I chose this topic after realizing that KACA serves not only international Korean students but also Korean American graduate students and postdocs. Personally, I have noticed that discussing industry job opportunities is often considered somewhat taboo in academia. Moreover, the majority of KACA's student population holds F-1 visas, which makes academic jobs more preferable due to H1B visa restrictions—a perspective I was also trained to adopt.

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That said, I believe it is important to share alternative possibilities and highlight the fact that our skills are transferable and applicable to diverse career paths. If we are happy pursuing roles as researchers, teachers, and scholars, that is wonderful. But if we wish to explore careers outside academia to fulfill personal goals and desired lifestyles, I want to empower you with these resources as a starting point.

 

— Lian Kim (KACA Grad Student Representative; PhD Candidate, University of New Mexico)