Graduate Students: Non-Academic Careers

More and more people are choosing careers outside of academia following their graduate career. There is a larger variety of jobs available, and academia and the outside world are becoming less mutually exclusive. For some people it can be harder to get over the idea of leaving the academic setting, here is an article from the Chronicle, 'Deprogramming from the academic cult' that gives some examples and advice that may be helpful.

If you think you and your adviser may have different ideas about your future and you're not sure how to break the news to them, this article by Larry Lab-Rat may be helpful, 'Breaking it to your mentor: Announcing alternative Career Plans.'

Some other helpful websites:

• PhDFusion
• Moving to a non-academic career
• Sellout, a resource for PhDs considering careers beyond the university
• Four steps to succeeding outside the ivory tower
• How to plan for a career before you have one
• The one year plan
• There are also a number of books available at the Career Center