61: The quiet struggles every international PhD student faces in the U.S.A. (with Dr. Sonali Majumdar)

Ken Li started a PhD, quit 4 years later and now has built a successful confidence coaching business. Ken shares lessons from what to do when the unexpected happens to your career and what to do to rebuild your life and confidence.

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A few weeks ago, I came across a story about a university laying off faculty and staff, including tenured professors. It reinforced something I’ve been thinking about for years: Your job should not be your only source of career security. I was laid off from my postdoc in 2018 when our lab ran out of funding. Then, in 2025, I experienced another layoff in biotech. Those experiences changed how I think about career resilience. Join 3000+ on the newsletter: https://theboldphd.com/newsletter/ Get Navigating the PIVOT: https://theboldphd.com/navigate/ Speaking: https://theboldphd.com/speaking/

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In this episode, I chat with Dr. Tiffany Green on a skill that is often overlooked in our job search processes - learning how to give a captivating presentation - whether that looks like an actual presentation that involves a PowerPoint and several people in a room, or an interview where we are chatting with one person.