I think many students fail to realize that getting your
doctorate is not the end… it is only the beginning. It is a good idea to begin
thinking now about what you will do when you are done. You have a number of
ways to use your degree, you may be able to stay in your current position,
apply for teaching positions at colleges/ universities, work for a nonprofit,
and conduct research.
If you would like to be a professor, you will be required to
teach and do research. Get some teaching experiences with adults. With a
master's degree, you can teach at a junior or community college, so look for an
adjunct position. The goal is to get your foot in the door and get some
experience, don’t worry about getting a full time position at this point.
Getting some research experience would also be a major asset, look into
volunteering in a local university's psych department. The chances of getting a
paid position are small, but always worth asking about. Again, the goal is
getting experience, so take the volunteer opportunity of it arises.
Working for a nonprofit is less clear-cut; if this is your
ultimate goal, it might be worth picking up a few classes in this area
(administration, business management). These positions are all about making
connections so join your local chamber of commerce and meet people in your
area.
Research jobs are rare in the social sciences; often a way
to get into this field is to do a post-doctoral fellowship after you have your
PhD. These are paid research positions where you receive more advanced training
in research.
The time to prepare yourself for the workplace is now,
before you graduate. Next time I will talk about service as a graduate. Do you
have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post?
Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas!
leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu
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