What Should I Do After Graduate School??

This is a question that doctoral students ask themselves at least a million times during graduate school. In contemplating the future, we sometimes forget that academia is NOT the only option. In this economic downturn where academic jobs are scarce, it is even more important for students to consider exploring non-academic careers. During the Diverse Career Paths symposium at SRA's biennial meeting in Philadelphia, a wonderful set of panelists held nothing back and gave students honest advice and useful tips about non-academic careers. The panel included:

• Martha Bleeker, Survey Researcher at Mathematica Policy Institute
• Lorah Dorn, Director of Research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  
• LeShawndra Price, Program Officer and Health Science Administrator for the National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Brian Wilcox, Director of the Center on Children, Families, and the Law at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln

If you missed this exciting session, here are the cliffs notes!

Hone your expertise.

• Cultivate a unique, substantive area of expertise. Non-academic institutions typically have a preference for research that can be applied.
• Be good at what you do. Good science is highly respected.
• Be passionate about your work! Genuine enthusiasm for your research area will shine through in your interactions with others and in your writing.

Get strong methods training.

• Many non-academic research careers require skills with advanced methodologies and experience with statistical software packages.
• Consider minoring in quantitative methods. This could give you a competitive edge for the jobs you really want.

Network! Network! Network!

• Be proactive and seek people out at conferences.
• Talk to former graduate students from your university.
• Ask your mentor to help you establish connections with others in your desired career.
• Have something to say to those you seek out! Having a specific question or comment will make these interactions more useful for you. Being prepared will also make a positive impression on others.

Stay open-minded.

• Take advantage of many different opportunities during graduate school!
• Be open to opportunities that seem unusual; they can sometimes lead you on the most interesting paths.
• Search for jobs that provide you with positive reinforcement. This will help you figure out the right career for you.

Keep seeking answers. Some questions have no easy answers (like the ones below that we discussed in the session). Most importantly, be persistent in seeking advice and working out what is right for you.

• How do you transition back into academia from a non-academic job? Panelists admitted this is tricky, but one key element is maintaining a strong publication record.
• How do you know what advice NOT to take? For example, panelists suggested that you be wary of advice from traditional academics that the non-academic track is "career-suicide."
• How do you achieve a work-life balance? This will be different for everyone, but one piece of advice from panelists was to PLAN time for relaxation, family, and other non-work activities and PROTECT it on your calendar.

I've been on the job market this year and am pursuing a more traditional tenure-track path. Yet, I still learned some valuable insights from these panelists! And given the uncertainty of the academic job market, I think it is wise to consider your non-academic options. What do you think?

To those currently or recently on the job market for non-academic positions, what advice do you have for other students? What tips or insights can you share?

To those not yet on the job market, what burning questions remain about attaining a non-academic position?