Phil Skills is a new website put together by two Philosophy PhDs from U of M, which features interviews with philosophers working in fields as broad as academic publishing, immigration law, management consulting, and national defense. They offer advice based on their own experiences navigating the job search and discuss how they use their academic training…
Category: Success Stories
Bringing PhD Training to Academic Innovation Projects
By Shana Melnysyn Dr. Sarah Moncada is a Project Coordinator for the Academic Innovation Initiative in U of M’s Office of Academic Innovation. She graduated from U of M with a PhD in Slavic Languages and Literatures in December 2016. Dr. Sarah Moncada helps facilitate the Academic Innovation Initiative, a year-long effort launched by the…
A Political Philosopher in a Taxpayer Watchdog Agency
By Eleni Manis, senior research analyst in the office of an elected official in the New York metropolitan area. Dr. Manis completed her PhD in Philosophy at the University of Michigan in 2009. Not so long ago, I was a philosopher specializing in political philosophy. Today, I work in the political arena, serving as a…
How I (Unknowingly) Prepared for My Museum Career
By Matthew Jaber Stiffler, Researcher at the Arab American National Museum and Lecturer at the University of Michigan. Dr. Stiffler received his PhD in American Culture from U of M in 2010. My transition from academia to the world of cultural museums was, initially, supposed to be a temporary exile. My graduate career, eight years in…
Developing and Applying Humanities Skills: From Museums to Financial Services
By Heloise Finch-Boyer, Senior Grants Specialist at Leyton UK. Dr. Finch-Boyer finished her PhD in Anthropology and History at University of Michigan in 2009. Internships aren’t just for undergrads. But when I entered the doctoral program in anthropology & history I was obsessed with other things: my field site, papers, prelims, my PhD “question”, the…
PhDs Discuss Transitioning to Careers Outside the Tenure Track
From PhD to Life is a website full of resources for PhDs looking to transition to careers outside tenure track academia. It includes this comprehensive collection of Q & A’s with people who have transitioned into various careers, from libraries and nonprofits to banks and tech startups.
What Can You Do with a PhD?
This article discusses the experiences of some recent Mellon/ACLS Fellows, whose 2-year positions in government and non-profits help them gain valuable skills for professional development. Through the Mellon/ACLS program, the foundation seeks to highlight the contributions that humanities PhDs can make beyond the academy.
How to Prepare a PhD for Faculty and Nonfaculty Jobs
This article outlines a case where a PhD student in English entered her program already knowing she would seek employment in the tech industry, and worked successfully to tailor her studies. Although her advisor was used to mentoring students for the tenure track, he altered his mentorship strategies to help the student reach her goals.
Using Humanities Training for Technical Writing
By Asynith Palmer, Technical Writer in Residence at University of Maryland Baltimore County and Information Developer at AMP Systems, LLC. Dr Palmer received her PhD in English from the University of Michigan in 2014. I have been a full time consultant since earning my PhD in English Language & Literature in 2014. I carry two business…
Development for Higher Education
By Shana Melnysyn By the time Jill McDonough was about halfway through her PhD in English at the University of Michigan, she realized that she didn’t want to be an academic. She decided to persevere and complete the degree, and then began networking extensively by conducting informational interviews with people in a range of professions…