Hosted by Penn Press
This fall, we will be featuring blog posts written by PhD students who participated in Career Services’ Career Exploration Fellowship (CEF), a program that helps doctoral candidates explore their career interests through networking opportunities with advanced degree professionals. Click here to learn more about CEF.
Describe your experience working with your host.
My host was Jenny Tan, an acquisitions editor at Penn Press. Jenny was incredibly supportive, informative, and generous with her time. We’d meet one-on-one monthly at a coffee shop to chat about the industry, publishing trends, and my weekly experiences. She gave me really valuable insight into publishing by inviting me to attend work meetings across multiple departments—acquisitions, marketing, and production—where I could see how a university press actually works. I also got to observe her regular check-ins with her editorial assistant, which gave me a detailed look at how acquisitions unfold from start to finish. Jenny set up informational interviews with her colleagues across different Penn Press departments, so I got a well-rounded view of the organization. She even included me in work happy hours, where I could learn about the industry more casually and connect with her colleagues.
What did you learn from this opportunity (about yourself, potential career fields, the job search, etc.)?
My fellowship at Penn Press taught me the structure, language, and expectations of the publishing industry. I learned what the channels are to find a job and what skills they’re actually looking for. The CEF workshops complemented this perfectly by teaching me how to navigate the job market more broadly. The resume workshop showed me how to translate my academic skills for industry employers, and the sessions on informational interviews and LinkedIn were really practical. I could tell the difference immediately—the informational interviews I conducted at Penn Press were much more effective because of what I’d learned in the workshops.
How did your CEF experience influence your future career plans
The fellowship broadened my perspective on potential career paths within and beyond traditional academia. It was nice to try something completely different and see what else might be possible. The experience also made me feel more prepared to actually pursue these options rather than just wondering about them, so I’m going to apply to publishing positions alongside academic jobs this year. Given the current state of the academic job market, it’s reassuring to know I have viable alternatives.
What was the most valuable part of your CEF experience?
The most valuable part was connecting with other people who, after spending most of our careers in academia, are now considering different paths. I also appreciated the mentorship and the realistic picture it gave me of the field, which helped clarify my own interests.
Top reason PhD students should apply to the CEF program?
Just go for it! This program is really eye-opening, and you get to control how much time you want to put into it. Beyond the mentorship, the CEF workshops are really useful and fun. It’s a structured, supportive way to explore new possibilities without any pressure to commit to anything specific.
