PhD Transition Report Podcast

Join Isaiah as takes an in-depth look at intellectual property careers that are great for PhDs First Isaiah covers careers like Technology Transfer Officer, Patent Agent, Patent Examiner, and Scientific Consultant Next, he covers each career in-depth and what the benefits of each role are to a PhD Finally, he covers why these roles are such a great fit for PhDs From This Week’s Show… One Of The Highest-Paying And Rewarding Professional Career Tracks For PhDs Is In The Field Of Intellectual Property A Technology Transfer Officer, or TTO for short, works with the process of transferring scientific findings from one organization to another for further development and commercialization. PhDs are in high demand for these positions because companies need people that know the academic system well and have the background it takes to understand complex systems and technology. TTOs help research findings and intellectual property pass from creators (such as universities and research institutions) to the public and private sectors. You can find TTO positions at nonprofit organizations, startups, large companies, and most research universities. The Transparency Market Research Group States That The Global Market Value Of The IP Industry Is Expected To Grow 12% Through 2030, Making Now…

Join Isaiah as he examines how to nurture professional networks and create a mutually beneficial relationship with your LinkedIn connections In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah explains that your LinkedIn connections are more than just a number on your profile – they’re people who can help you find the perfect position Next, he breaks down talking points that will keep a conversation with your Linkedin connections from going stale Finally, Isaiah shows PhDs how to steer their professional relationships toward useful informational interviews and even referrals From This Week’s Show… Your LinkedIn Connections Aren’t Just For Show, But These Relationships Need To Be Nurtured You made a connection on LinkedIn that you’re excited about – great!  But… now what?  There’s much more to building relationships on LinkedIn than just making a connection.  Your network is just a list of names on a page if you’re clicking the “Connect” button and walking away.  These connections are relationships, and they need to be nurtured. There Are Clues About What Your Connections Like On Their Profile. Look For Commonalities There If you’re wondering how to carry a conversation forward with a connection after connecting, take the focus off yourself and put it on…

Join Isaiah as he breaks down the one thing PhDs are not comfortable doing: selling themselves In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah covers why as a PhD, you’re so averse to the one thing you need to be doing: selling yourself Next, he delves into what selling yourself in an interview really looks like and it’s not what you think Finally, Isaiah wraps up with some tips and takeaways to make selling yourself during an interview a natural process From This Week’s Show… If You’re Not Enthusiastic On Day 1 What Do You Think Employers Expect From You On Day 180? PhDs have many more transferable skills than they realize. But, in academia, there’s one key skill they don’t teach you: self-promotion. You may hate the idea of promoting yourself, or worse- selling yourself. But that’s exactly what you need to get good at if you want to convince employers they need you. This Means Being Excited About The Position At Hand Not an excitable person? It doesn’t matter. Do some research on the company and find things to get excited about. Make a list of what you like about the company and the people at the company. Make a…

Join Isaiah as he shares the right way to turn down a job offer, keeping the door open for future opportunities Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah encourages PhDs to treat employers with the utmost courtesy right up to the end – even if they wind up accepting a different job offer Next, he explains the protocol for turning down a job, step by step Finally, Isaiah covers what PhDs can do to turn down a job offer and still reap the benefits of the experience From This Week’s Show… There’s A Right Way To Turn Down A Job Offer Turning down a job should be done with as much care as you applied to your resume, your interview process or your salary negotiations.  Why?  Because you don’t want to shut the door on the company or the people you met during the hiring process.  Studies show that you’ll end up getting 20 job offers throughout your career. So knowing how to turn down a job offer makes sense.  This is true even if the role turns out to be a bad fit.  You put in a lot of work to get the offer – make…

Join Isaiah for a close-up look at how to communicate your professional brand and value to industry hiring managers Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah explains the importance of having a clear professional brand in your industry job search Next, he reveals that you already have a professional brand, whether you realize it or not Finally, Isaiah reveals how to create the brand that you want – and how to present that brand consistently across all parts of the job search From This Week’s Show… Your Professional Brand Helps Employers Determine If You’re A Good Company Fit When it comes to getting hired in industry, how you communicate your skills is everything.  In industry-speak, your skills make up a large part of your professional brand.  In fact, the majority of our Fortune 500 employer partners tell us repeatedly that having a clear brand matters when hiring a PhD.  If you aren’t articulating a clear brand – in other words, if you’re not communicating your skills so employers understand your value – then you’re being misunderstood.  So how do you communicate your professional brand?  With your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter and other practical parts of the…

