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Academic careers: Navigating the post-PhD years

Learn about post-PhD academic job prospects, challenges, and strategies for success. Understand what employers seek and the diverse career paths available. Explore personal and academic strategies to overcome obstacles and achieve your goals in the competitive academic landscape. Key messages include taking control, self-care, embracing rejection, and staying informed.

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Academic careers: Navigating the post-PhD years

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  1. Academic careers: Navigating the post-PhD years Dr Charlotte mathieson c.Mathieson@Surrey.ac.uk @cemathieson www.charlottemathieson.wordpress.com

  2. Overview • What is an academic job and what are employers looking for? • What does a typical post-PhD career path look like? • What are the challenges you might encounter?

  3. What is an academic job? Permanent full-time lectureships Postdoctoral fellowships (Leverhulme, British Academy)/ research position on project Fixed-term lectureships (1-2 years) Teaching fellowships Academic-related jobs e.g. public engagement, research support Hourly-paid teaching

  4. What are employers looking for? • Research • - publications: articles, chapters; monograph —> REF submission • - grants & funding: small PG awards & bursaries; conference funding; research funding • - conference presentations • Teaching • - Experience at UG/ MA level; supervision (BA/MA/PhD) • - seminars, lectures, assessment; content/ course design • Administration • - committees e.g. department groups, subject associations • - conference/ symposium organisation, reading groups, etc

  5. Characteristics of early career paths • There is no typical path • A period of precarity is common, and increasingly longer • Multiple, short-term contracts across institutions (simultaneously/successively) typical • Most jobs teaching-focused; Research-focused roles eg fellowships harder to come by

  6. My early career path • 2007-10: PhD, University of Warwick (viva 2011) • Jan 2011 – Oct 2012: hourly-paid teaching, marking, invigilation, academic writing, 1-1 tuition, short term research fellowship, research assistant, work on University ECR projects, freelance proofreading, etc… • Oct 2012 – Sept 2013: 0.6 FTE project fellow Institute of Advanced Study, University of Warwick • Sept 2013 – Sept 2015: 2 years further in IAS post, full-time • Sept 2015 – July 2016: 10-month teaching fellowship, Newcastle University • August 2016 – present: Lecturer in English Literature, University of Surrey

  7. Challenges of early career paths: • Time – for research and career development; work-life balance • Money – living costs, funding for conferences • Uncertainty of precarity – impact on planning academic (and personal) life • Balancing competing demands of long-term goals vs short-term needs

  8. Challenges of early career paths: • Feeling adrift: no consistent supervisor/ mentor • Relocation: costly, time-consuming, (re)building networks • Rejection, rejection, rejection… • Mental health and wellbeing

  9. Overcoming challenges: academic strategies • Take control of what you can: have a plan • Publications to write, conferences to attend, jobs to apply for • Make it flexible and accommodating – revise and readjust regularly • Prioritise and strategise – CV gaps • Keep the long-term in sight

  10. Overcoming challenges: academic strategies • Stay affiliated: Library card, institution title for job apps • Build up support networks: • Peer support • Online networks • Mentors: mentors to help strategise and give direction

  11. Overcoming challenges: job applications • Job applications: • Be flexible; recognise the benefits of “alternative” paths: skills and experience gained • Always go for the job: “internal” candidates are not always certainties • interview experience is always valuable • Be selective • Help and get help from others (peers/more experienced) • Have a rejection strategy

  12. Overcoming challenges; stay informed • Read HE news, blogs etc • Understand key contexts e.g. REF/TEF • Talk to others about experience at interview & go to dept. presentations, read job adverts

  13. Overcoming challenges: personal strategies • Look after yourself: exercise, eat well • Have down-time, socialise: make time for family and friends • Pursue other interests and hobbies • Seek professional help – counselling/ mental health services

  14. Key messages • Take control of the things you can • Look after yourself and others • Rejection: it’s not just you and it isn’t personal • Be realistic: it’s tough, but have hope

  15. c.mathieson@surrey.ac.uk @cemathieson www.charlottemathieson.wordpress.com

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