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#PhDAdvice – How to make a successful transition from PhD to Industry!

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Are you currently working in academia, or a researcher thinking of a career move away from the world of academia? In today’s post, Dr Monika Stuczen reflects on her transition from her PhD into a role in industry and shares some tips for anyone thinking of a similar career move.

My career path has been somewhat unconventional. I graduated with an MSc in Laboratory Medicine from the Medical University of Bialystock in Poland (my home country) and began my journey into the English system following an offer to work as a Research Scientist at Manchester Metropolitan University to work on a clinical trial project.

I remember my first week at work! The stress, the language barrier and equipment which I had never used…. It was a lot to take in within a short period of time! However my focus and determination helped me pull through. Within a year of work in research I was offered a fully funded PhD scholarship to carry out research in Microbiology which I was very pleased about.

Throughout my PhD, I took advantage of any opportunities to gain experience in academia such as supporting teaching, laboratory demonstrations and working as a student support tutor. All these activities helped me develop transferable skills. I was also interested and active with developing collaborations with businesses and one of these collaborative activities gave me the opportunity to present my research at national and international conferences providing great networking opportunities with scientists from all over the world. It gave me valuable experience and developed many skills which I could transfer to any work positions in the future.

My expectations upon obtaining my PhD were that I pursue my career and research in an industrial company however my knowledge of the commercial and business sector was limited. Perhaps, I was aware of my weaknesses!

Are you aware of your weaknesses? (Aspiring Professionals Hub)

I made the decision to develop my enterprise and business knowledge (as mentioned previously, this was very limited). So what did I do? I did some research online and came across the North West Enterprise School which was run by Lancaster and Liverpool Universities. The North West Enterprise School is a four day residential workshop for researchers and post-doctoral researchers followed up by online collaboration and a final weekend residential. The activities included a series of team-working challenges and entrepreneurial projects. At the workshop, employers, mentors and skilled tutors delivered a series of seminars and role-plays simulating a work environment designed to create projects, network and turning ideas into tangible business projects. At the end of the residential and follow up each team developed a business plan and presented it to a panel of employers. My business idea and my team won the first North West Award!

The chance to work in a team, develop entrepreneurship, influence and leadership skills were very valuable and important for me. I believe this was a great opportunity to challenge myself in an area I hadn’t experienced before. It gave me opportunity to reflect on my own skills, ambitions, capabilities and career directions. Mind you, I was always focused in my career and always understood that to progress my career, I need to do it myself!

Shortly after completing my PhD, I was offered a job in senior management at a company in the medical devices sector. Initially, I found myself resistant to the idea of leaving academia for industry immediately after achieving my doctoral degree as I was aware that I’d be facing a completely different environment, work structure and people with completely different approach to work and life. After spending all my adult life in academia it was definitely a big jump out of my comfort zone. Additionally it also meant relocation from Manchester to the South of the country with my near teenage daughter away from friends and family. However I treated it as a big challenge and another great adventure in my life!

I successfully moved to the South of the UK and started my new position as a Laboratory Manager. In my new position I had to learn about products, manufacturing processes, company structures (which is so different to academia) and adapt myself to company culture and working style (within a short time). I wouldn’t say this transition was easy as it also comes with its challenges and has required adaptability, resilience and persistence, but what is most important it involved overcoming myself and facing my fears.

After nearly two years working in senior management I feel like I am close to the summit however there are still lots to learn. I think I will never stop being a “student”…. I will always have a big desire to learn new things and develop myself. I do not want to be better than others I want to be better than myself. My motto now is, to learn something new every year and apply it!

The essential requirement in industry is being able to work in a team and take projects forward rapidly. Research in academia, especially PhD or MSc research projects do not involve much of team work. If you have any opportunity of collaborative work at academia, even if it’s not laboratory based – TAKE IT! Don’t be afraid

My tips to anyone thinking of a similar career transition from academia to industry

  • Treat life as a big adventure and every problem as a challenge. Take advantage of every opportunity as you never know when certain skills you have developed over years at academia may become useful.
  • The knowledge, skills and opportunities at University are important and can be applied in many aspects of business. I find I am able to apply all my management skills gained at university in managing the laboratory, people and in building a strong working team.
  • Also, identify your career plan and do think about your weaknesses. If you are not confident in something try to master it, find courses or workshops that may help you to turn your weakness into strengths. One of the best ways to make contacts that can further your career is networking. Don’t shy away from making contacts with people especially at meetings and conferences.
  • Finally, Be Brave! Sometimes leaving an environment you are familiar with requires a little bravery. Don’t be afraid to take the leap. See it as a whole new adventure and always believe in yourself!

