I did my PhD in history at a smaller institution, working on a dissertation on postwar masculinity. I got a few internal grants, which helped, but teaching, especially in later years, took time away from writing, as did some major life milestones.

The community was small, and there wasn’t really a strong cohesion among the PhD students. My community of scholars was not centered at my university, but dispersed across the colleagues I had met at conferences. My supervisor was good but the informal mentorship and guidance I got from other professors was also crucial.

After completing, I didn’t realize how much having a PhD from a smaller, non-top-tier university would make my job search much more difficult. After short-listing a couple jobs but not making the cut because of my institution, I took a three-year contract position at the University of London in England. When I started applying for jobs after, I was short-listed regularly. It was a few years later, to be sure, but I was the same scholar, doing the same work, so this different perspective of my CV was significant.

I now have a tenure-track job in Canadian Studies at Trent, and although I’m the textbook case of an academic getting an academic job, I would’ve liked to have known more about career possibilities other than academia when I started. When I talk to students now, what comes after the PhD—the likelihood of getting a job, and how long it will take—is right up front.

Programs should also encourage grad students to write outside of the academy as well, especially since most will not end up in academia. I know some in academia do not necessarily value journalism or popular writing, and I’ve seen it hurt people in important ways in their careers. However, doing this type of writing gives grad students training that may end up very valuable outside of academia.

I did my PhD in history at a smaller institution, working on a dissertation on postwar masculinity. I got a few internal grants, which helped, but teaching, especially in later years, took time away from writing, as did some major life milestones.

The community was small, and there wasn’t really a strong cohesion among the PhD students. My community of scholars was not centered at my university, but dispersed across the colleagues I had met at conferences. My supervisor was good but the informal mentorship and guidance I got from other professors was also crucial.

After completing, I didn’t realize how much having a PhD from a smaller, non-top-tier university would make my job search much more difficult. After short-listing a couple jobs but not making the cut because of my institution, I took a three-year contract position at the University of London in England. When I started applying for jobs after, I was short-listed regularly. It was a few years later, to be sure, but I was the same scholar, doing the same work, so this different perspective of my CV was significant.

I now have a tenure-track job in Canadian Studies at Trent, and although I’m the textbook case of an academic getting an academic job, I would’ve liked to have known more about career possibilities other than academia when I started. When I talk to students now, what comes after the PhD—the likelihood of getting a job, and how long it will take—is right up front.

Programs should also encourage grad students to write outside of the academy as well, especially since most will not end up in academia. I know some in academia do not necessarily value journalism or popular writing, and I’ve seen it hurt people in important ways in their careers. However, doing this type of writing gives grad students training that may end up very valuable outside of academia.