===================================================
THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
Devoted to practical steps for completing
your doctoral dissertation.
www.ecoach.com
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To subscribe, visit www.ecoach.comINDEX
1. Ben's Note: "Authentic Happiness" by Martin
E. P. Seligman, Ph.D.
2. Exploring NonAcademic Career Options
By Michael Thomas, Ph.D.
3. Words of WisdomSUMMARY
In "Ben's Note", we introduce the extraordinary
new book, "Authentic Happiness," by legendary
psychologist, Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph. D.
We suggest that faculty may be interested in
sharing Dr. Seligman's passion for taking
the lessons of "Authentic Happiness" to
the world (and to their students) by,
first, visiting
www.AuthenticHappinessCoaching.comOur lead article is "Steps To
Take In Exploring Non-Academic Careers"
by Michael C. Thomas, Ph.D., a
former tenured professor and department head
and a career and job search coach
(See www.LifeCareerPlan.com)We round this issue out with Words of Wisdom.
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Ben's NoteApril 8, 2003
Dear ABD Survival Guide Reader,
Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., ("Marty" to
his collegues and friends) the legendary
psychologist and the founder of the field
of Positive Psychology has published an
exceptional new book, "Authentic
Happiness."Blending theory, research, and
practice, it shows educators, scholars, and
other professionals how to help their students
lead lives of greater happiness, engagement, and
meaning. You can learn more about
this exceptional book at
www.authentichappiness.orgIf you are an educator and would like
to learn how to use Authentic Happiness tests,
exercises and skills in educational and
other professional settings, please
visit www.AuthenticHappinessCoaching.comPlease know that I have a personal and
professional stake in Marty's work.I have joined with him to form
"Authentic Happiness Coaching" and
have a professional interest (and a deep
belief) in this program.I do not intend to suggest that graduate
students should enroll in this program,
given its tuition.However, university faculty and
other educators should seriously consider it.Interested faculty and administrators
may be interested in visiting both
authentichappiness.org and
authentichappinesscoaching.comIn future issues of this newsletter, we will
discuss ways that you, yourself, can
apply the lessons of "Authentic
Happiness" in your own life.For now, please visit the web site
and please consider reading "Authentic
Happiness" yourself.Warm wishes,
BenP.S. Marty saw in single flash the theory of
learned helplessness that would soon reverberate
throughout psychology. This epiphany came to him
within eight weeks of starting graduate school at
Penn. He finished his Ph.D. in 2 years/9 months.
To hear my interview with Marty where he recalls
these and other key events in his life, call
212-461-2688 (24/7/365)=========================
Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D.
=========================Dr. Seligman is the Fox Leadership Professor
of Psychology in the Department of Psychology
at the University of Pennsylvania, a former
President of the American Psychological
Association (elected by the greatest margin
in APA history), the author of 20 books
including the best selling "Learned
Optimism" , "The Optimistic Child,"
"What You Can Change and What You
Can't", and now "Authentic Happiness."To read his extraordinary bio, visit
http://www.authentichappinesscoaching.com/biosmarty.phpAnd...see you in two weeks.
Warmly,
Ben======================================================
Steps To Take In Exploring Non-Academic Careers
By Michael C. Thomas, Ph.D.
======================================================
Assumptions:For the remainder of our lives, a CAREER will be a sequence
of jobs, each of which will very likely last less than
seven years. An Adjunct position even less. The job
you are seeking will likely last less than seven years.
Jobs are disappearing and available work remains. In
addition, you may outlive your next employing company.First. Unless you know exactly which job in what occupation
and in which industry you want, get some good ideas by
taking take several career related instruments. The best of
these are organized in terms of Occupations rather thanCareers. Some examples are the Strong Interest Survey,
the Holland Self-Directed Search and my favorite, the
Campbell Skill and Interest Survey. Many graduate school
certified counselors will give you the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator, even though it was not designed for this purpose
and is not well supported by good social research, as are
the others.Second. Each of these instruments will likely tell you
that you may do well in more than 10 to 15 different
occupations. To make your exploration and selection task
easier, reduce this cumulative list to less than ten.Third. In the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-2003.
