PhD Transition Report On-Demand

Join Isaiah as he addresses the #1 question PhDs face during their industry job search: Was your PhD a mistake? In this week’s episode… First, Isaiah addresses PhD job search fears head-on Next, Isaiah covers why industry needs PhDs now more than ever Finally, he puts the ball back in your court: What are you going to do with all this experience? I Hate Hearing “Was My PhD A Mistake?” From PhDs Just Starting Their Job Search Your PhD is so valuable. The problem is that the academic system beats you down so much that you start to think you made a mistake. Still, you should be getting your degree for the right reasons, and trust me, employers are going to ask you for your rationale. “Why did you get your PhD?” is a very common question. So why did you? Let’s start with some of the wrong reasons to get a PhD. These are reasons you should not give to employers, even if they are true. One reason that doesn’t have legs is the I-just-wanted-to-be-a-doctor reason for getting a PhD. Sure, the D-R looks nice in front of your name, and P-H-D can add some gravitas to your title.…

Join Isaiah as he helps you break down benefit packages in industry terms In this week’s episode… First, Isaiah walks us through how benefits enter into negotiations and why that matters Next, Isaiah talks about the value of benefits, both fiscal and general Finally, he covers the things you need to look for when accepting benefit packages From This Week’s Show… PhDs Are So Focused On Their Salary That They Forget An Important Part Of Their Compensation: Benefits Health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off – these and other benefits can make a significant difference in the strength of a job offer. Benefits like these make up 31% of the average American’s total compensation, according to the Bureau of Labor & Statistics. A strong package is linked to an employee’s overall satisfaction and loyalty to their employer. For employers, offering benefits can help attract and retain top talent, improve employee satisfaction and productivity, and lower turnover rates. So exactly how beneficial are you benefits? One Key Factor That Affects The Cost Of Employee Benefits Is The Size Of The Company Larger companies tend to have more bargaining power with insurance providers and other benefit marketplaces. This is what gives Global…

Join Isaiah as he examines the four most common types of company culture and explores their major differences In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah discusses the impact company culture has on how employees and customers perceive the business Next, he explains that understanding the differences from one company to another is a great way to determine if you’re the type of employee who will thrive – or fail – in that company’s infrastructure. Finally, Isaiah explores the four different types of company culture, as identified by professors Robert E. Quinn and Kim Cameron From This Week’s Show… Company Culture Is An Extension Of Its Brand And Reflects Its Values Company culture is a term that you hear a lot, but the definition can feel a little hard to pin down.  A report by Hubspot defined the concept as the promise a business makes to its employees and candidates about what it’s really like to work with them.  Company culture can have a huge impact on how others perceive an entire company, not just what they do.  It’s also been linked to employee satisfaction and productivity.  A company’s culture is not static – it changes over time and adapts to the…

Join Isaiah as he reviews the top four careers for PhDs in 2023 and dives into detail about what makes these roles so great In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah takes a look at what enterprise architects do and how much they earn Next, he explores data science and discusses why this role is a great fit for PhDS Finally, Isaiah shifts his focus to project management roles, explaining what the role entails and why PhDs are in such high demand From This Week’s Show… Careers Where PhDs Are In High Demand Top 2023’s Most-Popular List This Year Every year, we look at the sectors of industry that rank highest in earning potential, job satisfaction and number of openings.  And this past year – just like every year that’s come before – industries where PhDs are in high demand top the list.  Today, I’d like to introduce you to a few of those roles that made it to the top 10.  A Career In Enterprise Architecture Is One Of The Highest Paid Positions For PhDs In 2023 Enterprise architects have a strong interest in new and emerging tech.  It’s their job to leverage solutions in a company’s network, maintaining and…

Join Isaiah as he takes a deep dive into work cultures and how being in the wrong culture can put your career on the wrong path First, Isaiah breaks down the meanings behind company cultures Second, he covers the types of company cultures Finally, he weighs the pros and cons of each type of company culture From This Week’s Show… Company Culture Can Have A Huge Impact On How Others Perceive An Entire Company, Not Just Their Product Company culture is not static – it changes over time and adapts to the evolving needs of a business. But in order to change, the business should be able to articulate what its company culture is and isn’t. Understanding the differences from one company culture to another is a great way to determine if you’re the type of employee who will thrive – or fail – in that company’s infrastructure. The first type is adhocracy culture. This environment places creativity and innovation on a pedestal. Employees who thrive in this culture are willing to take risks and be industry disrupters. These companies are boundary-pushers, always coming up with new and exciting ideas. Here, employees are encouraged to speak up and try new…

