What can I do with my PhD?
At some point we all google or search ‘what can I do with my PhD?’, only to be met with unhelpful advice and non-specific guidance. To really understand what we can do with our PhD we need to think about our careers differently and break the mould of academia.
Keep readingDeciding where to live after academia.
Academia often puts our lives on hold. We don’t usually get to think about or even choose where to live. As we approach the end of academia, we get to re-set and intentionally choose where to live based on our own happiness.
Keep readingHow long to stay in a Job: Guidance for academics.
Historically, you should stay in a job for a minimum of 2 years. It’s becoming more common for people to move after 1 year. Changing jobs comes with both pros and cons, here we discuss them in detail.
Keep readingLanding a promotion: Top tips post-PhD.
Landing a promotion in the workplace is often seen as the benchmark for success. However, most academics don’t approach this in the right way. To help achieve a promotion it’s important to leave our feelings at the door, keep the conversation open, and to start the discussion as early as…
Keep readingElevating your visibility in the workplace.
Academia is often siloed and a lonely journey. Knowing how to foster your career visibility in the workplace doesn’t come naturally to academics and PhDs. It’s an important skill to learn and develop when outside of academia. It will be essential to supercharging your career progression.
Keep readingYour manager shadow post-PhD and beyond.
Being a manager isn’t as straight forward as it seems. Having adept interpersonal skills to foster support and develop those around you is essential. As you progress up the ladder it’s important to think about your manager shadow – how others perceive you, model and emulate your behaviour.
Keep readingThe advantages of remote working post-PhD.
Remote working has become increasingly easier to find, with it being a strong selling point for employers. This perk is not to be underestimated. If used correctly, remote working can drastically improve your quality of life in as many ways as you can imagine.
Keep readingLiving to work, or working to live: A new perspective.
Throughout our academic journey, it’s easy for our career to be the reason we get up in the morning, thus we start living in order to work. However, a new perspective of working in order to live may encourage you to explore other opportunities, leading to a better routine and…
Keep readingManaging your pension after your PhD.
Nobody likes to read or study about a pension. However, our PhD and studying years typically set us back in understanding and growing our pension, so it’s imperative we get to grips with it post-PhD and begin to understand and define a strategy that sets us up for success throughout…
Keep readingPost PhD opportunities: The truth.
It’s easy to believe that non-academic and academic opportunities post PhD are scarce. However, this isn’t the full truth – it isn’t necessarily easy, but we can guarantee you it’s nowhere near as hard as you think. You just need the right ingredients.
Keep readingComplaining about your career: A new perspective.
We all fall victim to complaining and moaning about our careers at some point. This is a concern if it becomes a regular pattern we find ourselves in. Rather than accepting this we must take ownership over the situation and make choices that move us towards our happiness.
Keep readingDelayed gratification during and after your PhD.
Delayed gratification comes relatively easy for most PhD students. This personality trait can enable you to thrive in your long-term career and life more generally. However, it’s important we don’t let delayed gratification prevent us from reaching our goals and full potential.
Keep readingThe need for intellectual challenge & preventing post-PhD blues.
Intellectual challenge is in abundance during the PhD. As this ends, post-PhD blues can set in as intellectual challenge subsides. To thrive beyond the PhD, it’s important to set new goals either professionally or personally so you can push yourself further to keep growing and learning.
Keep readingDeprogramming yourself from your PhD and academia.
Academia can have a direct impact on our sense-of self, self-esteem, and even our long-term ambitions. To truly thrive, it’s integral we start deprogramming ourselves and challenge the skewed norms of academia.
Keep readingTips for salary negotiations post-PhD.
Academic and PhD positions are known for relatively low pay alongside reduced opportunities for salary negotiations. After finishing your PhD, this can be an unfamiliar topic. This post breaks down the best tips for salary negotiations.
Keep readingRedefining a healthy work-life balance for your PhD and beyond.
Identifying what a healthy work-life balance is integral to having long-term career happiness. PhDs find themselves with poor working hours which comes at a cost. Certainly, work-life balance should be a key consideration when making career choices.
Keep readingBuilding an impactful career after your PhD.
Being ‘impactful’ is usually a reason to do a PhD. After the PhD, there can be concerns around losing this sense of impact and fulfilment. This post discusses how to continue having impact after your PhD, whether you stay in academia or not.
Keep readingThe significance of social mobility.
Social mobility in your career pertains to obtaining new and exciting opportunities. Identifying your transferable skills is key to getting the ball rolling as it will help breed new opportunities and move you towards a career that is right and fulfilling to you.
Keep readingPicking the ‘wrong’ career after your PhD.
Picking the wrong career after your PhD is a common worry. However, we overestimate how important this decision is. Getting it wrong isn’t the end of the world and there’s plenty of positives to take from it.
Keep readingReaching your full potential, but not in academia.
Reaching your full potential is the end goal. This post provides an alternative perspective on how academia interferes with this journey and prevents you from becoming your best self.
Keep readingSetting your post-PhD salary goals.
Working out what salary you deserve and should be aiming for after your PhD is difficult. This post breaks down how to approach setting your post-PhD salary goals in order to build a life you will be satisfied with.
Keep readingCareer options for non-STEM PhDs.
Transitioning from a PhD to industry is hard enough as it is. This can feel ten times harder if your PhD is in a non-STEM subject. This post discusses how career change away from academia, and really optimise the value of your non-STEM PhD.
Keep readingHaving a growth mindset whilst job hunting.
Adopting a fixed mindset, believing that you cannot change or that you will always be a researcher can harm your job prospects. A growth mindset allows you to think about ways to overcome your obstacles, challenge the norm, and move towards the life you want to live.
Keep readingAdjusting to a 9-5 work routine after your PhD.
Adjusting to a 9-5 work routine after your PhD takes a bit of time. After one week into a new job, you may have clearer work boundaries, a better work-life balance, more thinking space and more social interactions.
Keep readingWhat is ‘Industry’?
Industry isn’t always an evil entity. It can provide you the perfect breeding ground to excel, thrive, and achieve new heights.
Keep readingImposter syndrome during and after your PhD.
The challenges and solutions to dealing with imposter syndrome during and after your PhD.
Keep readingA Post-Doc: Reasons why you shouldn’t do one after your PhD.
Post-doc positions are often seen as the next best step, this post begs to differ.
Keep readingShould I leave academia?
Leaving academia shouldn’t be taboo, shouldn’t be a trade-off from doing what you love, and it most certainly is not a definitive choice which you can’t go back on. These obstacles shouldn’t influence your decision when trying to work out if academia is right for you.
Keep readingWhat is the value of a PhD?
What does it actually mean to have a PhD and why does it matter?
Keep readingThe mindset for leaving academia.
Before leaving academia, career changing and entering industry, it’s vital to get your head in the right frame of mind. Re-defining your identity and working through any shame for leaving academia is needed in order to move forward.
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