Top 5 Mistakes Women with PhDs Make When Job Searching
You’ve worked so hard. You’ve earned the highest degree, built or started a successful career and proven yourself again and again. And yet—when it comes to finding what’s next—you may feel stuck, uncertain, or even invisible.
I see this especially with brilliant women with PhDs who have been terminated from federal roles or who feel miserable in jobs that have changed so much they no longer recognize them. If this is you, know that you are not alone. And you do not have to stay stuck.
Here are five of the biggest mistakes I see women with doctorates make in their job searches—and how you can avoid them:
1. Undervaluing Their Own Expertise
You tell yourself you’re “not qualified enough” or that your experience doesn’t count outside your current role. But the truth? Years of research, analysis, writing, teaching, and leadership translate into highly marketable skills employers are hungry for.
Shift: Claim your expertise. Translate your accomplishments into language that highlights your impact and transferable skills.
2. Relying Only on Online Applications
Scrolling job boards and hitting “apply” feels productive—but it rarely leads to offers. Especially in today’s competitive market, submitting your résumé into the black hole of ATS systems is one of the slowest routes to success.
Shift: Stop waiting for the perfect posting. Networking, informational interviews, and reaching out directly to decision-makers will open doors you didn’t even know existed.
3. Skipping the Research on Employers
It’s tempting to fire off applications without digging deeper. But if you don’t understand an organization’s mission, culture, and pain points, your application will come across as generic—and you risk ending up in another misaligned job.
Shift: Take time to research. Tailor your story and highlight how your expertise connects directly to what matters most to them. Then, go further: use that knowledge to do proactive networking—reaching out to people before jobs are even posted—so you’re on their radar when the right opportunity opens up.
4. Not Owning Their Career Story
Many women with PhDs describe their work as a list of job titles, research projects, or years of service. What’s missing is a compelling narrative that explains not just what you’ve done—but why it matters and where you’re headed.
Shift: Craft a career story that you fully embody—not just words on paper, but a lived sense of your worth. When you stand in your value and own your brilliance, employers feel it. Your story becomes less about proving yourself and more about confidently showing how your unique expertise and perspective make you the right fit for what’s next.
5. Going It Alone
PhD training often conditions us to figure things out solo. But the job search is not meant to be endured in isolation. Without support, the process can be slow, exhausting, and filled with self-doubt.
Shift: Surround yourself with support—mentors, peers, or a coaching community that sees your brilliance and helps you stay accountable and confident.
Bottom line: You are not starting over. You are building on a powerful foundation of skills, brilliance, and experience. The key is learning how to translate that into a job search strategy that works—and embodying your own value so others can see it too.
If you’ve been terminated from your federal role—or if you’re feeling stuck and miserable in a job that no longer fits—the time to act is now. My Reclaim Your Power and Step Forward into What’s Next group coaching experience is designed for women like you. Registration closes on Monday, September 8th.
Schedule your discovery call this weekend to secure your spot. With limited spaces, this is your chance to gain the clarity, confidence, and community you need to move forward powerfully—before the window closes.
