Lost After Academia? How to Find Your Career Direction

For many PhDs and academics, the hardest part isn’t deciding to leave academia—it’s figuring out what comes next.

You may know that staying isn’t an option, but when you’ve spent years building an academic identity, it can feel overwhelming to imagine a completely different career. If this is you, you’re not alone.

Here’s a roadmap to help you move from uncertainty to clarity.

1. Start with Your “Why”

Ask yourself: Why am I leaving?

• Burnout?

• Lack of security?

• Desire for better pay, flexibility, or impact?

• Difficulty securing a tenure-track job?

Naming your “why” clarifies what you’re actually seeking—and what you’re done with.

2. Take Inventory of Your Strengths

Academics underestimate how many transferable skills they already have. Think beyond your dissertation topic:

• Project management (multi-year research = complex project leadership)

• Communication (teaching, publishing, presenting)

• Data analysis (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods)

• Stakeholder management (advisors, students, collaborators)

Tip: Make two lists—skills you love using and skills you’d rather leave behind. That distinction is key.

3. Explore Broad Career Pathways

Instead of asking “what job should I do?” ask: what kinds of problems do I want to solve?

Here are broad categories where academics often thrive:

• Policy & Advocacy – shaping change at nonprofits, think tanks, or government

• Industry & Corporate – research, strategy, user experience, consulting

• Education Adjacent – administration, curriculum design, program management

• Communications & Publishing – writing, editing, science communication

• Philanthropy & Foundations – grantmaking, program officer roles

4. Research & Experiment

If PhDs know anything, it's how to research. Time to put these skills to work on finding your new career path:

• Read job postings (even ones you’re not applying to) to learn the language of different sectors.

• Conduct informational interviews—ask people what they actually do day to day.

• Try “low-stakes” experiences: volunteering, freelancing, contract work, workshops. These are career experiments, not life commitments.

5. Define Your Non-Negotiables

What do you need in your next role?

• Salary range

• Geographic flexibility

  • FYI: One of the nice things about leaving academia is the ability to have more options when it comes to choosing where you want to live.

• Work-life balance

• Mission/impact alignment

This filters your options so you’re not chasing every possibility at once.

6. Create a Shortlist & Action Plan

After some exploration, narrow down to 2–3 paths that feel exciting and realistic.

• Update your resume/LinkedIn to highlight relevant skills.

• Start networking with people in those areas.

• Apply strategically, not frantically.

Final Thought

Leaving academia without a clear plan can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff. But you don’t need a perfect answer before you leap—you need a roadmap.

By clarifying your “why,” identifying your strengths, exploring possibilities, and testing options, you’ll discover career paths that align with your skills and your values.

You don’t need to have it all figured out today. You just need to start moving.

© 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.