Join Isaiah as he breaks down the steps that stand between you and a referral to your dream job in industry Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah points out that referrals are, statistically speaking, one of the surest ways to land a job in industry Next, he identifies five steps you can take on LinkedIn that will earn you the referrals your job search is missing Finally, Isaiah reminds listeners that a whopping 70% of new hires come from referrals, so this is a step PhDs can’t afford to skip in their job search From This Week’s Show… Referrals Are The Best Way To Learn About Open Positions – And Land Them Too In this rapidly changing market, getting your resume in the right hands is a team sport.  What do I mean by that?  According to Forbes, only 23% of applicants that apply through a job board get hired.  So, how are the other 77% of candidates getting hired?  The answer is referrals. Despite this, only 7% of applicants apply with a referral.  So, today let’s talk about how you can land a referral for a job in just 5 steps using LinkedIn.  Earning A…

Join Isaiah for a look at beyond-the-bench careers that are perfect for PhDs who love research but can’t take one more experiment Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah assures PhDs that, if you love research but are over pushing the pipettes, there are careers in industry that offer a happy medium Next, he identifies 3 intellectually stimulating careers for curious PhDs that don’t involve running tedious experiments in the lab Finally, Isaiah reminds PhDs to let their strengths and interests inform them in their job search, and not to make assumptions about what a role is or isn’t in industry From This Week’s Show… Research In Industry Is Not Synonymous With Being Tied To A Lab Bench Do you love research, but dread the idea of conducting even one more experiment?  There are plenty of careers for PhDs in research that don’t require you to be chained to a bench.  Let’s start with market research.  When it comes to marketing, the job market is consistently growing.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that employment in this sector will grow by 8% in the next 10 years.  PhDs are particularly well-positioned for roles in marketing research thanks…

Join Isaiah as he reviews the importance of networking in today’s competitive job market and checks in about pitfalls you should avoid Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah shares powerful statistics about the importance of networking for your PhD job search Next, he breaks down 4 major mistakes he sees PhDs make as they build and nurture their professional network Finally, Isaiah reminds PhDs that networking is a habit, and that habit must be in service of a larger goal — otherwise, it’s just a waste of time From This Week’s Show… If You’re Questioning Why You Aren’t Gaining Ground In Your Job Search, Networking Is The Answer Applying for the right job at the right time isn’t enough in today’s job market.  85% of jobs today are found through networking, and a whopping 70% are never made public.  Candidates need access to this hidden job market now more than ever before.  That’s where networking comes in.  The question is: Are you making the most of your online reputation and leveraging your contacts?  It’s time to check your current networking strategy against these dos and don’ts and adjust accordingly.  check your current networking strategy against these…

Join Isaiah as he shares the downside of perfectionism in your job search and he breaks down the difference between seeking excellence and avoiding failure Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode: First, Isaiah covers essential facts about how we perceive perfectionism Next, he’s going to dive into why perfectionism can blindside your job search Finally, Isaiah is going to break down the difference between seeking excellence and avoiding failure From This Week’s Show… My Biggest Weakness Is That I’m A Perfectionist You’ve heard it before and may have even said so during a job interview. Many PhDs mistakenly think that being a perfectionist is a worthy quality. But research shared by Harvard Business Review might have you thinking twice about this, especially regarding a job search. Psychologists have devoted nearly 100 studies to this topic, and the results reveal some surprising statistics about perfectionism in the workplace. Psychologists have shown that perfectionism can be broken down into two types: excellence-seeking and failure-avoiding. All Of These Studies Have Shown That There Is No Correlation Between Performance And Perfectionism People who were identified as excellence-seeking were amenable to working longer hours, were described as highly motivated, and reportedly very engaged.…

Join Isaiah as he shares a few new outside-the-box job search strategies that are sure to shake up your stale routine Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah acknowledges that the job search grind can feel endless and fruitless sometimes Next, he offers 3 novel ideas for PhDs who feel like their job search has stalled out Finally, Isaiah reminds you that breaking with routine can be as important as creating one in your job search From This Week’s Show… Starting To Dread Your PhD Job Search? It’s Time To Shake Things Up Is it starting to feel like your job search has stalled out?  Do you wish there was some kind of hack you could use to break the slump?  If so, I want to invite you to do something new. The following simple and likely for you, novel, strategies, will help you gain momentum.  First, try going out for coffee. Invite a recent connection, or maybe one you haven’t touched base with in a while, out to a local coffeehouse.  There are also virtual coffeehouses that you can invite people to today.  Send them a $5 cup of coffee and ask to pick their brains…