If you enjoyed reading this article, please share and subscribe to our network! If you have an article you would like to share with our readers, please get in touch – info@aspiringprofessionalshub.com.

#CareerChat – 5 Reasons why you need to develop your leadership skills!

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What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘leader’? Do you think about political leaders, organisational leaders, religious leaders etc? Do you think about yourself? If you could spend an hour with any leader of your choice, who would you choose and why? In this article, Amara discusses why improving your leadership capacity is essential for achieving career success.

1. But I am not a leader or am I? – When I discuss leadership during academic and career development workshops that I facilitate, this point usually comes up in the first few minutes. ‘I’m just a first year student. I don’t know anything about anything really, why are you talking to me about leadership?’ or ‘My job role is at the bottom of the organisational chart. I have no supervisory responsibilities. Why do I need to learn about leadership?’ Regardless of ‘rank or file’, we ALL need to learn about leadership. Developing leadership skills means working on our people skills – increasing our capacity and competence in motivating ourselves as well as others towards a common goal. As you aspire to develop your career and be given more responsibility, expanding your leadership potential is an essential in your toolkit. The ability to work well with others is always an essential requirement in a job specification. Terms used differ – ‘team work’, ‘managerial’, ‘supervisory’ – but at the core is the question ‘Will you be able to get along with the other members of the team, motivate them if necessary to ensure the organisation’s mission is met?’

We all have the potential to lead but many of us do not develop the competence or capacity to do so!

2.Focus on building relationships and not just your position – Viewing leadership as only occupying a position of authority – usually over a large group of people – is limited. It is true that about 99.5% of us will never attain being the top dog of any organisation we belong to. At any given time, there is only going to be one CEO, one Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and one POTUS! It is a myth though that because you are not ‘the’ leader, you are not ‘a’ leader. While working in the voluntary sector, I learnt the importance of building relationships with team members and gaining influence naturally. Everyone influences someone! Volunteer organisations are a good place to develop leadership skills because it is a place where your team follows your lead because they want to and not because they have to! I have seen myself people fall into the ‘positional leader trap.’ We’ve all had someone like this on our team – the person who has to wield their title to get things done. If you always have to remind people you are in charge, you really aren’t. Think about a role you have been in where you were at your most productive, where you did unpaid overtime and always went the extra mile. How was your relationship with your boss or leader? When we learn to treat people with dignity and respect, we are not only developing our leadership skills, we are also increasing productivity for our organisation.

3. Authority = Responsibility – At the end of a meeting I had organised with another colleague, an attendee walked up to me and told me how great it must be to be so ‘powerful’ within my group. I was a bit taken aback by her statement and upon further discussion, I realised that where she equated leadership with authority, my perspective was from the point of responsibility. Good leaders recognise both their authority and responsibility. Leaders need to get things done and are usually under more pressure than the rest of the team realises. Leaders do have authority but this is because they have a big dossier of things and people they are responsible for. A first year undergraduate student may not see leadership opportunities but what happens when that student takes up the opportunity to become the student representative of their course? The student is given the responsibility for ensuring feedback from your colleagues is relayed to your Course Committee but being in this role also has some advantages. Leadership does have its perks – access, recognition, resources – but focus on your responsibilities. Keep first things first.

4. Competence and character – To succeed as a leader means learning as much as you can about leadership BEFORE you find yourself in a leadership position. Think about any great world leader, they learnt how to influence people while still in the trenches. Barack Obama spent years as an organiser on the streets of Chicago before he rose to the position of POTUS. Develop your competence in leadership from where you are right now – even if that means setting your personal and career goals and working towards achieving them. Good leaders develop competence in their attitude, prioritising, problem solving, team building, mentoring and self-discipline. Leadership is not just about what you are able to accomplish though but about who you are as a person.

