Work is the second most miserable daily activity for Americans, next to being sick in bed, according to research by economists.

This is an incredibly sad statistic, given that the average American spends 8 hours a day working.

But you don't have to be unhappy at your job, especially if you are an academic.

Here's how to carve out a career path that is both fulfilling and financially rewarding.

The "Dream Job" Trifecta

A satisfying, well-paying job contains three elements:
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1. What you enjoy doing
2. What you’re good at
3. What the market wants
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Satisfying all 3 seems difficult, but it’s not.
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We naturally gravitate toward what we enjoy doing.
As a result, we tend to do more of it.
The more we do it, the better we become at it.
The better we are at our craft, the higher pay we are able to demand.

Enjoyment

Most PhDs I’ve spoken to genuinely enjoy doing research.

They enjoy thinking deeply about a problem. They enjoy finding answers to quench their curiosity.

What they don’t like?

Toxic lab environments, bureaucracy, funding struggles, credit stealing, gnawing politics, an abysmal job market, hopeless career prospects…

The academic research is rewarding.

The academic system is not.

This is a key distinction to be aware of when you are beginning to explore what career paths are out there.

Competence

PhDs are very skilled at what they do.

If you spend 5 years developing an expertise on a topic, you'd have to be really daft to remain unskilled.

Market Demand

The skills PhDs have are in high demand––in any industry.

Research. Writing. Public speaking. Data analysis. Critical thinking. Synthesizing disparate findings. Communicating complex ideas...

These are evergreen skills immune to trends.

Order Is Crucial

But here's where most people go wrong.

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Most 9-to-5ers do it the opposite way, contorting themselves to the job requirements, selling a version of themselves that doesn't feel true to themselves.

I see academics make this mistake over and over again when they first transition into industry. They dive straight in, applying to any and all jobs that are posted (What The Market Wants). They then try to sell their skills because they're mentioned in the job description (What I'm Good At).

Even if you get the job, it comes with a steep price tag.

Invisible Cost

How would I know?

I did this 3 years ago. I landed a "dream job" on paper: a 250K offer at Amazon, that seemed to fit my qual and quant research skills perfectly.

But I was blithely unaware of Amazon's famed overwork culture, product-driven (vs. strategy-driven) research focus, and toxic management hierarchy. But, what's more deadly was my cowardice to face what I truly desired.

I love writing, speaking, thinking deeply about big ideas, theorizing (which industry lacks and academia mandates), mentoring, and most of all, creative freedom.

Wrangling data makes the big bucks in tech. But I didn't enjoy it as much as writing a deep think piece in Scientific American.

Had I started with What I Enjoy and confronted head-on what makes my heart sing, it would have saved me a ton of pain, burnout, and a Christmas trip to the ER (story for another day).

As it turns out, writing, speaking, making funny videos can be just as lucrative, if not more, than a data job in tech.

For funsies, here are 9 ways you can make a million dollars with words without being a Pulitzer Prize winner.

Do This Instead

Start with finding the intersection between what you enjoy doing and what you're skilled at.

Then, find how it fills a gap in the market.

This is one of the foundational exercises I did for the 2024 cohort of my Academic Trailblazer program. It sets you up for long-term fulfillment, a job you're excited to wake up to, a career you can't wait to embark on.

The world is big. Wealth is abundant. When you arrive at the right intersection in the right order, the money will follow. You will find that it is much easier to make money this way than the other way around.

Want More Help?

1. If you are looking for a comprehensive blueprint to break into industry, but missed the last program cycle, join the Academic Trailblazer: Career Clear by submitting an application.

We go in-depth in gaining clarity on your career path, targeting roles that highlight your competitive advantage, and equipping you with a step-by-step roadmap that landed multiple 6-figure offers.

Two of my students just accepted their FAANG offers last month. Market will always be competitive. But if you are a competitive candidate, you will never be fazed by a competitive market. The job search strategies work. You just need to apply them and put in consistent effort in the right direction.

2. If you need in-depth help now, book a 1:1 Strategy Session. We will analyze your current situation and develop a step-by-step plan to overcome your immediate roadblock.

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Until next time 💕