The Work Seminar

Jesse Butts
  • 5.0 (6)
  • CAREERS

The Work Seminar is the podcast for people with liberal arts advanced degrees considering work outside their fields of study. Join me for unscripted conversations with MAs, MFAs, PhDs, and the like who made the leap to adjacent or (seemingly) unrelated work after grad school. You'll hear about life's unexpected turns, what guests have learned along the way, their thoughts and advice for finding enjoyable work, and work's role in their lives.

  1. 10/19/2022

    Ep. 37: Season Three is in the Books

    And once again, a semester of The Work Seminar comes to an end. We’ll return with Season 4 after the break.  In the meantime, here’s hoping you’ve learned as much from these conversations as we have. See you back here in 2023.  Don’t be a stranger in between seasons Send your questions, thoughts on the show, and guest suggestions to jesse@theworkseminar.com.  Wanna leave us a tip? Treat us to a virtual coffee on our Ko-fi page.  Check out our BookShop.org store for the books mentioned in all our episodes. Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter. Support the show

    2 min

  2. 10/12/2022 · BONUS

    Ep. 36: Finding a Career Outside Your Academic Discipline w/ Author and PhD Zakiya Akerele

    Zakiya's debut book Dump Your Degree is a practical guide for thinking beyond academic credentials as you pursue a new career. And she’s followed her own advice, transitioning from the professoriate (with a PhD in religious education) to full-time author. We delve into her methodology through a step-by-step example of: considering different work after or during grad schoolreflecting on and discovering your natural interests, unique talents, and in-depth knowledgetranslating these abilities into relevant full-time, freelance, and self-employment roles networking and creating content to highlight your expertise and create your own opportunitiesLike many guests have said before, it’s always easier to update your résumé and indiscriminately apply to jobs. But the success rate and job satisfaction of Zakiya’s playbook is much higher, particularly for the liberal arts crowd.     Where to find Zakiya and her book Dump Your Degree by Zakiya Akerele  ZakiyaAkerele.com Zakiya on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter to receive updates straight to your inbox. Support the show

    35 min

  3. 10/05/2022

    Ep. 35: Judith Lagrou - M.Ed. in Higher Education Turned Investment Banking Strategist

    Judith finished grad school with a passion for increasing student retention. As she spent more time — and moved up the ladder — in higher ed administration, she became equally committed to expanding access. And she did, indeed, make retention and access top priorities in positions across student affairs, development, and international education. But what appeared to be a perfect career progression on paper was not in practice.  That’s when Judith, for the first time, looked beyond the ivory tower for work. Within a few years in finance, she had the opportunity to transfer to investment banking, where she now relishes the quick pace of change and ability to solve complex problems.  Had she not taken the time to question what she valued in her work, Judith may have never considered if careers outside of higher ed could be a better fit. Books & other resources mentioned What Should I Do with My Life? by Po Bronson The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin Life map resources Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter to receive updates straight to your inbox. Support the show

    38 min

  4. 09/28/2022

    Ep. 34: Austin L. Church - MA in English Turned Brand Strategist and Business Coach

    A self-branded writer/poet, Austin relished the opportunity to hone his creative skills in grad school. And he was open to divergent work after graduation. Just as he found his footing as a copywriter and social media strategist at a small marketing agency, the Great Recession reared its head, ending his gig six months after he started.  And that marked Austin’s last full-time job.   The freelancing he began during a rough economy morphed into entrepreneurship.  Now Austin splits his time between writing, consulting, and building Freelance Cake, where he passes along the lessons he’s learned to land better clients (more pay, less drama) and strategic marketing projects.  His time in grad school — particularly those poetry workshops — instilled a love for the economy of words, which he’s reflected in his copywriting and content ever since.  **Please forgive my poor audio. A couple technical difficulties popped up that I’ve hammered out for future episodes.”**  Books mentioned Let Your Life Speak by Parker J. Palmer Give and Take by Adam Grant Range by David Epstein  Where to find Austin & Freelance Cake Austin on LinkedIn and Twitter AustinLChurch.com  FreelanceCake.com  Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter to receive updates straight to your inbox. Support the show

    42 min

  5. 09/21/2022

    Ep. 33: Jackie Sanders - MA in Material Culture & Public Humanities Turned Digital Marketer & Visual Arts Entrepreneur

