Beyond the Solo Job Search: Finding Clarity in Community

If you’ve ever sat in a great graduate seminar — the kind where ideas spark, people listen deeply, and something bigger than any one voice takes shape — you already know what group coaching feels like. It has that same energy of discovery and shared insight, only without the pressure to prove you’ve read every article or the quiet competition to sound the most prepared.

Right now, I’m in the middle of leading two new group coaching cohorts, and every week reminds me why this format works so well for PhDs in transition. It’s where reflection meets momentum. People come in uncertain about what’s next, and through conversation and community, they start to see new possibilities take shape.

The Power of Talking About What You Can’t Say Elsewhere

For many PhDs, the idea of leaving academia still carries stigma. In some departments, admitting you’re considering non-academic work can feel like confessing a failure rather than pursuing growth. I experienced this myself, and, as a student, I was literally told by a few faculty members not to share that I was considering a non-academic career path because some faculty would refuse to work with me.

This stigma can result in isolation, even if you are merely considering non-academic career path due to the lack of tenure-track jobs. You end up doing career exploration behind closed doors and trying to translate your skills in secret. And that’s exactly why spaces like group coaching matter. They create room for the conversations you can’t have in your department—where curiosity isn’t punished, and exploring new directions is something to be proud of.

Why Group Coaching Works

Group coaching blends reflection with connection. It takes the best part of academic life—the exchange of ideas—and applies it to personal and professional growth. When one person voices a fear, another offers perspective. Someone else reframes a stuck point, and suddenly the whole group shifts toward possibility.

Here’s what makes it so powerful:

• Shared understanding: You’re among people who get it. They know what it’s like to feel caught between worlds and unsure where to begin.

• Collective wisdom: Each participant brings a different perspective, which turns every discussion into a living laboratory for insight.

• Gentle accountability: When you say your goals out loud, you start taking them seriously. You also have others to hold you accountable to your goals with compassion and understanding.

• A sense of belonging: You realize you’re not alone in wondering what’s next, and that realization alone can change everything.

• Real-world clarity: You leave with small, doable steps that make the future feel less abstract and more possible.

Why It Feels Familiar—and Better

I still teach at least one class a year because I love that spark of shared learning. Group coaching has that same spark, but with different energy. There’s no grading, no proving, no defending—just growing. The questions are less about theories and more about how to build a life that feels like yours.

What surprises most participants is how quickly community begins to rebuild what academia eroded: confidence, self-trust, and a sense of connection. When you’re surrounded by others who understand the complexity of this transition, you begin to see your situation differently. What once felt like an ending starts to look like an opening.

The Bigger Lesson

If a seminar honed your critical thinking, group coaching strengthens your support system. It’s where intellectual curiosity meets emotional honesty — and that’s what makes change possible.

If you’ve been doing your career exploration quietly, you don’t have to anymore. Join a community of other PhDs who understand what it’s like to navigate this transition. Group coaching offers the space, structure, and encouragement to move forward with confidence. Find out more here.

© 2025 Marya T. Mtshali. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the author.