Outgrown academia? Find a career that grows with you.

The program has successfully helped graduate students, post-docs, and professors land their first non-academic jobs. The program has also helped PhDs land their second non-academic jobs. The program includes PhDs from every career field, although most students have a degree in the social sciences, life sciences, education, or humanities. Most students are American citizens searching for non-academic jobs in the United States, but successful students also include PhDs in Canada and Europe as well as international students. Non-PhD holding academics are also able to join the program on a case-by-case basis.

Some PhDs figure out how to leave academia on their own. But many other PhDs struggle in their career change. If you are receiving rejections from your non-academic job applications OR if you have decided to leave academia and have no idea where to start, then you will benefit from this program. The program provides all the tools that you’ll need to grow your career (and life) outside of the ivory tower.

If you decide to go it alone, make sure that you are following best job search practices. There is so much bad advice and misinformation on the internet. Too many PhDs waste months unsuccessfully applying to jobs before deciding to join the program. Investing in your career change today will save you dozens of hours and thousands in lost potential wages.

The amount of personalized feedback depends on how you choose to join the program. Students in the GROW Plan can receive personalized feedback from the community or from Ashley in office hours. If you want more feedback, you can add 1:1 meetings and/or LinkedIn/resume reviews at a discounted rate.

Students in the GROW VIP Plan will receive 3 1:1 meetings with Ashley that they can use as needed. As you complete the curriculum, Ashley is available to answer questions asynchronously via text, voice message, or Loom video, with a guaranteed 48-hour response time (Monday through Friday). You will also get personalized feedback on all your job search materials, including LinkedIn profiles, portfolios, and resumes.

All students can also questions in the After Academia community anytime, even after the 6 month program ends.

There are two ways to join the Incubator, depending on your budget and learning style:

- GROW ($175/month): You’re confident that you can learn about the job search process and apply your knowledge correctly without much assistance. You’re comfortable building a network on your own. This is for PhDs who just need someone to show them what to do, and they’ll do it!

- GROW VIP ($400/month): You want to change careers as quickly as possible. You want a mentor by your side every step of the way, holding you accountable, giving you feedback, and helping you build your network. You don’t want to second guess whether you’re applying your knowledge correctly. You want to do this right, the first time.

Due to demand, a limited number of GROW VIP spots are available each month.

The program is 6 months in length to allow flexibility in scheduling (life happens!). The core curriculum is self-paced and can be completed within a few hours per week. After you finish the program, you will have lifetime access to the After Academia community, all of the resources, and any program updates. You can also extend your time in the program on a month-by-month basis to receive more support from Ashley.

The program takes place entirely on Circle. This is where you will interact the community in discussion boards, direct messages, and video calls. All of the resources are hosted there.

By the end of the 6-month program, you will have all the tools needed to succeed in a career outside of academia. You will have explored and identified a non-academic career path, made a detailed plan for your job search, created a LinkedIn profile and resume, started building your network, and practiced interviewing. You should expect to feel more confident about all aspects of the job search process.

While a job offer is not guaranteed by the end of the program, many students have received interviews and job offers within 6 months. Others have received interviews and job offers shortly after the program ends. The time it takes you to find a non-academic job depends on many factors, including your target career/industry, your current skills/experience, and the amount of time/effort you devote to your job search. During the first week of the program, you will review these factors and develop a personalized career plan tailored to your goals.

The program is guaranteed to give you all the tools, resources, and support you need to receive a non-academic job offer. But, your career is in your own hands. You will need to build your network, apply for jobs, and pass your interviews. Successful students understand that they have to do the work to transplant their careers. You will find a non-academic job if you put in the effort and adopt a growth mindset. The program will help you every step of the way.

After 6 months, you will have lifetime access to the materials and the community. If you want more personalized support from Ashley, you can extend your time in the program on a week-by-week basis or schedule 1:1 coaching sessions as needed.