Academia and the World Beyond, Volume 2

Post-PhD Possibilities: Discovering academic-adjacent and skill-transfer career paths.- I love that something I design can become a real product that could be used to find new treatments or new biomarkers.- I'm not a researcher anymore, I'll be a scientist forever.- Make a prioritised 'life list' of all the things you desire from life - independent of any single job or career.- It was really inspiring to find companies carrying out really impressive missions.- I can see team members grow and can help them reach the next step in their career.- Being good at question-asking is a transferable skill".- Ask yourself-does this role fulfill the aspects I enjoy in my current career path?.- It's healthy to evaluate your situation and it might lead to staying where you are or finding new challenges.- My work-life balance has clearly separated boundaries.- The process of doing a PhD isn't about the outcome of the research or getting the qualification - it's about developing yourself.- I love helping people communicate their ideas and maximize the impact of their work.- Working in academia was great but I missed the work-life balance.- A PhD is a substantial training opportunity, not just a sprint to the finish.- My PhD shaped the way I think and solve problems.- Leaving academia doesn't permanently close doors.- Looking back now, I wish I'd been more honest with myself at the time and looked at alternative careers.- At NIH, there are many tasks and operations that need to be done or grants would not be reviewed and funded.- I am more passionate about supporting researchers than with any research I did during my PhD.- Look for internship or placement roles in areas that support research.- The idea of a more immediate impact of my work was very appealing.- Find something that is worthwhile to you.- The title of Dr holds significant weight when you enter the world of industry.- Being nearfamily and friends felt more important to me than continuing to pursue an academic career.- In academia, recruiters care about what you've done, outside they care about what you would be able to do next.- Having a PhD doesn't mean you'll impress people with your education, it means you have to impress them with how you apply it.- People are more often willing to connect and have a conversation than you might think.- Your PhD could serve as the most potent intellectual exercise, fuelling your entire career's journey.- I enjoy reading books before they are published and getting them polished for publication.- One of the big values of a PhD to an industry role is the proven ability to tackle a substantial project largely independently.- I like thinking about the best way to word something so that it is clear and concise.- Having a broad set of responsibilities is energizing because I hardly ever get bored.