Tara Little, Ph.D.’s Post

🎉 Announcing: 30 Days, 30 Tips for PhD Students Transitioning to Corporate Tech! 🎉 Are you a PhD student or recent or current grad eager to step into the corporate tech world? Wondering how to leverage your years of research, analytical skills, and resilience to land a role in tech? Starting tomorrow, I’ll be sharing a daily series designed just for YOU. Each day, I'll post one actionable tip to help you: 1️⃣ Translate your PhD skills to corporate tech roles 2️⃣ Build a powerful, industry-ready resume and LinkedIn profile 3️⃣ Network effectively, find mentors, and create meaningful connections 4️⃣ Learn which tech roles align best with your skills 5️⃣ Feel confident and prepared for interviews Get ready to discover how your hard work, expertise, and unique perspective can make you an asset in corporate tech! Mark your calendars, follow along, and don’t miss a post. This could be the beginning of your journey into an exciting, impactful career! #RAACoaching #PhDStudents #studentlife RAA Coaching and Consulting

How I help PhDs get non-academic jobs (without submitting 100s of applications): A few days ago, I met with a Psychology PhD student running out of time before graduation. He had submitted nearly 200 applications and heard back from 2 of them. That’s less than a 1% response rate. I was there in 2022. It's extremely discouraging. Fortunately, I knew there was a better formula to applying for non-academic jobs. A formula that worked for me and dozens of my students. A formula recommended by every single job search expert on LinkedIn 🌻 We talked about his skills and where he wanted to live. He had been applying to data science positions, but we determined that data Aanalyst or behavioral scientist positions would be a better match with his skill set. I looked at his LinkedIn profile, showed him how to improve every section to appeal to non-academic employers, and sent him off with my step-by-step LinkedIn guide that I use in the After Academia Incubator program. I gave him names of friendly faces to contact in data analytics and behavioral science. I told him how I helped a tenured prof leave academia by reaching out to strangers on LinkedIn (a story for another day). I told him about another PhD student who met with me in January, completely changed his approach to job searching, and landed a six-figure research position from a cold email (networking really works!). This PhD student left with specific steps to win his job search - he’s interested in joining my Incubator program when it reopens later this month. There he'll get even more personalized help from me. Sometimes we need a little help, and that's okay. I'm happy to give you the tools. 💛 P.S. - If you're interested in joining the program, go to my website and hop on the waitlist! You'll be the first to grab a spot.

Why are PhDs struggling to transition to industry? What is their biggest challenge? In my opinion, it is their mindset. More often than not, the PhDs I mentor talk about their PhD work for a good 2-3 minutes, boasting about all the fancy techniques they have used. You need to stop doing that unless asked for. Your PhD is not only the techniques you have learned. Stop holding on to your PhD thesis; your worth and learning go beyond your PhD topic, techniques, and publications. Here are a few questions you need to answer: - Are you focusing only on R&D roles? - Are you sticking to the companies that are working on the techniques/domain that you have learned in your PhD? - Does your resume include a description of all the projects you have ever done? - Are you mentioning your PhD work in all your job-related conversations? - When applying for a job, does your approach end with submitting the application? If you answered "yes" to any of these, it might be the time to rethink. You need to: 🌟 Broaden Your Horizons: Explore roles beyond R&D. Your skills are adaptable. 🌐 Diversify Your Search: Look at companies with various tech stacks. You have more to offer. 📄 Tailor Your Resume: Highlight transferrable skills and achievements, not just technical details. Last but not the least, START NETWORKING..! Before and after applying, engage with the company through networking or follow-up emails. Your PhD is a stepping stone, not a limit. Explore the possibilities! -------------------------------- If we haven't met, I am Kalyani Korla, PhD, a Life Science researcher turned Product Manager. I am passionate about assisting Life Science students in finding the right career path and achieving growth. Feel free to DM me if you need help with building your career in life sciences. #PhDtoIndustry #CareerTransition #MindsetMatters #CareerGuidance #LifeSciencejobs