    Jackie held down six (six!) part-time jobs after grad school. But a couple years into her first full-time gig, her art and career hit a lull.  That’s when she started devoting her commute time to learning everything she could about digital marketing. In relatively short order, she secured a full-time marketing position at a small agency. And she started focusing on her art in the early mornings, soon joining a shared studio space where she could better create and showcase her abstract and geometric art. Now she helps fellow artists hone their craft and balance their practice with the Level Up Artists podcast and her online course, all while flourishing as a marketer.  By focusing on processes she could incorporate into her life — and not abiding by the unwritten rules of how artists and scholars should live and work — Jackie has found a day job that informs her artwork, and vice versa. Book mentioned The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss  Where to find Jackie, Level Up Artists, & Jackie’s art work JaclynSanders.com and Jackie on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook Level Up Artists podcast Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter to receive updates straight to your inbox. Support the show

    42 min

  6. 09/14/2022

    Ep. 32: Jesan Sorrells - MA in Conflict Resolution Turned Entrepreneur & CEO

    Jesan pivoted from student affairs leadership to entrepreneurship in a novel fashion: He started with revisiting his grad school curriculum.  After combing through the syllabi from his master’s program, Jesan thought, “I could take that topic and turn it into a product.” And so he did, marketing his conflict resolution and reconciliation skills to business audiences willing to pay for them. From his early solopreneur days of consulting and speaking engagements to founding HSCT Publishing, creating training programs, writing books, and hosting podcasts, Jesan centers his businesses on the idea of intentional leadership.  And it’s in no small part thanks to capitalizing on his MA work, adjuncting, and previous career in higher ed.  Jesan’s books & podcast 12 Rules for Leaders: The Foundation of Intentional Leadership My Boss Doesn't Care: 100 Essays on Disrupting Your Work By Disrupting Your Boss Marketing for Peace Builders: How to Market Your Value to a World in Conflict Leadership Lessons from the Great Books podcast Where to find Jesan & HSCT Publishing Jesan on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram HSCT’s website and HSCT LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram profiles The Leadership Toolbox website The Leading Keys platform Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter to receive updates straight to your inbox. Support the show

    45 min

  7. 09/07/2022

    Ep. 31: Tory Wobber - PhD in Human Evolutionary Biology turned Career Coach

    A future of intellectual exploration and research drew Tory to grad school. But two seasons of an unfruitful tenure-track search prompted her to question what she wanted out of work — and where she wanted to do it. After 40 or 50 informational interviews with anyone willing to chat about their careers, Tory landed a data science role in Silicon Valley. She soon discovered a passion for coaching as she mentored her employees. In May 2020, she founded Academic Exit to help social science PhDs succeed in the tech industry. Now she focuses on what she enjoyed most from her time at Meta (Facebook) and Google with the independence she missed from her academic days. And her  willingness to explore what she truly wanted out of a job and to untangle her academic achievements from her work — and overall — identity made all the difference. Where to find Tory & her work Tory (Academic Exit) on Gumroad Tory on Twitter and LinkedIn Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter to receive updates straight to your inbox. Support the show

    41 min

  8. 07/27/2022

    Ep. 30: That's a Wrap on Season Two

    And once again, we’ve reached a temporary end. After a little rest, The Work Seminar will return with Season 3.  In the meantime, here’s hoping you’ve learned as much from these conversations as we have. See you back here this fall.  Don’t be a stranger in between seasons Sign up for The Work Seminar newsletter to find out first when Season 3 drops. Check out our BookShop.org store for all the books mentioned in our first two seasons. Send your questions, thoughts on the show, and guest suggestions to jesse@theworkseminar.com.  Check out more from The Work Seminar Visit theworkseminar.com or find @TheWorkSeminar on social media.  Support the show

    2 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Work Seminar is the podcast for people with liberal arts advanced degrees considering work outside their fields of study. Join me for unscripted conversations with MAs, MFAs, PhDs, and the like who made the leap to adjacent or (seemingly) unrelated work after grad school. You'll hear about life's unexpected turns, what guests have learned along the way, their thoughts and advice for finding enjoyable work, and work's role in their lives.

Information

  • Creator
    Jesse Butts
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2022
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Jesse Butts
  • Show Website
    The Work Seminar