Are industry employers wary of employing PhDs?

It entirely depends on the company and the industry. Some companies (e.g. Tessella) have a large number of PhDs in their team and seek them out. This is why doing some research using LinkedIn, your own contacts etc. can be useful to identify companies where other PhDs have gone to work, and the teams they work in within those companies. That would tell me that if there are PhDs already working in that team, then the hiring managers understand what a PhD gives you and are pro-hiring PhDs.

Employers will also be wary if you don’t tailor your application well, explain why this job is the next conscious step for you, and how you can help the company achieve its goals. Depending on the role they may fear that the role may not challenge you and that you’ll move on after 6 months; but if you can really show them that you understand the job, that this is a conscious career choice for you and that you’re committed to it, you can challenge this wary-ness.

In short, if you expect your CV to speak for itself on your CV and don’t unpack it and translate it well into skills the employer is interested in, yes, they will be wary. But if you do a good job of expressing your motivation and understanding of the industry, they are much less likely to be wary.

If you believe this report from the CIHE from 2010, then employers may also be wary that people who have spent longer in academia are less likely to be able to see the ‘bigger picture’ and may have a narrow focus; linked to this they may have questions around commercial awareness. Again, these are relatively easy things to remedy by being well read-up on the industry you’re entering and knowing what the main issues and challenges in that industry are, and understanding the jobs you are going for and showing how you can help the company achieve what it wants to achieve. That of course, requires research on the company and ideally informational interviews with people already working there. 

When is the ideal time during your PhD to start career planning?

I’m of the opinion that career is always happening. It never starts or stops, because career has no ultimate end goal for many people. We move and change and evolve. You are constantly finding out what you like and don’t like, what environments you like and which ones you don’t. Discovering this IS career planning. As is trying out new things, extending your network and learning about yourself. You just need to think about it more consciously. Start thinking about this as early as you can. What bits of yourself do you like using every day in your work? What kinds of people use these bits of themselves and what jobs do they have/ where do they work? Try as early as you can to seek out opportunities and put yourself in positions where you can learn these things about yourself. If you leave this exploration until your last few months, that’s really quite late and you risk ‘impulse’ job searching without having done any work on what you actually want from your next steps. One of my favourite career theorists once said that when it comes to ‘career planning,’ ‘we don’t plan and execute, we hypothesise and test,’ and the sooner you can start ‘testing’ your ideas by trying things out, the better. 

If you’re a Birmingham PGR, this course talks you through a process for career planning beyond academia.

If, however, your question is more ‘when should I start applying for jobs,’ this entirely depends on your financial and personal situation. But if you don’t want a gap between finishing the PhD and starting a job, I’d say at least 6 months before you’re due to finish is a good time to start. Employers may sometimes wait for the right candidate. You need to weigh up what’s feasible for you, e.g. would you be happy to balance a job and writing up, do you want a break post-PhD etc.

Would you suggest focussing all applications in the same field (e.g. post-doc), or diversifying across a number of fields (e.g. RA, post-doc, industry)?

This depends on your priorities and what you want. If you are looking for an approach where you don’t narrow yourself down and you want to pursue your interests in a range of different sectors, go for it. Your first job won’t be forever, and some people just want to ‘get into something’ so they can get some experience and feel their way around from there. Just remember that it will take more research because you will need to sell yourself convincingly to a range of different audiences, so you’ll need to be learning how to do that and translating your skills and CV accordingly for your different audiences.

It also depends on how competitive the industries are that you are looking at and how the job markets are currently doing in those industries. If the answers to these questions are 'very’ and ‘not so good,’ then having a plan b, plan c etc. is very useful in the current climate. 

Also, know yourself. Don’t apply for postdocs just because ‘you feel like you should’: work out what you want to get from your next step and which of these options are most likely to help you get that.

Does the UoB PGR Careers team offer one on one career advice/support?

Yes, for all current Birmingham students and all graduates for up to 2 years after graduation. Please email careersenquiries@contacts.bham.ac.uk to find out more or request a 1:1 meeting/email support.

What additional qualifications/experience would you recommend for your career path? Is a PhD in Psychology sufficient (as Hollys PhD is in English Literature)? 

 

A Psychology PhD will be a great basis, but if you want to do a guidance role (e.g. 1:1 guidance with students etc.) then you often need a guidance qualification, such as the one I completed. That said, there are also roles in Careers Services (e.g. employer engagement, placements and work experience) where you wouldn't need this qualification (but these don't involve 1:1 work with students).

 

In an interview you'll have to do a 'mock' guidance appointment with a student: so if you have any counselling training and know how to contract, establish working alliance etc. you could get in without the guidance qualification and your employer might even then pay for you to do it! So depend on your background and experience.

 

What is the most important thing you would advise young researchers to focus on in order to progress their career in science?

Know yourself, know which bits of yourself you want to be using every day in a job, and know your options. I’m unsure if this question is specifically asking about academic science, or scientific roles more broadly. 

What are the biggest barriers that PhD researchers face after finishing their PhD?

1. Confidence. Thinking that all you can do is research in your particular specialism. You are so much more than your PhD! You are good at a whole host of stuff, even if a focus on academic outputs and metrics has at times made you feel otherwise. Linked to this is not having had the time, space and guidance to think about how those things you’re good at might make you an asset to different kinds of employers.
2. Having exclusively academic networks, especially if they are interested in working in industry. Connections with people in industries you’re interested in are so important to help you understand the structural differences between academia and industry and help you understand how to translate your academic experience into skills and language that industry employers understand.
3. Rejection. Having achieved something as difficult and admirable as a PhD, getting rejections from job applications can be very disheartening and disorienting. Often though, there are a range of tricks (be it in how you write your applications, how you target your job search and where you are looking) that can help with this.

