Hosted by the American Philosophical Society
This summer, we will be featuring blog posts written by PhD students who participated in Career Services’ Career Exploration Initiative (CEI), a program that helps doctoral candidates explore their career interests through networking opportunities with advanced degree professionals. Click here to learn more about CEI.
Participating in the CEI program was very insightful for me. I was matched with David Nelson at the American Philosophical Society (APS), and he was really great to work with! He was generously available to meet with me frequently and proactive in reaching out whenever opportunities came up for me to get involved in things. He was also thoughtful in connecting me with other people who could answer my questions and give me a range of perspectives in the field. We brainstormed to find a project I could work on that would suit me, and I was able to take on a project working with archived APS speeches. I was also allowed to work hands-on with some new acquisition materials through one of the connections he put me in touch with, which was very cool.
In speaking with David and others affiliated with the APS, I learned a lot about a range of roles in non-profit institutions and the various ways people have gotten into those roles. There really is a wide range of backgrounds suitable for this line of work! I found this promising, and I feel more confident in pursuing opportunities that will prepare me for the kind of work I want to do after graduation. I also just felt so welcomed and encouraged by everyone I spoke with, and I look forward to being in touch with them all beyond the program!
One thing that was especially valuable for me in seeing the other side of academic-adjacent work was better understanding the pros and cons of an academic career in comparison to a 9-5 alternative. I feel much more informed in evaluating the kind of career I want to pursue, not just in the work I would do but in the day-to-day as well; understanding the workplace and lifestyle differences I can expect was really eye-opening. I know now how to be more intentional in searching for a role that suits me, not just in matching my resume experiences but also in matching my working/lifestyle preferences, and that is so valuable.
To someone considering applying to this program, I would say that there are a couple of things you should think about. First, whether you are certain you want to pursue an alternative career path or are still on the fence, there is valuable insight in seeing what else is out there and learning about a particular other option. Second, pick your potential hosts with intention! Mine was a great match, but keep in mind that you are not exploring a range of career alternatives through this program, but primarily making connections and getting information about a specific role at a specific organization/company. So be sure that wherever you are placed you are interested in the work and could see yourself in a similar role — though of course you do not need to be dead set on pursuing such a role, as this is still exploratory! And finally, make sure you communicate not just with your host but also with your department and anyone you are working with. You have to attend several workshops throughout the semester and there’s a good chance one of these will overlap with other obligations at some point, so be sure everyone who needs to know knows about your involvement in this program and the extent to which it may conflict with other commitments.
That said, the time and energy put into making the most out of this program was, I found, very manageable, and worth doing. I’m very grateful to have gotten this opportunity and to have been matched with such a generous host!
