BioScience Careers

“I’ve applied for 500 jobs in two months since graduating.”

That was the headline in a recent BBC article on the challenges graduates face when trying to secure a job straight out of university.

Shocking? Maybe.

Your first instinct might be to blame a tough job market, AI replacing entry-level roles, or simply too many graduates chasing too few opportunities.

My reaction was different:

“Show me that CV”

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you’re sending out hundreds of applications and hearing nothing back, something isn’t working. And unless you change your approach, you’re not job hunting, you’re dropping your CV into a black hole.

The PhD Advantage (that most people fail to use)

Yes, the job market is more competitive than ever. But PhD graduates and postdocs are not just “another candidate.”

You bring:

• Advanced problem-solving skills
• Project ownership and resilience
• Deep analytical thinking
• The ability to manage complexity

That should give you an edge.

But it only works if:

1. You recognise your value, and
2. You translate it clearly for employers outside academia

Most people don’t fail because they lack ability – they fail because they don’t position that ability effectively.

So, what needs to change?

Getting a job is no longer just about submitting applications. It’s about strategy. Here are five ways to move from 500 applications to one offer:

1. Your CV is never “Done”

If I hear someone say, “My CV is ready,” I immediately know there’s a problem.

Your CV is not a static document. It is a targeted marketing tool.

For every application, you should:

• Reorder content based on the job priorities
• Mirror keywords from the job description
• Highlight only the most relevant achievements
• Reframe academic experience in non-academic language

The same goes for your cover letter:
It should not repeat your CV – it should interpret it for the employer.

Think: “Why should they care about my experience?”

2. Keywords now decide your Fate

AI hasn’t just changed jobs – it’s changed hiring.

Employers are overwhelmed by applications, so they’re using AI to filter candidates before a human ever sees them.

This means:

• Keywords matter more than ever
• Generic applications get filtered out instantly
• Tailoring your CV is no longer optional—it’s survival

The good news?
PhDs and postdocs often meet (or exceed) the technical bar.

If you align your application with the job description properly, your chances of getting shortlisted increase dramatically.

3. Networking is no longer Optional

If you’re only applying online, you’re competing with everyone.

But if someone already knows your name, you’re no longer just another application.

Networking helps employers:

• Recognise you
• Trust your motivation
• Remember you during shortlisting

And hiring is a risk. The more familiar you are, the safer you feel.

Start with:

• Alumni networks
• Informational interviews
• Conferences and seminars
• LinkedIn conversations

Don’t think of networking as “asking for a job.”
Think of it as making it easier for someone to say yes to you later.

4. Visibility beats Silence

No one finds opportunities by staying invisible.

You wouldn’t expect to meet a life partner by hiding in a darkened room – the same applies to your career.

For academics, visibility can come from:

• Conference presentations
• Posters and talks
• Conversations over coffee

For those moving into industry:

• Career fairs
• Alumni events
• Online communities
• Informational interviews

And critically:

Your online presence matters.

Make sure you:

• Have a strong, clear LinkedIn profile
• Can explain what you do in 30 seconds
• Communicate your value beyond your thesis topic

If someone asks, “So what do you do?”
You should have a confident, compelling answer ready.

5. Get Help

You don’t have to figure this out alone … and you shouldn’t.

There is real value in:

• Career consultants
• Alumni who’ve transitioned out of academia
• Institutional career services
• Professional coaching

A small change in strategy can make a massive difference in outcomes.

Final Thought

If you’re sending out hundreds of applications with no response, the answer is not to send more. It’s to send better, smarter, more targeted applications, supported by visibility and connection.

Because the goal isn’t to be one of 500 applicants.

It’s to be the one they remember.

If I asked you to rate your professional network in relation to your career goals, what score would you give it out of 10?

Now, how would you rate your networking skills?

When I pose these questions in my career workshops with PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, the average hovers around 5/10 – sometimes lower. That’s not because people lack ability. It’s usually because they lack strategy, clarity, or confidence.