What types of extracurricular activities are most valued by employers?

In short: any that can help you demonstrate the skills that they are looking for, and be explicit about this, e.g. if an employer is looking for teamwork, sports or other team competitions can be good evidence of this. If an employer is looking for communication skills, and you’ve run play activities for refugee children with limited English, then that’s going to be a bonus. If an employer is looking for a passion for the arts and you’ve been part of a music group… and so on.

Anything that is a bit different and can make you stand out is worth it too. I once looked at a CV twice because the person mentioned that they had taken circus-skills workshops and performed as a juggler. I know some recruiters who read CVs backwards, so interesting extracurricular stuff at the end can be useful!

What are the best resources to start looking for a job in the UK (e.g. specific websites, career events)?

It really depends on what types of jobs you’re looking for! It’s difficult to answer generally. It also depends on whether you need a Tier 2 visa, which the ‘in the UK’ part perhaps suggests? 

If you’re looking for a list of sector specific job boards I have one here under job hunting links and resources -> Sector-specific job hunting links and resources: https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/employability/careers/postgraduate/pgt/finding-jobs.aspx   

But I would say your very best resource are other people. Networking and making contacts in your industry who can let you know about jobs that AREN’T advertised. 

Is publication record the 'be all and end all' for a successful career in academia?

We did some research with senior academics from 22 different universities asking what they look for when they hire new researchers. They said: 'The important aspect would be to show a continued and increasing output. I would expect to see first authorship on at least a proportion of papers, including papers from the PhD, and then from postdoctoral research. I would hope to see at least some of the papers in top journals in the topic area, ideally those where the potential candidate is first author.'

That said, not everyone has publications straight out of PhD: if you don't, in your application it helps to explain why and indicate what publications you have planned.

So in short, if you have a great publication record, but you don't come across as enthusiastic and someone who has really done their research and can articulate what you can bring to the lab/project/department, then the publications on their own won't 'win' it for you. But if you have a strong profile overall, strong cover letter and can show evidence of being REF-able, that's a good position to be in.

If you're a current PGR/staff member at Birmingham, you can explore recorded sessions and resources in our Careers in Academia Canvas course.

Are industry employers wary of employing PhDs?

Depends on the position. Many industry employers choose PhD candidates, in a variety of fields. 

When is the ideal time during your PhD to start career planning?

Day 1. Have clear goals, even if the goal include unknowns. Be curious but be also strategic throughout your studies. 

Would you suggest focussing all applications in the same field (e.g. post-doc), or diversifying across a number of fields (e.g. RA, post-doc, industry)?

I would try to diversify. If anything, to know what your possibilities are.

What motivated you to expand your research beyond academia?

Curiosity, push from College, alternative funding avenues, real-world impact.

What are some things that academia could teach to business environments and what are some things that academia could learn from business environment? 

Good question that I've also been pondering with, but in the end I don't think they should change, actually. They are based on different premises and both have their own set of long-term goals. Collaboration happens somewhat already in research centres and privately-fund research institutions. 

What is the financial difference between being occupied at University and at a Company like Oculus?

Well... Let's just say that the difference is substantial. 

What are the challenges from moving from academia to industry? Was it easy to transfer?

I encourage all colleagues to try before jumping. I was one of the lucky few able to keep my feet in both boats.

There are trade-offs we are accustomed to in academia that are completely imbalanced in industry. I guess that performance-based reviews would not be pleasing for some of my colleagues. The highest risk in the first year is burnout. Another tough aspect for some academics is working in a large interdisciplinary team (it could be difficult to speak and understand languages adopted in other scientific fields). This lack of complete understanding, together with change in priorities, and quick pace give a level of uncertainty that can be somewhat uncomfortable. Not having my own office and working in a large environment was one of the strangest aspects for me.

What is your educational background? Was your education enough for the job or did you look for/needed extra training e.g. online courses, summer schools? 

I undertook several training courses related to management and leadership while at Oculus (interviewing, managing difficult conversations, implicit bias, to mention a few). 

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 Did you all anticipate (at the end of your PhD) staying in academia for the length of your career? If yes, why do you think that is?

Yes, I did anticipate staying in academia, mostly because I liked it and felt that it would be fulfilling long term career, and partly because I didn’t know what other career paths were open to me.

What would you say are the pros & cons of working in industry in comparison to working in academia?

Pros: my work time is better regulated/monitored in industry than it was in academia, so I think I work fewer hours (but I don’t work less hard) in industry but a con of that is that it is less flexible with respect to exactly what hours I work and when I can take holidays. My work is usually very clearly defined and I have clear tasks and goals, I find this a pro but I know other colleagues who came from academia who find this an annoying constraint, they miss the creative side of academic work.

Do your companies provide training for employees to learn new knowledge/skills?

Yes, we can apply for funds each year to take courses or attend workshops etc. I work for a small company so there isn’t a structured professional development programme like you might find in a large company, but there is certainly the opportunity to learn new things.

Is the difference between the work environment of academia and that of industry exaggerated? Or is it really a completely different world?

I don’t think there’s a simple answer to that… I think it depends on the company/industry and the type of job. For me it was like a different world – more structure to an average day, more accountability on a daily basis (not just when you have publish a paper or write up your grant report). I’m lucky that the company I work for is small and has a great working atmosphere so it still feels informal and friendly.

