It is great to be part of something where the progress is really tangible and your contributions really do seem to make a difference. I most enjoy the sense of reward when we overcome a difficult problem or successfully bring together technologies we’ve developed.
My research training set me up to believe that academic rigour, the levels of observation and the analytical skills gained, and the way one presents ones arguments, filters into everything one does later on in life.
My advice for researchers leaving academia would be: do not be afraid! There are many varied roles out there – more than you realise!
There are plenty of (paid!) chances to see what the world of Policy is like, and researchers are welcomed with open arms.
There are a lot of amazing opportunities outside of academia and leaving does not mean you have ‘given up or failed’.
The world is full of opportunities – don’t be afraid to find something that is fulfilling.
Try to focus, or at least keep yourself up to date with the problems that industry is trying to solve.
A few days of holiday can be used to get a first-hand picture which can, as in my case, provide the confidence I needed to turn a hunch about a career change into a reality.
If you are a successful researcher, you can solve a problem and you can write. These are invaluable skills in any sector.
My research training set me up to never lose my scientific curiosity.
There are many more options out there than you’re easily aware of – some careers services may channel people towards certain career paths. It can be hard to see options other than academia when you’re in academia, but leaving isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a choice.
Consulting seemed like a natural place to apply the analytical skills that I’d gained during my PhD, whilst providing the opportunity for enormous professional development.