The good news? By the end of the session, most participants feel significantly more capable – not because they’ve suddenly become networking experts, but because they’ve learned that effective networking is a skill, not an innate talent.

Why Networking Matters More Than Ever

We are in a hiring landscape transformed by AI.

Tools now allow applicants to generate tailored CVs and cover letters in minutes. The result? A tsunami of applications for every advertised role.

Ironically, employers, overwhelmed by volume, are increasingly using AI screening tools to filter candidates. This means:

• More competition
• Less human review at early stages
• Greater reliance on keyword matching
• Fewer opportunities to stand out through “cold applications”

Applying online has always involved an element of luck, but now the odds are even longer.

Networking helps you shift from being one of 500 anonymous applicants to being a known quantity. And in hiring, familiarity reduces risk.

Think about it this way: if you needed someone to fix your car, would you choose a random mechanic from a list of 300, or someone recommended by a trusted contact?

Hiring managers think the same way. Known = lower risk.

So how do you make networking work for you?

Here are four tips to get your networking working for you:

1. Target – Be intentional, not accidental

Networking is not about collecting as many contacts as possible. It’s about relevance.

Ask yourself questions, such as “What career direction am I genuinely exploring?”, “Who is already working in that space?” and, even better, “Who do I know who is already working in this space?”

Then ask the more important question: “What value can we offer each other?”

This could mean: Sharing research insights; Offering technical expertise; Contributing to a project; Connecting them to someone in your academic network; Providing thoughtful engagement with their work

Strategic networking means focusing on quality, not quantity. Ten well-chosen connections are more powerful than 200 random ones.

2. Brand yourself – Make your narrative clear

If someone asked, “So what do you do?” could you answer clearly?

Your professional brand is not self-promotion. It’s clarity.

It’s the ability to communicate aspects of yourself, such as: What am I good at; What problems can I solve; What direction am I heading in?

Especially for PhDs and postdocs, this can be challenging. Academic identities are often discipline-specific, but employers think in terms of skills and outcomes.

Instead of:

“I study mitochondrial regulation in zebrafish models.”

Try:

“I analyse complex biological data to identify patterns that inform decision-making.”

Your network needs to understand: What you bring; What you’re looking for; How to remember you

If people are confused about your direction, they can’t help you.

Clarity creates opportunity.

3. Research – Show you’ve done your homework

Before reaching out to someone, do your preparation.

Look at aspects, such as: Their LinkedIn profile; Recent projects; Publications or talks; Company news; Career path

Why?

Because generic outreach gets ignored. Specific outreach gets responses.

Instead of:

“I’d love to connect and learn about your career.”

Try:

“I noticed you transitioned from academia into regulatory affairs at X company. I’m exploring a similar move and would value hearing about how you positioned your research experience.”

Good networking isn’t random chatting. It’s informed conversation.

4. Take it easy – Build before you leverage

One of the biggest networking mistakes is asking for too much, too soon.

If your first message is:

“Can you review my CV, introduce me to your hiring manager, and tell me about open roles?”

You’ve skipped several relationship steps.

Think of networking like building trust. It happens in stages:

1. Initial connection
2. Light conversation
3. Shared interests
4. Occasional check-ins
5. Mutual exchange
6. Then make appropriate requests

Strong networks are built slowly and sustainably.

Networking works best when it feels natural, not transactional.

Final Thought: Networking Is Career Insurance

Networking isn’t just about your next job.

It’s about: Staying visible; Staying informed; Staying connected; Creating optionality

In a crowded, AI-amplified hiring market, networking is no longer optional. It’s your differentiator.

So if your networking score is currently 5/10, don’t worry!

Networking is a skill. Skills can be learned. Strategies can be improved. Confidence can be built.

And the best time to start strengthening your network? Before you urgently need it.

What’s your specialist field of research?
And what specific aspect of that field are you investigating?

Now try writing the answer in just five words.

I recently asked PhD students participating in an online career workshop to do exactly this. The results were striking: a colourful and impressively diverse snapshot of the research taking place across a single university. In just five words per person, it became clear how much intellectual activity was happening, and also how little of it most researchers ever see.

What was even more interesting was what this simple exercise revealed about how siloed academic research can be. Despite working within the same institution, many participants had little awareness of the research being carried out outside their own discipline, or even beyond their immediate sub-field.

This came as no surprise to me. Decades ago, when I was working in research myself, I knew a great deal about the mechanisms of calcium uptake in beetroot. But did I know what research was happening in the next building, or even the next lab?

The answer was a resounding no.

The necessity and cost of narrow focus

Doing academic research, whether as a PhD student, postdoctoral researcher, or beyond, necessarily involves narrowing your focus. Progress depends on drilling down into a very specific question with the aim of making a genuinely new contribution, no matter how small or specialised it may appear to the wider world.

This depth is essential. But over time, it can also create a kind of inverse reality. The ‘small’ becomes magnified, focus can exclude other possibilities, specialist language turns into club language, and problems remain unshared. Researchers may start to feel isolated – intellectually, socially, and sometimes emotionally. In some cases, this isolation contributes to stress, self-doubt, and mental health difficulties.

Even though the career workshop was online with over 100 PhD participants, I gave them the option to discuss and share their research with others in the Zoom break-out rooms. For many, this was the first time they had ever spoken in detail with researchers outside their own discipline: scientists talking with humanities students, social scientists with artists, engineers with historians.

For many participants, hearing about different research interests was genuinely new. You may recognise this from your own experience, but as I said before, narrowing your focus is a necessary part of academic research.

The question is not whether you specialise, but how you can avoid becoming trapped inside that specialisation.

Broadening your research world: where to start

So, what are the advantages of broadening your research interests and how can you do it in practice? Here are a few realistic ways to get started:

1. Teach
Teaching, particularly at undergraduate level, forces you to return to foundational concepts you may not have revisited for years. Whether it’s an animal physiologist teaching photosynthesis or a cell biologist covering virology, revisiting the basics can refresh your thinking and reconnect you with the broader aspects of your discipline. Teaching also brings you into contact with colleagues beyond your research group through committees and shared responsibilities.

2. Do outreach
There are more opportunities than ever to engage in outreach activities. Talking or writing about your research for non-specialist audiences requires simplification and that process can be surprisingly liberating. Members of the public, journalists, and non-experts often ask questions you’ve never considered, opening up new ways of thinking about your own research.

3. Collaborate
You may already be part of a collaborative project, research group, or doctoral training partnership. If so, try to take a genuine interest in what your collaborators do and how their expertise contributes to the bigger picture. Understanding the broader context of a project can make your own work feel more connected and meaningful.

4. Attend
In addition to conferences and seminars in your own field, consider attending talks and events outside your immediate area of expertise. Many universities host researcher symposiums where PhD students and early career researchers present across disciplines, as well as regular lectures by visiting speakers. These events are opportunities to listen, learn, and make unexpected connections.

5. Join
PhD students and early career researchers often have access to a wide range of clubs, societies, and networks at the local, national and international levels. Journal clubs, postgraduate groups, learned societies, policy networks, and writing consortia all provide spaces to exchange ideas beyond your own research niche.

6. Read
Alongside searching for papers using highly specific keywords, make time for broader reading. This might include general science writing, interdisciplinary journals, policy reports, or work far removed from your own field. Curiosity-driven reading often sparks ideas and connections that targeted searches never will.

A final thought

Broadening your research interests doesn’t mean losing focus or compromising depth. It means recognising that your work sits within a much larger intellectual ecosystem that includes people, ideas, and questions you may rarely encounter otherwise.

If nothing else, try this small exercise again: write your research interests in five words and then ask someone outside your discipline to do the same. You may be surprised by what you learn.

Have you ever had cold feet? You know, the expression when you have that “Shall I, shan’t I?” dilemma. The “Shall I stay or shall I go?” situation when you’re not sure whether you ought to sit things out a bit longer to see if they work out, or take a leap into the unknown …..

Stepping out of academia can be a daunting prospect, especially for postdoctoral researchers and academics, who have only ever known this work environment and culture for most, if not, all of their careers. But sometimes, doing something new and scarey can also be the very opportunity that takes your career into more interesting and rewarding territory.

When I was in my 30s, I had been working for a scientific journal for over five years and felt the job was going nowhere. No promotional prospects, no career development, no growth. To offset the boredom and routine, I ventured over to the career service and ended up work shadowing and volunteering with them whilst still doing my ‘day job’.

One day, the head of the career service said a temporary 3-month position had come up and did I want to apply for it. I hesitated …. Should I give up my permanent safe journal job for a new decidedly unsafe job that I wasn’t even sure whether I would like, and which would only be temporary and with a lower salary??

It was my cold feet moment…. Should I stay or should I go?

My head said, “Hmm, maybe, maybe not”, but my heart said, “Let’s do it!”

The rest is history. The 3-month post turned into a 2-year post, which led to another job and another and so on and here I am now, 25 years later, running my own career consultancy.  

So, if you’re feeling hesitant, uncertain, or even a little afraid about making a big change in your life, such as leaving academia, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Getting ‘cold feet’ usually means you’re standing at the edge of something unfamiliar, but also potentially exciting and life-changing. Cold feet is not a sign of weakness, it’s an acknowledgement that you’re making a conscious decision to leave your comfort zone and try out something new.

So, if like these birds, with their feet in the icy snow, you are also experiencing cold feet, here are some tips that might help you to warm them up:

1. Name the fear before you try to fix it

Cold feet often hide specific worries, such as: “Will I be satisfied in a non-academic job/company?”; “Am I wasting my PhD?”; “What if I can’t come back?”

Tip: Write down your fears: Vague anxiety becomes manageable once it’s been made more specific. You can get help from a career coach to work through this.

2. Decouple identity from job title

Many researchers don’t fear leaving academia, they fear losing their identity, their sense of belonging and the value of their PhD and years of research expertise

Tip: Reframe your doctorate and research experience – it reflects how you think, your skills and your expertise, not your job description and where you work.

3. You don’t need certainty, you need direction

Academia trains people to wait for the perfect data, complete information and peer approval, however careers outside of academia rarely work that way.

Tip: Aim for next experiments, not final answers: Do your research on the job market, make connections, identify any gaps and address them with, e.g. courses or a side project.

4. You don’t have to jump alone

Leaving academia can feel like leaving a tribe or a family and the prospect of entering a new career sector can feel unfamiliar and scarey.

Tip: To overcome this and reduce the stress, talk to people who left recently or alumni who have gone into similar roles (you can find them on Linkedin). There are also plenty of blogs, podcasts and books that showcase PhD stories.

5. Leaving Academia is not closing a door

Many researchers fear the irreversibility of their decision to leave academia and disconnect from their current life and colleagues. However, in many cases this is not what happens.

Tip: Many researchers stay in touch with their former colleagues through research interests and personal associations. They even return later to engage with career events, helping junior colleagues to transition out of academia when the time comes. Although I left academia, I stayed connected to my university in an honorary teaching role and I know others who have done the same in other capacities, such as a visiting professor.

Keep in mind that very few careers are linear nowadays, especially fulfilling ones. People move between sectors more than ever bringing their expertise to diverse and evolving roles. In the meantime, skills, reputation and publications don’t disappear – they will always be there, alongside your PhD qualification. You’ll just be taking them to a different place and using them in a different way.

Happy New Year and, for those who are in transition, Happy New Career 😊

Related posts: New Year, new career

Should I stay or should I go?

My first job after graduating was as a Research Assistant, carrying out biochemical experiments on calcium transport in plants. With a Biology degree focused on plant science and biochemistry, it seemed like the perfect fit.

Except it wasn’t. I quickly learned that enjoying a subject and enjoying the work are two very different things. Lab work simply wasn’t for me.

