The landscape for doctoral students—especially in the humanities—is shifting beneath our feet. As more institutions tighten their budgets and reshape their faculty models, the once assumed path to a tenure-track position is becoming less secure, or at least much less predictable. If you’re a humanities PhD candidate, the implication is clear: you must take control of your career path earlier, and with more strategic awareness.

Career centers have evolved. They’re no longer just resume-review stations or job boards for undergrads. Increasingly, they’re staffed by professionals who understand graduate education, who specialize in connecting PhDs to a wide range of industries, and who partner directly with employers seeking advanced researchers and communicators.

Between tightening academic job markets and shifting student expectations, humanities PhDs are increasingly charting their own paths—often outside the university altogether. The good news? The skills you already have—analysis, writing, research, teaching, project management—are exactly what employers need. The challenge is learning to see them that way before graduation.