Michael Dean Clark
@mdeanclark.bsky.social
Stringer of phrases. Sometimes on the page. Mostly in my head. He/him. Find me elsewhere via michaeldeanclark.com.
Pinned
Michael Dean Clark
michaeldeanclark.com
I'm in a moment of career transition, so I thought I'd tell people here I do consulting/coaching/editing work for private clients alongside my teaching. From sifting ideas to finalizing projects, I have decades of experience to share. You can reach me through my website, michaeldeanclark.com.
"On the end of a journal I loved"
Woke up this morning to the news that Drunk Monkeys is closing its doors. To be fair, I had a bit of a heads from a friend on the staff who let me know it was coming.
That foreknowledge actually made the news a little sadder. (1/10)
Woke up this morning to the news that Drunk Monkeys is closing its doors. To be fair, I had a bit of a heads from a friend on the staff who let me know it was coming.
That foreknowledge actually made the news a little sadder. (1/10)
December 3, 2025 at 7:29 PM
"On the end of a journal I loved"
Woke up this morning to the news that Drunk Monkeys is closing its doors. To be fair, I had a bit of a heads from a friend on the staff who let me know it was coming.
That foreknowledge actually made the news a little sadder. (1/10)
Woke up this morning to the news that Drunk Monkeys is closing its doors. To be fair, I had a bit of a heads from a friend on the staff who let me know it was coming.
That foreknowledge actually made the news a little sadder. (1/10)
Just a quick note of thanks. My series about being on the market ended Wednesday was mostly a set of musings in narrative form, not advice or complaint. So I am grateful for such a consistent group reading along. Here's the whole series in one shot: michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/on-th...
November 28, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Just a quick note of thanks. My series about being on the market ended Wednesday was mostly a set of musings in narrative form, not advice or complaint. So I am grateful for such a consistent group reading along. Here's the whole series in one shot: michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/on-th...
Though the world is heavy, I am thankful. May we use today to refocus: more giving and less taking.
November 27, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Though the world is heavy, I am thankful. May we use today to refocus: more giving and less taking.
Part 17: In which this series—though not my job search—comes to an end.
On the Market: Part 17 in a series
On closing this series (for now)
A note on the exit door: I’m not so much ending this series with this entry, as I’m still on the market after all…
I may add some thoughts from time to time. Then again, I may not. Not all—or most—of life needs to be content.
On closing this series (for now)
A note on the exit door: I’m not so much ending this series with this entry, as I’m still on the market after all…
I may add some thoughts from time to time. Then again, I may not. Not all—or most—of life needs to be content.
November 26, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Part 17: In which this series—though not my job search—comes to an end.
On the Market: Part 17 in a series
On closing this series (for now)
A note on the exit door: I’m not so much ending this series with this entry, as I’m still on the market after all…
I may add some thoughts from time to time. Then again, I may not. Not all—or most—of life needs to be content.
On closing this series (for now)
A note on the exit door: I’m not so much ending this series with this entry, as I’m still on the market after all…
I may add some thoughts from time to time. Then again, I may not. Not all—or most—of life needs to be content.
November 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
On the Market: Part 17 in a series
On closing this series (for now)
A note on the exit door: I’m not so much ending this series with this entry, as I’m still on the market after all…
I may add some thoughts from time to time. Then again, I may not. Not all—or most—of life needs to be content.
On closing this series (for now)
A note on the exit door: I’m not so much ending this series with this entry, as I’m still on the market after all…
I may add some thoughts from time to time. Then again, I may not. Not all—or most—of life needs to be content.
On the Market: Part 16 in a series
When you parallel the path of your students who just graduated…
One of the oddest sensations of my job search has come from the way it’s mirrored that of my former students who graduated *with* me at the end of the spring term.
When you parallel the path of your students who just graduated…
One of the oddest sensations of my job search has come from the way it’s mirrored that of my former students who graduated *with* me at the end of the spring term.
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
On the Market: Part 16 in a series
When you parallel the path of your students who just graduated…
One of the oddest sensations of my job search has come from the way it’s mirrored that of my former students who graduated *with* me at the end of the spring term.
