Industry Job Search
Industry career paths
Data shows that the number of tenure-track faculty positions has decreased dramatically in recent years. Many students that are earning advanced degrees are looking into other job markets to find fulfilling careers. Some terms that mean similar things are “industry careers” or “alt-AC careers” (Alternative to Academic Careers).
Opportunities beyond the classroom
- Research and development
- Technology, programming, biotech
- Lab work, testing, quality assurance
- Conservation and environment
- Law, policy, patents
- Nonprofit, government, consulting
- Field scientist
- Entrepreneurship
- Writing, editing, publishing
- Teaching and instructional design
- Counseling and social work
- Marketing, PR, communications
- Business and finance
- HR, recruiting, training
Job search strategies
- Be proactive. Many companies hire from those who have interned with them or knows someone who works there
- Attend career fairs and build your network through events
- Make time for coffee or lunch with professionals to learn about their journey
- Update your LinkedIn profile and research your network’s connections
- Find job boards in your field of interest and track opportunities through weekly job alerts
Make your academic experience work for you in industry
From CV to resume
Most industry jobs require a resume and not a curriculum vitae (CV). It is important that you convert your CV into a one to two page resume tailored with keywords from the job description. The industry job market is very interested in learning about how you have utilized your knowledge. Do the work of connecting the job description with your skills, experiences and evidence of your knowledge that has come from your academic journey.
Tips for CV conversion
- Be concise, resumes are snapshots of your relevant experiences
- Industry resumes should be one to two pages
- Discuss your previous experiences in terms and language that employers seek – transferable skills and qualification keywords that are included in the job announcement
- Organize and prioritize sections and bullet points to reflect qualifications emphasized in the job description
Craft powerful experience statements
Describe your previous experiences using power or achievement statements that reflect your responsibilities, transferable skills and impact.
- Start with an action verb (ex. researched, communicated)
- Give context for the action (who, what, where, when, why)
- Include quantitative and qualitative details and metrics
- Finish with the impact or result of your actions
Learn about transferrable skills
Degrees represent only one of many requirements in job descriptions, hiring managers want to see transferable skills on application materials. It is your responsibility as the job seeker to explain how you have developed skills through your experience that make you qualified. Translate academic language into workplace skills by building awareness of your value and transferable competencies.
- Helpful tips
- Take stock of academic experiences and see what kind of transferable skills you have developed in the experiences you have had in teaching, research/field work, campus engagement, etc.
- Example: Data analysis and interpretation is project management, synthesizing of existing literature is communication, collaboration and leadership.
- Analyze your academic accomplishments at a more granular level to reveal specific skills. You might break down the elements of publishing research, mentoring students or organizing a conference
- Example: Break down the elements of publishing research, mentoring students, organizing a conference, etc.
- Peruse job listings in your discipline and take note of required skills. Try to make connections between those skills and academic skills you have developed.
- Example: “Teaching” might be referred to as “training and presentation skills” or “research” might be referred to as “analytical and critical thinking skills” in a job posting.
- Take stock of academic experiences and see what kind of transferable skills you have developed in the experiences you have had in teaching, research/field work, campus engagement, etc.
- Academic language translated into workplace skills
Language Skill Writing literature reviews Conducting in-depth research and synthesizing complex information Authoring papers for publication Communicating complex ideas clearly and concisely Defending your dissertation Public speaking and explaining technical concepts to broad audiences Advising students Coaching, mentoring and developing others Serving on departmental committees Project management and team collaboration Organizing academic conferences Event planning and logistics coordination Maintaining lab equipment Operations management and quality control Apply for grants/fellowships Marketing, proposal development and budgeting Giving guest lectures Curriculum design and training delivery Tutoring students Instructional designing and adapting communication Developing simulations/models Analytical and critical thinking to solve problems Volunteering research expertise Consulting and knowledge sharing Leading lab group Leading, supervising and developing talent in others
The key is to identify your core competencies and transferable skills that came from your academic experiences. Then translate it into language hiring managers understand. Soft skills like communication, leadership and critical thinking are especially valued.