Heated Rivalry, JenBot, and what’s coming up

Dear Reader, I've got three quick things for you: Heated Rivalry, JenBot, and a program update. Scroll down for more info on what's relevant to you, or you can stop reading right now 😀 — First: Heated Rivalry (the TV show). Last week, I posted on Li...

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Jan 28, 2026
Is expertise beautiful? Why this matters for you

Dear Reader, One of the frameworks I really like for PhDs and other academics going through a professional transition, including a potential career change, is the VIA ("values in action") character strengths. A bit different from workplace strengths...

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Jan 22, 2026
Here’s to more fun in 2026 + co-working starts tmrw

Dear Reader, Happy New Year! (Who else is still at the cottage? iykyk) Let's talk about 2026 and what we need now. Me? I need fun. There's not enough fun in my life. I spent too many years on Twitter not to immediately want to caveat that with I KNOW...

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Jan 13, 2026
Can a chatbot replace a PhD career coach?

Dear Reader, I’ve been working on something new (fun!) and I’m not sure how I feel about it (hmm!). The new thing is a chatbot based on my approach to career transition coaching for PhDs. It’s a guided reflection tool designed to help users better un...

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Nov 05, 2025
Ever feel like your experience just doesn’t count?

Dear Reader, The interviewer smiled politely. You could almost hear the quiet click of a mental file cabinet: PhD. Postdoc. Researcher. Each time Divya (not her real name), a PhD scientist with years of lab and data experience, described the projects...

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Oct 21, 2025
Don’t job search like students use AI to write papers

Dear Reader, It often seems like the hardest part of leaving academia is figuring out how to "sell" yourself to employers. For example, a PhD wrote to me last week with this concern: “I really want to be better able to communicate my skills, knowledg...

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Oct 08, 2025
Fixing what’s underneath comes first (story time!)

Dear Reader, Here's a story about my living room wall. Today, it looks stunning. (If I do say so myself.) The colour grounds the space, ties together the flooring, rug, furniture, and sets the stage for the gallery wall above the sofa, where photos I...

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Sep 24, 2025
For PhDs who feel stuck in limbo

Dear Reader, Here's a surprising thing about my work: Many of my clients already have jobs outside of academia. Yep. Good jobs, even. They're working with me because they feel “in limbo” (to borrow a phrase from someone I spoke with last week). Every...

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Sep 09, 2025