What life could you have after your PhD if you plan to pursue a career outside academia? You can find out by browsing the hundreds of inspiring postdoc interviews, profiles and autobiographies available online. To avoid finding them all, here are 8 websites with some of the best graduate interviews and profiles. In no particular order:
1. Doctoral students at work – Insights and advice on life outside academia. Michelle Erickson takes the PhD interview format to a whole new level with her week in the life approach. PhDs working in the corporate and non-profit sectors report on their day-to-day work and show how the skills learned in the PhD are used outside of academia. Professional photography and pleasant site navigation make this site a real treat. My favorite part is how each participant’s thesis title is also listed! Subscribe by email to be notified every weekday when a new interview is published.
Believe you are priceless
You have so much education. You have such sophisticated skills. You have a mind that can solve any problem.
Of course, the market does not want your doctorate in medieval feasts right away. And after you’ve been educated for 5-10 years, science tries to convince you that you’re only worth about $30,000 a year as a working instructor, or a $40,000 postdoc is a decent salary so that’s possible you do.
Postdocs
A natural progression for someone who has just completed their PhD (and especially for someone looking to further their career in academia) is a role undertake a postdoc within your current or other laboratory. .
Postdoctoral positions generally last between one and three years, and most researchers gain experience by holding several positions at different institutions. Roles are funded, offer a generous supplement to your PhD scholarship, and are a great way to develop your own thoughts and ideas about where you want to do your research.
what does desperation look like
My first job interview was a nightmare. I put on an ill-fitting $75 suit with one of those heavy ties from the 90s and shoes that were a different shade of brown than my belt. I showed up and waited in the company lobby, going through a list of interview questions I pulled from the internet. I recited pre-recorded answers in my head and thought, “Okay, I’m ready for this test.
I will get all the right answers. The receptionist called my name and led me back to a large office where three people were sitting. They started asking me basic questions and I answered like a robot. Then I waited for them to ask more questions. There was a lot of awkward silence, but I didn’t know why. I thought they had prepared more questions. Why were you waiting to talk to me? I somehow passed the interview and a week later I got a call with a really bad offer. The salary was almost double what I expected. But I took it anyway. Because I was desperate.
Starting a new career can be a confusing process, especially when industries are changing. The path is particularly challenging for PhD graduates looking to transition into business. Because the worlds of science and business are very different. It is also the case that most universities offer little or no professional training to doctoral students. As a result, modern graduate students who are retiring from academia are thrown into the business world without thinking about how to find it. You’ll get some networking tips and be encouraged to keep sending resumes. But nothing happened. In fact, less than 40% of doctoral students will find a job in a company at the end of their studies or shortly after. And less than 20% of life science graduates will have a corporate job after graduation. The truth is that most graduate students will never get a job in business, even if they do everything right. The problem is that they also do the wrong things. The key to starting a successful career in business is learning what not to do. Here are 5 things to avoid: