Steve Tippins tells newly minted PhDs to slow down. Don't rush into the next job or committee. You've changed since you started your doctorate, so take time to figure out who you are now before deciding what comes next.
You've defended, you've turned in your paperwork, and now the panic sets in. The urge to immediately do something. After years of running full speed, new doctoral graduates feel like they need to pick up a job, join a committee, or say yes to an opportunity. Rest is not laziness, it is recalibration. We have watched smart, capable people accept roles that weren't really right for them just because they couldn't wait. You are a different person now. The things you felt guilty for ignoring 3, 4, 5 years ago, Don't rush back to those because that was a different version of you. Don't decide anything major yet. Comment scholar and we will send you the link to our free Scholar Career Network. You've got this.
