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.
Researchers are highly valued by industry, so don’t be afraid to explore the opportunities that are available outside of academia.
I have a background in international area studies and political science. I have spent the past 13 years working on and in the Western Balkans, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Communication is key! As a data scientist, your stakeholders could be from a technical or non-technical background. Being able to explain the work you are doing in a clear and easy to understand way is really important.
Whilst I greatly enjoyed both research and teaching, I felt that in the longer-term I would enjoy the team-work and the fast-paced environment provided by consultancy.
As much as I enjoyed my PhD, towards the end of it I started hearing a little voice in my head that made me doubt if my long-term career was going to be in academia.
During my DPhil I also found more time to get involved in extracurricular activities compared with my undergraduate degree.
When looking for jobs in my final year at Oxford, I wanted to find a position where I could both utilise my Engineering degree and work with talented people to solve complex problems.
I use the skills from both sides of my degree every day in what I do. Physics teaches you to take an exceptionally complex system and boil it down to the main factors at play.
I enjoyed writing my dissertation in fourth year, but I chose to leave academia in favour of industry because I wanted to work in an environment where results could be achieved quickly, which a DPhil could not offer me.