I love football and my best way to relax and ‘unwind’ is by going to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United play. For the 90 minutes of the game, I cease to be an academic and I transform into the most prolific football manager in existence. I would have played ‘x’ in that position and not ‘y’. Surely, ‘A’ should be substituted for ‘B’ now. Why 4-2-3-1 Mr Van Gaal??? A wise man explained this as being an ‘arm chair’ critic. It is always easy to volunteer recommendations and advice where you have no responsibility. Leaders usually have a different view from followers and while we may not always agree with them, we should try and be as supportive as we can. Do not be the person who always complains about the boss but never proffers any solution that could help make the leader’s job easier. Everyone likes problem solvers on their team, learn to be one.

If you are in the position your leader is now, what would you expect from the people following you? Is that what you are doing now?

5. There are no perfect people so there are no perfect leaders. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with recognising the weaknesses of the people who lead you. The desire to innovate, create or find a way of doing things are leadership traits. It can also be frustrating working for someone who has not developed their leadership capacity but do not violate your position or the trust of your leader. Be a person of integrity and follow the Golden Rule.

Every aspiring professional must develop the capacity to lead. Use the early years to develop productive relationships at work and take up more responsibilities. Great leaders empower others to attain their professional development goals. Remember the words of Mark Twain – “Great people are those who make others feel that they, too, can become great.”

aa-headshotAbout our writer – After completing a PhD in Microbiology and Food Science, Amara is developing her career in academia – providing teaching and learning solutions in UK FE and HE Institutions as well as conducting research in Food Microbiology. Amara believes in the combined power of education, mentoring and productive relationships as essential tools for building successful careers.

If you enjoyed reading this article, please share. Would you like to share an article in The Hub? We would love to hear from you. Please get in touch – info@aspiringprofessionalshub.com. 

Reflections – My Parliamentary Internship Experience

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Daniel AmundFinding a placement can often be challenging however the opportunity to embark on a placement is one we always recommend. In our opinion, if you are a student or early career graduate seeking that dream job, if you get the chance to embark on a placement, grab it with both hands! In today’s post, Dr Daniel Amund, Academic Mentor at London Metropolitan University, London, UK shares his internship experience at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) highlighting the benefits of an internship.

During the third year of my PhD, I applied for and was awarded a POST fellowship. The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is the UK Parliament’s in-house source of scientific advice, providing parliamentarians with balanced and accessible analysis of policy issues related to science and technology. POST runs several fellowship schemes funded by various Research Councils, charities and learned societies, which allow PhD students to spend three months working as POST fellows. Most fellows research, write and publish POSTnotes, which are four-page briefing papers summarising public policy issues, based on reviews of literature and interviews with academic, government and industry stakeholders.

My experience of working in Parliament during my PhD was very enjoyable and rewarding. It was refreshing to be able to take a step back from my PhD research, and focus on researching a different topic, using different methods in a different environment. That ‘break’ was beneficial because when I went back to writing my thesis, I had a fresh perspective and was able to utilise the skills I had developed to improve my thesis. Having to condense a lot of information into a four-page document that had to be accessible to non-scientists helped me develop my writing and communication skills, which helped in communicating my ideas better in my doctoral thesis.

Aside from the renewed vigour, clarity and focus that can be derived from an internship, there are added benefits such as CV development and networking opportunities. These may sound like a cliché, but they are rather important. My fellowship at POST was the most significant piece of work experience I had on my CV while I was a student, as the other jobs on my CV had been mainly casual student jobs at University, as well as some voluntary work. I should mention that these were by no means a waste of time, as my interview for the POST fellowship demonstrated as some of the questions were focused around my casual and voluntary roles.

However, having the POST fellowship on my CV has meant that I can use the range of transferable skills I gained in demonstrating how I meet the person specification when applying for jobs. Furthermore, the POSTnote counts for me as a publication which is not only satisfying and something to be pleased about, it is also a good career plus! Keep in mind that internships also serve as a point of discussion in job interviews as my experience shows.

During my fellowship, I interacted with various people, including other POST fellows and staff, and got to take part in various events within and outside Parliament, all of which served to broaden my horizons and expand my networks. As a POST alumnus, I have been invited to attend POST events, and I get informed of job opportunities within the field of science policy. My experience at POST has also directly or indirectly availed me of opportunities to attend other events in Parliament, such as Parliamentary Links Day, Voice of the Future, and SET for Britain. Networking at one of such events has led to me being involved in an annual international youth science conference, as a speaker and as a poster judge!

