PhD students and postdocs spend years developing deep scientific expertise, critical thinking, and independence. They write, present, supervise, and manage projects. Yet one skill is rarely taught: how to prepare for a career after their PhD. Many early-career researchers postpone career thinking until the final months of their project, when stress is high and options feel limited. Others assume they must choose between ‘academia or industry’, unaware of the many other meaningful options – and how to explore them strategically.

These ten tips help you approach your career preparation with the same curiosity, structure, and realism you bring to your research.

1. Start earlier than you think

Career exploration shouldn’t start when your contract is about to end. The best time is when you still have space to explore without pressure. Begin small: update your CV and LinkedIn profile twice a year, make a list of your growing skills, and reach out for informal chats with people who’ve taken different paths. Block one hour a week for ‘career maintenance’ – reading, reflecting, or connecting. Treat it as an experiment, with your own future as the research topic.

2. Map what’s truly out there

Beyond ‘academia’ and ‘industry’, there’s a wide landscape: policy, science communication, consultancy, education, entrepreneurship, (government) research institutes, teaching, sales, or marketing. Look up alumni from your department and see where they ended up. Patterns will emerge – regulatory affairs, data science, innovation management, R&D leadership, or intellectual property. Once you visualize the full map, your options become concrete rather than abstract.

3. Understand what an academic career really entails

If you’re considering staying in academia, make sure you understand what it actually involves. Talk to assistant, associate, and full professors about the realities of funding applications, committee work, teaching, and supervision. Ask how much time they truly spend on research. These conversations help you distinguish whether you’re motivated by the science itself or by the academic lifestyle – two very different things.

4. Don’t overlook ‘alt-ac’ roles

If you like the academic environment but not the constant pressure to publish, explore ‘alternative academic’ roles. Research project manager, lab coordinator, grant officer, junior lecturer, or science communicator – these paths let you stay close to research while focusing on coordination, communication, organization, or education.

5. Learn to read job titles in industry

Industry job titles often hide more than they reveal. A ‘Scientist’, ‘Analytical Scientist’, and ‘R&D Specialist’ may do similar work, while a ‘Project Manager’ could mean anything from laboratory coordination to corporate strategy. Read the responsibilities behind each title. Compare multiple ads for the same role to spot differences. When you encounter terms like GxP, translational, or agile, note them down and learn what they mean. You’ll start to understand which environments fit your background – and which don’t.

6. Translate your skills into professional language

Employers rarely care about your thesis topic, but they value how you worked. Instead of ‘published three papers’, say ‘managed a 3-year collaborative research project across two labs.’ Replace ‘supervised students’ with ‘trained and mentored junior researchers’. Translate your experience into transferable skills: project management, mentoring, stakeholder communication, problem-solving under uncertainty. Speaking the same language as hiring managers will be needed to land an interview.

7. Use LinkedIn as a learning tool

Search for people with roles that intrigue you — for instance, ‘R&D Scientist at DSM-Firmenich’ or ‘Technology Transfer Officer at TU Delft.’ Check their backgrounds: which degrees, experiences, and courses led them there? Follow their activity to understand how they communicate about science and business. LinkedIn can also reveal which skills or certifications repeatedly appear in roles you find appealing. LinkedIn is also a great tool to reach out to people having a job role you’re interested it (see tip #9).

8. Use artificial intelligence to clarify

Treat large language models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) as your free job coach. LLMs can help you unpack job descriptions, find your ideal job role, help you use adequate terminology on your CV, or generate questions for interviews. You can ask: ‘What are the typical tasks of a “Regulatory Affairs Specialist” in pharma?’, ‘What technical and transferrable skills are expected from a junior data scientist with a chemistry background?’, or ‘Is Senior Scientist an entry-level role for a PhD graduate?’. This is especially helpful if approaching people feels intimidating – AI can help you prepare before reaching out.

9. Make networking small and concrete

See networking as building genuine professional relationships with your peers, with the aim to strengthen your network. You can start online: message a professional with a short note (‘I’m a PhD in bioanalytical chemistry exploring industry roles — could I ask you one question about your transition?’). Most won’t reply; a few will. Some will also accept to have a(n online) coffee chat with you. Remember – those people are humans, too, and they probably got help at some point of their career, too! In person, talk to company representatives at conferences. They expect questions and appreciate curiosity. Ask about their daily tasks or what skills they wish they had learned earlier.

10. Take ownership of your professional development

Don’t assume your supervisor will initiate career discussions — most won’t. Ask if part of your project’s training budget can support a course on communication, leadership, or data analysis. Consider a few sessions with a career coach if you need clarity. If you are part of a consortium, check whether they organize career sessions. Join those, even if they seem unrelated. Every exposure helps refine what doesn’t fit, which is as valuable as discovering what does.

Conclusion

Exploring your next career step can feel overwhelming, especially after years spent focusing on your research. But you don’t need to figure everything out at once. Start with small actions – a conversation, a LinkedIn search, a short reflection. Each step gives you more clarity and confidence.

Your PhD hasn’t boxed you in; it’s given you the ability to think critically, solve complex problems, and learn fast – qualities that are valued everywhere. You’ve already done something difficult. Now it’s about using that same curiosity and discipline to design a career that feels right for you – one that matches not only your skills, but also your values and energy.