Articles Written By Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You will discover the crucial role of technical preparedness You will uncover the link between professionalism and presentation Finally you will recognize the key role of nonverbal communication I was at a networking event several months ago and this PhD who didn’t know me came up and introduced themselves and then asked me where I worked. I told them and then they told me they never heard of it. Fair. But then they said, “can you get me a job at your company?”. Wait, what? I politely told them to…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn that technical preparedness is crucial Next you’ll learn why professionalism extends to presentation Finally, you’ll learn that nonverbal communication is key If you can’t manage your internet connection, why should we put you in charge of managing anything else. This was actually said to someone I know when they’re wifi kept dropping and buffering during a video interview. They were at one of the later stage rounds with a very busy executive. Needless to say, they didn’t get the job. Was the executive a jerk about this wifi…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn to focus on targeted applications rather than casting a wide net. Next you’ll learn that you need to pay attention to your digital footprint. Finally, you’ll learn to embrace networking as a crucial part of your job search strategy I was working with a PhD last week who needed to get hired fast. And they did everything on their resume right. 2 pages. Right font. Right margins. A one to one ratio of transferable and niche skills and quantified results in every bullet point. They were targeting their…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn what the most important transferrable skill you have is Next you’ll learn 5 skills that PhDs have to offer Finally, you’ll learn that PhDs represent a reservoir of untapped potential for any employer looking to innovate “What’s the most important transferable skill I have as a PhD, Isaiah?” I had a PhD ask me this last week while I was helping them understand what they were doing wrong in their mindset. Most of what they were doing wrong was simply a perspective issue. They were still trying to…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn how to handle not hearing back from a potential employer Next you’ll learn 5 tips that will help during the period of silence Finally, you’ll learn how to use this as a learning opportunity and how to refine your job search strategies moving forward. When you’re in the middle of a job search as a PhD, few things are as disheartening as the sudden radio silence from a potential employer. You were talking on LinkedIn or by email, or maybe they reached out to you for a conversation,…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn that your PhD is valuable, it’s your job search strategy that needs upgrading Next you’ll learn 5 tips that will help you during your job search Finally, you’ll learn that rejection is part of the job search process and beating yourself will only make it worse. Stuck. Ignored. No one wants to read your resume. You almost got hired but then didn’t. Rejected. This is the experience of every PhD searching for a job at one point or another. The key is to not turn failure in your…

My last year in academia, I didn’t have enough money to fly home for Christmas. So I spent it in Iowa City, mostly alone.  I was broke (of course) so I decided to shovel snow out of driveways for $10 per driveway. I remember thinking how ridiculous it was to be a PhD shoveling snow for money. “What I wouldn’t give to have a better job”, I thought.  That was the gift I wanted for Christmas and the holidays.  A better job.  Not to be a student or a postdoc or an academic PhD getting paid less than I was…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn that how valuable your PhD really is in the job market Next you’ll learn 9 advantages having a PhD has given you Finally, you’ll learn that by effectively marketing your PhD you can open doors to many opportunities. “Why isn’t your PhD on your resume?” I asked. “That’s crazy!” “Oh, well my friend told me that I should leave off my PhD and list my Masters degree to get hired faster.” “Let me get this straight, I responded, you worked how long and how hard to get your…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn that PhDs are complex problem solvers Next you’ll learn that PhDs thrive in data driven analysis Finally, the meticulous nature of PhD training makes these candidates ideal for a marketplace that is increasingly reliant on the pillars of research and analysis “Why don’t any of these PhDs tell me about how great they are at research and analysis? They all just want to tell me about their publications or some super specific technique I don’t know or really care about, and that a robot is probably doing anyway.”…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… Don’t give glib responses like “I work too hard” Tell a story using the STAR method Talk about a weakness you had in the past and how you collaborated with someone and engaged in continuous learning to overcome it I hate candidates who give me b.s. answers when I ask PhDs what their biggest weakness is. I reject them immediately.” I was talking to a talent acquisition specialist friend at a very large biotech company and this is what she responded with. I had started asking her about what questions…

Join us as we talk about… In this week’s episode… You’ll learn to try and deflect or vaguely accept a salary offer if the employer becomes pushy Next you’ll use the standard “any reasonable offer will be considered” when first asked for your salary expectations Finally, always bring the conversation back to the value you will add to the company If you tell an employer your salary, stipend or fellowship as a PhD, you’re screwed. I sure was. My second job in industry started with a referral and then a phone screen where the hiring manager immediately asked me “what…

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