How to Find a Job Post-PhD: Networking is Overrated, Most Career Advice Sucks & Doing It Your Way

[@Cappellano]

As someone who worked in industry before embarking on my doctorate, I agree with everything you said in the video. Here are my reasons I am remaining in industry now that I have finished. 1. People: I enjoy working in a team with people from diverse backgrounds and who have varied interests. 2. Application: I enjoy seeing how research can be applied to real life. 3. Consequences: I am motivated knowing my research will have positive and negative real world consequences. 4. Options: I have the freedom to move and take on new roles around the world because my skills are transferable. 5. Balance: without the “publish or perish” mentality, I can have weekends, holidays, hobbies and family time. 6. Respect: my doctorate immediately places me in a senior position in the organisation. I am not treated like a lab grunt. 7. Flexibility: with the option to be an associate lecturer, I can continue to engage with academia and gain teaching experience on my own terms. 8. Pay: I mean this both in terms of literal salary and other perks like expenses, bonuses, company house/car, etc. There are certain benefits that come with being in a leadership position. 9. Expectations: there are different expectations in industry and it is easier to set boundaries. 10. Happiness: very subjective, but I am much happier having a relatively “normal” lifestyle. Yes, I do not get to research whatever I want, but I had always envisaged doing research that has a real world impact.

[@oxford_phd]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this. I agree and have felt much of this too! Esp the freedom, balance, and I find there is also more team work in industry.

[@jgxgjgjxgk]

The goal of networking is not short-term gain, rather it is like a long-term investment. While it might not get you a job immediately, in future, you might come across an opportunity through a network. To give an example, suppose you love teaching and you work a corporate job. Then you meet a friend who might be a professor in a university and seeing your interest in teaching, they might invite you to a class or refer you to the University and you get an offer to teach as a visiting professor. Networking has many purposes, especially in today's competitive world, a reference can be very useful. Keep networking and keep applying online.

[@agatheherrou7333]

It's actually a bit creepy that KZbin recommended me this because this is exactly the kind of advice that I needed. I'm currently at a crossroads as to whether to continue in academia or to get a more stable job in the industry. I think if it doesn't work out with the professor I'm talking to at the moment I'll take a break and just enjoy a normal life for a couple of years.

[@MaryamZohra-d6y]

There is strange kind of peace in your voice Hira! Stay blessed.

[@oxford_phd]

Wow thank you so much, that's one of the nicest comments I've ever received. God bless you too!

[@viraghorvath82]

thank you for this!

[@JackieLiu0406]

I mean, DeepMind showed us what an industry career can achieve...This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to the CEO who had been in the industry for 7 years after completing his PhD.

[@FindingThumos]

in my experience they only really care about publications in top journals networking is overrated (unless, of course, you marry tthe professor - i've seen people do that and their career skyrocketed lmao)

[@erroredhacker]

These networking events are for finance type bros because the best way for them to impress people is to do a cold open with strangers. I will omit my opinions on why this is the case. For other scientific work the networking we talk about are conferences, collaborations, meeting workshops etc. There are colleagues that have benefited from this kind of networking - it provides the employer a basis of the culture of the lab and the people and expertise it produce, it informs the employee of the vacancy and technical details of the product they will work on (that corpobabble on company websites cannot provide). It exists, it works, but it is field and level specific (postdoc networking will look different) and in terms of scientists it provides professional support before you actually go find an industry job. Unless one really wants to do cold opens with HR, idk some people are freaky like that who am i to judge

[@oxford_phd]

Thank you for taking the time to write! True, networking does have its benefits, I even made a video about it in the past, but for finding a job quickly in my opinion and experience, it may not be the best option, especially as we approach the end of our PhDs and are really pressed for time. Most of my PhD friends at Oxford found their jobs through online adverts. It's just more efficient and it just works.

[@matinnorouzi7603]

Hello, i want to ask about amgen scholarship program. What's the main point for being accepted by them and what they asked in telephone interview for test your English skill??? Tankh you

[@oxford_phd]

They didn't ask me about the English skill. I think the main criteria is to show passion for research, how you will benefit from this experience, and showing you are a dedicated student (usually through good grades, scholarships, and awards)

[@shibdassarkar9357]

Mam do you earn 80k pound sterlings a year in uk now? Please reply. Thanks a lot.

[@basitkram]

Do you like the Galaxy fold?

[@oxford_phd]

I really like it yes but I use it as a tablet indoors. It's too chunky for me to use as a regular phone especially outdoors.

[@J.J-o4e]

Hello, i have simple and sort of strange question, i am curious, how is it to be in a place where you are the only girl who wears hijab. I am a muslim myself but here we're 96% muslims. Do you feel safe in your area??

[@oxford_phd]

Hi! I'm not the only girl here who wears hijab, there are lots of hijabis in Oxford. Occasionally I will be the only woman with a hijab at some work events, I used to notice it before but now I don't even realize and people don't treat me any differently. Alhamdulillah I feel safe in the UK :)

[@J.J-o4e]

@@oxford_phd that's great to hear my sister. May Allah strengthen your eiman and bless you with his blessings. ❤❤

[@AlexandraMwinbong]

Hello Hira, I am a student at the university of Cambridge. I have been trying to send you an email via your email address on LinkedIn but the email doesn't get delivered. Can you please give me an email address I can reach you on if you don't mind?

[@oxford_phd]

You can reach out on instagram: oxford_juggler