In a recent article for the Chronicle of Higher Education, Jennifer S Furlong (City University of New York) and Stacy M Hartman discuss strategies graduate students can use to present their career goals to their PhD adviser when they are considering career pathways other than the tenure track. Furlong and Hartman encourage advisees to discuss their career goals early on so that they can take advantage of relevant opportunities with their adviser’s support. Advisees should prepare for the conversation by considering their reasoning and reflecting on what supports they would like to receive. While most advisers will be supportive of their advisees’ career plans, the authors provide tips for how to handle a conversation that does go poorly, such as debriefing with someone they trust.