What is your typical day at work like?

I don’t really have a typical day since my tasks are so varied. I write a lot of emails and have a lot of calls – to colleagues, end users, cooperation partners, other businesses. I also have a lot of meetings. I think those things are the constants in most work days. The rest of the time can be writing, analysing data, working on R&D projects etc.

Did you look for jobs that focused on your specific PhD research area during your job search or look more broadly from the start?

I wasn’t specifically looking for a job in industry, I was applying for academic positions at the same time. I saw this job advertised and it was such a good fit to my research background (not specifically PhD since I worked as a researcher for 8 years after my PhD). If I was looking for a job in industry right after my PhD I would say cast your net wide to start with, you never know where you will find the right job. It’s surprising how many skills you gain from your PhD, and you can apply those skills in areas not directly related to your research topic.

Are industry employers wary of employing PhDs?

In my experience, generally they are positive about people with PhDs because they are aware of the value of such a degree. I think employers are only wary when the candidate is not convincing about the desire to leave academia. We have had a few candidates who have talked so much about their research and have a very academic-focussed approach to the interview process and this can ring alarm bells. In fact we took a chance on such a candidate that subsequently left after 10 months to take an academic job. Obviously it’s totally fine to be unsure and to explore options, but just be aware that if you are not convinced yourself that you want to leave academia it could be difficult to convince a potential employer.

When is the ideal time during your PhD to start career planning?

At the beginning! Always take opportunities for skill and career development. In terms of starting to look for jobs, I would say during the final year. Be aware that a lot of employers won’t consider you if you are still a long way from submitting, they don’t want to you to have this still to do when you start your new job.

Would you suggest focussing all applications in the same field (e.g. post-doc), or diversifying across a number of fields (e.g. RA, post-doc, industry)?

It depends what you want to do… If you are not sure apply for anything that looks interesting for you. When I decided to leave my previous job I was also applying for academic jobs at the same time as industry jobs.

What are the biggest barriers that PhD researchers face after finishing their PhD, in your opinion?

There doesn’t seem to be enough jobs for such highly qualified people! You will have to compete with a lot of other PhDs for most positions. Being too focused on your own research topic can be a barrier that you create yourself – it narrows the jobs available to you (especially in industry, not so much for post-doc, obviously), look a little wider than your research topic.

What types of extracurricular activities are most valued by employers, in your opinion?

I don’t think there is a clear answer to this, your extracurricular activities should be something that really interests you. Your enthusiasm and commitment to something that you genuinely love doing will come across when you talk about it and this will create a good impression with employers – rather than choosing something that just ticks a box.

What are some things that academia could teach to business environments and what are some things that academia could learn from business environments?

Business could learn to allow employees a bit more space and freedom to pursue projects and topics that interest them, rigid approaches can stifle creativity. Academia could learn a bit about providing a supportive working environment.

What are the challenges from moving from academia to industry? Was it easy to transfer?

It depends on the job you take. But be prepared to have to work to deadlines, be accountable for your work, usually there will be little academic freedom (you probably won’t choose what projects you work on).

What is your educational background? Was your education enough for the job or did you look for/needed extra training e.g. online courses, summer schools? 

I didn’t need extra training, but I came to industry after working for 8 years rather than straight after my PhD so I had already acquired a variety of skills and experiences that are valuable to the company I work for and the job that I do.

Did you anticipate (at the end of your PhD) staying in academia for the length of your career? If yes, why do you think that is?

Yes, I thought I was going to be an academic for life. I did Research Associate and Teaching Associate roles and then didn’t get a Lecturing role I applied for. That made me think about whether I really loved academia and I realised I did not deeply enjoy publishing articles. So, I decided to look for a job elsewhere. 

What would you say are the pros & cons of working in industry in comparison to working in academia?

That’s a big question and will depend on your individual situation. But I’ll give a brief answer based on my experience:

Pros:

• You can get promoted quickly if you work hard and find yourself in the right situation (right company, mentor to support development);
• The money is better;
• More frequent opportunity to travel;
• The pace of work is faster. More short term work rather than long research projects;
• You can probably work less hours than in academia (though that may harm career prospects).

Cons:

• Less freedom to choose what to do. I have to deliver what my client asks for (mostly);
• Day trips to other cities in England are an expectation and can happy 2-3 times per week;
•  I miss the periodisation of an academic year (e.g. new students and classes in September, terms to break up the year).

Do your companies provide training for employees to learn new knowledge/skills?

Yes, lots of e-learning is available. Very little face to face training anymore. However, you can secure this type of training if it benefits you and business. In a previous role I was sent on Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training for 2 weeks. There’s always opportunity to learn (e.g. reading HBR) but unless you can link to a piece of client work you have to do so in your own time. 

Is the difference between the work environment of academia and that of industry exaggerated? Or is it really a completely different world?

It’s not a completely different world. It’s just that the behaviours are different. Academia is slower paced, with more detailed and deliberate thinking. Industry is faster and not so focused on perfection (not letting good be the enemy of great).   

What is your typical day at work like?

Typical hours are 08:00 to 17:30 with some breaks. What I’m actually doing depends on client work. Yesterday I created a matrix showing what work people give and get to increase collaboration. Next week I’m facilitating a virtual workshop. Essentially, it’s leading workshops (basically presenting information and guiding discussions) or creating products that will help clients perform better. Oh, and lots of conference video calls. I collaborate on loads of elements of my work. A busy conference call day is 6-7 hours, a normal day is 3-4 hours. 