Join Isaiah as he explains why perfectionism is a double-edged sword, and how to keep your high standards from sabotaging your job search Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah identifies a few clues that you might be letting your high standards sabotage your job search Next, he explains how to start reevaluating what success looks like in your PhD job search Finally, Isaiah shares strategies PhDs can turn to to make their high standards work for them instead of slow them down From This Week’s Show… Are Your High Standards Synonymous With Low Job Search Productivity? Ever wonder why some people say “you’re such a perfectionist” like it’s a bad thing?  You have a PhD and you have very high standards for yourself.  But could your perfectionist habits be sabotaging your job search?  It’s easy to think that the benefits outweigh the pitfalls of perfectionism, but today I’m going to ask you to consider if any of these scenarios describe you.  Can time management be a struggle for you because you often don’t think your work is “good enough” to ever be done?  Do you ever feel like other people are frustrated by your expectations of…

Join Isaiah as he breaks down unconventional job search techniques if you’re not seeing results Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode: First, Isaiah discusses what’s not working in your job search Next, he does a deep dive into the techniques that can make you stand out to employers Finally, he wraps up with a small script you can use while following up on applications From This Week’s Show… Has Your Job Search Felt Stale And Stifling For Too Long? Do you feel completely invisible to employers? Is it time to shake things up? Start your search from the outside in. Research sectors of industry that you’re interested in, and then research companies within those sectors. Once you’ve found a few companies that you feel excited about – in other words, you like what they stand for and feel your values align with theirs – identify people working for that company and connect with them on LinkedIn. Only 1 – 2% Of Job Seekers Try This Practice Which Makes It Unique Calling a hiring manager directly. Reaching out to an HR professional or a recruiter at a target company by phone could help you break through the masses by…

Join Isaiah as he identifies a few ways you can break into networking if traditional methods feel stale Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah discusses some of the common hangups PhDs have about networking Next, he identifies a few alternatives that PhDs can turn to that leverage their personal interests to make meaningful connections Finally, Isaiah reminds PhDs that networking is an important part of their job search, allowing them to increase connections and create opportunities where none existed before From This Week’s Show… You’re Not Alone If The Idea Of Networking Sounds Ulcer-Inducing The job market is contracting, which means it’s time to start networking more than you have been.  If the word networking makes you cringe, you’re not alone. Introversion and busyness are the #1 and #2 reasons PhDs list as why they can’t network effectively.  If the idea of attending a conference and rubbing elbows with industry leaders seems too ambitious to start with, don’t stress… there are other impactful ways to build network connections than the convention circuit or cold contacting people on LinkedIn.  Try One Of These 3 Networking Strategies To Help You Step Outside Of Your Comfort Zone One of…

Join Isaiah and hear about how keeping your ego and sense of entitlement in check is crucial if you want to succeed in industry Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah explains that employees with a strong sense of entitlement lead to tangible loss at companies, and employers avoid them at all costs Next, he examines a few ways that PhDs can, sometimes accidentally, come across as egotistical Finally, Isaiah gives PhDs a few counter behaviors they can use to make sure they aren’t coming across as self-serving or full of yourself From This Week’s Show… There’s A Difference Between A Sense Of Entitlement And Confidence Insecurity and self-doubt rank the highest among the personal setbacks that nearly every PhD deals with.  But there’s a flip side to that coin – feeling entitled to a job, better pay or success in general.  It might sound like, at worst, a personality flaw, right?  Well, there’s actually a landmark study that suggests businesses can quantify the toll that entitlement can take on their bottom line. People who feel entitled tend to focus on self-optimization, not collective growth.  They disrupt the flow of business and waste company time and resources.…

Join Isaiah as he breaks down the best ways to keep your reputation intact if you’re a chronic apologizer Here’s a rundown of this week’s episode: First, Isaiah covers some of the reasons you may be a chronic apologist coming from academia Next, he covers why this is professionally holding you back and could have negative consequences Finally, Isaiah shows you how to handle work situations where an apology is necessary and how to move forward From This Week’s Show: When You Apologize, The Expression Allows You To Take Ownership Of A Mistake And Express Remorse We all have to apologize sometimes but if “I’m sorry” becomes a common expression for you as an adult, it can have some negative connotations that impact how others see you. This is especially problematic among PhDs. And while this nervous tic may seem harmless, it has the power to sabotage your reputation throughout your job search and career. This simple expression demonstrates to others that you are a person who seeks reassurance. If you say it before you share a thought or opinion, you’re undermining whatever you say that follows. Saying “I’m sorry” says that you lack confidence; that you seek approval from…

