Industry Careers

As a STEM PhD, you are not limited to a career in academia. If medical writing is something you are interested in, go out and do it. Your STEM PhD experience has set you up with the skills to become a medical writer. And, if you listen to the tips laid out here, they will help you succeed in medical writing. Decide if you want to do freelance or staff medical writing, develop your aptitude for writing, know how to reach out to recruiters, add value to get and keep clients, and be forward-thinking so you are prepared for the…

PhDs who are interested in business, but want to maintain a connection with academia, should consider a role in technology transfer. Here, you will be able to facilitate connections between academics and industry professionals to help bring a new technology to market. As a PhD, you already have many of the transferable skills hiring managers are looking for in technology transfer professionals. These transferable skills include: relationship-building to create academia-industry partnerships, high-level commercial acumen and strategic planning to assess and protect new technologies, ability to promote new inventions, and an entrepreneurial mindset to develop successful spin-off companies.

There is a wide range of industry positions that are great options for PhDs. One lesser known, but quite lucrative position is that of a quantitative analyst. These positions are in high demand and PhDs have many of the skills needed for this role. PhDs who are experts with data sets and data mining, who have strong mathematical and statistical backgrounds, and who have an interest in finance, are well-suited for a role as a quantitative analyst. PhDs who can work under pressure and who have excellent communication skills will be able to succeed in quantitative analysis roles. With a…

No matter what stage of your career you are at, it is not too late to consider changing to a remote working position. The amount of people working remotely is increasing as people become more focused on having a good work-life balance. Working remotely allows you the freedom to choose when and where you work without sacrificing pay. By transitioning out of academia and into an industry position, not only will you finally be paid well, but there are many job options that offer the ability to work remotely, including medical writing, scientific editing, consulting, translating, and senior CRA positions.…

While the work environment within academia is poor and often unsupportive, there are many industry companies who are dedicated to investing in their employees and who pride themselves on having a good culture. Not all companies will have the same type of culture, so it’s important that you take the time to research and find out if a company’s culture is suitable for you. To determine if a company is a good fit for you, speak with current and past employees, research the company’s online presence, and ask the right questions during your interview. This will help you to find…

Do not be strung along by the academic system and work as an underpaid postdoc for upwards of 10 years, only to be denied the academic position you wanted. There are endless industry opportunities available to social science PhDs outside of academia. As a PhD, you can learn anything. You can learn to write an excellent resume and cover letter. But, if you don’t know what types of jobs are out there, you won’t be able to successfully transition into industry. No matter how much preparation you do, you need to know what areas to target. Here is a list…

Only 4% of projects fail because of technical issues. On the contrary, 36% of projects fail because of poor management. Proving that you have the leadership ability to manage teams is worth more to a company than proving you have the technical know-how. Leadership encompasses many characteristics. You can easily develop and hone leadership skills while still in academia.

As more European nations strive to emulate the growing interest in life sciences and biopharma industry, government initiatives are rising to meet the need. The bioscience sector in Europe looks promising, with more predicted growth and job opportunities forecasted. If you are a PhD planning to work in the industry, it would be worthwhile to identify and target these clusters as they offer multiple opportunities in one location. Here are the top six life science industry cluster areas to get you started.

For PhDs transitioning into industry, proving that you have an understanding of the economics that impact business shows that you understand the very basics of how business works. Using your experience in academia and how you managed economics there provides a foundation for transferable skills for industry. Understanding the economic hierarchy of an organization will take PhDs intending to transition, or already in industry, a long way in their careers moving forward.

Nothing replaces face-to-face interaction. Meetings are your opportunity to find your voice and make your unique contribution. In industry, effective meetings are the lifeblood of moving projects forward. If you want to make a good impression with your team and your managers, you have to be both professional and assertive. The common trap of hiding behind computer screens and piles of work is not going to help you be successful in industry. Raise your visibility in the company by being assertive. Here are 5 ways to be assertive in business meetings.

Academia is not the only place for you if you have a humanities PhD. There are not enough jobs for the number of PhDs, so it’s important to start leveraging your transferable skills and start building your network. Alternative networks and careers exist that are perfect for you with companies that will value your skills. Here are 10 alternative careers in industry that humanities PhDs should consider targeting in their industry transition.

Some PhDs are most comfortable and even most passionate alone in a lab. But it’s not for everyone. Many PhDs find that level of isolation depressing and understimulating. Extroverted PhDs can thrive in industry jobs that have challenge, stimulation, and social contact. If you’re one of these, then your transferable skills put you in high demand for any of these 5 industry jobs with high levels of professional growth and income.