Did you look for jobs that focused on your specific PhD research area during your job search or look more broadly from the start?

I thought about all the transferrable skills that I had and then started searching on that basis. A search for motivation and performance brought up far too many options to be useful. If you can apply your transferrable skills to a few roles that you can search for that will make your life easier. Even better if your specific area of research is a skill set that the market is looking for. Searching is the most difficult part (lots of volume of data to comb through and lots of rejections). It’s great when you get interviews and you get to talk to people and share your skills though.

 Are industry employers wary of employing PhDs?

Not in consultancy. It adds legitimacy to the service you’re offering. Some people may be intimidated by your intelligence and knowledge. If that’s the case you don’t want to work for them anyway. 

When is the ideal time during your PhD to start career planning?

6-9 months before you aim to finish. It’s a balance between knowing it will take a few months to find the right thing and also being available for the organisation at a few months notice. Don’t be afraid of applying for roles with some of your PhD left to finish. You may be able to negotiate some of your work time (e.g. 1 day per week) to finish your PhD. 

Would you suggest focussing all applications in the same field (e.g. post-doc), or diversifying across a number of fields (e.g. RA, post-doc, industry)

That depends on the number of opportunities that are available. If there’s more than 10 in each field and you have a preference for a field then focus on that. If opportunities are more limited you may have to diversify. Be conscious of your choice because the different field may require different approach to job applications and it will take quite a while to customise your application materials. 

What are the biggest barriers that PhD researchers face after finishing their PhD, in your opinion?

Getting your next job. Often securing that first job is a challenge. After that it gets easier because you have an income and have been through the process.

 What types of extracurricular activities are most valued by employers, in your opinion?

Whatever extracurricular activities it is that you do. Employers just want to learn a little about you. Provided it’s a hobby or activity that’s interesting or shows you in a positive light, include it in your CV. In my CV it says I want to live until I’m 100 so exercise and eat (mostly healthy food), I love listening to podcasts (Revisionist History, Work Life and Around the NFL) and that I like to escape rooms. 

What are the best resources to start looking for a job in the UK (e.g. specific websites, career events)?

The best resource you have is your personal network. It’s so much easier to get a job if you know someone at the organisation. I didn’t have a good network when finishing my PhD so used various jobs sites. LinkedIn is my go to place. Other search engines (Indeed, TotalJobs) are good too. There are academic specific sites but I’ve forgotten them (it’s been 8 years since I used them!).

What are some things that academia could teach to business environments and what are some things that academia could learn from business environments?

Great question. There are loads that they can learn from each other. I think your value is being able to take academic knowledge and translate that into something people in business are interested in and will use. Remember that most people stop looking in academic sources as soon as they leave uni. For some people that’s 20 years! 

What are the challenges from moving from academia to industry? Was it easy to transfer?

I think it’s more about finding an organisation that fits your values, does a type of work that interests you, and that works in a way that suits you. If you can satisfy all three of these conditions you will thrive in that environment. 

What is your educational background? Was your education enough for the job or did you look for/needed extra training e.g. online courses, summer schools?

Feel free to check out my LinkedIn profile, it’s all on there. I didn’t need additional qualifications for my first few jobs but when I wanted to start consultancy I did need to complete a course. However, the organisation was willing to pay for that and give me work time to complete the training. That training came after I’d been doing the role for 3-6 months so I learned a huge amount on the job as well. My advice is don’t be discouraged from applying for something just because you don’t have everything it asks for. Apply if you meet most of the criteria and be keen to learn the rest. 

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At ONS, are PhD graduates as employable/more employable than undergraduates/Masters when applying for graduate schemes?

Our graduate scheme (Research Officer) is open to all graduates who meet the minimum entry requirements - To apply, you’ll need to be working towards or have completed one of the following:

• A minimum 2:1 degree in a social science related subject with more than 30% social research methods content
• A 2:2 degree with a relevant postgraduate qualification in social research methods

 Further information about entry requirements can be found in ONS application information. Find out more about Government Social Research Profession.

Are there any other ways of entry into the ONS other than Social Researcher Scheme?

Here is a link to the profession pages on the gov.uk website, along with a link to the careers page of the ONS website.

We recruit for the following analytical professions:

• Government Statistical Service
• Government Operational Research
• Government Economics Service

And the ONS Data Science Campus holds regular recruitment for data scientists

All our recruitment activity is advertised on the Civil Service website – you can set up alerts to notify you of our recruitment rounds 

Would a PhD getting hired at the ONS start on an entry level salary? If so why are PhD skills not recognized in salary scales?

Entry to the Government Social Research profession does not differentiate between undergraduate and post graduate qualifications within the salary scales – all entrants start on the same salary. However, if during your PhD you have the opportunity to develop social research project management and leadership skills and are able to demonstrate evidence of these, you may be eligible for entry at Senior Research Officer level. 

Is there more demand for opportunities within ONS as a result of the recent pandemic?

Yes – the need for reliable data, analysis and statistics to understand the pandemic and inform evidence-based decision making has never been more important. As a response to the pandemic ONS established new surveys to collect data about the impact of COVID-19 on society, the economy and to monitor the infection rate, as well as producing new insightful analysis – the impact on ONS is that we need to maintain and grow our analytic workforce.

Which statistics programs does ONS favour? I want to expand my skill set beyond SPSS and wondered which program you recommended.

ONS uses a variety of statistical packages, including SPSS. However, R and Python are increasingly the most used packages. 

When completing research for ONS, are there opportunities to get more involved with changing government policy? If so how?

