AMA Q&A

How do you explore the possibility of leaving academia? Is it ever ok to reuse your own work?

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I‘m thinking of leaving academia, but have no clue where to start! How can I find out more about what it would be like to leave academia before I make a decision about whether to do it?

(M.C.)

This is such a great question. While institutions are continuing to churn out PhDs, there are fewer and fewer opportunities available for those who want to make a career in academia, which means more and more highly qualified people are exploring what other opportunities might be out there.

As someone who’s worked outside of academia (and may do so again in the future), I know how much of a challenge that transition can be. My very first job after my PhD was in a museum, and while this was a place where my academic expertise and skills were valued, it was a very different working environment. Heck, before I even got there I had to figure out how to go about applying for a job that wasn’t an academic post—it’s an entirely different ballgame!