successful Networking," by Mike DaviesIn the Transitioning PhD Blog Series, Mike Davies writes about the challenges of networking when transitioning from an academic position to a job in the industry. He outlines three goals or strategies that challenge him to get the most out of networking events, and, most importantly, that actually help him build a network. Sunday, April 1, 2018 - 11:30am |
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"Where Do PhDs Work Outside the Academy?" by Jennifer PolkJennifer Polk brainstorms on non-academic careers that would be suitable for people with PhDs in the humanities, and lists a number of her favorite websites that can expand the list of careers even further, by looking into what other people with doctorates are doing in their careers. Monday, March 26, 2018 - 11:45am |