Jobs outside of academia?

[Gwendolyn]

Let's say that you've graduated and your PhD is in hand. Besides administrative/teaching positions within the Ivory Tower, what other job interests do you have? 

 

 

 

I asked my department chair what she would do if she wasn't a professor and she suggested working for a publishing house as an editor. Any other alternative fields for an English PhD? 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2013 by Gwendolyn

[OctaviaButlerfan]

I suppose directing a women's center doesn't count, because it is usually an administrative position within a university?

 

I don't know what options there actually are.. however, I am interested in (assuming that working as a professor doesn't work out, or after I retire) opening a not-for-profit cultural/community center.

[1Q84]

I'm curious: does working at community colleges and other post-secondary institutions count as "outside academia"? I would be more than happy to do so but I hear jobs are scarce even there.

[ArtHistoryandMuseum]

I just stumbled on these posts which may be of interest to you: 

 

"PhD in English? What the F%$@#K! have you been doing for the last ten years?"

 http://www.selloutyoursoul.com/2011/03/22/jobs-for-phds-outside-of-academia/

 

&

 

"35 Awesome Jobs for English Majors"

http://www.selloutyoursoul.com/2011/12/19/jobs-for-english-majors/

 

The blog does look like promoting a book, but take what you can from it! Good luck!

[thestage]

poet

 

don't laugh.

 

ok, laugh.

 

editor makes sense.  maybe one of those terrible people who reviews books.  traveling lecturer/book promoter telling people about why they shouldn't get a PhD, which is something of a burgeoning cottage industry.  get addicted to heroin in an effort to subsequently shake the addiction and get a job as a drug addiction counselor.  professional tourist.  kickerstarter huckster.  pornography.  and, as a last resort: english professor.  wait.

Edited February 13, 2013 by thestage

[kikalique87]

Check out the Versatile PhD website. It was created by a rhet/comp OSU PhD alum, and there are suggestions for alternative careers, career advice, and even job listings. Unfortunately your university needs to subscribe to the service, but if you have access it is definitely worth looking around.

[ProfLorax]

ProfHacker has also been talking about the "alt-ac" job path. Here are two good posts I've read over there, and they both contain some links to other great sources that talk about the alt-ac trend.

 

http://chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/commentary-alt-ac-is-the-future-of-the-academy/42871

 

http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/four-tips-for-a-non-teaching-academic-job-search/37847

 

Like OctaviaButlerfan, if teaching doesn't pan out, I would love to direct a Women's Center! I worked at my campus' Women's Center as a student, and it really shaped my attitude towards campus community building and the bridge between activism and scholarship.

[champagne]

I like this thread because I feel it's an important question to ask for all of us.

 

I'm not entirely sure, but I would probably try to move into something in the public sector or a non-profit.

 

 

I just want to help people, dammit! 

[Ategenos]

I'm more than willing to work in any university anywhere in the world, so I'm hoping that will open my options somewhat. If that doesn't work out... particularly well-educated hobo? Instead of busking for a living, though, I'll read poems and short stories to people passing by, and encourage them to get into discussions with me.

[The Whistler]

Well, I work as a translator, maybe that could be an option for some of you as well. I mean, I have an MA in translation studies, so that's a possibility I have, I have no idea how it works in the US.

[Ategenos]

Seriously, though: private school teacher in the UK. It's not what I want to do at all, but they looooove having someone with those magical three letters after their name, and don't always require you to have a PGDE (Postgrad Diploma in Education)... though I might do one of them anyway, in that case, just to make me even more employable. It's only a one year thing, and you can get funding/loans to tide you through it.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Ategenos

[It's (Not) About Me]

I'm not entirely sure, but I would probably try to move into something in the public sector or a non-profit.

 

 

I just want to help people, dammit! 

Seconded! Hell, I hope to do non-profit work of some kind even if I do somehow manage to succeed in academia (lolrite). I am an activist at heart, and that's the angle I took in my SOP. I would love to work for/start a writing program for survivors of sexual abuse.

[DontHate]

How about cub reporter? Or culture critic? Maybe interior decorator?

[katzeschatze]

I might try to do something like what I'm doing now--teach English or work with an Adult Ed program at a community center in an area with a high immigrant population.  And on the side write blogs....

 

If not that, then I would probably try to teach Spanish language or basic Spanish literature somewhere.

 

Or I'll keep jumping between Americorps programs for as long as I can and try out a whole bunch of random stuff.

[smilax]

I think I could pretty successfully live in the woods.

[DontHate]

You could become an artist's muse

[DontHate]

Or an escape artist!

[Marie-Luise]

I'd love to go into publishing/editing. I am the editor of my uni's humanities journal and I am really enjoying it, so it would be nice to get paid for it, lol.

 

I am a language buff and wanna learn and professionally use as many as possible, so no matter what job I am going to end up in, I'll keep ploughing away at them languages!