Academic Career Coaching
Trying to find an academic job or
move forward in academia?
We offer hands-on support and strategic planning for academic job searches and preparation for promotion and tenure.
Today’s academic job market is rough. In most disciplines, there are hundreds of applicants for each tenure-track job. Covid-19 has caused schools to reassess staffing, budgets are tight, and enrollments are down.
If you’ve chosen a career in academia, you may be wondering some of the following:
“Will I be able to get a job in my field?”
“How do I stand out among hundreds of other applicants?”
“What are my options outside of academia?”
“I have an academic job – how do I advance my career?”
“I’m applying for tenure – how can I make sure I succeed?”
Whether you’re looking to land your first academic job or advance an established career, our expert coaches can help you reach your goals.
The Solution:
Academic Career Coaching
We offer expert, hands-on support and strategic planning for those pursuing academic careers. As veteran professors and administrators, we have decades of experience being hired, hiring others, and helping people plan their careers. We have helped countless clients achieve their goals in academia.
We can help you:
Make your portfolio stand out
Be prepared for interview questions
Receive vital, real-time guidance during your job search
Identify the path to getting the position you want
Begin your job search with strategic timing
Become irresistible to potential employers by demonstrating how you’ll solve their problems
Create an effective short- and long-term career plan
Decode job requirements to give potential employers what they’re really asking for
What Sets Us Apart
Experience
We’ve served on hiring committees, as department chairs, as peer reviewers, and as journal editors. Plus, we’ve had decades of experience in academia – from instructor positions to endowed chairs. We use all of this insider knowledge to help you stand out and reach your goals.
Time and Attention
We’re with you 100% throughout the entire process to help you reach your goals. We don’t limit our support to single, high-ticket coaching sessions. We work on a monthly basis with weekly calls, plus email support and document review (such as CVs and portfolio materials) in between calls.
Knowledge of the Academic Job Market
We stay up-to-date on current trends in academia so that we can offer you the most current knowledge and strategies to achieve success.
What Our Clients Say
His guidance helped me achieve both my goals.
As a coach, Dr. Tippins provided guidance on next steps I should take after graduating to achieve my goals. My primary goals were to complete an article that I could submit for publication and to become employed as an adjunct professor. His guidance helped me to achieve both in a short period of time.
Sam Long, Ph.D.I don’t know where I’d be without you.
I want to thank you so sincerely for all your help in getting me to this point. It was quite a ride. I am beyond grateful for your wisdom, guidance, and encouragement… Don’t know where I’d be without you.
I am privileged to be associated with Dr. Tippins.
Dr. Tippins has provided post-graduate professional coaching and mentoring to support me (and several other doctoral colleagues) in navigating the professional world, business world, and academic world beyond graduation. His professional coaching and mentoring has helped to guide me and also has provided me with the wisdom and direction needed to make wise career-path decisions. I have benefitted from his guidance and give credit to his wisdom gained from his decades of experience. I am honored and privileged to be associated with Dr. Tippins.
Terrance S. Ransom, Ph.D.I could not have achieved all of my post-doctoral accomplishments without his exceptional mentorship.
Dr. Tippins’ knowledge of both the academic and commercial domains ensures that once your doctoral journey is attained, you are kept grounded and focused on completing the next steps to be a sound contributor to positive social change. I could not have achieved all of my post-doctoral accomplishments without his exceptional mentorship.
Ian Briggs, PhDWith your support, I became a doctor.
With your support, I became a PhD. I highly recommend you to any student. Thank you!
Dr. Daniela SankovicWithout Steve’s coaching, I would still be looking for work.
After retiring from full-time work, I wanted to teach at a university but had no academic experience. Steve gave me lots of small tips about applying for academic jobs that collectively made a huge difference. I reached out to eleven universities and was pleasantly surprised to get five interviews – a much higher success rate than I expected. I have no doubt that if it had not been for Steve’s coaching, I would still be looking.
Steve cares for people, and he goes the extra mile to help them achieve their post-doctoral goals.
Steve cares for people, and he goes the extra mile to help them achieve their post-doctoral goals, whether these are academic, research, or commercial in nature. I am grateful for his guidance and for having him as a mentor, teacher, and friend.
Dr. Enid AlvarezHow It Works
Coaching includes weekly, hour-long calls, with document review and email support between calls.
Here are the steps you will take with us:
Free consultation with the coach of your choice (optional)
Kickoff session: Review of your goals & where you are now, then creating a plan to reach your goals
Weekly calls to support you with each of the steps along the way, with email support and document review in between calls. We also respond to whatever issues are most relevant to you.
You achieve your goal!
What happens during coaching sessions?
Each coaching session is tailored to your needs. Here are some examples of what we offer clients:
Create a short- and long-term career plan
Evaluate materials such as CV, teaching statement, research statement, diversity and inclusion statement, and cover letter to optimize for the university you’re applying to
Explore job opportunities and evaluate options
Prepare for short- and long-form interviews
Support negotiating offers
Prepare materials and documents for promotion and tenure
Support developing a research agenda
Help getting published in academic journals
Turn your dissertation into publishable articles
Weekly, hour-long calls
Document Review
Email support in-between calls
Our Results
We offer more than just motivation – we offer results. Here are some of the goals we’ve helped clients achieve:
- Getting the academic job of their choice
- Getting tenure
- Getting promoted
- Getting a non-academic job of their choice
- Publishing articles in academic journals
- Publishing books in their field
Weekly, hour-long calls
Document Review
Email support in-between calls
Meet Your Coaches
Dr. Steve Tippins
Qualitative, Quantitative, Post-Degree Support
Dr. Courtney Watson
Writing Expert & Dissertation Specialist
Dr. David Banner
Coach
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do we meet?
We meet weekly.
Can I start and then take a break and come back?
Yes! We work on a month-to-month basis.
Do I have to sign a long term contract?
No, we work on a month-to-month basis with clients.
How am I billed?
You pay on the site and then manage your subscription through your account. You can cancel at any time.
How long will it take to reach my goals?
The time it takes for clients to reach their goals varies based on client objectives. On average, our clients reach their goals within two months. Many clients choose to continue working with us after meeting their initial goal.
Do you just provide motivation and accountability?
No. We do provide that, but that’s just the beginning. In addition to that, we provide technical expertise and support in the academic job market. As insiders in academia, we know the ins-and-outs of how the job application process, publishing process, and promotion and tenure process work. We provide realistic analysis of the market and a clear map for you to reach your goals.
What are your qualifications?
Each of our coaches has different qualifications. Members of our coaching cadre have been promoted multiple times, achieved tenure multiple times, served on search committees, held academic administrative roles, and run academic consulting businesses. For details on specific coaches, see the “coaches” section of this page.
Weekly, hour-long calls
Document Review
Email support in-between calls