Valuable Skills That You Can Add During & After M.sc & Ph.D.
Have you ever come to a point where you fell out of the PhD-industry gap? It’s the gap that takes place between a Ph.D. training and the expectations brought about the corporate world in terms of hiring candidates who are much more industry-friendly.
We all know this fact: the first job you land after graduate school is the most important at the same time the toughest. Thus, it is just fitting that you keep yourself aware of all the possible options especially that the odds are mostly not in your favors. That’s the problem most PhDs who wish to enter the corporate industry have: people look at them as an academic who is only good in terms of bench science.
Thankfully, it is not too late for you. You don’t have to be one of these many PhDs who feel stuck with where they are. You have that potential to grow outside of the Ph.D. industry. It takes a lot of guts but you can do it. With determination, leadership capabilities, the right amount of personality and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work well in a team
environment, you’ve got high chances of making it into the industry more possible.In addition to the academic & scientific skills you have gained during your Masters & Ph.D. if you have additional skills, it will not only be an add-on for your resume but also you can use a combination of all the skills and sail through your career smoothly.
Every person’s career path is paved in its own way. You just have to figure out how, and this article will do just that. Hopefully, if you haven’t figured it out yet, these solutions will help you find your calling.
Consider Consulting
Believe it or not, but there are multiple opportunities for consulting that are up for the taking for scientists if only they are willing to go that path. You can start by providing freelance consulting services, share the scientific knowledge you have and make the most of out it.
If you have the resources and enough willpower, you might even want to take it a notch higher and open up your very own consulting firm. Whichever of these you might consider, know that it’s better to start as early as you can.
So if you can, do freelance consulting work during your Ph.D., and you might just land into a management consulting position after completion of your degree. If not, then you just need to be resourceful and patient. What consultation services will you provide? That’s the easy part. All you need to do is identify a skillset or two that you are really go and offer those services.
Doing this would not only earn you those extra bucks but also give you the opportunity to build your portfolio, harness your skills, and make a name for your own in the industry.
If you are looking for the best field to provide your consulting services, then consider management consulting. It is the best place to put your analytical and scientific training into practice while developing and harnessing your business expertise. In the long run, if innovation, change, and success are on your priority list, then there are higher chances that your career path will be head that way too. Through management consulting, you get to learn how to lead teams, manage people, and tackle problems. Scientific Skills + Management Skills, its the secret mantra to get top-notch Job in the Industry. On top of it all, you get to create professional relationships with top businessmen who will pave the way for you in the future. Who knows, they might even absorb you in the company long before you have graduated. Now, landing a job after graduation will no longer be a problem.
Take on a summer internship
Internships are always a good idea, whether you are an undergraduate or working your way towards that Ph.D. Ideally, a paid internship will be like hitting the jackpot. You get paid, you gain experience, and you’re able to help with the financial side of it. Also, always try to remember the fact that internships are CRUCIAL. So use your summers wisely – do your best to have as many internship gigs as you can in the entirety of your graduate or post-doc education. If you can’t commit full time to an internship, try to balance it with your graduate school and obtain industry experience. This will prepare you for what’s to come and will give you a glimpse of the real-world industry. Plus, you gain some marketable skills. Now, you have a leverage and can use it to your advantage.
Most industry companies nowadays are willing to let you become a part of their companies as interns. Of course, like any other real-world job, the spark can be seen in your informational interviews. So be sure to ace that or give it your best shot. If accepted, and if they actually like you, then they might offer you a position ready for your acceptance upon graduation.
Always remember that just because internship positions aren’t usually announced doesn’t mean they do not exist. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask, research, and do some legwork. You’ll be amazed by what you will find.
Consider auditing or taking classes and workshops not related to your expertise
To have the best of both worlds, you need to work hard in order to get it. In Simple terms, if you are someone who is inclined to the science, then it’s time to go out of your comfort zone. It’s time to explore other fields which can be an add-on to your existing skill.T he important thing is you expand your connection, your knowledge, and your skillset. You can either study patent law, Food Safety Laws, learn about the latest information and technology like CRISPR, Next-Gen Sequencing, Stem Cell Research, take Bioinformatics classes and learn about the programming languages and how you can use it in your existing research, study the basics of computer programming or enroll in entrepreneurial classes. All these will depend on you and your interests.
Register For An Exclusive Workshop on Next-Gen Sequencing by Industry Experts
I know now you will say, where do I have time? I am totally into my Ph.D.!
Well, if you want to stand out of the crowd and be in the top list of recruiters, you must take out time! Just apply some time management tricks and of course, willpower will solve it all. If you’re not sure about it yet, there are professors who will allow you to sit in their class. Maybe you can start with this and see if this sparks any interest on your side. If not, do it all over again in another class until you find the right one. The bottom line here is to look beyond your horizon.
Start Something on the side
It doesn’t matter what it is. It could be a small R&D business, a product you’ve made from scratch, or anything else. The important thing is that you do start something that might help you in the future.
Network as much as you can.
Networking with professionals and like-minded people has a lot of benefits. It can help you land the internship of your dreams and gain that marketable skills you need in the industry. Networking can also be the pebbles for you to land that job in the future, after your Ph.D.
In other words, the network in order to create opportunities and relationships, in order to learn and to gain experience. Network so that you’ll develop those marketable skills and to get that industry position. It might not be an overnight thing but it is truly useful and beneficial. You don’t have to stop doing it too!
Just look at it this way! How would you know important people, learn new skills, or gain knowledge if you don’t ask, let alone talk, to people? How will you get to understand what a company if you don’t build networks? The network is also difficult in the beginning. The more people you network with, the easier it becomes.
At the end of the day, you only have these to ponder. You are the only one that is capable of creating opportunities for yourself. So go ahead and do any or all of the above-mentioned solutions. If you can do all of it, then the better. If not, just take it one at a time. Chances are you will land a job in industry and work in a fulfilling career. Nothing worth having comes easy, or so they say.
As Donald Asher, author of Cracking the Hidden Job Market, says: “You get a job by talking to people: You don’t get a job by having a great resume, a good interview look, a firm handshake, or a solid education. You get a job because you get in front of somebody and they decide to add you to the payroll. Most job seekers look for jobs by talking to computer software. It’s faster to talk to people. People are more likely to pass you along than computers are. Computers are picky. People are helpful.”
Just continue pushing yourself to the limits until you start seeing good things come your way. Trust the process. It might be tough, but it works. All the best.
If you are in need of more such career advice then do visit our career advice section on the website.
