“PhDs at work has been an excellent resource for the career counseling and consultation I do with graduate students looking for jobs outside of the academy. The variety of careers and backgrounds is diversely unique. The day in the life understanding of tasks, relationships, and duties each role entails in real time, provides a layer of depth desperately needed by PhDs looking for their next step professionally. The blogs are entertaining, insightful and provide hope for doctoral students who may not be able to talk about their interest in careers outside of the professoriate in their own social circles. The blogs and happy hours are fantastic ways for PhD professionals to connect and expand their network. This site is invaluable for career counselors working with PhDs, and I look forward to seeing it expand in the future.”
Annie Maxfield
Associate Director, Graduate Student Relations & Services
UCLA Career Center
Week in the Life Series
“PhDs At Work opened my eyes to possibilities I hadn’t even imagined, from opportunities in industry to independent entrepreneurship. I learned about lots of options, and I gained confidence that I too could repurpose the skills acquired during my academic training to solve many different problems. Hearing about other PhDs’ transitions removed some of the mystery, made my own transition less daunting, and gave me the confidence to move forward in my own trajectory.” [Read more…]
Viviane Callier, PhD
“I enjoy reading the “Week in the Life” series and learning about the exciting and challenging careers of other PhDs. It is a terrific resource for anyone interested in the possibilities for careers for doctoral degree holders beyond academia, and I often recommend it to graduate students contemplating a so-called “alternative” path. I hope that, as more PhDs share their stories and more information becomes available about what PhDs do, it will become clear that the degree prepares students for successful careers in a variety of contexts.”
Maureen McCarthy, PhD
Networking Events
“Conversations range across far-flung topics (occasionally related to participants’ academic experiences), and collegial support and mutual curiosity abound. Beyond the camaraderie, business is being conducted. Would-be hirers and hirees are present. Personally, I’ve had several intriguing conversations about projects that could involve me and I’ve met people who were suited for jobs that I knew about.” [Read more…]
John Frisch, DMA
“Our group included many convivial, successful execs with PhDs in several fields who made the switch, including Michelle. They came not just as inspirational examples, but ready to open the first door with advice, invitations to their offices, and to share connections of their own. The next week found me at Citigroup for an informative informational interview that lasted more than an hour.” [Read more…]
Hannah Sigur, PhD
“The first thing to report about the networking event is that it was disarmingly fluid. Fluids helped. It was happy hour at the Flatiron area bar. But what I really mean is that people were interested in enabling a flow of conversations. My first conversation partner and I spoke for about fifteen minutes before he said, ‘I think you might like talking to a woman I know across the room. Let me introduce you.’” [Read more…]
Bryant Kirkland (ABD)
Workshops
“I think it is a rare and wonderful thing to receive so much from a group of people in so short a time. Having now attended one networking event and two workshops hosted by PhDs At Work, it is what I have come to expect: a group of great, smart, people trying to help one another figure out the next step in their careers.” [Read more…]
Sean Murphy, PhD