How did I get back to my career after a three-year break? Here are the steps I followed during my break to get back into my career: 1. I was clueless and stressed, facing numerous rejections. 😓 2. I figured out one of my best skill and passion, which is academic writing. With twin babies, spending even one to two hours a day was a big challenge, so I chose a path and skill I truly enjoyed, making my work hours feel less burdensome. 👩👧👦✍️ 3. I started self-learning AI tools for academia. 🤖📚 4. I began sharing what I learned on LinkedIn, which attracted opportunities for invited talks. 📢 5. I built an academic writing and teaching career that accommodated my new timezone flexibility. 🌐 6. I continued to develop my network within the academic field. 🤝 7. When I was ready to re-enter the workforce, I started applying for jobs. The steps above gave me confidence during interviews, making my career break an asset rather than a setback. 💼💪 👩🏻🔬To my fellow women researchers: if you took a break and want to return, don’t immediately apply for jobs. Instead, build skills around what you enjoy. This will help you learn seamlessly and increase your chances of success in interviews. I hope this helps someone in the same situation. Good luck! 🍀 #CareerBreak #AcademicWriting #AIforAcademia #WomenInResearch #ReturnToWork #SelfLearning #Networking #CareerAdvice #WorkLifeBalance

When I was a Higher Ed Professional, I always believed in a holistic approach to education which means focusing on a person's physical, emotional, social, economic, and spiritual well-being collectively. All of these things make up who a person is and can help you advise students on their academic journey. By doing this I connected better with my students and didn’t view them as another box checked off for the day; they are people 😊 As a Campus Recruiter, I still believe in this approach meaning, I believe in not only looking at a candidate’s experience and if they are qualified, but I’m also taking into account a candidate's potential for growth and development, especially as a student, what they mention they are seeking in their next opportunity, diverse skills they have, and what they need to feel successful, empowered, and valued. It can be so easy to get caught up in only wanting to move forward with the most qualified candidates, but sometimes it’s the candidates you least expect that end up surprising Hiring Managers the most and crushing the role. If you take away anything from this post, I hope it’s to remember that no matter how data-driven the world becomes, we never forget to incorporate the human-centered approach. By centering both data-driven insights and meaningful human interaction, we can cultivate a workforce that not only thrives on informed decision-making but also fosters collaboration, empathy, and innovation, laying the foundation for sustained success. #career #education #data #humaninteraction #careersuccess #ai

PhD who wants to find a job outside of academia, fast? Applications close this week for my PhD program, Academic Exit: Placement (linked below). This will be the last time I run this program. If you were thinking of working with me on your academic exit, this is your chance! Learn more about Academic Exit: Placement here: https://lnkd.in/gSBd3xBa Excited to empower one more group of PhDs to job search smarter, avoid rejection, and successfully land jobs outside of academia. Onwards! #phdcareers

After nearly 2 years, we've decided to do another new, free and 100% live 5-day Challenge: https://lnkd.in/eZaXahJh Why did we wait so long? Besides these Challenges being A LOT of work - flying out guest speakers, researching and creating 5 full days of material, prepping a stage, studio, cameras, production, etc.... The job market has been changing rapidly. Very rapidly. Think about it this way, the last time we did a Challenge, we barely discussed AI resume filters or the economic contraction. Because things have been moving so fast - We've been focused on keeping PhDs up-to-date on these changes with monthly webinars and daily posts. Still, more and more PhDs are hearing nothing but silence or automated rejections back from employers. This all changes on July 22nd. The team and I have redesigned the Challenge and are calling it the Power of a PhD Career Transition Challenge. This Challenge is for any PhD wanting to get into their first or next industry career. Whether you're being seen as overqualified, underqualified (or, both), whether you don't know where to start, are applying but not hearing back, or interviewing but not getting good job offers... Or, if you've been laid off from an industry job, are switching career paths, or trying to get out of academia into something better... The Power of a PhD Career Transition Challenge will help you. This event is 100% live, new, free and in real time. Stay tuned for more. #phd #jobsearch #cheekyscientist

