Take the risk! The worst thing that can happen is you go back to academia with a (relative) wealth of industry experience – especially compared to your colleagues. The best thing that could happen is you find a full-filling career.
Where you begin doesn’t have to be where you end up, and there can be lots of stops and changes along the way!
If you love science but think that the communication part is still missing, do not hesitate. Prepare yourself in face of whatever you see as your limitations and weaknesses and go for it!
The skills you have are highly valued, but a positive can-do attitude is just as important.
A favourite part of my job is feeling like I’m doing something really impactful.
Be proactive and nurture your skills outside of the lab. Think about your career options early, so you have time to build your CV. Think about what motivates you and follow what you enjoy.
I had a great time during my PhD and really enjoyed the field I worked in. However, I started to realise that I wasn’t going to achieve the impact that I had, rather naively, expected with my project and I needed something that had more interaction with people. The lab was just not the place for me.
Researchers are highly valued by industry, so don’t be afraid to explore the opportunities that are available outside of academia.
Think early about your next step and try to prepare yourself for that, and equally important, create a coherent story about why you want to do this!
I was apprehensive about the culture change, moving from working independently on a self-driven project to working in a team-based, client-facing service role, but I’ve received excellent training and support, and have quickly gained confidence
People ask me how they can prepare for an editorial career at our journals. I always suggest that researchers get involved in the submission and peer review of their own papers.
The skills I acquired from the years spent in academia have been invaluable in this role and I am very grateful that I can continue to put them to good use.