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ you can read detailed and reliable
information about each of these 10 in addition to sources
of additional information. If you take the Campbell Skill
and Interest Survey on-line, your results are linked
directly to the above web site. Most public libraries have
the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2003 and it is available
at B&N book stores for less than $20.00.Fourth. To make your task easier, reduce the original list
to a rank-ordered top ten. Before you begin your
informational Interviews, be prepared by being well
informed about the occupations you are exploring.Fifth. Expand your in-depth information of each of these
occupations by conducting authentic Informational
Interviews with three or four people in each of these
occupations.Interview those who actually do the work. Discover if
you want to do that kind of work for the next three to
seven years. Save yourself from heartache, wasted money and
wasted years. Some of my good friends and clients are
FORMER college professors (including me), school teachers,
attorneys, clergy, engineers, and professional musicians,
etc. who became qualified, certified and employed at great
expense and pain before they knew what it was like at a
feeling level to work in those specific jobs.Sixth. Make a list of all the people you know whom you'll
feel comfortable asking three questions: Whom do you know
that does X job? Whom do you know that might know someone
who does X job? Will you introduce me to them?Seventh. On the basis of your informational interviews,
reduce the list of jobs to no more than you can search for,
perhaps three. Conducting a job search is the most
difficult job you'll ever have --- even when you know how
to do it.Eighth. Get a job search buddy, join a job search support
group, and subscribe to several job search list groups,
learn how to do a job search on the world wide web (even
though this is unlikely to get you the job you want), plan
and execute your job search strategy --- 90% of what works
is intelligent net-working.Ninth. Once you get your non-academic job, remember that
you'll be in it less than seven years. Therefore, build a
network of well-connected friends, perform at a high level,
develop your marketable skills --- technical, managerial,
interpersonal --- and continue your search for your next
2 to 7 year job.Finally. Begin planning for your own solo business so that
you can be a self-employed FREE AGENT.
=======================================
About Michael C. Thomas, Ph.D.
=======================================
Mike Thomas, Ph.D. of Cary, NC is the author of two
earlier ABD Survival Guide Articles. He is a
former tenured professor and department head.
He is a career and job search coach. He
co-founded the Intensive Life/Career Planning
Workshop seven years ago. He can be reached
at www.LifeCareerPlan.com=======================================
Words of Wisdom from New Ph.D.'s.
=======================================
*I wish I'd believed (I "knew", but did not truly
"believe") that I didn't have to plan and complete
an earth-shattering research project. Choose
something do-able and interesting. Get organized,
prioritized and motivated--invest in a coach early
on if you find yourself not being productive!*Don't overblow your dissertation's importance.
You've probably chosen a topic you care a lot about.
This can lead you to be a perfectionist and to
thinking that you still haven't done justice to
the topic. You will over emotionalize what is
really just a pro-forma exercise. What you do
with it later is another matter. As soon as I
started to see it like that (lamentably, at the
end of the project) it was like I grew wings.
Somebody once said that most professors regard
their dissertation as their worst work. Even
friends who have finished ahead of me say the
same thing. I wish I had focused on that advice.=============================
BEN J. DEAN, Publisher, ABDSG
===============================
Ben holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of
Texas at Austin and is a psychologist in private
practice in Bethesda, Maryland.In addition to his clinical practice, Ben loves to train
professionals to become virtual coaches. (If you would like
to see Ben's *other* free newsletter, you may subscribe at:
http://www.mentorcoach.com/)Ben lives in suburban Maryland with his wife and two
young children.==================================
RACHNA D. JAIN, Editor, ABDSG
==================================I'm a dissertation coach and licensed psychologist
based in Maryland, with a doctorate from the
University of Denver.I'm the Editor of the ABDSG, as well as the Author of
"Get It Done! A Coach's Guide to Dissertation Success"If you'd like to learn more about me or my book, please
visit my website: www.ExcelWithEaseCoaching.comIf you have questions about this newsletter, you
can direct them to me: rachna@mentorcoach.comI'm excited to be working with you to meet your academic
goals. You can do it!================================================
THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
================================================
"The All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide"(tm) focuses
on ways to help its readers more readily overcome the
roadblocks that often seem to stand in the way of
completing the dissertation. It is read throughout the
world.=======================
VIRTUAL ABD ASSISTANCE
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Would you like a "virtual assistant" who did whatever you
needed to help you move forward on your scholarly work or
on other parts of your life. If you'd like to learn more
about how a virtual assistant could help you, contact the two
that Ben works with: Cathy Anway or Sunny Bain. Both are
conscientious, skillful, and extraordinarily competent.
Cathy Anway can be at Cathy@mentorcoach and Sunny Bain can
be reached at sunny@mentorcoach.com===============================================
INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH A DISSERTATION COACH?
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
=================================================
Email ben16-76471@autocontactor.com
You'll receive an email outlining the application process,
follow the instructions and submit the form. Your application
will then be forwarded to potential coaches so that you might
arrange a free, initial consultation.
Various fee plans are available.ABOUT TO GRADUATE?
=====================
First, congratulations!!!! Yeaaaaaa!!!!Second, please send any email to: FreeAtLast@mentorcoach.com
Within seconds, you'll receive a note from Ben.A FAVOR
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Ben J. Dean, Ph.D
MentorCoach(tm)
Voice: 301-986-5688
Fax: 301-913-9447
Web: www.ecoach.com/
Web: www.mentorcoach.com
(c) Copyright 2003 Ben J. Dean. All rights reserved.Rachna Jain, Ph.D.
mailto:rachna@mentorcoach.com
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