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From PhD to Life

BY JENNIFER POLK | NOV 14 2017

Guest writer Jessica Hartshorn says conferences can, and should, be a place to add to your reputation and develop name recognition.

BY MAREN WOOD | NOV 02 2017

The more open universities are about where their PhDs are getting jobs, the better equipped current students are to forge their own career paths.

BY MAREN WOOD | OCT 17 2017

Bringing together individuals and institutions from across North America who are actively working to help smart, creative people move from graduate studies into meaningful work.

BY JENNIFER POLK | OCT 02 2017

The name of this blog is changing.

BY JENNIFER POLK | AUG 25 2017

Ms. Steel explains that the days of staying at one company for an entire career are gone. So accept it, take risks, always learn, and see where it leads.

BY JENNIFER POLK | JUL 14 2017

Niem Huynh earned her PhD from Wilfrid Laurier University in geography (geography education). She is currently enjoying her role as manager, graduate student recruitment at Concordia University where she works with stakeholders to implement timely and meaningful connections with prospective graduate students. Niem is an explorer of career opportunities, having worked in the high school, […]

BY JENNIFER POLK | JUN 28 2017

Self-described as intellectually restless, Daniel has pivoted his career to focus on innovation policy.

BY JENNIFER POLK | MAY 25 2017

“There are no limits to what a PhD can prepare you to do, and what matters most is that you are doing work you find fulfilling and that meets your practical needs, not whether or not your advisers approve or your school sees you as a ‘success.’”

BY JENNIFER POLK | MAY 18 2017

Since their last Q&As, both Mélanie’s and Kyla’s portfolios have grown, giving them the opportunity to work with a variety of departments.

BY JENNIFER POLK | APR 28 2017

I’m gearing up to co-host the Beyond the Professoriate conference once again this May. It’s the fourth annual event, and there’s a great lineup of speakers presenting. I asked our Day 1 (Career Day) panellists to share advice they have for graduate students and PhDs who are seeking – or at least considering – non-faculty careers. How can they […]

BY JENNIFER POLK | APR 12 2017

This year’s online career conference for PhDs promises lots of helpful information for both the academic and non-academic job search.

BY JENNIFER POLK | MAR 31 2017

“I knew what the government needed — someone to help them better respond to the public through thoughtful research design.”

BY JENNIFER POLK | MAR 21 2017

As a PhD, you can think of research as one of your many useful skills, but it is not necessarily your primary identity.

BY JENNIFER POLK | MAR 02 2017

Dr. Lisa Bélanger is an award-winning researcher, innovator, and she is CEO of ConsciousWorks, a consulting firm that teaches people how insights from behavioural science can improve their personal and professional lives. Dr. Belanger holds a PhD in behavioural medicine from the University of Alberta, is a certified exercise physiologist, a published author of Inspire Me Well: […]

BY JENNIFER POLK | FEB 23 2017

“As an anthropologist, I would never have access to the hospital in such ways.”

BY JENNIFER POLK | FEB 14 2017

Hillary Hutchinson earned a MA in social anthropology and a MEd in higher education administration from the University of Texas at Austin. She’s now a career coach specializing in academic writing and the transition out of academia.

BY JENNIFER POLK | FEB 01 2017

In early January I travelled to Denver to attend the American Historical Association meeting. I went to represent Beyond the Professoriate — the professional development business that I run with Maren Wood, a fellow history PhD turned entrepreneur. We spoke with graduate students, recent PhDs, and other historians who are interested in non-faculty careers. Many […]

BY JENNIFER POLK | JAN 18 2017

Joseph Fruscione (PhD, English) contributed to the Transition Q & A series in December 2013 and August 2015. You can read his interviews here and here. After 15 years teaching literature and first-year writing in the Washington, DC, area, he left academia in 2014 for a career as a freelance editor and post-ac consultant. He […]

BY JENNIFER POLK | JAN 05 2017

A client shared this bit of wisdom with me a while back: Instead of admonishing herself with “I should…” she replaced it with “What if I…?” Reframing the sentiment as an open question turns it into something positive and future-oriented. The answer focuses on the benefits of taking an action, rather than the guilt or […]

BY JENNIFER POLK | DEC 12 2016

Lino Coria earned his PhD in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia. He’s currently a computer vision engineer at Wiivv Wearables and partner at Scribble Consulting. Find him online here and follow him on Twitter @linocoria. What did you hope for in terms of employment as you completed your PhD? I wanted to […]