When you parallel the path of your students who just graduated…
One of the oddest sensations of my job search has come from the way it’s mirrored that of my former students who graduated *with* me at the end of the spring term.
Weekly roundup. Next week is the last of the series.
Entry 13: Jobs in the Shell… michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/jobs-...
Entry 14: Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/telli...
Entry 15: Career Transitions of a Certain Age michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/caree...
Entry 13: Jobs in the Shell… michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/jobs-...
Entry 14: Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/telli...
Entry 15: Career Transitions of a Certain Age michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/caree...
Jobs in the shell… — Michael Dean Clark
You take the time to personalize your materials, market yourself to their specific needs, and scrub your copy is clean. Then you pitch it into the void, left simply to assume it got swallowed.
michaeldeanclark.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Weekly roundup. Next week is the last of the series.
Entry 13: Jobs in the Shell… michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/jobs-...
Entry 14: Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/telli...
Entry 15: Career Transitions of a Certain Age michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/caree...
Entry 13: Jobs in the Shell… michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/jobs-...
Entry 14: Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/telli...
Entry 15: Career Transitions of a Certain Age michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/caree...
Part 15: In which I contend with *career advice* that advises me I will likely never have a career again.
On the Market: Part 15 in a series
Career Transitions of a Certain Age
There’s a social media genre in *professional advice* circles with which my algorithm has made me very familiar.
Career Transitions of a Certain Age
There’s a social media genre in *professional advice* circles with which my algorithm has made me very familiar.
November 21, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Part 15: In which I contend with *career advice* that advises me I will likely never have a career again.
On the Market: Part 15 in a series
Career Transitions of a Certain Age
There’s a social media genre in *professional advice* circles with which my algorithm has made me very familiar.
Career Transitions of a Certain Age
There’s a social media genre in *professional advice* circles with which my algorithm has made me very familiar.
November 21, 2025 at 4:32 PM
On the Market: Part 15 in a series
Career Transitions of a Certain Age
There’s a social media genre in *professional advice* circles with which my algorithm has made me very familiar.
Career Transitions of a Certain Age
There’s a social media genre in *professional advice* circles with which my algorithm has made me very familiar.
Ended the day on a tiered rejection, which feels like breaking up but staying friends.
November 20, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Ended the day on a tiered rejection, which feels like breaking up but staying friends.
Part 14: In which I try to sell myself to an audience that came for someone else.
On the Market: Part 14 in a series
Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It
When the academic jobs I interviewed for failed to materialize, I shifted to thinking about how I needed to go about applying for work in the larger pond outside of academia.
Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It
When the academic jobs I interviewed for failed to materialize, I shifted to thinking about how I needed to go about applying for work in the larger pond outside of academia.
November 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Part 14: In which I try to sell myself to an audience that came for someone else.
On the Market: Part 14 in a series
Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It
When the academic jobs I interviewed for failed to materialize, I shifted to thinking about how I needed to go about applying for work in the larger pond outside of academia.
Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It
When the academic jobs I interviewed for failed to materialize, I shifted to thinking about how I needed to go about applying for work in the larger pond outside of academia.
November 19, 2025 at 4:03 PM
On the Market: Part 14 in a series
Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It
When the academic jobs I interviewed for failed to materialize, I shifted to thinking about how I needed to go about applying for work in the larger pond outside of academia.
Telling Your Story to People Who Don’t Get It
When the academic jobs I interviewed for failed to materialize, I shifted to thinking about how I needed to go about applying for work in the larger pond outside of academia.
Photo Series No. 8: (in)grain. www.instagram.com/p/DRNCiEgkji...
Michael Dean Clark on Instagram: "Photo Project Image 8: (in)grain
This is part of a series of pictures I’ve taken simply looking for beautiful things. Thought it was time to share them. Check here ...
