Read on Twitter
It was such a treat to sit on this panel yesterday and learn from @Jenkinsbd, @kristin_lord, @rebeccajwolfe, & @tcwittes. To summarize a few takeaways from the conversation: https://twitter.com/JimGoldgeier/status/1316812194156347393">https://twitter.com/JimGoldge...
YOU HAVE OPTIONS. Academia is not the whole arena, it’s just one player on the field. PhDs can play multiple roles, as knowledge generators, synthesizers, and consumers, across multiple sectors.
HAVE A PLAN. Learning what’s out there takes time. You’re trained to synthesize large amounts of information; apply those skills to the job hunt. Develop a system to keep track of organizations, job titles, job boards, other opportunities before you’re ready to enter the market
LOOK BEYOND TITLES. You know what an assistant professor does, but do you know what the average day of an analyst at Contractor X or Non-Profit Y looks like? Talk to people and ask specific questions about their work and their organization’s mission.
PURSUE HANDS ON EXPERIENCE. Consultant positions, volunteer work, summer programs (like ours at @RANDCorporation!) can help boost your CV but, just as important, they teach you about what the job entails and can help you ID what you like—and don’t.
BUT KNOW YOUR WORTH. Know the value of your labor and watch out for exploitive practices. Find peer and more senior mentors who you can help you understand the norms in your field—and ultimately guide you in salary negotiations.
YOUR NETWORK IS WIDER THAN YOU THINK. The field’s reliance on networks means that class, race, gender, and other factors play a role in who sees and thus pursues opportunities. Great orgs like @BtGProjectDC @WCAPSnet @lc_wins @NatSecDiver are working to level the playing field...
...but you can also look closer to home. Ask your professors, classmates, friends (and friends’ parents) for introductions. People want to help you succeed. Which brings us to the big one:
FIND YOUR TRIBE. Peer networks are undervalued. Find your yes committee (and your no committee 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👀" title="Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Augen"> @_danigilbert). This work is hard, and your peers can share your burden, provide practical advice, and help you build the community you want to work in.
YOU’RE DOING GREAT. Deciding you don’t want an academic job can be tough. There’s a whole community of us PhDs out there ready to welcome you-whether you want to continue research or pursue practitioner or leadership roles.
Characteristically, I’ve gone on too long. Thanks to @JimGoldgeier for being a model host and moderator, @naazneenbarma for your role in bringing us all together, and the rest of the @BtGProjectDC team for your hard work in building a wider and more representative community.
