Name: Ryan Collins (he/him)
PhD: Media Arts and Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, 2021
What was your main area of research?
I started in film studies up until the end of my 1st year of my PhD. I pivoted. I was primarily interested in brand evangelism, social media communities, and strategic communications. My dissertation involved interviewing tech evangelists at tech companies. Tech evangelist is the title of someone who spreads the "good news" of new and upcoming technologies.
What is your current job?
I am an SEO Strategist for Go Fish Digital.
I help companies improve their organic traffic on places like Google Search.
I love that I get to continually learn about different industries from my work with clients.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I found this position on LinkedIn.
PhD candidate ➡️ SEO Intern ➡️ PhD graduate ➡️ Full-Time SEO Role
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?
Low pay, extreme competition, and stress - it was an easy decision to make.
What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
Informational interviews can open a world of possibilities. Start ASAP.
Are there any components of your identity you would like to share, including how they have impacted your journey?
I focused too much on finding a role that was based on passion. Originally it was film studies. Passion does not pay the bills.