Join Isaiah for a look at determining which job offers are best for you when you have more than one to choose from Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah shares that benefits are a truly valuable part of analyzing the value of your job offers in industry Next, he encourages PhDs to consider the company culture and atmosphere that each job offers Finally, Isaiah urges PhDs to weigh the pros and cons of their highest-priority data points to choose between two job offers From This Week’s Show… Benefits Are An Important Consideration When It Comes To Competing Job Offers Imagine this: you wake up tomorrow and check your email. There’s not one but two incredible offers from two companies that you’d love to work for.  That’s the dream, right? It would be amazing if you could take both. Instead, you’re faced with the nerve-racking decision to walk away from one and start a new journey with the other.  When this happens, the first thing you’ll want to consider are the benefits being offered.  A company’s healthcare program costs and what it covers has an immediate impact on what your true salary will be. If the package…

Join Isaiah as he puts seemingly harmless phrases under a microscope and examines why PhDs should actually avoid them at all costs Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah examines some seemingly innocuous phrases and expressions that can actually damage your reputation Next, he reveals the psychology behind these phrases and discusses how they impact your audience Finally, Isaiah shares what PhDs should say instead to come across as confident and capable. From This Week’s Show… Some Harmless Expressions And Phrases Are Actually A Turn-Off For Hiring Managers There are a few verbal expressions that research shows really turn off hiring managers.  These simple phrases have strong connotations that can paint you in a very unflattering light.  So, today we’re going to go over 5 of the big ones.  The first expression is “I have to.”  If, during an interview, you’re asked what your responsibilities are in your current role, instead of saying “I have to” or “I’m responsible for”, try saying “I get to” or “I was able to [if it’s a previous role].”  It’s just the difference of a few words, but there’s power in language.  One sounds like a complaint while the other sounds…

Join Isaiah for a PhD-specific look at the thank-you email and discussion about how it can help clinch your next interview Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah shares one of the best ways to stand above other candidates after your final interview at any industry company Next, he covers a few ground rules or creating the best possible thank-you email if you’re a PhD Finally, Isaiah closes with a reminder about the call to action your thank-you email needs in order to be effective From This Week’s Show… The Percentage Of Job Seekers Who Don’t Send Thank-You Emails After An Interview Is Staggering If you think your industry interview is over once you walk out the door, think again.  According to TopResume, as many as 1 in 5 recruiters or hiring managers will dismiss a PhD candidate in industry that didn’t send a thank-you email.  Careerbuilder conducted a survey that revealed 57% of job seekers don’t send follow-up messages.  This means that sending a sincere thank-you email can help push you ahead of more than half of your competition.  So, what should be included in a thank-you email? Let’s go over the critical elements that make…

Join Isaiah for a masterclass in negotiation strategies that all PhDs need to know about before they accept a salary in industry Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah explains PhDs are doing themselves a major disservice by choosing not to negotiate their starting salary and benefits Next, he presents a few scenarios that PhDs may find themselves in during the hiring process and offers savvy tactics for negotiating Finally, Isaiah moves past helpful scripts PhDs can use and addresses some scenarios that can provide leverage during negotiation From This Week’s Show… Salary Negotiations Are Absolutely An Expected Part Of The Hiring Process I think every PhD will agree – negotiating is painful.  For many, it feels so uncomfortable that they avoid it altogether. At most, they avoid preparing for it. So, if you’re still nervous about having “The Talk” with a potential employer, then get ready to take notes.  Today, I’ll tell you exactly what to say in a high-stakes salary conversation so you can walk away earning the wage you deserve in an industry job that you love.  When negotiating, attitude is the key to success.  Remember, you’re still auditioning for the job, even once…

Join Isaiah and learn why negotiating is not just advisable but expected for PhDs in today’s competitive job market Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode: First, Isaiah explains that negotiating your starting salary is the new norm Next, he assures PhDs that employers are expecting a counter to their initial offer Finally, Isaiah takes a look at some of the most effective ways PhDs can deflect the salary conversation to give themselves the upper hand in negotiations From This Week’s Show… Negotiating A Salary Is Never Easy – Especially For PhDs Imagine you’re an employer offering a new hire the minimum salary listed on the job posting.  You’re not expecting that job candidate to say, “Yes! I’ll take it!” right?  No – of course not.  You’re expecting any candidate who knows their value – who is valuable –  to negotiate.  Unfortunately, many PhDs don’t negotiate – because they’ve never worked for money so they’re not used to asking for more money. Especially when an offer is more money than they’ve ever been given.  We’re talking about negotiating a salary that gets you paid what you’re worth, while also striking a balance; one that makes both you and your…