ONS is a non-Ministerial department and therefore does not have a policy remit. ONS’ role is to provide independent, trusted statistics to be used for decision-making by Government and society – as such our data plays a key role in policy decision-making. 

A career as a Government Social Researcher can take you across Government and there are opportunities, in other departments, for you to be in a GSR role at the heart of policy making.

 If your back ground is not in social science but in Physics. Are there any jobs at ONS for data analysis roles?

Yes – with a background in Physics, you would be eligible to apply to join the following analytical professions:

• Government Operational Research
• Government Statistical Service
• Data Scientist – look for recruitment opportunities in our Data Science Campus 

What do you think are the most important things to do within the first few months of starting a new role outside of academia to "hit the ground running"?

Ask lots of questions! Don’t be afraid to question why and admit if you need training/support/help. Find out how your role fits in with (a) your wider business area; and (b) the organisation as a whole. 

What would you say are the most critical skills that one should develop in preparation for their post-PhD career?

Think about the skills that you have developed that are adaptable to a non-academic career – how you can demonstrate evidence of work-related skills. For example, how can you show your leadership skills? Your ability to work effectively within a team? Your ability to think critically, evaluate and prove that you make evidence-led decisions? 

What is your typical day at work like?

I manage a team of 20 to lead the reporting and monitoring of the UK position against the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As a senior manager I spend much of my day in meetings – speaking to internal and external stakeholders about access to data, creating new analyses, and collaborative working towards sourcing new reporting opportunities etc. My role is varied and I could be doing any of the following in a day: proof read and sign off analysis and reports written by my team; involved in developing innovative methodological projects – for example working with the ONS Data Science Campus to develop a means of using satellite imagery to monitor bio-diversity and another to consider how we can assure quality in relation to use of external data sources; respond to official queries and Parliamentary reports and commissions; and as GSR deputy Head of Profession, take a lead in professional recruitment and the GSR community – often meeting with members to discuss career development etc.

What is your educational background? Was your education enough for the job or did you look for/needed extra training e.g. online courses, summer schools?

My background is sociology – my undergraduate degree met the eligibility criteria for GSR. Additional training is available: social research, statistics and general managerial courses, etc. I have taken a number of these to build my skills in different areas. I also studied part-time for a MSc in Social Research in my early career – funded and supported by ONS. Continual learning and development is encouraged and supported at ONS – including opportunities offered to study for formal qualifications.

Any career advice given the current climate (Covid)? Will there will be a difference in funding opportunities/career opportunities in your sector?

The pandemic has shown how vital timely and relevant data is to ensure the government has insightful information to guide decision making – to maintain our ability to respond effectively we are continuing to recruit analysts across all of the government professions.  

Would individuals with a PhD in Psychology have a disadvantage in getting a job at Tessella than someone with a Physics/Neuroscience PhD?
Tessella don't look specifically for those with PhDs in a particular set of fields, but rather those with good problem solving, numerical & communication skills who get the scientific approach to things.  We do expect candidates to have some programming ability, but more along the lines of "I used python to do some interesting data analysis" rather than expecting that to be a primary skill.

Are there any courses or additional education, you would suggest for typical neuroscience PhDs with a Psychology background (apart from Python/Matlab/R)?
I think the key thing is to make sure that you are comfortable with at least one programming language, and know how to manipulate, analyse and plot data with it. For python, this would mean getting familiar with pandas, matplotlib, and maybe some of the simpler bits of sklearn.  If you wanted to go further, then I'd suggest taking a look at one of the online courses on machine learning as that will help fill in the theoretical understanding.  Andrew Ng's one is good.
Of course, there's nothing to stop you diving into deep learning,  but I've found that a large part of actually getting value from data science is understanding the data, getting it in the form you need for your analysis, and being able to convey the results in an effective, understandable way.

Does Tessella hire new people every year? Is that at particular times of the year or as and when they need them?
Tessella are typically recruiting all year round.

What do you think are the most important things to do within the first few months of starting a new role outside of academia to "hit the ground running"?
I think the most important thing is to ask questions. You're not always expected to find the answer yourself, so don't be afraid to ask questions, and do flag up anything that you are having trouble with.  

Your job seems to involve a lot of client interaction/sales. This is not something we typically have experience of during a PhD. How did you find this?
My job at present involves a fair bit of client interaction, as I am working as part of a client's team.  At the start of my career however, there was a lot less of this.  The client interaction and sales support aspects were something that I got gradually more involved in often doing so along side a more experienced colleague. My involvement in sales was more along the lines of "Here's the problem the client has, come up with some ideas for what we could do", rather than actual sales.

What is an entry level for data science roles at Tessella, would that depend on skills?
What you end up doing in Tessella is typically determined by a combination of your skills, your interests, and what work is available.  At entry level this will typically involve working as part of a team along side more experienced colleagues.

Is it typical to discuss a future salary during the job interview?
Good question. I recall briefly discussing it in one of the interviews. When I joined there was a telephone interview and an in person interview;  given the situation the process is being revised to work remotely.

What would you say are the most critical skills that one should develop in preparation for their post-PhD career?
I think that varies by individual. I found that one of the things that helped me was adopting a solid organisational system, so that I kept on top of all the tasks coming my way.  I think that answer would be different for everyone however.

Is the difference between the work environment of academia and that of industry exaggerated? Or is it really a completely different world?
Thinking back to when I joined Tessella, the move didn't seem that jarring as there were some elements that were quite familiar. Having worked embedded in several client companies now, I would say that it depends on the company.  Some have had a very academic feeling environment, others very much not. One of the big factors I have found is the size of the company; large commercial organisations  have a very different feel.

