Jennifer Polk
@fromphdtolife.com
I live in Toronto and, since 2013, have helped professors, postdocs, & other PhDs who are ready to leave academia get meaningful, fulfilling jobs elsewhere. Ask me about my PhD Career Clarity Program!
Find me elsewhere online at https://fromphdtolife.com.
Find me elsewhere online at https://fromphdtolife.com.
Pinned
Jennifer Polk
@fromphdtolife.com
· Nov 13
Free Training for PhDs - From PhD to Life
FREE TRAINING How to Get a Great Job Outside Academia (even if you have no idea what you want to do next or why anyone would hire you) A free training for professors, postdocs, and other overworked, u...
fromphdtolife.com
"How do I get started finding a job outside academia?"
Learn my answer, including how to avoid common missteps, in this free video resource, available to watch anytime.
fromphdtolife.com/phd-job-sear...
Learn my answer, including how to avoid common missteps, in this free video resource, available to watch anytime.
fromphdtolife.com/phd-job-sear...
"On average, episodes in the six-part season were re-watched by a third of the show’s viewers on Crave, Bell Media says. More than 15% of viewers watched an episode five times or more."
Happy Saturday to the other members of the 15% club 🫡
www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
#HeatedRivalry
Happy Saturday to the other members of the 15% club 🫡
www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
#HeatedRivalry
The Truth Behind How ‘Heated Rivalry’ Got Made
Bell Media financed “Heated Rivalry” solo, giving the Canadian company its biggest ever hit.
www.wsj.com
January 24, 2026 at 6:44 PM
"On average, episodes in the six-part season were re-watched by a third of the show’s viewers on Crave, Bell Media says. More than 15% of viewers watched an episode five times or more."
Happy Saturday to the other members of the 15% club 🫡
www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
#HeatedRivalry
Happy Saturday to the other members of the 15% club 🫡
www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
#HeatedRivalry
Reposted by Jennifer Polk
Settings > Content and Media > Autoplay Video and GIFs
Turn it off, now.
Turn it off, now.
January 24, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Settings > Content and Media > Autoplay Video and GIFs
Turn it off, now.
Turn it off, now.
Wow, it is nippy out there, eh? 🥶
January 23, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Wow, it is nippy out there, eh? 🥶
Is expertise beautiful? Why this matters for you
Dear Reader, One of the frameworks I really like for PhDs and other academics going through a professional transition, including a potential career change, is the VIA ("values in action") character strengths. A bit different from workplace strengths…
Dear Reader, One of the frameworks I really like for PhDs and other academics going through a professional transition, including a potential career change, is the VIA ("values in action") character strengths. A bit different from workplace strengths…
Is expertise beautiful? Why this matters for you
Dear Reader, One of the frameworks I really like for PhDs and other academics going through a professional transition, including a potential career change, is the VIA ("values in action") character strengths. A bit different from workplace strengths (transferable skills, competencies, whatever), these are more about innate talent areas—ones that stem from your values and inform how you engage with the world around you. That includes what skills you are drawn to, and the particular nuances to...
fromphdtolife.com
January 22, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Is expertise beautiful? Why this matters for you
Dear Reader, One of the frameworks I really like for PhDs and other academics going through a professional transition, including a potential career change, is the VIA ("values in action") character strengths. A bit different from workplace strengths…
Dear Reader, One of the frameworks I really like for PhDs and other academics going through a professional transition, including a potential career change, is the VIA ("values in action") character strengths. A bit different from workplace strengths…
"But I do think the way women are positioned in Heated Rivalry is at least partly responsible for the show’s intense, almost cult-like popularity among women as well as gay men."
www.vogue.com/article/a-mo...
www.vogue.com/article/a-mo...
A Moment for the Women of ‘Heated Rivalry’
www.vogue.com
January 22, 2026 at 12:25 PM
"But I do think the way women are positioned in Heated Rivalry is at least partly responsible for the show’s intense, almost cult-like popularity among women as well as gay men."
www.vogue.com/article/a-mo...
www.vogue.com/article/a-mo...
I feel sick and I'm very unhappy about it! I go nowhere without a mask (and, like, I wash my hands a lot!!) and nobody's been here so... ugh.
January 21, 2026 at 10:01 PM
I feel sick and I'm very unhappy about it! I go nowhere without a mask (and, like, I wash my hands a lot!!) and nobody's been here so... ugh.
My monthly workshops offer what so many PhDs crave in a chaotic job search: structure, reflection, and real progress. Each one helps you focus on what matters to you (to YOU!) and then move forward with confidence.
PhD Career Clarity Program from Dr. Jennifer Polk
Join the PhD Career Clarity Program course and community for your post-academic job search. Ready to leave academia? Dr. Jen Polk's program is for professors, postdocs, and other PhDs like you.
fromphdtolife.com
January 21, 2026 at 4:55 PM
My monthly workshops offer what so many PhDs crave in a chaotic job search: structure, reflection, and real progress. Each one helps you focus on what matters to you (to YOU!) and then move forward with confidence.