My next move took me out of the lab and into the editorial office of a plant science journal. It was interesting at first, but I soon realised that most of the role revolved around administration – another poor fit.

But that job led to something unexpected. Based in a university Biology department, I became the person PhD students came to when they wanted their CVs checked for English grammar (well, I was seen as the editorial expert!). Surprisingly, I found this very satisfying and it led me to volunteer with the university careers service in my spare time, where I discovered a profession far more creative, varied and fulfilling than I’d ever imagined.

That was the moment when I stopped letting my subject discipline dictate my direction. Instead, I started paying attention to my interests, strengths and the type of work that energised me. From there I became a university careers adviser, then moved into PhD career development for a learned society, eventually becoming an independent consultant.

Looking back, the pattern is obvious: I was a work in progress, learning through trial and error what suited me and what didn’t. And I’ve realised that those who spend years immersed in higher education, specialising through a degree, master’s and PhD, are often more likely to base career decisions on what they know, rather than on what they enjoy.

Perhaps you feel this too. When you’ve spent your 20s and 30s within the walls of academia, an academic career can seem like the natural, ‘relevant’ next step. But relevant doesn’t always mean right. The real question is: what kind of work actually feels meaningful to you?

Not, “What is my subject area?”. Instead, “How do I like to work? What skills feel natural? What values matter to me? What environment brings out the best in me?”

If you want to explore these questions further, you might find my blog Analyse You or my chapter in Job Hunting in the 21st Century helpful. The more accurately you can name the tasks and environments that suit you, the clearer your future path becomes, and the easier it is to introduce yourself confidently in applications or interviews.

For me, the words that define my work now are: Finding connections; Being intuitive about people; Supporting and empowering others; Autonomy; Curiosity and pattern-finding. In my 20s, I would never have chosen these; back then I was still figuring out who I was. The only constant was ‘research’, and it turns out that researching people, not plants, is where I belong.

So, here’s my closing message: Don’t be hard on yourself if you’re uncertain about your future. You’re a work in progress, and that’s exactly how it should be. Try things, notice what energises you, and reflect on the tasks and values that feel most rewarding. Academia may seem like the obvious route, but as your research career evolves, many of the enjoyable parts fall away and are replaced with writing, fundraising, managing and administration.

Make sure the path you choose isn’t just relevant to your knowledge, but right for who you’re becoming.

What’s the one most important rule when making any job or funding application?

The answer: TARGET!

Recently, I’ve been reviewing quite a large number of CVs, and the one piece of advice I keep passing on to applicants is: LINK your CV and covering letter to the job description and person specification.

And to make this advice more accessible and relevant to researchers, who’ve no doubt spent much of their time in education, let me give you some tips you may already have heard from your school or university days, so that you can apply them to your job applications.

“The clue is in the question.”
Remember when teachers and professors repeatedly told us how to write a good essay or answer an exam question? They were urging us to stick to the point, focus on the question, and not to stray from the main argument. To do this well, we had to examine the wording of the essay or exam question carefully for hints about what information to include, what to highlight, and what to leave out altogether.

When you only have three hours to write everything you know about a subject, you prioritise the most relevant information and showcase it early on to secure the marks. You revise, read around the topic, and add evidence that distinguishes your answer from others.

Now, beyond school and university, these words may not seem relevant anymore … but, believe me, they very much are – in the shape of writing an effective CV and covering letter, where you have only one or two pages to ‘sell’ yourself to an employer.

Here are some tips to help you to target your future applications:

When confronted with a job description or person specification, highlight the keywords and make sure you include them in your application. This shows that you’ve understood the employer’s needs and are actively demonstrating your knowledge and experience to match them.

Similarly, research the organisation thoroughly – whether it’s a commercial company, a start-up, or a research institute. Look at their mission statement, projects, or recent publications. Use this insight to shape your application so that it resonates with their goals and demonstrates how you can contribute. Think of it as answering the exam question they’ve set: Why should we hire you?

