Are you interested in careers that might not be in academia?
Have you found it hard to find people in the academic environment who know about other careers?
Just a few days ago I learned from a dissertation coaching client of a great service that may interest you.
The Versatile PhD is a free online service for both ABD’s and PhD’s who are interested in learning about careers outside academia. Versatility is the key concept of The Versatile PhD. The organizers recognize that you have “the ability to apply your skills and interests in a wide variety of fields.”
This site provides an arena for you to investigate possibilities and to think of the many choices available to you.
The contributors are generous with their ideas and experience and provide information that you can use. You will find career panels that run for a week, announcements of events, discussion groups, job postings, career stories, and resumes. The website is full of interesting materials. For instance, you will find a store—actually a bookstore with section titles such as
–Books to help you chart a new course in your career
–Books to help you understand the non-academic job search process and navigate it successfully
–Books about The Academy
–Stuff for Scientists
The Versatile PhD started as a small community, and it’s been growing. Now many universities subscribe to the premium area. In fact, the subscription fees from universities pay for the open area, which you are welcome to join for free. Later this year, the premium area may be open to individuals.
If you have had experience with The Versatile PhD or if you’ve been looking for a community like this, I would love to hear from you.
All good wishes,
Nancy
Nancy Whichard, Ph.D., PCC Your International Dissertation Coach and Academic Career Coach http://www.nancywhichard.com http://www.smarttipsforwriters.com nancy @ nancywhichard.com