Join Isaiah for a frank talk about the ups and downs of academia PhDs are facing right now First, Isaiah covers the statistics most PhDs need to face up to Next, he shines a light on the demand for PhDs in industry Finally, he wraps up with job-searching tips From This Week’s Show… 53% of PhD Students Begin Their Degree Aiming For a Professorship But Only 3% Actually Achieve That Goal Your odds of getting tenure now are less than half of a percent, at best. Tenure is dead. Everyone knows now that academia is broken. And there’s no way to unbreak it. Are you tired of hearing this? Well wake up because hiding from the truth isn’t going to make your life any better and it’s not going to increase your compensation any time soon. Now, by contrast, according to a recent MassBio report, there has been a 143% growth in industry jobs that require a PhD in the past 10 years. Quality Academic Positions Are So Scarce Now That Staying In Academia Leads To Long Periods Of Job Insecurity Of course, the idea of academia is still alluring. One of the main pros of a career in academia…

Join Isaiah as he walks us through getting your LinkedIn back on track and functional In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah covers why you need to be keeping up with LinkedIn Next, he covers the main mistakes most LinkedIn users are making Lastly, Isaiah covers engagement how-tos, how to know your LinkedIn is working, and what to do to keep up with it From This Week’s Show… Understand That LinkedIn Is A Professional Social Network…Emphasis On Social By posting, commenting, and sharing regularly, you can build rapport with your target sectors of industry and with specific companies themselves. 98% of companies are on LinkedIn and the majority of any company’s executive teams are going to have profiles on the platform. This means that if you want to connect with decision-makers and influencers in your industry, LinkedIn is the place to be. By building a strong profile and engaging with other users, you can increase your visibility to these key players and open up new opportunities. Being Active On LinkedIn Is Crucial To Your Job Search Success- Google Loves This Site A second reason that being active on LinkedIn is crucial to your job search success is that Google loves this…

Join Isaiah as takes a look at proactive strategies PhDs can use to protect themselves against ageism in the workplace In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah concedes that ageism is a problem some adults age 45 and over face in industry Next, he reminds PhDs that they are in control of their own internal bias, and encourages them not to overwhelm themselves with their own negative stereotypes Finally, Isaiah shares some tips PhDs can use to keep ageism at bay during their industry job search and beyond From This Week’s Show… Ageism Is An Unfortunate Reality For Many PhDs Age 45 And Older If you followed the path that many PhDs took, you graduated in your late 20s or early 30s. In academia, you see a lot of age diversity among faculty and students.  In industry, however, ageism is more prevalent.  Ageism is any kind of stereotype, prejudice or discrimination towards yourself or others based on age.  The unfortunate reality, according to AARP, is that 80% of employees over the age of 45 do report feeling discriminated against or having witnessed age discrimination in the workplace.  Now, if you want to make yourself attractive to employers in this job market,…

Join Isaiah as he examines the future-facing skills that PhDs should highlight for employers if they want to get hired in industry In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah shines a light on the disparity between fast-evolving tech and the relatively slow pace that humans adapt to it Next, he explores four transferable skills that PhDs should emphasize to industry employers Finally, Isaiah reminds PhDs that companies want to invest in people who are willing to invest in themselves, so they should be proactive by learning new things From This Week’s Show… The Skills That PhDs Need To Be Successful In Industry Are Changing According to Institute for the Future, approximately 85% of education jobs in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet.  That is a staggering number.  How is this possible?  Tech is moving fast. Faster than you or I can process. AI and machine learning is the tip of the iceberg now.  More and more industries are seeing changes in how they work. Most of these changes are due to humans slowly adapting to rapidly evolving technologies.  Keeping your skills current is the only way to stay relevant in your job search. This means focusing on skills that tech can’t…

Join Isaiah as he examines how PhDs can use their innovation skills and research abilities to advance discovery in industry In this week’s episode: First, Isaiah explores some of the reasons that PhDs innovation skills make them well-suited to industry research positions Next, he takes a look at three ways PhDs can harness their innovation skills and know-how to break into business and market research Finally, Isaiah encourages PhDs to be proactive about their career growth and embrace their solutions-oriented thinking to find their niche in industry From This Week’s Show… Your Innovation Skills Are An Asset To Industry Employers PhDs are problem-solvers, innovators, and incubators for ideas.  Where the rest of the world aims to be a master of this field or that craft, PhDs are contributing to an industry’s actual growth by adding to a field.  As researchers, PhDs have many of the skills it takes to build and grow a company of any kind, such as identifying knowledge gaps; determining what needs to be researched; pitching ideas; delivering those ideas to an advisor, committee, or other key stakeholders.  These are all skills you’ve used to earn your PhD, and they are exactly the traits that help build…

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…