Above all, remember: you’re not writing your life story, you’re writing a tailored response to a specific question. Just as a good essay earns top marks for relevance and evidence, a good application succeeds because it’s clear, targeted, and focused.

So next time you apply for a job, channel your inner researcher, analyse the “question” and make sure that every sentence of your CV and covering letter helps you to earn full marks.

Can you describe your research in just a few sentences? How about in one sentence?

Or, better still, in only five words?

The art of simplification and summarisation is highly skilled (without the aid of AI of course!). You will need to use it during your PhD or postdoc when you submit your 100-word abstract for consideration at a scientific meeting. You’ll need to pull together your results into a meaningful message when you create your poster or prepare your talk.

Even more skill is required when explaining your science to general audiences, such as the public, schools, undergraduates and other non-specialist researchers (in other words, everyone outside of your specific field of expertise).

And the ultimate test is to answer the interview question, “Tell me about your research”, when the interviewer is a non-academic employer. Can you describe your many years of hard toil, numerous experiments, analyses, blood, sweat and tears in under one minute? Can you make it interesting and relevant, cutting out all the extraneous detail, in order to convince the employer to value your experiences and understand the thrust of your research aims and the significance of your conclusions?

Science communication, public engagement, media training and even teaching can help you to simplify your science and even to understand it better, by going back to first principles. Children, the public and journalists can ask the most basic questions, such as “Why do you do what you do?”, “What’s the point of what you do?”, forcing you to reflect on the very essence of your science, even to wonder why you chose to do it in the first place. I once posed this question to a high-profile professor and he said it made him re-think his whole life.

Powerful stuff indeed!

So, don’t dismiss this valuable side of your research experience. Communication is at the heart of every business, especially in industry, where you have to connect closely on a daily basis with non-specialists, who need to understand what you’re saying.

Doing outreach, going into schools, signing up for media training workshops, teaching or getting involved in initiatives, such as (to name but a few), 3-Minute Thesis (3MT), Pint of Science, Voice of Young Science, the Royal Society Summer Exhibition, café scientifique  and Falling Walls (you can Google them to find out more) are fantastic ways to hone your summarisation and simplification skills, whilst meeting new people and having a great time too.

And if you’re not a person who likes to take to the stage, there are other ways to communication your science in writing, such as submitting an article to The Conversation, contributing to school or university magazines/newspapers, summarising others’ research post-conference in membership magazines or journals. You can even set up your own blog or post onto social media.

So, what are you waiting for?

Dive in and find the audience(s) you want to engage with, inspire and inform! And if you’re slightly daunted by the prospect, don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to get help honing your science communication skills these days. You can attend courses, visit your local science centre, learn from other professionals, such as Duncan Yellowlees and Alaina Levine (find them on LinkedIn), read popular science magazines, such as New Scientist, or simply start practising …..

I’ve just come back from a great holiday in France, where I had the chance to get away from my desk and gather my thoughts – even more so because we had no access to the internet for most of the time (unthinkable, I know!).

Even though I wasn’t actually working, I was still mulling over my careers work and, during a walk around a nearby lake, I stood and stared at the view thinking about how much it mirrored typical career journeys: The track was winding and uneven, you couldn’t see a clear path ahead and the water seemed both inviting and unpredictable.

At the beginning, academic careers can feel like a well-marked trail – structured, linear, and clear. You do your experiments, interpret your data, publish papers, write grants, apply for the next research position, etc… However, in reality, as most researchers discover, the path is often winding, full of unexpected turns, occasional dead ends, as well as the need to step off the track altogether.

The myth of the straight path

In academia, there is a powerful myth: that success follows a straight line from PhD to postdoc to permanent faculty role. While this happens for some, the majority experience a more complex journey. Many academic careers involve temporary contracts, international moves, shifts between disciplines, and, for the most part, a challenging transition outside of academia altogether.