Weekly reminder that you don’t have to do hard things alone. Free PhD co-working, Wednesdays on Zoom. #AcademicSky
Co-Working Sessions - From PhD to Life
Join me for weekly 90-minute co-working sessions Wednesdays at 10am ET on Zoom. These are free and all are welcome. Register once here and remember to add this recurring meeting to your calendar so you remember each week (that you want to join). Sessions begin on 14 Jan and the registration link above is for […]
fromphdtolife.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Weekly reminder that you don’t have to do hard things alone. Free PhD co-working, Wednesdays on Zoom. #AcademicSky
Reposted by Jennifer Polk
Kelly Jensen’s article on the state of librarian mental health is incredibly detailed.
The librarians are not okay.
The librarians are not okay.
January 20, 2026 at 11:49 AM
Kelly Jensen’s article on the state of librarian mental health is incredibly detailed.
The librarians are not okay.
The librarians are not okay.
Reposted by Jennifer Polk
This is so grim. Science isn’t just something nerds do, but the foundation of the modern world. What the Trump regime has done to US science will harm Americans for generations.
‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers
Researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.
www.nature.com
January 20, 2026 at 11:23 AM
This is so grim. Science isn’t just something nerds do, but the foundation of the modern world. What the Trump regime has done to US science will harm Americans for generations.
Reposted by Jennifer Polk
US researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.
go.nature.com/4sPKR61
go.nature.com/4sPKR61
‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers
Researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.
go.nature.com
January 20, 2026 at 11:01 AM
US researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.
go.nature.com/4sPKR61
go.nature.com/4sPKR61
Toronto life: There was a guy on my subway yesterday talking smack about the Leafs versus the Habs and I was sure he was on the phone with somebody but then during the course of the ride I realized no no he was just a one man self-appointed podcaster for our subway car.
January 19, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Toronto life: There was a guy on my subway yesterday talking smack about the Leafs versus the Habs and I was sure he was on the phone with somebody but then during the course of the ride I realized no no he was just a one man self-appointed podcaster for our subway car.
Reposted by Jennifer Polk
Surgical masks are to respirators what the typewriter was to the modern computer: Obsolete! Surgical face masks provide inadequate protection against flu-like illnesses including COVID, and should be replaced by respirator-level masks – every time doctors & nurses are face to face with a patient. 😷
Face masks ‘inadequate’ and should be swapped for respirators, WHO is advised
Experts are urging guideline changes on what health professionals should wear to protect against flu-like illnesses including Covid
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Surgical masks are to respirators what the typewriter was to the modern computer: Obsolete! Surgical face masks provide inadequate protection against flu-like illnesses including COVID, and should be replaced by respirator-level masks – every time doctors & nurses are face to face with a patient. 😷
Has anyone figured out what we do now, in the post-Heated Rivalry era? Other than rewatch Heated Rivalry, that is? Because what other TV shows live up to my new higher expectations for them? Does this mean I have to exercise and cook instead???
January 19, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Has anyone figured out what we do now, in the post-Heated Rivalry era? Other than rewatch Heated Rivalry, that is? Because what other TV shows live up to my new higher expectations for them? Does this mean I have to exercise and cook instead???
Here’s to more fun in 2026 + co-working starts tmrw
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! (Who else is still at the cottage? iykyk) Let's talk about 2026 and what we need now. Me? I need fun. There's not enough fun in my life. I spent too many years on Twitter not to immediately want to caveat that with I…
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! (Who else is still at the cottage? iykyk) Let's talk about 2026 and what we need now. Me? I need fun. There's not enough fun in my life. I spent too many years on Twitter not to immediately want to caveat that with I…
Here’s to more fun in 2026 + co-working starts tmrw
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! (Who else is still at the cottage? iykyk) Let's talk about 2026 and what we need now. Me? I need fun. There's not enough fun in my life. I spent too many years on Twitter not to immediately want to caveat that with I KNOW I have it better than 95% of the world etc. But still, fun. It's important beyond "you get to want things you want" (you do!) because you can't do any potentially world-changing stuff if you can't keep yourself going. (Are 46-year-old women...
fromphdtolife.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Here’s to more fun in 2026 + co-working starts tmrw
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! (Who else is still at the cottage? iykyk) Let's talk about 2026 and what we need now. Me? I need fun. There's not enough fun in my life. I spent too many years on Twitter not to immediately want to caveat that with I…
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! (Who else is still at the cottage? iykyk) Let's talk about 2026 and what we need now. Me? I need fun. There's not enough fun in my life. I spent too many years on Twitter not to immediately want to caveat that with I…
Free co-working for professors, postdocs, and other PhDs. Wednesdays · 10–11:30am ET · Zoom. Bring the thing you’ve been avoiding. Leave with a bit more momentum. #PhDSky
Co-Working Sessions - From PhD to Life
Join me for weekly 90-minute co-working sessions Wednesdays at 10am ET on Zoom. These are free and all are welcome. Register once here and remember to add this recurring meeting to your calendar so you remember each week (that you want to join). Sessions begin on 14 Jan and the registration link above is for […]
fromphdtolife.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Free co-working for professors, postdocs, and other PhDs. Wednesdays · 10–11:30am ET · Zoom. Bring the thing you’ve been avoiding. Leave with a bit more momentum. #PhDSky
The "I love my job" narrative except that you're having daily panic attacks, worry you'll be fired any moment, and have no backup plan? That ain't any kind of love I know. There's better out there. Folks like me can help you figure it out. Start by rewriting the story you've been telling yourself.
