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This is where I share strategies, insights, and encouragement to help you navigate the many stages of academic & career life.
Practical Career Advice—Written with You in Mind
When Your Goals Get Derailed by Life’s Chaos: A Reset Guide for Postdocs
2026 did not start as I intended. In January, I set ambitious goals for my blog and professional development. Yet a few weeks into the New Year, I’m already recalibrating. It’s not a lack of discipline. It’s because life is messy, and energy is limited. Some weeks...
2 Books to Boost Your Career in the New Year
A New Year, a better equipped you! I'm not going to promise that reading a book will magically transform your career overnight. But what I will say is that the right resources at the right time can give you the tools, frameworks, and mindset shifts you need to make...
How to Tell Your PI You’re Leaving Academia Without Burning Bridges
One of the questions I hear most often from postdocs and graduate students is: How do I tell my PI I'm not pursuing an academic career, without upsetting them or burning bridges? First, let me say this: you are not obligated to follow a specific career path just...
Permission to Pause: Why Taking a Break is Strategic, Not Lazy
Amidst the swirl of stress, deadlines, and uncertainty—especially in academic life (and particularly now)—taking a break as a graduate student or postdoc might seem counterintuitive (or even selfish). But intentionally taking time for yourself isn’t laziness; it’s...
How Do You Plan for a Future That Feels So Uncertain?
At a recent workshop I led, “From Vision to Reality: 4 Steps to Creating & Executing Your Individual Development Plan (IDP)," a postdoc asked a question that stuck with me for days: "How can we put together a plan like this, given the high level of uncertainty...
Is the Cover Letter Obsolete?
There’s increasing debate over the cover letter and whether it remains a relevant tool in today’s job search. In fact, according to a recent Jobvite Survey, 63 percent of recruiters considered the cover letter unimportant and admitted to skipping it altogether,...
A Long Delay Following a Job Interview: What Does it Mean and What Should You Do?
Congratulations. After submitting numerous online applications and getting a few Skype and/or phone “screening interviews,” you finally scored an in-person interview with an organization. And perhaps you think it went pretty well. You dutifully sent out...
Three Creative Ways to Find Relevant Salary Data
Getting a sense of what you should be paid is an important first step when preparing for a job search. But it can be challenging to find salary information that’s both reliable and relevant to your unique situation. Using a few creative approaches, however, you can...
How to Build Your Professional Network from the Ground Up
Wherever your career may take you, a strong professional network can help in reaching those goals faster than going it alone. Members of your network can offer valuable guidance and advice that’s critical to career advancement. They can also connect you with key...