It’s only human to feel anxious when your career doesn’t unfold in a neat progression. Standing at the metaphorical fork in the path, it can be difficult to know whether to push ahead, pause, or change direction. However, the path itself is rarely the problem – the uncertainty lies in not knowing what’s around the corner…

Pausing to look around

Too often, you can get caught up in the cycle of the next deadline, the next experiment, the next paper. There is little time to stop and ask: Am I heading where I want to go?

Taking time for reflection is not a sign of indecision, it’s an essential part of navigating uncertainty. A pause allows you to notice the landscape, assess the terrain, and consider alternative routes. This might mean:

• Reflecting on what aspects of your work energise you most;
• Talking to mentors or peers about their experiences of different career paths;
• Considering what values matter most to you: for example, stability, intellectual challenge, impact, flexibility;
• Having a discussion with a professional career coach to clarify your thoughts.

Just as on a walk, stopping to look around doesn’t mean you abandon the journey. It means you continue on with greater clarity and purpose.

Embracing detours

Another lesson from the winding path is that detours can lead to surprising discoveries. This might mean taking on a role outside your immediate field, joining an interdisciplinary project, or exploring careers beyond academia.

These moves are often seen as deviations from the “main” path, but they can be opportunities to build new skills, networks, and perspectives. They can also reveal directions you might not have considered before, which can sometimes be more interesting and fulfilling than the one you thought you were supposed to follow.

The power of flexibility

When you’re walking along an uneven trail, it helps to stay flexible – adjusting your pace, changing your footing, or even doubling back if needed. The same is true in academic careers. Flexibility doesn’t mean giving up on your ambitions; it means recognising that there are multiple ways to achieve them.

This might involve:

• Being open to roles outside of traditional academia;
• Seeing temporary contracts as opportunities to build experience rather than setbacks;
• Developing transferable skills, such as communication, project management, or teaching.

Flexibility is what allows you to adapt when the path ahead shifts unexpectedly. Along the way, you will contribute knowledge, mentor others, collaborate on exciting projects, and grow in ways that extend beyond any job title. Even if the path twists and turns, these experiences are what make the journey worthwhile.

Moving forward

So, if you are a PhD or postdoctoral researcher feeling uncertain about the road ahead, take heart. The winding path is not a failure, it’s the reality of a complex and evolving career landscape. Permit yourself to pause, to reflect, and to explore. Trust that detours can enrich your journey, and that flexibility will carry you through the uneven ground.

Above all, remember that you don’t have to see the entire path to take the next step.

Related blogs: Mind your career
Careers – the planned and the unplanned
Feel the fear and do it anyway
Career development – the intentional vs the incidental

Being a doctoral or postdoctoral researcher often feels like sprinting a marathon while juggling 10 (or more) balls in the air. Deadlines, imposter syndrome, endless revisions, grant anxiety – it can get very intense sometimes.

This is where my cat philosophy comes in – you might think that the only path to success is relentless productivity, that resting is laziness, and that taking a break is a sign that you’re falling behind. However, if you spend time around a cat you’ll quickly notice they live by a radically different set of rules.

A cat doesn’t ask permission to take a nap in a sunny spot. It doesn’t apologise for curling up on a pile of freshly washed laundry. And it certainly doesn’t feel guilty for turning away from something that doesn’t interest it.

Cats are masters of strategic disengagement!

Here’s the key lesson: rest is not a reward – it’s a biological necessity. And more than that, it’s a productive act.

Your best thinking rarely happens when you’re hunched over a laptop at 2am, trying to coax some meaning out of your 80th data point. Insight often comes in through the side door, for example, during a walk, a shower, or even during a ‘power nap’.

In academia (and probably in other professions too), researchers are conditioned to believe that being constantly busy is a badge of honour. But working all the time doesn’t make you work better. It can make you tired, resentful, and more prone to making mistakes.

This isn’t to say you can stop showing up – we all know the demands of the job. But like a cat that spends hours resting before one concentrated pounce, your effort will have more impact if it’s balanced by intentional recovery.