January 18, 2026 at 4:35 PM
The "I love my job" narrative except that you're having daily panic attacks, worry you'll be fired any moment, and have no backup plan? That ain't any kind of love I know. There's better out there. Folks like me can help you figure it out. Start by rewriting the story you've been telling yourself.
One past workshop I was about job interviews, including what to say, how to prep, and how to stay grounded (important!). It’s one of many recordings you’ll access when you join the PhD Career Clarity Program.
PhD Career Clarity Program from Dr. Jennifer Polk
Join the PhD Career Clarity Program course and community for your post-academic job search. Ready to leave academia? Dr. Jen Polk's program is for professors, postdocs, and other PhDs like you.
fromphdtolife.com
January 17, 2026 at 7:40 PM
One past workshop I was about job interviews, including what to say, how to prep, and how to stay grounded (important!). It’s one of many recordings you’ll access when you join the PhD Career Clarity Program.
Reposted by Jennifer Polk
90 min/week x 12 weeks = 18 hours of writing. Join A Meeting With Your Writing to support your commitment to write during term. Coworking, gentle accountability, and coaching support to get you unstuck if needed.
A Meeting With Your Writing - Academic Writing Studio
Supporting your research and writing journey
academicwritingstudio.co.uk
January 15, 2026 at 11:15 AM
90 min/week x 12 weeks = 18 hours of writing. Join A Meeting With Your Writing to support your commitment to write during term. Coworking, gentle accountability, and coaching support to get you unstuck if needed.
I'm enjoying everything about the global cultural phenomenon that is Heated Rivalry immensely.
January 15, 2026 at 12:41 AM
I'm enjoying everything about the global cultural phenomenon that is Heated Rivalry immensely.
“I have never found one novel where the woman is just treated well from the beginning,” she said.
The constant reminder of misogyny & inequality makes it impossible for her to relax and enjoy a story. That’s not a problem with MLM in general & HR in particular.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
The constant reminder of misogyny & inequality makes it impossible for her to relax and enjoy a story. That’s not a problem with MLM in general & HR in particular.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Women are feral for Heated Rivalry. What does that say about men?
The explosive popularity of the gay hockey TV drama reveals women’s desire for sex and romance without violence or hierarchy
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:43 PM
“I have never found one novel where the woman is just treated well from the beginning,” she said.
The constant reminder of misogyny & inequality makes it impossible for her to relax and enjoy a story. That’s not a problem with MLM in general & HR in particular.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
The constant reminder of misogyny & inequality makes it impossible for her to relax and enjoy a story. That’s not a problem with MLM in general & HR in particular.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
LinkedIn is too boring so i've decided to make every post I write this week about Heated Rivalry. This is the 2026 I want for myself.
January 13, 2026 at 3:47 PM
LinkedIn is too boring so i've decided to make every post I write this week about Heated Rivalry. This is the 2026 I want for myself.
You know what's missing? Fun. More fun in 2026. (Less fascism too please but we can have both.)
January 12, 2026 at 3:48 PM
You know what's missing? Fun. More fun in 2026. (Less fascism too please but we can have both.)
Reposted by Jennifer Polk
Buzzy AI startup Mercor employs tens of thousands of white-collar contractors. The catch? They have to be willing to train AI to one day do their jobs as well as they can.
Job Seekers Find a New Source of Income: Training AI to Do Their Old Roles
Buzzy AI startup Mercor employs tens of thousands of white-collar contractors, and the gig is open to anyone with expertise in their own particular field.
on.wsj.com
January 12, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Buzzy AI startup Mercor employs tens of thousands of white-collar contractors. The catch? They have to be willing to train AI to one day do their jobs as well as they can.
Just a reminder that my program includes a live workshop every month. Fun! Each time we have a different topics, and they're always great. #PhDSky
PhD Career Clarity Program from Dr. Jennifer Polk
Join the PhD Career Clarity Program course and community for your post-academic job search. Ready to leave academia? Dr. Jen Polk's program is for professors, postdocs, and other PhDs like you.
fromphdtolife.com
January 11, 2026 at 10:01 PM
Just a reminder that my program includes a live workshop every month. Fun! Each time we have a different topics, and they're always great. #PhDSky