Hosted by Katz Center, University of Pennsylvania
Describe your experience working with your host.
As a CEF fellow, I was placed with Dr. Natalie Dohrmann and Dr. Steven Weizman at the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies. Throughout the semester, we had several meetings to discuss what aspects I most enjoy about pursuing a PhD and conducting research, and how these aspects can inform my career exploration. Natalie and Steven both took the time to understand my background, helped me consider careers I hadn’t thought of before, and connected me to a diverse group of people with various skill sets and job responsibilities. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have met so many truly inspiring people who managed to successfully define their own career paths outside of academia.
What did you learn from this opportunity (about yourself, about career fields, the job search, etc.)?
When I approached the end of my PhD, I realized that I had not really given much thought to careers outside of academia, perhaps because academia makes it very easy to see only one route. It is almost like going through a tunnel with a single start and end point, and nothing in between. While starting to consider postdoc positions, however, I felt like I had to see what else was out there; I owed it to myself to make a more informed decision about what to pursue with my career and life in general.
As I was talking to people, I realized quickly that many of the skills I acquired during my doctoral degree would be useful in careers outside of academia. For instance, my understanding of complex processes and my ability to quickly interpret data would be relevant in many fields. But more so than that, I have developed a certain kind of maturity, which – as one science journalist emphasized during an interview – is something highly valued in the “outside” world. As graduate students, we have conceived, worked on, improved, troubleshot, failed, rescued, and/or successfully finished many challenging and distinct projects; we have helped lab mates, navigated difficult situations with advisors and committees, admitted mistakes, and have stood up for ourselves and for others. Ultimately, these experiences make us more empathetic beings, equipping us with a better understanding of how to put things into perspective – an invaluable skill that will help in both academic and non-academic careers.
How does your CEF experience benefit your future career plans?
The CEF experience made me feel more confident about my skills and talents. Part of the experience actually encouraged me to give academia a fair chance and pursue my passion for science without the stress of seeing no alternatives. During my CEF, I learned about different career paths, but most importantly, I developed the skills needed to effectively explore different careers. Learning how to conduct an informational interview, how to craft a non-academic CV, how to use LinkedIn for professional networking – all these skills are going to be incredibly useful when searching for jobs outside of the traditional tenure-track path. And so regardless of what decisions I will make in the future, I feel relieved to know that there are viable career options that could result in an exciting and fulfilling life, and that I have all the necessary skills to make things happen if I choose to do so.
What was the most valuable part of your CEF experience?
I think the most valuable part of the CEF experience was understanding that whatever career choices I make in the future, I need to do what is right for me. A lot of people in academia have this notion that ‘leaving academia’ is equivalent to admitting failure and deciding to pursue the next-best option, whatever that may be for you. However, many jobs outside of academia can be just as fulfilling depending on your interests and personal values. What matters is that you find out what matters to you personally and that you learn to tell your story confidently and convincingly.
Top reason PhD students should apply to the CEF
The CEF presents a great opportunity to explore careers and get some clarity on future steps after completing your PhD.
