Harriet Manley
Patent Attorney at FPA Patent Attorneys Pty. Ltd.I also was beginning to feel like the entire breadth of my skills were not reaching their potential as an academic.
I also was beginning to feel like the entire breadth of my skills were not reaching their potential as an academic.
Academia, in most cases, prepares you well to take on most tasks. The only requirement is to adapt to a more commercially focused environment and apply those same skills in more flexible ways.
The work I do now is truly multidisciplinary.
I love having conversations with students, hearing about their research, and working alongside different Ertegun Directors
I really enjoy being challenged to think ambitiously and creatively about complex problems, learning from internal and external experts, integrating knowledge across sectors and seeing the impact of my work on a daily basis.
It might feel safe and comfortable to stay in a role you have become proficient in, but exploring other career paths can lead to exciting new opportunities.
I am finally doing something I love and that gives me confidence, something that allows me to use my existing skills but also get new ones.
In my case, it was the technical knowledge. However, a PhD is much more than that…
Lots of tech companies are looking for people with creative skillsets – there are many ways people from a humanities background can get involved!