Branch out of academia and thrive in a new career
The After Academia Incubator gives you all the tools to start a fulfilling non-academic career in 2024.
Feeling unfulfilled in academia?
You’ve spent years in academia, earning a PhD and training as an expert in your field. It’s the only career you’ve ever known. But after many late nights, grant rejections, course lectures, and committee assignments, you’re ready for something different.
You’re ready to leave academia, but…
You’re unsure what you can do with your PhD.
You’re overwhelmed by online job search advice.
You’re confused by business language in job ads.
You’re dreading networking because it feels transactional.
You’re nervous about job interviews and salary negotiations.
You’re tired of having your resume rejected by hiring managers.
You’re worried about being overqualified or underqualified.
You’re scared no one will hire you outside of academia.
You’re exhausted, discouraged, and feel like giving up.
Imagine a life where you have…
Balance
You have free time to enjoy you life outside of work.
Impact
Your hard work helps real people, today.
Control
You can choose where you live and where you work.
Stability
You feel financially secure and can plan for your future.
Confidence
You feel confident and valued in your professional abilities.
Fulfillment
Your work gives you energy and purpose again.
Introducing After Academia
A program designed to address the emotional, psychological, and practical challenges of leaving academia.
Welcome to the After Academia Incubator
Everything you need to branch out of academia, using the GROW formula.
MODULE 1
Ground
We'll start with a personalized GROW plan, including deep self-reflection. You'll learn how to prepare for (and overcome) all the challenges in your job search.
MODULE 2
Reorient
Welcome to the non-academic world! You'll learn how to communicate your academic experiences and build a strong professional network.
MODULE 3
Optimize
How do you stand out on the job market? You'll learn how to craft unforgettable application materials and stories to tell in your interviews.
MODULE 4
Win
Your career is the ultimate research project. You'll learn how to thrive in your first non-academic job and grow your career in the years to come.
Why After Academia?
The After Academia Incubator addresses all the challenges involved in leaving academia, not just the practical ones. This isn’t a digital course. It’s a complete career guidance program.Because you don’t need more information.
You don’t need someone to tell you to “convert your CV to a resume” or “build a network”.
You need:
a detailed, personalized plan to achieve your goals.
a supportive community by your side, every step of the way.
expert guidance from a PhD who has done this before.
This program gets real results for PhDs, just like you:
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50 job placements and counting, including at:
Wall of Love
Students who have used After Academia to make meaningful progress in their non-academic job search.
Lindsey Upton, PhD
Former Professor of Justice Studies
Joel Schneider, PhD
Senior Research Associate, University of Minnesota
Steph Scodras, PT, PhD
Freelance Medical Writer
Sam Freis, PhD
Experience Strategy Analyst, Gogo Business Aviation
What’s inside the program?
A comprehensive career transition toolkit:
Curriculum
The program includes 3 hours of self-paced video lessons and 12 exercises. All lessons and guides are available on day 1, so you can work through the materials at your own pace. You’ll have lifetime access to the curriculum, including any updates.
Community
You are not alone! You’ll have access to a supportive community of 100+ PhDs, just like you! We have PhD students, post-docs, professors, and former academics from every field and from around the world. We’re here to answer your questions and share resources.
Coaching
I have office hours every week. Bring your questions and challenges, and you’ll get personalized help from me. During the week, you’ll also receive asynchronous feedback and answers from me and others in the community.
You’ll learn how to…
Explore
Explore non-academic career paths and identify one that aligns with your interests, values, and strengths.
Strategize
Navigate the non-academic job market and develop a plan that helps achieve your career goals.
Translate
Translate your academic experiences into marketable skills for non-academic roles.
Network
Develop professional connections and leverage them for career opportunities.
Brand
Build and maintain a strong personal brand and professional online presence.
Apply
Write tailored job application materials, including resumes and cover letters for non-academic roles.
Interview
Prepare for and perform well in different types of job interviews, including salary negotiations.
Grow
Manage the emotional challenges of transitioning out of academia and building a new professional identity.
Choose your transplant
Learn on your own or with personalized support. Either way, you'll get all the tools to confidently start a fulfilling non-academic career.
$300 launch discount applied
(ends September 4)
Enter your email address to be notified when spots open.
$600 launch discount applied
(ends September 4)
Enter your email address to be notified when spots open.
Everything in GROW, plus:
1-2 spots open for October
Have any questions about the programs? Feel free to email me at hello@ashleyruba.com
FAQs
This program is for PhDs who are ready to transplant their career outside of academia.
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 branch out of academia. 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.
Many PhDs waste months unsuccessfully applying for 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 start with a personalized 1:1 kickoff call with Ashley. 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.
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 and all of the resources. 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 transplant your 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.
My story probably sounds like yours.
For over a decade, I worked to become a professor. I had it all: 15 first-author publications, multiple dissertation awards, and a prestigious post-doctoral fellowship. Then, in 2022, I quit.
Like many PhDs, I was burnt out and disenchanted with academia. I craved a career that valued me - one that gave me work-life balance, financial stability, and personal fulfillment. The only problem: I had no idea how to land a non-academic job.
I thought my PhD would show companies I had potential. I created a LinkedIn profile, converted my CV to a resume, and applied to dozens of jobs. Rejection letters regularly arrived in my inbox. No one would give me a chance.
Was my PhD a complete waste of time?
But after reading 100s of resources, I finally understood the non-academic job market. I was doing everything wrong. I fixed my mistakes, landing 3 non-academic jobs in < 8 weeks each, including at Meta and Arthrex.
When I shared my successes on social media, hundreds of PhDs asked me for help. Everyone was making the same mistakes that I made. Our universities failed us - there was no career guidance for PhDs. So, I founded After Academia.
I wanted to give you everything I needed, but didn’t have, in my career change. You don’t have to struggle alone like I did. Because leaving academia is hard, but it doesn’t have to be :)