WriteSea is thrilled to announce our latest partnership with Tulsa Community College! This collaboration is more than a step forward; it's a leap towards revolutionizing the future of higher education and career preparation. In today's rapidly evolving job market, higher education faces unprecedented challenges. The focus is shifting, rightly so, from merely celebrating graduation rates to ensuring meaningful job placements for students. After all, students invest not just their time and money but their dreams and aspirations in the pursuit of education. They depend on their institutions to pave the way towards not just employment but meaningful, fulfilling careers. Recognizing this critical need, WriteSea is empowering colleges and universities across the globe with our innovative AI Career Mobility Suite. This comprehensive toolkit includes: → AI Resume Builder → AI Cover Letter Generator → AI Interview Prep Generator → AI Career Assistant → AI Salary & Benefits Negotiation Assistant → Contact Tracker → Job Search Tracker But we don't stop at student support. Our suite also offers robust analytics for staff, enabling them to monitor and guide student progress effectively. This data-driven approach provides invaluable insights for decision-makers, from chancellors to presidents, helping them understand which strategies work best for different student demographics based on major, background, and more. Our partnership with Tulsa Community College is a testament to the power of innovation in addressing the real-world challenges students face today. Together, we're not just preparing students for the job market; we're equipping them to thrive in their careers and lives. Stay tuned for more updates on how WriteSea and Tulsa Community College are setting new standards in higher education and career readiness. #HigherEducation #CareerPreparation #AIInnovation #PartnershipSuccess #WriteSea #TulsaCommunityCollege

For all the job seekers out there that are: feeling lost, demoralized, and exhausted from the job search - this is for you. Five years ago, I experienced all of the above. "What jobs should I apply to? Where should I apply? Am I qualified ? Am I even capable? What if I get rejected..?" I almost gave up entirely because I was overwhelmed. Fast forward to today, I've landed opportunities and made money I never dreamed of making in such a short period of time and it was all thanks to my mentors that guided me along the way. Now, I'm on a mission to pay it forward. This is why I created MPH Tech Academy, where we're empowering jobseekers with proven framework to landing more opportunities with our mentorship. This is what you'll get when you join: -Weekly Career Coaching & Mentorship calls -AI Tools to help make your job search easier -Career Courses on our 4-step course to land an offer -Networking with a motivated and supportive community -Access to industry recruiters & mentors for career guidance Q/A And yes, it's all FREE. What are you waiting for? Sign Up with Link below in comments. P.S. Share this with a friend who's having a tough time with their search. It may make the world of a difference. #careergrowth #mentorship #hiring

School's back in session! 🍎 Teaching is the best, yesterday I kicked things off with Folkuniversitetet's diploma program for next generation recruiters. We dove into the world of LinkedIn & search, but guess what? We also ended up chatting about how to make your LinkedIn pop! One witty student pointed out that my LinkedIn could seriously use a dose of adorable cats. Why? Because sharing those fluffy memes is as easy as pie on other platforms, and it adds a good laugh without the usual head-scratching that comes with writing the perfect LinkedIn post. 😹 And you know what I said? It's a paws-ible strategy! You can totally sprinkle a little kitty glitter on your LinkedIn profile if that's your thing. ✨ So here's a shoutout to all of you students yesterday and the rest of you up-and-comers on LinkedIn: don't let the platform spook you. Just start! Dive into the fun, keep it real, and let the playful side of brand-building take center stage! 🎉 I'm crossing my fingers you found today as fun as I did. Big thanks to everyone - you're all utterly purr-fect! 😉 🌟 Special thanks for Viveka Holm for the opportunity and for getting us through the technical issues so smoothly. (Things never go as expected...) P.S. Enjoy this rare sighting of a cat in my content – it's most probably a one-time wonder! 🐾 #talent #futureofrecruitment #brandbuilding #folkuniversitetet ___________ 👋🏽 I'm Alexandra M. Davis 🥷 🚀 Rocketing scale-ups and SMBs into the stratosphere with innovative recruitment(s) strategies is my specialty 🤖 AI enthusiast 🔔 Ding that follow button for a blast of talent and recruitment insights – and I promise, not a single kitty meme in the mix!