The networks built during internships could turn out to be the most significant networks for the early stages of your career after graduation. Employers often write references for interns in support of job applications, or may inform interns of vacancies within their companies or in other companies. Networking is definitely not just about who you know, but about who knows you.

Internships provide opportunities for students to put themselves out there, in professional environments, so that they get noticed by those who matter, in addition to gaining valuable knowledge and experience. Doing an internship could also inform students of the various career options available to them in their subject disciplines. In my case, the POST fellowship revealed other career options for scientists, outside of academia and industry.

Internships and work placements are a great way to enhance employability upon graduation. I highly recommend students to take up such opportunities, be they short-term or year-long (sandwich) placements.

Finally, how did I find out about my internship? I got to know about the POST fellowship as a result of being a member of the society that sponsored my fellowship! Thus, membership of relevant professional bodies or learned societies can be useful in securing an internship or placement. This I highly recommend as professional bodies and learned societies are a great source of incredibly useful resources, information and support.

If you would like to find out more about internships and how to take advantage of them, please contact us. In addition, if you have questions for Dr Amund about the POST fellowship, you can email us for details or better still, find him on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed reading this article, please share and follow! We would love to share your stories in The Hub as well so do get in touch – info@aspiringprofessionalshub.com.  

Why you should join a professional society!!

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Societies IIOne of the first questions I (Emmanuel) ask when approached by anyone seeking any form of career advice is whether they are members of any professional societies or professional bodies in their subject areas or career interest areas. Just for reference, the terms “professional societies” or “professional bodies” are often used interchangeably.

I have to admit, at times I get a blank look like errrr…and often it tends to be a NO answer and a funny look like my question is a silly one.

Reflecting back a few years, when I worked in industry, I was not an active member of any professional societies thus, I never got involved in any professional activities with my peers outside the work place. This changed when I embarked on a PhD and advice from my wonderful mentors.  Having attended many conferences and society organised events to date, it is clear that society membership and society events are not limited or restricted to professionals from any individual field i.e. it is not only for people in academia or research hence, it is imperative for any student, early career or mid-career professional to take joining societies as a very key element in career development and positioning.

As with everything else, there are usual challenges and sometimes grumbles when people talk about joining societies. In this post, we talk about thing to be aware of when joining a society and the opportunities you can get from being a member.

But there are many societies,  how do I know which to join? – this is often the comment that I get in the discussions about joining societies. Yes! There are indeed several societies in the different subject areas which does create some confusion. In an ideal world, many would be happy getting involved with the different societies, however the reality is different. This is because membership of the societies come at a cost (annual membership or joining fees). This sometimes serves as a deterrent for some to join professional societies however in our experience, the benefits far outweigh the cost implications of membership.

However, think about it like joining a gym, we’d all obviously like gym memberships to be free, but to use the facilities, to have the social interactions and to be part of a group with a common goal of fitness and health you had to pay a membership fee didn’t you? The professional societies obviously do not work like gyms (maybe the worst analogy!!) but they provide helpful and very useful activities and opportunities that members greatly benefit from.

Before you join – to help you decide on what society to join, the first thing we’d advise you to do is look through the pages of the society website. Where there are no functional websites for the society (not a good indicator!!), find someone who is an active member of the society and enquire about the activities and benefits of the society generally and also what the individual has benefited from the group. Keep in mind the interests of people joining these societies are not always the same and tend to be for different reasons. Thus, try and identify what would you would like from the society before forking out membership fees to join any society.

Once you join – now this is the important part, the easiest part is joining the society, the harder part is navigating through the society and having real benefit from your membership. It is important you have an understanding of how the society functions and the different activities as well as opportunities that you can take advantage of as a member.

We will now briefly highlight some of these opportunities……

Conferences and workshops – every functional professional society runs at least one conference annually or two years (dependent on the size of the society as well). Some societies run an annual conference for all members and smaller local meetings and workshops which are open to members in different regions. This is a good place to take advantage of things like discounts on books, new and existing technologies and freebies. For many, this is a chance to unwind whilst interacting with other professionals in their field of expertise. I (Emmanuel) love attending conferences as it not only offers me a chance to showcase my research, I also get to listen to and see new and ground breaking research in my field whilst developing new networks, collaborators and many new friends.

