45: The Big Lie About ‘Safe’ Jobs: Ex-Professor Explains Why She Finally Walked Away (with Dr. Jen Harrison)

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/

In this episode of The Bold PhD Podcast, Dr. Gertrude Nonterah chats with Dr. Sonali Majumdar about the quiet struggles of international students. Dr. Sonali also shares tools to help international students thrive in spite of the challenges. Learn more about Dr. Majumdar's book: https://sonalimajumdar.com/book Get Navigating The PIVOT: https://theboldphd.com/navigate/ Join 3000+ PhDs and academics on the Bold PhD Newsletter: https://theboldphd.com/newsletter/ Full podcast episodes: https://theboldphd.com/podcast/

Get Navigating The PIVOT: https://theboldphd.com/navigate/ Join 3000+ PhDs and academics on the Bold PhD Newsletter: https://theboldphd.com/newsletter/