Category: Career and Networking

Unlock career opportunities and expand your professional network with our resources. Discover strategies for career growth, job search, networking, and enhancing your professional development.

Academic Careers

15 Years in Academia: 10 Things I’d Do Differently If Starting My PhD Again

This article reflects on the author’s 15-year academic journey, detailing the lessons learned from disorganised PhD student to effective work habits as a postdoc and assistant professor, and applying these lessons to their current role at Paperpile. Suzanne offers practical advice on academic writing, productivity, and professional development, emphasizing the importance of daily writing practice, systematic note-taking, reflection, goal setting, and the use of digital tools like reference managers. She shares these insights to help current PhD students avoid similar pitfalls and develop productive habits early in their academic careers.

PhD Wisdom from ‘The Thesis Whisperer’ Inger Mewburn: Working Sustainably, AI Panic, and Careers Hope

Effective Spoken Communication in Academia

When Dreams Fall Apart: Mental Health and New Beginnings in Academia and Beyond

‘Spectral Schedules’ in Postdoctoral Applications: The Case for Transparency and Consistency in Academic Hiring

PhD in Later Life: It’s Never Too Late To Be a Student

To Be or Not To Be (a Reviewer 2): Should I Review Articles as a PhD Student?

‘Stairway to Lecture’: A Roadmap to Progress from PhD to Lecturer

‘Hey, I Just Met You, and This Is Crazy, but Here’s My LinkedIn, so Connect with Me Maybe’: How to Network at Conferences

Should I Complete Side Projects as a PhD Student?

Non-Academic Job Interviews: 4 Questions to Get Ready For

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Academic Careers

Great ‘Applied’ Expectations: The Importance of Gaining Real-World Experience During Your PhD

A PhD alone can’t give you all the skills and networks you will need to be competitive in the job market. This article guides you through four important benefits of real-world experience during your PhD, and how you can go about gaining this.

Academic Careers

Succeeding at Your Next Postdoc or Lectureship Interview: 5 Insider Tips

Want to impress potential employers during your next postdoc or lectureship interview? This article has insider tips from an experienced hiring committee member. Learn how to research the institution and interviewers, prepare examples of your teaching and research experience, practice common interview questions, highlight your collaborative skills, and ask thoughtful questions to impress your interviewers and stand out from the crowd. By following these tips, you can show that you are the ideal candidate for the position and help advance your career in academia.

Alternative Careers

Non-Academic Job Interviews: 4 Questions to Get Ready For

Are you taking the first steps into careers outside of academia? Anxious about selling yourself to a new audience post-PhD? This is normal, but with the right preparation you can knock your interview out of the park and stand out from the crowd! This article guides you through four important questions to prepare your answers for.

Academic Careers

Should I Complete Side Projects as a PhD Student?

‘Side projects’ are valuable additional endeavours alongside your PhD that can build your skillset, relevant connections and future employability – both in and outside of academia. This article discusses some common side project ideas for PhD students, and highlights some of the short-term sacrifices required to complete them.

Conferences

Changing Degrees and Pursuing My Own Passions: My Journey to a Fulfilling PhD

Ever spent years in a degree you were not happy with? This PhD student has, and she advocates for being brave enough to choose personal fulfilment over societal expectations and conventional timelines. In this article, she shares her breakthrough in changing academic direction to a path that better aligns with her passions, and offers empowering words to others who may be in a similar situation.

Career and Networking

‘Hey, I Just Met You, and This Is Crazy, but Here’s My LinkedIn, so Connect with Me Maybe’: How to Network at Conferences

Want to learn the dos and don’ts of effective networking at academic conferences? This article outlines five steps to maximise your networking potential, complete with template messages to send to your desired connections before and after the event. The article emphasises the importance of manners, personal space, and picking your moments accordingly.

Academic Careers

The Importance of Mentorship in Academic Careers: Why University Professors Aren’t Enough

Mentorship is key to success in non-academic careers. Matteo Tardelli shares how you can seek guidance from industry experts and alumni outside of academia. With dedication and persistence, anyone can find the right mentor to thrive in their chosen field.

Career and Networking

The Secret Power Of Blogging

Discover the secret power of blogging for PhD students looking to combat boredom and isolation. Kerry McPherson shares her experience starting a collaborative science communication blog and how it led to networking, expanding her communication skills, learning, and even career opportunities.

Academic Careers

To Be or Not To Be (a Reviewer 2): Should I Review Articles as a PhD Student?

For the wheels to continue turning in research, we need reviewers. Although often a thankless endeavour (littered with Reviewer 2 jokes), acting as a gatekeeper for the integrity of your research field remains vital. As a PhD student, you may find the process of reviewing a manuscript pretty novel, but a reviewer request email may enter your inbox in the near future. This article guides you through the pros and cons of reviewing articles.

Career and Networking

Is There Life After A PhD?

Discover what life has to offer after completing a PhD as Aly Flint reflects on her experience as an Early Career Researcher. After looking for work in the academic job market, Flint found The Brilliant Club, which offers rewarding and flexible work teaching university-style short courses to secondary school students, allowing her to create bespoke courses based on her current research.

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Career and Networking

Thesis and Dissertation

Category: Career and Networking

15 Years in Academia: 10 Things I’d Do Differently If Starting My PhD Again

Most recent

PhD Wisdom from ‘The Thesis Whisperer’ Inger Mewburn: Working Sustainably, AI Panic, and Careers Hope

Effective Spoken Communication in Academia

When Dreams Fall Apart: Mental Health and New Beginnings in Academia and Beyond

‘Spectral Schedules’ in Postdoctoral Applications: The Case for Transparency and Consistency in Academic Hiring

PhD in Later Life: It’s Never Too Late To Be a Student

To Be or Not To Be (a Reviewer 2): Should I Review Articles as a PhD Student?

‘Stairway to Lecture’: A Roadmap to Progress from PhD to Lecturer

‘Hey, I Just Met You, and This Is Crazy, but Here’s My LinkedIn, so Connect with Me Maybe’: How to Network at Conferences

Should I Complete Side Projects as a PhD Student?

Non-Academic Job Interviews: 4 Questions to Get Ready For

The PhD Place

Great ‘Applied’ Expectations: The Importance of Gaining Real-World Experience During Your PhD

Succeeding at Your Next Postdoc or Lectureship Interview: 5 Insider Tips

Non-Academic Job Interviews: 4 Questions to Get Ready For

Should I Complete Side Projects as a PhD Student?

Changing Degrees and Pursuing My Own Passions: My Journey to a Fulfilling PhD

‘Hey, I Just Met You, and This Is Crazy, but Here’s My LinkedIn, so Connect with Me Maybe’: How to Network at Conferences

The Importance of Mentorship in Academic Careers: Why University Professors Aren’t Enough

The Secret Power Of Blogging

To Be or Not To Be (a Reviewer 2): Should I Review Articles as a PhD Student?

Is There Life After A PhD?

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