CPD – the added advantage of joining professional societies is the ability to have some level of professional development. These could be in the form of courses or attendance at seminars and conferences and is useful for professional progression or career development.

Career and mentor events – this is fast becoming a key part of the activities of many big professional societies. For example, the American Society for Microbiology at the annual general meetings hold career workshops for students, PhD and Post-doctoral members. At these events, different employers especially those from major organisations including Biopharma, National institutes, Universities, Marketing and Commercial speak to the delegates and offer free advice on careers and offer mentoring which the delegates find incredibly useful.

Collaboration – this is a key part of society activities and active membership. If you are already a member of a professional society then ask yourself this question. How many functional collaborations have you made as a member and how many of those are active? Being part of a professional society means you have better access to different sectors within your field and you should make use of this. If you are a student and seeking opportunities for the next phase of your career then you are in a good position where you also have access to key employers in your field who are always seeking great talents and in our experience comment on the enthusiasm and zest of young individuals who make the effort to attend conferences or engage with them at society sponsored events.

Grants and awards – I tend to refer to this as a “mini lotto”. You pay £2 with the hope of winning millions or at least more than £2 if you have that magical pen. Well professional societies offer grants and awards which enable members attend events, conferences and support members who have ideas or initiatives that are a beneficial and of relevance to other people in that field. Memberships grants could be anything from support for travel costs to thousands of pounds/dollars to attend major events or for international capacity develop activities. Both Amara and I have benefited from some of these grants such as the Society for Applied Microbiology (SfAM) conference studentships which enabled us attend the annual summer conference in different cities in the UK and Ireland for many years.

Committee activities – want to bolster your CV?  Join a committee!! Within the societies, there are usually several committees such as student committees, organising committees for conferences, editorial groups etc. where possible, get involved with a committee within your professional society after you join. This is not only beneficial, it is rewarding and you can develop yourself a lot more than as a by-standing member.

Networking & Friends – We have discussed networking in some detail and would suggest you read our previous posts. Joining professional societies would undoubtedly enlarge your scope for networking and as we mentioned before, the aspiring professionals’ hub was a child of networking at a professional society event from many years ago. Also, in these professional societies, you will find many people like you, looking to interact and engage with others. We have had many contacts that have become friends and we have shared many great times and memories as a result.

So what are you waiting for? Join a society today and reap the benefits that are widely available to you in your field and area of expertise or go make a friend or two.

Would you like to share or discuss your experience with professional societies, please  leave your comments or sending in your reflective pieces to be published here. Please contact us via info@aspiringprofessionalshub.com or@AspProfHub. If you enjoyed reading this article, please share and follow! 

So You Want to do a PhD? – Your Survival Guide (Part II)

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il_fullxfull.526482391_iox2Despite the fact that more PhD candidates are successfully completing within the allocated time, a significant proportion of PhDs do not graduate. We were overwhelmed by the response and feedback to the first part of this guide where Amara discussed some pointers to support current and prospective PhD candidates in navigating the journey towards successful completion. In this article, she shares more food for thought that can help you to not just survive your PhD but enjoy and enhance your experience.

Begin with the end in mind – You’ve committed or are committing the next few years of your life to undertaking extensive research on a specific subject in order to make an original contribution to knowledge within your discipline. Having a mental picture of what the ‘end point’ of your research study looks like will help you persevere through the tough times. On a personal note though, what does completing your PhD look like? What do you want to get out of completing a PhD? A specific job title? A career? A great salary? Improved skill set? Recognition within your discipline etc? All the above? How does this fit in with your life and career goals?

Avoid viewing a PhD as just an end but more as a means to an end. Embarking on a PhD with a personal end point in mind will enable you keep the next few years in perspective of the big picture of your life and career goals. Furthermore, you will recognise opportunities outside the sphere of your research study that can fast-track your progress.

Write now, write better! – Writing is an essential skill you need in your PhD survival toolkit. It isn’t a PhD if it isn’t written up! Regardless of discipline or research topic, all PhD candidates are de facto writers. You will be writing research proposals, progress reports, journal articles for publication and the mother of them all – the thesis. Writing is unavoidable, so how do you feel about it? “But I’m not a natural writer and I find writing difficult.” Welcome to the club. Even international best-selling authors find writing difficult sometimes.

The most important thing to do if you can’t write is to…write! I cringe when I look at some parts of my PhD thesis. Hindsight is always 20/20! I am a better writer today because I have continued to write. There is no magic potion, you get better at writing by writing. Just like learning to drive or swim. You can attend writing sessions and be given all the tips in the world but you still have to write. In my academic writing coaching sessions, I am constantly telling my students that – ‘It needs to be written not perfect.’ No one can edit a blank page. If you are not happy with your writing skills, do something about it. Do not leave writing to the final year, this is a recipe for unnecessary stress. besides writing and submitting small pieces of work to your supervisory team enables you to create more opportunities to get feedback on your writing which you can learn from. If you are on Twitter follow #acwri and #amwri for more writing tips

Who’s on your team? – We all know about the isolation that occurs while undertaking PhD research so please do not underestimate the value of a support network. I would not have made it without my team which consisted of mentors, colleagues, family and friends. It may be emotional, academic or financial but at some point, you will need some support. I was speaking to some international PhD students who shared their struggles of managing their research workload in a new country without friends or family. If you are in a similar position, find out from your Graduate or Research Office if there are any peer support networks for PhD candidates and get involved. If there isn’t one, why not start one yourself? I have discussed the importance of mentorship in career success and the same is true for PhD candidates. I would advise that you choose wisely though.  Be careful about the people who you allow into your private space and learn to differentiate between critical thinkers and critical people.

Take time off – This may come as a shock but you are allowed to have some time off. One of the best proverbs I have ever read goes –

‘Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade.’

Plan ‘breaks’ into your research plan or programme. After submitting my first draft of the final chapter of my thesis to my supervisor, she told me to take a holiday. That was her polite way of saying it was crap. I was stressed and broke and simply tired of writing. I am a perfectionist and totally ignored my advice in the preceding paragraph. My friend took me on a week’s holiday and I came back sharper and ready to face what was coming next. I rewrote the chapter from scratch and her comment was ‘Welcome back.’ Do not ignore the goose that lays the golden eggs. There must be a balance between production and production capability – the P/PC balance as described by Stephen Covey. Doing a PhD is one of the toughest challenges in academic life so give yourself permission to take a break when you need it. I have seen too many stressed, burnt out PhDs who either do not complete or worse still develop more complicated problems. Don’t let that be you.

P.h.D does not translate J.o.b! – This is an area where I wish someone had told me what I am about to share with you. Having a PhD should be an advantage in getting a job, it just doesn’t entitle you to one! I believe this holds true, regardless of whether you stay in academia or leave. The points we make in our article regarding graduate employment are valid whether you’ve achieved a BSc. or a PhD. Majority of PhD candidates will not work in academia – keep breathing! –  as there is a shrinking proportion of openings for full time and permanent posts. However, a significant proportion of PhD candidates are unaware of the full range of career options available to them after earning their degrees.

I was unemployed for over six months after completing my PhD because I had not given any thought to what came next. My ‘begin with the end in mind’ map was very limited to ‘working in academia.’ Oh, that I knew then what I know now! If academia was not an option, what would your career alternatives be? How can you leverage your PhD in the job hunt? What are you doing today that will be of benefit to potential future employers? A friend of mine has just landed her dream job in science policy even before submitting her thesis. She decided early in her PhD that academia was not for her and started doing research for her dream job. She prepared for employment during her PhD – she didn’t just hope for the best.

HeadshotAbout our writer – After completing a PhD in Microbiology and Food Science,  Amara is developing her career in academia – providing teaching and learning solutions in UK FE and HE Institutions as well as conducting research in Food Microbiology. Amara believes in the combined power of education, mentoring and productive relationships as essential tools for building successful careers. ‘Ignorance can hurt more than sticks and stones.’

If you enjoyed reading this article, please share and subscribe to our network! Would you like to share an article in The Hub? We would love to hear from you. Please get in touch – info@aspiringprofessionalshub.com.