But while the knowledge you've accumulated might not help you, you do have skills, as was demonstrated in this week's column. And there are considerable resources on the Internet aimed at helping you bridge that chasm. It contains career advice and links to other sites for Ph.D.'s looking to move off campus. It also describes how Mr. Johnson, with a Ph.D. in English literature from Boston University, migrated to his current job as a Web-page designer for the software developer Intuit. Mr. Johnson cites art history, visual arts, industrial design and psychology as areas that would prove useful in the software industry.
Internships are critical.
An internship at the Appalachian Mountain Club's magazine provided him with good references, writing samples to show future employers, desktop-publishing experience and insights into the editorial process. Managers love resourceful, enthusiastic, self-motivated hires. Don't prejudge jobs. Yet he has found the work fascinating. At this site, you'll find success stories and career advice.