What are the challenges from moving from academia to industry? (Was it easy to transfer?)
I found it a fairly easy transfer,  but that could be due to the company I work at not feeling too strange from an academic perspective.

Was your education enough for the job or did you look for/needed extra training e.g. online courses, summer schools?
Yes, my education was enough for the job; that said, I had a strong computer science focus to my undergraduate education. I think that it would have been fine even were that not the case; the time shortly after joining included a lot of internally run training courses which covered a lot of the "here is how to do data science in a professional environment" skills.

What are some things that academia could teach to business environments and what are some things that academia could learn from business environments?
I think that we are already seeing business benefit from learning from academia though data science, and taking that scientific approach to using data to gain understanding. On the other side, I think that the software engineering discipline that goes into professional analytics projects would be of benefit to some areas of academia; the focus on testing, validation, and general good practices helps a lot when it comes to taking a new discovery and getting it into actual use.

Any career advice given the current climate (Covid)? Will there will be a difference in funding opportunities/career opportunities in your sector?
The current Covid climate has had a big impact on the economy, and the data science field hasn't been immune to that. That said, it is a sector well-suited to remote working, and those companies which have a sufficiently broad spread of clients will be less hit by the current situation. Don't let the current situation stop you from looking at a career in this sector, but do have a think about what companies you are looking at and what sectors they are working in.  

• ONS - Government Social Researcher Info
• Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST) - funded three month internships for UKRI funded PhD students (2020-2021). Deadline 10th September 2020. 

Where are psychology research roles advertised?

• LinkedIn
• Guardian Jobs
• Research Job Finder
• Behavioural Economics Jobs

Specialist Recruiters

• Michael Page
• Hasson Associates
• Elizabeth Norman
• Research Talent Hub

Do you see your future in academia?  Where do you see your next steps?
Still not sure, at the moment I am currently looking at opportunities outside of academia as I would like to try something new. I would never entirely write off academia as a career though  

When is the ideal time during your PhD to start career planning?
I would say that it’s never too early to start thinking about your career, but that you should also try and enjoy your PhD for what it is, as you will likely not have the freedom that a PhD allows again. You can gain experience during your PhD in things that will strengthen your CV regardless of your career choices and then I would start applying for jobs about 4-6 months before handing in. 

In the time of the pandemic, are there any alternatives to conferences/approaching journal editors remotely? 
Lots of conferences are being held online currently and as a result are offering free admission for PhDs, so you could attend as many of these as you wanted. Another excellent way is to email journals offering your services for peer review as this has been a real struggle during the pandemic.  

What would you say are the most critical skills that one should develop in preparation for their post-PhD career? 
This depends entirely on where you see your career going, as different skills will be valued more in different fields. General skills like writing for publication/grants are always valuable. 

What is your typical day at work like? 
Very varied! What I would say, is that as a post-doc you will spend a lot of time doing the more boring jobs like filling out and submitting ethics applications, writing participant information sheets, project admin etc. so, this takes up a lot of my time. On the other hand, you will also be the person most likely to be collecting data, so in my case that means interacting with patients which I find really fascinating.  

You mention you have worked with people from a variety of backgrounds (not necessarily related) as postdocs are very competitive, could this be a disadvantage? 
I would say not really, a PhD is often seen as being like an apprenticeship, where you gain the relevant skills to carry out the job of being an academic. So long as you can evidence that you have the relevant skills for a job then you stand a good chance of at least being invited to interview. 

Any career advice given the current climate (Covid)? Will there be a difference in funding opportunities/career opportunities in your sector? 
I think that a lot of funding will be turning to the effects of the pandemic on different areas, so in my case, the ways it has affected mental health and addictions treatment provision. Academia has been somewhat insulted from these affects so at the moment I couldn’t recommend anything specific. 

What are the biggest barriers that PhD researchers face after finishing their PhD? 
Finding a job can be very competitive as there is a saturation of people with PhDs. Anything you can do to make yourself stand out from others in terms of skills and experience will really help you when it comes to applications.  

Top 3 mistakes to avoid when writing a grant application? 

1. Assuming too much knowledge on the part of the reviewer - don’t make people work too hard to understand what you’re trying to say
2. Overselling – don’t try and overstate the potential impacts of your research as this will be obvious to most reviewers and turn them off to the idea. Better to be honest about potential impact and potential value for future research as it’s more impressive to be able to actually deliver on what you promise.
3. Not having a plan – You need to show value for money, so you should be able to show where your planned research fits in with the current literature and your longer-term plans. What will the grant help achieve and what future work will it allow to take place? 

I’ve often been told not to apply for a grant after only just finishing the PhD as Postdocs who apply are more likely to be successful, do you agree with this? Or are there specific grants for PhD students who just finished their PhD? 
I think it’s more important to secure a job first. The grants that you will apply for after your PhD will be unlikely to fund your salary. Those that do will be for early career researchers, meaning you are up against people with far more experience. Once you have a job, then look for small pots of money that allow you build your research portfolio. 

When is the ideal time during your PhD to start career planning?

Tricky question, whereas some people would tell you to start preparing or job searching approximately 4 to 6 months prior to finishing your PhD, we have to recognise that is also the period when you must likely would be writing up your thesis and therefore likely to be more stressed and job searching is also a stressful period and that requires time (e.g. updating CV, filling in applications and attending interviews). Therefore I would say that is better to wait until the thesis has been submitted but prior to the Viva (so if you are receiving scholarship, plan ahead and save some money). This would give you a better perspective of what you want without the added pressure of the thesis, you would be able to apply with the PhD as completed and you will be able to provide more availability (i.e. earlier starting date) to your new employer, all of which are good selling points.