So, how can you channel your inner cat? Here’s four suggestions:

• Take time out without guilt. Even a short break can restore clarity. Your brain is still working – just differently.
• Be selective. Cats don’t chase every opportunity; you don’t need to say yes to everything that comes your way.
• Protect your energy. Not everything needs an immediate response. Some emails can wait!
• Create boundaries. Cats have an uncanny ability to walk away when something doesn’t serve their needs. You’re allowed to do the same.

And perhaps most importantly: PLAY. Cats play because it keeps them agile and curious. For you, that might mean a hobby, a conversation outside your discipline, doing sport or yoga, reading a book, cooking or just doing something for joy, not output.

So next time you find yourself pushing through for the sake of pushing, ask: Would a cat do this?

Sometimes the smartest thing you can do for your research – and your wellbeing – is to close the laptop, stretch out in a patch of sunlight, and … not do it.

Related posts: Busy doing nothing (featuring Johnny again!)
Mind your career

According to a new report from the EUA-CDE, 75% of universities that they surveyed believe that non-academic employers only understand the value of a PhD “to some extent”.

So, what does this mean for those PhD researchers who are looking to move out of academia and into business or industry? What does it mean for those who need to convince employers of their relevance and worth when applying for vacancies or making speculative enquiries?

Well, let’s take a look at that statistic: “75% of employers only understanding the value of a PhD to some extent”. The good news for you is that this highlights a communication gap, not a talent gap. The not-so-good news is that you need to work harder, spend more time and put more effort into your job search and the application process, to persuade these slightly doubtful organisations of your talents!

So, what does this involve? Well, it means you’ll need to put more time aside for your career, take proactive steps to translate your skills, increase your visibility, and align yourself with industry expectations. Here’s how:

TRANSLATE YOUR SKILLS INTO ‘BUSINESS LANGUAGE’

‘De-jargon’ your CV and cover letter: For example, instead of saying “took the lead in a research collaboration”, say “managed a project with five stakeholders and a 50K budget”.

As the survey shows, almost 100% of universities believe that a doctorate equips you with transferable and professional skills ‘to a great or some extent’. If you think you’re lacking in a particular skill, look into ways to close this gap with courses or by volunteering.

Use quantifiable achievements (e.g., “cut data processing time by 30% through automation”, coordinated a team of three international partners …. “

NETWORK AND INCREASE YOUR VISIBILITY

Attend career fairs and/or talks to find out more about industry/business roles and use the opportunity to network and connect with the speakers and exhibitors.

Reach out to PhD alumni on LinkedIn who now work in industry – connect with them and even ask for an ‘informational interview’ to find out more (but before you reach out make sure you look professional – see my previous blog about this).

Like, comment or contribute to online discussions, blogs, or podcasts related to your field.

GET INDUSTRY-RELATED EXPERIENCE

As the survey results show above, exposure to non-academic employers is less prevalent, so if your PhD or postdoc allows, try to get an internship or voluntary experience working in industry/business.

Reach out to industry partners connected with your research project.

TARGET YOUR APPLICATIONS

One of the main reasons that any application is unsuccessful is because it is generic and untargeted. Employers show you ‘the answers’ on their job description, in the person specifications and on their websites and other media. All you need to do is take this information and match your CV and covering letter to their requirements.

Tailor your application to demonstrate who you will contribute to the organisation and even how you will solve an employer’s problem, not just to describe your research.

In interviews, use storytelling (e.g. the STAR technique) to show how your research mirrors industry challenges (e.g. pivoting, testing, delivering under pressure).

GET CAREER SUPPORT

Transitioning to non-academic careers can be challenging for many reasons, not least of all because you may well have spent the majority, if not, your whole career studying and working in academia, so the prospect of leaving can be daunting and even frightening. This is a completely normal human reaction to change, so don’t be alarmed. As well as following the advice above, see if you can get support from within your own institution (some of whom have dedicated academic careers staff) or attend career workshops and events, all of which are free and targeted to PhD and even postdoctoral researchers.

There are also independent career coaches like myself who can help you on an individual basis (but do try to get some financial assistance for this from within your research project or department, if it’s available).