Careers outside academia

Skills and attributes most desired by businesses, government organisations and non-profits include:

• Data analysis skills
• Specialisation in a relevant subject area
• Drive and motivation
• Project management experience
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Maturity
• Ability to work independently
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership
• Commercial awareness   
  

You should take every opportunity to develop these skills and attributes. Gaining some paid or voluntary work experience while you are studying will help. So will networking, through LinkedIn and other social media channels, as well as in person.

Employers outside higher education will be particularly interested in:

• Work experience; full-time, part-time, voluntary, internships; preferably but not necessarily aligned with your area of expertise     
  
• Participation in sport, music, or other activities, as an individual, team member or coach
  
• Committee membership - through your PhD or masters responsibilities or social activities

• Learning how to apply for funding
• Gaining some experience in presenting/lecturing
• Publishing your research in reputable journals
• Collaborating with others studying in your area or a related area
• Volunteering to take on additional tasks in your department (for example, assisting with the organisation of a seminar or workshop)
  

Go to seminars, meetings and conferences. Join groups such as professional bodies, staff associations and networks, and unions. Explore ways of using online social networks. Concentrate on areas where you need to increase your contacts. Don't confine your networking to the workplace, especially if you are keen to explore other career avenues. Ensure that you keep contact details up to date and try to keep in touch by email or phone.

Make sure you are fully informed about the sectors you are interested in working in. Is it an area of growth or retraction? How competitive is the field? What new opportunities might be on the horizon? Familiarise yourself with the most up-to-date labour market information.

Where possible get involved in departmental committees and online discussion forums to keep up-to-date with developments in your field or in employment sectors of interest. Twitter is a good medium for online discussions and you will find most employment sectors represented either through professional bodies, government bodies, recruitment companies or employers themselves.

If you’re interested in working for a particular company, find out as much as you can about its culture, mission and values. You won’t find everything on the company’s website, but if you know someone who works there, or can get an introduction, you could set up an “informational interview”. This is an informal conversation with someone who is willing to talk to you about what it is like working at the company. It is not about asking for a job, but an opportunity to seek information that will help you to make decisions about a potential job or career path.

Also known as job shadowing, work shadowing involves observing a professional in their job to gain a better understanding of the role. This will allow you to get a taste for a particular job that you might be considering. Shadowing differs from internships and work placements as it usually only lasts a couple of days, is generally informal and unpaid. Its purpose is to achieve an insight rather than to gain hands-on, practical experience.