What would you say are the most critical skills that one should develop in preparation for their post-PhD career?

I think it totally depends on the area that you work with as this will define the practical skills you need. However regarding personal skills, I would say that communication and interpersonal skills are important and underrated in the academic world. We imagine academics only succeeding because of their amazing work in research, however, if we look closely, the majority of academic leads are also very good in making smart connections and collaborating with other researchers. I will add also teaching skills, as you most likely would need to supervise Masters or PhD students.

What is your typical day at work like?

My post-doc typical day and my new typical day in industry are quite similar due to the type of research I am involved with, but I recognise that these are not typical days for post-docs in research. My days usually have two or three meetings (mostly remotely), a lot of admin tasks (chasing finance, timelines, filling in templates, etc) and liaising with clients via email. The fun part is when I get to be active in projects such as interviewing patients or clinicians, arranging workshops with stakeholders or writing up findings from our results.

Any career advice given the current climate (Covid)? Will there will be a difference in funding opportunities/career opportunities in your sector?

I would say that proposals (or funding applications) need to present outside-the-box strategies such as delivering studies where most, if not all, activity can be done from a distance. I would expect (and current IMI funding backs this up) that research in artificial technology, remote assessments/interventions, etc would be receiving prioritisation at the moment.

What are the biggest barriers that PhD researchers face after finishing their PhD?

Not sure about the biggest, I guess this depends on everyone’s unique story. In my case I would say it was to learn all the new admin responsibilities that you have as official staff. Plus starting to pay taxes

Top 3 mistakes to avoid when writing a grant application?

Again, not sure if these are the top 3 but definitely important things to avoid are:

1. Not reading the instructions/requirements properly, EVERYTHING they write down should be covered in your application and understanding the wording used will help you to define the ‘language’ of your application;
2. Not engaging with the right people, do not underestimate the importance of feedback from your current team or of peer review, those providing reviews or feedback do not necessarily need to be professors, some of the PMs or CT coordinators in the team have really good experience in completing these complex forms and would be very good in giving advice;
3. Submitting an application at the last minute.  

What do you think are the most important things to do within the first few months of starting a new role outside of academia to "hit the ground running"?

Get your paperwork in order, understand which induction documents you need to get sorted (with HR) and do that first, otherwise you will struggle with time later on. Start meeting people and try to shadow others more experienced (in the company) while doing tasks that are standard for them but must certainly will be new for you. Do not sign up for too many things at the start, wait until you understand the processes well.

What are the challenges from moving from academia to industry? Was it easy to transfer?

For me the transfer from university to Evidera was not that difficult because I had been partly working with industry and following industry standards as part of my post-doc position, however these are points that definitively differ from academia and that can be a challenge at the start:

1. Getting used to working based on SOPs – in industry there are templates and SOPs for almost everything you do. On one side this facilitates processes but on the other it limits your initiative.
2. Timelines. I have been rushed to write full protocols within a week, whereas in academia it could have taken months to do the same thing.
3. The working hours, especially now with the current Covid situation, industry tends to have longer working days and less flexibility to take days off.
4. Interacting with others, whereas working with others and being a team member can be a good thing (it is for me at least), it is definitely a challenge at the start when you come from academia where you learn to do almost everything yourself. In industry there is almost someone specific for everything and understanding who you need to approach for each thing/task takes time. Plus, you need to rely on others to do things that you might otherwise (think you) could have done yourself.

Does Evidera provide training for employees to learn new knowledge/skills?

Yes they do. Mostly industry provides continuous training to their employers. However it does not necessarily mean training on things you like to learn but mostly things you need to learn. For example using a new software, time tracking, finance forecasting, etc. Your company needs to prove that they provide you with the necessary tools for you to do your work, so don’t worry about that, it is always fair to say that you are not an expert on something that is very specific of the company that you are applying for. Sell the point that you are an avid and quick learner and that you always found interesting that particular ‘thing’.

• The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) - Become a Peer Reviewer
• Publons Publication Tracker
• Careers at Evidera

When is the ideal time during your PhD to start career planning?
This very much depends upon what sort of career path you are thinking of, and many people now have several paths and changes in interest. It should however be a continuous process and during your PhD is an ideal time to get further skills – focusing on skills which can have relevance outside of your specific PhD subject interest, outreach etc.

What do you miss about academia?
I’m fortunate that my role is actually very academic – but I do miss the teaching aspects although I do quite a lot of training. The biggest change is not having your own research which you have sole control over. We have to support and work with many groups and get their research to succeed.

Do you have chances to grow professionally and advance position?
Absolutely – but like most careers it does mean ultimately changing roles, and being a global company, relocation opportunities. You can progress up to most roles – common ones product development, marketing, product leads but that takes you further from the science so it depends what aspects of the jobs are most important to you. I like customer interaction and scientific research so I have decided to stay in the clinical science pathway. Professional development is an important factor and we support that both internally and with external opportunities.

Does your company provide training for employees to learn new knowledge/skills?
Absolutely - Professional development is an important factor and we support that both internally and with external opportunities. 

Is the difference between the work environment of academia and that of industry exaggerated? Or is it really a completely different world?
The pressures are different but present in both. My role is quite academic despite being in industry. I think the biggest surprise is time scales – academic projects are often quite short with quick outcomes and move on to a new problem; industrial projects can take a long time to bring to market – we plan about 8 years ahead for product introductions. I think in our industry it is much more team based and requires much more co-ordination between large groups of people as medical devices are highly regulated and complex. Different industries will have different takes on this however.

