https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:35:17 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1398129 Mon, 17 Nov 2014 08:49:08 +0000 stainedglass 1398129@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You also might want to see what resources your alumni association has. Mine has a career network with people who are willing to do informational interviews and provide career guidance. Good luck with the job hunt. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1397808 Sun, 16 Nov 2014 20:43:34 +0000 Nebraskim 1397808@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Some universities have staff in Grad Studies who are trained in helping you move to the alt-ac track. If yours doesn't, then see if a nearby institution does and see if you can tap into their expertise. I agree with thinking about what skills you have acquired/mastered and then apply them to various other opportunities. In my town, our large public school district hires mentors for gifted students. Mentors, who are heavily vetted for obvious reasons and who need to have subject matter expertise but not necessarily teaching credentials, are assigned to work one-to-one with gifted students in particular fields of study like math, science, English, history, etc. I have a friend with a Ph.D. in English who is paired with about 12 kids at the middle and high school level. He travels to various schools each day and works with each student twice a week. He is not making a ton of money but he is employed. (He took early retirement from a different non-academic position and this job fills time, provides some cash flow and is meaningful to him.) Depending on your field, you might look into opportunities in Human Resources management. Also at my university, they like to hire post-docs to do things like grants administration, public-science interface/outreach, etc. Finally, do not dismiss working for non-profit agencies or local governments. Non-profit agencies are more likely to hire academics because they value your expertise that might be not a direct-line fit for a position but they usually understand that you have qualities that helped you succeed in academia (intelligence, perseverance, problem-solving, communications) that are helpful in agency work. And if you have expertise in a language other than English, that's definitely a skill you need to emphasize. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1397117 Sat, 15 Nov 2014 14:58:15 +0000 Mander 1397117@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm sort of in a similar boat, except that I have the luxury of being a citizen here so I'm not under the same kind of pressure to get a job. But trying to find a "normal" job with a PhD in social science has not been easy for me at all!</p> <p>There are tons of good resources out there for figuring out how to market yourself in a different climate. The key is really to figure out how your actual skills, as opposed to your subject expertise, can be useful.&nbsp; A couple of my current favorites (and be sure to look at their links, too):</p> <p><a href="http://jobsontoast.com/the-20-skills-that-make-you-totally-employable/" rel="nofollow">http://jobsontoast.com/the-20-.....mployable/</a><br /><a href="https://chroniclevitae.com/news/366-what-s-your-favorite-alt-ac-resource" rel="nofollow">https://chroniclevitae.com/new.....c-resource</a><br /><a href="http://fromphdtolife.com/" rel="nofollow">http://fromphdtolife.com/</a></p> <p>I haven't been successful yet in this search but resources like these, and reading other peoples' stories, have helped keep me from despair.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1396956 Sat, 15 Nov 2014 02:24:01 +0000 ma342 1396956@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I went the alt-ac route. I can't speak specifically to opportunities for someone with a social science degree, since my PhD was in a humanities field. So just some general advice:</p> <p>-Cast a wide net. Don't apply for jobs you're unqualified for, obviously, but keep an open mind about how&nbsp; your skill set could be a benefit in a wide range of positions. Brainstorm several possible types of jobs. </p> <p>-Informational interviews: do them. If you know someone who works in a field you might be interested in, talk to them. If you know someone who knows someone, ask to be put in touch. Don't be afraid to ask--people are almost always willing to have a brief conversation with you. I found these immensely helpful for learning about what certain jobs actually were like, what skills were needed, and how to pitch cover letters and resumes. Even better if&nbsp; you can have someone in the field you're applying in read your application materials and give feedback.</p> <p>-Be prepared to take an entry level job. You may not have to--you may get lucky and find a job for which your academic qualifications are a perfect match, with an institution that will value them. However, many institutions and companies outside of academia will not care whether you have a PhD. They will see you as someone with no actual experience (yet) in the specific line of work they are hiring for. </p> <p>-Universities often like hiring alt-acs for staff positions, because we understand university culture. Check out the job listings at universities and colleges in your area.</p> <p>-This can be a tough transition. I spent several months unemployed/underemployed and went through about 50 applications and 10 interviews before I landed a job. I hope the process is easier for you! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1396937 Sat, 15 Nov 2014 01:28:39 +0000 Dee 1396937@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>While I'm still pursuing the academic route, the advice I've been giving about alternative careers tends to be think about your skills rather than your major/field. I did my PhD in a field that combined bio and social science, but day to day, I did a lot of statistics, computer programming, and data/project management. I've learned a couple of coding languages and I am good at writing and public speaking. So then I would look for jobs that use these types of skills. Consulting and project management companies are a good start, but non-profits or think tanks also employ some of my skills. I also know a few social scientists who have also gone into teaching (adjuncitng or private secondary schools).</p> <p>Also, going back to basics, network like crazy. Update your resume and your LinkedIn and echoing Mann's comment above, build up your online presence. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1396818 Fri, 14 Nov 2014 19:48:14 +0000 Mann 1396818@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi there.&nbsp; I finished my PhD a year and a half ago, and am also working an "alternative" career outside academia right now.&nbsp; I'm doing independent consulting in data science (current buzz word), so my experience is largely from that area.&nbsp; I agree with the suggestion to look into market research opportunities - I consulted for a few months for a small market research company.&nbsp; Depending on your field, there may be some&nbsp; "obvious" transitions: a friend of mine with with a PhD in Communications worked a while for a large tech company.&nbsp; What I'm saying is that maybe thinking about in what kinds of areas your specific degree would give you a perceived "expert" status may help (e.g. some Social Science fields probably would lend themselves towards "expert" in some questions in market research; a PhD in Physics sounds like an expert in data science; in journalism, I'm not sure what extra boost the degree may give unless you're doing science journalism, but that's probably just my ignorance).&nbsp; I'm not suggesting that you fake expertise, but it's worth thinking about what fields your specific degree will resonate with, and then working to acquire whatever extra knowledge/background you think will make your application competitive (e.g. the PhD in Physics may need to polish their programming skills etc).<br />If you're interested in policy, a friend of mine from grad school (also not American) applied for and received an AAAS policy fellowship, so she spent a few months in DC on the fellowship after she graduated.&nbsp; She used it as a launching point for her policy career.&nbsp; <br />Also, do I understand that you need to have a permanent (e.g. not a contractor) position due to your immigration status?&nbsp; Have you considered still pursuing a temporary academic appointment while you search for new full-time opportunities? &nbsp; <br />And this is trivial advice, but anything you can do to build up any "presence" in an area of your interest (through a blog, writing in non-academic venues, etc) would probably be very helpful.&nbsp; <br />Good luck!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1396800 Fri, 14 Nov 2014 19:20:50 +0000 LACeleste 1396800@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi. &nbsp;You could consider market research. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/alt-ac-advice#post-1396777 Fri, 14 Nov 2014 18:41:01 +0000 gradfashionista 1396777@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Not sure if there are fellow YLFers in this scenario, but I'm finishing my PhD in the social sciences (no quant skills)&nbsp;and will be forced to seek out opportunities outside of academia on the East Coast. I'm not American, so there is pressure to land a job within the next six months. Even though I've looked at the resources on campus, I'm still flummoxed as to what I can do with my degree, and how to translate that into well-paying work. Any advice on navigating the alt-ac market? I've dabbled in&nbsp;policy and journalism, but journalism jobs seem few and far between.&nbsp; </p>