Careers in academia

You will be developing and demonstrating many skills and attributes through your postgraduate research. Some questions to ask yourself are: 

• What skills do you use to manage a research project? For example, creativity, planning, analysis and problem solving, verbal and written communication, and more
• What specific technical skills do you use to collect and analyse your research data?
• What problems have you overcome and what challenges have you faced?     
  
• What other activities have you been involved in beyond your research, e.g. teaching or demonstrating, organising seminar series, committee membership; and what have you learned as a result? 

• Start networking from day one, in person and on social media
• Collaborate with others in your field of research
• Getting your work and name well-known is an excellent step into an academic career, so try to get articles published in high-quality journals
• Align your thesis or dissertation to industry needs
  
• Learn how to apply for and secure research funding
• Gain experience in project management
• Understand the process of quality assessment in teaching and research
• Become familiar with current issues in higher education and your discipline
• Attend workshops, seminars and conferences and use these opportunities to raise your profile

It's difficult to gain a permanent academic job immediately after completion of your degree or doctorate. The traditional entry point for PhD graduates is as a research assistant or research fellow. However, these roles aren't renowned for their job security. Short-term contracts are usually offered, lasting from three months to three years. It's not uncommon for a research assistant or fellow to spend years working on a temporary contract before being offered a permanent role.

Bearing all this in mind, it is wise to explore additional career opportunities – as a researcher, for example. Roles for researchers cover a wide range of sectors apart from higher education, such as manufacturing, finance, business and IT, health and public administration.

Universities typically advertise academic positions on their websites. If you have a clear idea about where you want to work, try contacting the institution directly. Having previous teaching experience will help your application, and universities often make teaching opportunities available to PhD students. 

Your CV should showcase your academic experience on the first page(s). Provide clear evidence of your research and its outcomes, and explain how you want to develop it in future. Include details about any funding you've received, events you've attended, professional memberships you hold and publications you've been in.

Keep your CV concise and targeted to the specific requirements of the role. Each section should be in reverse chronological order. In terms of your writing style, it should be scholarly but still easily comprehensible to those unfamiliar with your field of interest.

Academic jobs are so competitive it is critical to prepare as thoroughly as possible. First, familiarise yourself with our general advice, which you will find at the link below. Next, think about how an academic interview is likely to be conducted, by a panel of between two and  ten interviewers. Ask for their names and research them thoroughly. In addition, you should:

• Read recent papers written by others in your research area, as well as other papers relevant to the department you are applying for
• Review the departmental website, including their staff list, to get a feel for how you would fit in
• Revisit the job description, including essential and desirable criteria
• Talk to others about their experiences of academic interviews
• Try to organise a mock interview –  perhaps with job-searching contemporaries
• Action or revisit a self-assessment of your skills and capabilities, so that you have plenty of evidence to support your suitability for the job 

• Postgraduate study skills
• Presenting your work
  
• Pursuing an academic career
• Getting an academic job
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