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Find Your Purpose

Don't just find your job.  Find your purpose. 
                                                      - Chris Cornthwaite (Toronto)

Your career is a chance to make an impact on the world. It’s a chance to serve something bigger than yourself. 
                                                       -Maren Wood (UNC)

What's my Interest Profile?

This 60-question Interest Profiler might generate some unexpected insights

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60 Question Interest Profiler (US Dept of Labor)

Have a PhD and Can’t Get a Job?
​These 4 Steps Will Launch Your Dream Career.

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Step 1 – Get Your Mindset Right
Step 2 – Find Where Your Skills Meet the Marketplace
Step 3 – Talk to 10 People in Cool Roles
Step 4 – Ask Those 10 People for Advice on Getting Hired
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Chris Cornthwaite (Toronto)

Lots of useful worksheets in this Planning Guide

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Assessments & examples (UC Irvine - 34pp)
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Academic vs. Nonacademic Jobs?

​9 Signs You Might Be About to Quit Your Academic Job

1. You need to (or simply want to) relocate
​2. You’re working too many hours
3. You have no job security
4. You’re not earning a living wage
5. Your work environment is difficult
6. Your health is deteriorating
7. You can’t grow professionally
8. You really feel it’s time for a change
9. You daydream about quitting your academic job
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L. Marin Wood (UNC)
Andy Stapleton (Newcastle)

One view of non-academic career path options

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Melissa Anders (Toronto)

What are other job options?

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Mel Bruce (Southern Cross - Australia)

A sample of 353 ABD jobs in the US

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From LinkedIn
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Arunodoy Sur (Florida Atlantic)

How do I get that great job?

Advice and Examples

Resources and Networks
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12 Success Stories (Vrije Universiteit - Amsterdam)
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Humanities Advice APA (34pp)
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Klodjan Stafa (EPFL, Switzerland)
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Selected Highlights About PhD and ABD Job Searches

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Isaiah Hankel (Iowa)
• You’ll never hear back after submitting your resume online.
• 80% of industry jobs are not advertised. 
• The average time that it takes to find an industry job is 2-8 months.
• Most PhDs transition into R&D, Marketing, or Applications.
• The first person to follow-up will get the job

Some Inter-web Resources

  • Beyond the Professorate: Useful free webinars and advice from panels of successful people.
  • Versatile PhD: This is a ABD PhD support group to find a job outside academia. 
  • PhD Career Guide: Here's lots of career options to pursue that aren't in academics. 
  • Imagine PhD:  Helps Humanities and Social Science PhDs examine their  interests and skills and then plan  their next steps.
  • MyIDP - On-line assessment tool to help with STEM PhDs find the best fit. 
  • Cheeky Scientist: Helps a person explore industry opportunities and provides monthly updates.

A slide deck of additional options

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Sociology (Berkeley - Slides)
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Isaiah Hankel (Iowa)

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Great Advice on Cover Letters and Vitas (Resumes)

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Writing a non-academic vita or resume (Edinburgh)
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Writing a non-academic cover letter (Illinois)