Dear Reader, Something interesting happened in the small-group discussion with my program members this week. About seven people attended the small group discussion I hosted for program members, and the first question was about skills-based resumes: W...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Dear Reader, A lot of PhDs already know how to job search. Is this you? You have a job already, whether you work in academia or have switched tracks to industry, government, whatever. The mechanics of a job search aren’t really your issue. The proble...
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...
Dear Reader, I saw this comment on LinkedIn recently: “Once a scientist, always a scientist.” At first glance, it feels like an empowering sentiment, reassuring PhDs that they haven’t wasted their years of training even if they jump ship to a differe...
