Abstract
This chapter looks at understanding the competitive academic job market, building skillsets, alternative careers, and managing the uncertainty of what comes next.
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Notes
- 1.
Whilst this data is a little dated now, the likelihood is that this has only worsened further with time.
- 2.
I would also be remiss not to mention that I myself transitioned from academia to industry after my first postdoctoral position came to an end. I found that the culture of overwork was unsustainable for me and maintaining good mental health. This is in part what has inspired me to continue to advocate for betting working conditions and improving the research culture in academia. I think it is important to acknowledge this because I carry my own biases along with this.
- 3.
It is worth noting that your PhD Supervisor will likely know how much time you need to put into your primary research, so it is important to listen to them, and most have your best interests at heart. If trying something new is important to you, explaining its value to your Supervisor might be the best approach.
- 4.
Personally, when looking for my next job, I wanted to stay in roughly the same location, so that limited my job search to a particular locale.
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Ayres, Z.J. (2022). The High-Walled Rose Garden: Understanding There Is Life Outside the Academy. In: Managing your Mental Health during your PhD. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14194-2_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14194-2_11
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