4 likes, 0 comments - mdeanclark on November 12, 2025: "Photo Project Image 8: (in)grain
This is part of a series of pictures I’ve taken simply looking for beautiful things. Thought it was time to s...
www.instagram.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Photo Series No. 8: (in)grain. www.instagram.com/p/DRNCiEgkji...
Part 13: In which I turn to the apps and get ghosted...professionally, of course...
On the Market: Part 13 in a series
Jobs in the shell
On the topic of being ghosted—see my earlier thread for the connection here—the silence of the job market is awful.
Jobs in the shell
On the topic of being ghosted—see my earlier thread for the connection here—the silence of the job market is awful.
November 17, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Part 13: In which I turn to the apps and get ghosted...professionally, of course...
On the Market: Part 13 in a series
Jobs in the shell
On the topic of being ghosted—see my earlier thread for the connection here—the silence of the job market is awful.
Jobs in the shell
On the topic of being ghosted—see my earlier thread for the connection here—the silence of the job market is awful.
November 17, 2025 at 4:02 PM
On the Market: Part 13 in a series
Jobs in the shell
On the topic of being ghosted—see my earlier thread for the connection here—the silence of the job market is awful.
Jobs in the shell
On the topic of being ghosted—see my earlier thread for the connection here—the silence of the job market is awful.
For weekend readers: Last week's entries about being on the market.
Blog 10: Near Misses (In New Fields) michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/near-...
Blog 11: Submissions on to of Applications michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/submi...
Blog 12: Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan. michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/funem...
Blog 10: Near Misses (In New Fields) michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/near-...
Blog 11: Submissions on to of Applications michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/submi...
Blog 12: Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan. michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/funem...
Near misses (in new fields) — Michael Dean Clark
I found myself asked into a couple of interview processes outside the academic world in the early summer. As I prepared for both, I lectured myself on not getting too hopeful.
michaeldeanclark.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:49 PM
For weekend readers: Last week's entries about being on the market.
Blog 10: Near Misses (In New Fields) michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/near-...
Blog 11: Submissions on to of Applications michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/submi...
Blog 12: Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan. michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/funem...
Blog 10: Near Misses (In New Fields) michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/near-...
Blog 11: Submissions on to of Applications michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/submi...
Blog 12: Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan. michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/funem...
On the Market: Part 12 in a series
Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan
Somewhere in the middle of August, I stumbled on a TikTok video of a woman also looking for work. I expected a set of tips on using AI to make applying easier or things to avoid putting on a resume.
Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan
Somewhere in the middle of August, I stumbled on a TikTok video of a woman also looking for work. I expected a set of tips on using AI to make applying easier or things to avoid putting on a resume.
November 14, 2025 at 7:16 PM
On the Market: Part 12 in a series
Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan
Somewhere in the middle of August, I stumbled on a TikTok video of a woman also looking for work. I expected a set of tips on using AI to make applying easier or things to avoid putting on a resume.
Funemployment? Sure thing, Jan
Somewhere in the middle of August, I stumbled on a TikTok video of a woman also looking for work. I expected a set of tips on using AI to make applying easier or things to avoid putting on a resume.
Quick note: I'm still on the market and, as such, available for contract writing, editing, story coaching, or instructional work. I'm an expert at making the complex accessible and the average eloquent. Find out more at michaeldeanclark.com.
Michael Dean Clark
michaeldeanclark.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Quick note: I'm still on the market and, as such, available for contract writing, editing, story coaching, or instructional work. I'm an expert at making the complex accessible and the average eloquent. Find out more at michaeldeanclark.com.
Reading "Blood in the Machine" today and felt the need to talk about some findings in the post. There are quite a few elements worth parsing, but I'll stick to the part that intersects with my thinking most directly. For context, check it out here: www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/what-the-h...
What’s really going on with AI and jobs?
Record-breaking layoff reports, Amazon's mass firings, and a slump in entry level employment. Is AI behind it all?
www.bloodinthemachine.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Reading "Blood in the Machine" today and felt the need to talk about some findings in the post. There are quite a few elements worth parsing, but I'll stick to the part that intersects with my thinking most directly. For context, check it out here: www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/what-the-h...
