Preface
Five years after writing the first edition of this book, we believe more passionately than ever in the relevance of a Ph.D. or M.A. to careers outside the academy. The job market has changed since we wrote the first edition of What Are You Going to Do with That? during the height of the Internet boom. But our message remains the same: We’re more interested in helping people figure out a long-term career than a short-term job. You should do what will make you happy, regardless of market fluctuations.
While the substance of our work has not changed, we have updated the 2007 edition to include examples of graduate alumni in a wider range of careers. The original edition featured several Ph.D.’s working in technology companies; in this new edition, we’ve shifted our focus to include more of those working in government, academic administration, publishing, and other fields. We’ve also built a website (www.careersforphds.com) to consolidate some of the powerful Internet job-hunting resources geared specifically to academics and former academics.
After publishing the first edition, we heard from countless readers who told us that the book helped them see their talents and abilities in a new light. Some of these readers shared their stories with us as well as suggestions for improving the book. We are indebted to them and the other M.A.’s and Ph.D.’s who appear in the following pages for their generosity.