Are industry employers wary of employing PhDs?
Not at all – with the one caveat that the person needs to have a wider knowledge and skill set than just their PhD subject area. Having a PhD shows commitment to completion of a set of work, usually excellent analytical skills and often very good technical skills such as coding, analysis, data management etc.

What types of extracurricular activities are most valued by employers, in your opinion?
Mostly those which show skill development or wider group interactions. Outreach shows a commitment to communication and relevance to the wider community. Leaders of organisations or volunteering can demonstrate management, planning etc. The important aspect is to have evidence as to why the employer should consider that activity as relevant to both you and the role rather than it be just a fun/interesting activity.

What are the challenges from moving from academia to industry? (Was it easy to transfer?)
For me, extremely easy as the role was essentially exactly my skill set and involved interacting as a support scientist for many different research groups. It did involve a lot of travelling and being away from home, but at the time that was not an issue. Challenges were more about organisation interactions, working from home (before it was cool!) finding your place in the wider/global teams and being responsible for decision making at a higher level than my previous roles, and the differences in timescales which projects operate on.

What are some things that academia could teach to business environments and what are some things that academia could learn from business environments?
Academia has become much more business orientated over the last 10 years and so the skills and management have become much more similar. One of the reasons which academics are attractive to industrial employers is that people can have 3 -5 years of broad technical training which industry can’t replicate as the activities are more business lead but it’s a spectrum of needs. The other way, specifically looking at PhD level, I would love to see more PhD collaboration and team working within groups, rather than the primary relationship being supervisor-student as I think this way of working is more relevant to the industrial sector but this of course needs to be balanced by the requirement for the PhD to show individual contribution and “their research”. 

Any career advice given the current climate (Covid)? Will there will be a difference in funding opportunities/career opportunities in your sector?
This is going to be a big challenge both for industry and academia – there is going to be an economic impact from Covid19 which will extend for many years and may mean pauses in planned expansions and employment opportunities. At this point it is difficult to predict how this will evolve as it will depend on how quickly the economy recovers but also the market needs. As a healthcare industry this also has a double impact due to the requirements and changes in hospital usage but could also bring new opportunities, for example remote diagnostics and healthcare.

Any career advice given the current climate (Covid)? Will there will be a difference in funding opportunities? to what extent do you think the pandemic could affect the funding application and/or the reviewing process of grant proposals?

There have been changes in opportunities, with some deadlines being moved back and some schemes being made unavailable for this year - we have yet to see how this will change in the next academic year. Other than that, UKRI fellowships and other popular schemes have so far been relatively unaffected - the main change you might expect are longer timelines and later start dates for projects, so I'd ensure you leave plenty of time for gathering and submitting an application. 

Through the funders’ point of view, what would you say is the key factor that decides whether a grant application would be funded or not?

There's not really one 'key' factor - the priorities will vary from funder to funder. In the broadest sense, I think that the most successful proposals have a good narrative - they explain what you have done, why you're ready to do something new and exciting, and where both you and the research could go in the future. And of course, a great idea for a project - the potential of good research will shine through!

How can PhD researchers get grant writing experience during their PhD?

Often supervisors or colleagues in the School may be putting together projects that they may be happy for you to look at or help with - or even provide a review. You could also apply for a small grant internal to UoB, or a charity relevant to your area of research. For UoB students/colleagues, POD (People and Organisational Development) also offer a great course in Grant Writing which gives you an overview of common application sections and how to approach them. 

Top 3 mistakes to avoid when writing a grant application?

1. Not doing your homework on the funder and scheme you're applying to. If the project isn't within their remit, or you haven't paid attention to the sections they ask for, it will be quickly dismissed.
2. Not writing accessibly enough. Panels are made up of reviewers from lots of different backgrounds, and you need to engage everyone who reads it. 
3. Not using the help and resources available. Talk to colleagues and supervisors who have been through it before, get people to read your drafts (and not just friends - harsh reviews will strengthen the proposal!), read example applications, discuss the project and hone it rather than trying to construct an application alone. 

I’ve often been told not to apply for a grant after only just finishing the PhD as Postdocs who apply are more likely to be successful, do you agree with this? Or are there specific grants for PhD students who just finished their PhD?

For many ECR Fellowships, you are eligible to apply straight after your PhD. Often, schemes will specify that you must be 'within X years' of gaining your PhD - for example, 7 years. Those applying at the end of that spectrum will have had significantly more time to develop a portfolio and to position themselves to apply, but that does not mean that the panel wouldn't choose to fund someone straight after their PhD instead if the idea is solid. On the whole, I recommend waiting at least a year if possible to give yourself time to choose the right fellowship and position yourself as a competitive applicant, but that's really up to you. 

Does the Research Support Services offer one on one career advice/support for applying for postgraduate funding?

Yes! Do contact the team in the College of Life and Environmental Science if you would like to set up a 1-1 meeting. They will usually ask you to provide a CV, and then have a discussion about your aims and career and can talk through the funding options. (Please be aware that over the summer, team members may be away on annual leave, so please copy a Facilitator and an Administrator in your email.) You may also find these College of Arts and Law pages useful, which are put together by their research support office but have some general advice and examples as well.

• The College of Life and Environmental Science Research Support Office (RSO) (UoB only)
• The College of Arts and Law Grant Development and Research Support (UoB only)