Part 11: In which I wonder why I like rejections so much that I have job applications, journal submissions, a novel in front of potential agents, and cold calls for my consulting work all happening at once.
On the Market: Part 11 in a series
Submissions on Top of Applications
As if ending up on the job market hasn’t generated enough rejection, the timing of my job search has me navigating another period of being told no in my professional endeavors. Submission season.
Submissions on Top of Applications
As if ending up on the job market hasn’t generated enough rejection, the timing of my job search has me navigating another period of being told no in my professional endeavors. Submission season.
November 12, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Part 11: In which I wonder why I like rejections so much that I have job applications, journal submissions, a novel in front of potential agents, and cold calls for my consulting work all happening at once.
On the Market: Part 11 in a series
Submissions on Top of Applications
As if ending up on the job market hasn’t generated enough rejection, the timing of my job search has me navigating another period of being told no in my professional endeavors. Submission season.
Submissions on Top of Applications
As if ending up on the job market hasn’t generated enough rejection, the timing of my job search has me navigating another period of being told no in my professional endeavors. Submission season.
November 12, 2025 at 4:07 PM
On the Market: Part 11 in a series
Submissions on Top of Applications
As if ending up on the job market hasn’t generated enough rejection, the timing of my job search has me navigating another period of being told no in my professional endeavors. Submission season.
Submissions on Top of Applications
As if ending up on the job market hasn’t generated enough rejection, the timing of my job search has me navigating another period of being told no in my professional endeavors. Submission season.
Part 10: In which I have my welcome to the market moment(s).
On the Market: Part 10 in a series
Near Misses (in new fields)
On the heels of my near misses in higher ed, I found myself asked into a couple of interview processes outside the academic world in the early summer. As I prepared for both, I lectured myself on not getting too hopeful.
Near Misses (in new fields)
On the heels of my near misses in higher ed, I found myself asked into a couple of interview processes outside the academic world in the early summer. As I prepared for both, I lectured myself on not getting too hopeful.
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Part 10: In which I have my welcome to the market moment(s).
On the Market: Part 10 in a series
Near Misses (in new fields)
On the heels of my near misses in higher ed, I found myself asked into a couple of interview processes outside the academic world in the early summer. As I prepared for both, I lectured myself on not getting too hopeful.
Near Misses (in new fields)
On the heels of my near misses in higher ed, I found myself asked into a couple of interview processes outside the academic world in the early summer. As I prepared for both, I lectured myself on not getting too hopeful.
November 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
On the Market: Part 10 in a series
Near Misses (in new fields)
On the heels of my near misses in higher ed, I found myself asked into a couple of interview processes outside the academic world in the early summer. As I prepared for both, I lectured myself on not getting too hopeful.
Near Misses (in new fields)
On the heels of my near misses in higher ed, I found myself asked into a couple of interview processes outside the academic world in the early summer. As I prepared for both, I lectured myself on not getting too hopeful.
Round up of last weeks posts for weekend readers:
Blog Seven: The State of (Your) Industry michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/the-s...
Blog Eight: Zombie Work michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/zombi...
Blog Nine: Leaving People You Actually Like michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/leavi...
Blog Seven: The State of (Your) Industry michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/the-s...
Blog Eight: Zombie Work michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/zombi...
Blog Nine: Leaving People You Actually Like michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/leavi...
The State of (Your) Industry — Michael Dean Clark
I don’t know what that means, because I don’t know what that future looks like. And I’m don’t believe the people who made that pronouncement know either.
michaeldeanclark.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Round up of last weeks posts for weekend readers:
Blog Seven: The State of (Your) Industry michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/the-s...
Blog Eight: Zombie Work michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/zombi...
Blog Nine: Leaving People You Actually Like michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/leavi...
Blog Seven: The State of (Your) Industry michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/the-s...
Blog Eight: Zombie Work michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/zombi...
Blog Nine: Leaving People You Actually Like michaeldeanclark.com/blog-1/leavi...