As we approach the start of our journey from PhD to professor, excitement and a bit of worry fill us. The academic job market in 2024-2025 is a complex and competitive place. It offers new challenges but also great chances for those moving from doctoral programs. With less than 10% of PhDs landing permanent academia jobs, we need the right skills and insights to succeed1.…
Switching from academia to industry is both thrilling and a bit scary. We’ve spent about 15-16 years in research and learning. Now, we’re stepping into a world that feels very different. We carry the weight of others’ expectations, from our peers and families, as we think about our next steps. This move is more than just a new job title. It’s a big change in…
Trying to get tenure in academia is tough. Every year, over 5,000 psychologists on the tenure track and 500 new Ph.D.s join a tough field. Getting tenure means more than just a job; it means security and freedom to do research1. In 2024, the game has changed, and we need new strategies to win. With the bar set higher for new assistant professors, we must…
Academic politics decides more about a research career than most doctoral programs ever teach directly. Who gets a lab budget renewed, whose name lands first on a shared paper, which junior faculty member gets nudged toward tenure while another gets quietly pushed out, these outcomes trace back to informal relationships and unwritten rules almost as often as they trace back to research quality alone. A…
