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