On leaving the academy: Developing your skillset

By Leah Colvin

A growing diversity and acceptance of careers available to those holding doctorates combined with fierce competition for grant dollars and a shrinking pool of tenure-track openings¹ is leading to more and more postdocs considering leaving the tenure path in favor of careers outside academia. The good news for postdocs considering this path is that they have highly desired transferrable skills and qualities. However, because academic training often involves the assumption that only tenure-track faculty careers require professional preparation, many postdocs are unsure of how to take the first steps in preparing for and applying to nonacademic positions.

I recently attended the National Postdoctoral Association Annual Meeting. In his keynote address titled, “There and Back Again: Ph.D. Career Navigation in the 21^st Century,” Dr. Peter Fiske, CEO of PAX Water Technologies and author of Put Your Science to Work, spoke about the differences between academic and nonacademic job sectors, and how Ph.D.s can make this leap. This session was particularly inspiring, and I’d like to share his insights with the CU Boulder postdoc community.

First things first: Recognize your skills gap

Before applying for nonacademic positions, it is worthwhile to spend some time honestly reflecting on the skills that are highly desired outside academia, and finding opportunities to develop those skills. While the culture within academia has remained relatively static, the world outside of academia has evolved in the last several decades. Understanding this change in values can help you prepare for a nonacademic career.

Ensuing from these values is a set of skills and qualities that are highly sought by nonacademic employers. Those with Ph.D.s have an advantage in many highly desired skill areas, including: the ability to organize, analyze and interpret data; critical thinking and problem-solving; the ability to acknowledge and integrate disparate views and data sources; project management – that is, conceiving and designing as well as implementing and managing complex research projects; oral and written communication; and the ability to work with ambiguity. Furthermore, Ph.D. holders are typically intelligent and analytical, can make good decisions quickly, work well under pressure and work hard, and enjoy challenge and competition. Recognizing and being conversant about these skills in a way that nonacademic employers understand can give postdocs an edge in the business world.

On the other hand, Ph.D. holders are often underdeveloped in key skills required for success in the private sector, including persuasion, leadership, understanding risk and reward, understanding investment and return, organizational management, and adaptability.  Additional challenges are presented by what Dr. Fiske called “the curse of being smart”: many of the strengths conferred to Ph.D. holders by virtue of our abilities and training also carry disadvantages. Recognizing these areas for growth is an important step for developing your nonacademic profile:

• We are very highly trained ► We tend to value our technical skills the most
• We can conceptualize ► We overthink complications
• We are used to knowing it all ► We fear & avoid situations where we’re not the expert
• We’re intellectually smart ► We fail to appreciate other forms of intelligence
• We are accustomed to being exceptional ► We fear failure and are unwilling to take risk

While it may seem daunting to learn a new set of cultural values and skills, Ph.D. holders are at a distinct advantage in this arena: if there’s one thing we know how to do well, it’s how to learn and use new skills.

Building your nonacademic skillset: The 80-10-10 rule

The key to growing your skillset and advertising your abilities is time investment. Dr. Fiske recommends the 80-10-10 rule to trainees who want to transfer to a nonacademic career; that is, spend 80% of your time on your primary research and job duties, 10% of your time on career planning and skill development, and 10% of your time on networking.

So, if you’re not in industry, how do you gain industry-valued skills and meet people to network with? There are actually a number of avenues available to you in your workgroup, department and on campus:

• Assess your skills and plan your career using an annual Individual Development Plan (IDP)
• Attend events and workshops by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA), Career Services, and Postdoc Association of Colorado (PAC)
• Participate on departmental or institutional planning committees, such as the PAC
• Start a team-based research project with other trainees in your workgroup
• Read skill development articles on the OPA and Career Services websites,
• Check out professional meet ups and organizations in your area like the Academia Industry Alliance

Regardless of your ultimate career path, taking the time to plan and develop your skills will be beneficial and contribute to your professional success as a well-rounded individual.

To learn more about the nonacademic application and hiring process, join your fellow postdocs and grad students at the Acing your Nonacademic Application Q&A session with hiring professionals from the industry sector.

Acing your Nonacademic Application
Tuesday, April 4^th
9:00 – 10:00 AM
SEEC C120
RSVP Here
Bagels and coffee will be provided

Learn more

Career Trends Booklets (free download): Developing Your Skills, Transferring Your Skills and Building Relationships

Eight things that are more important for success than intelligence

Put Your Science to Work: The Take-Charge Career Guide for Scientists

¹Sauerman and Roach (2012) Science PhD Career Preferences: Levels, Changes, and Advisor Encouragement. PLoS One 7(5): 1-9. Open Access.