As you consider whether a transition beyond academia is right for you, and once you’ve made the decision to make the change, you’re not alone!
Support
As a doctoral candidate or postdoc at UNIL, you have access to support through the Graduate Campus workshops and those offered by the Careers and Guidance Center (SOC).
Female PhD holders at UNIL can apply to be part of the PROWD programme at the Equal Opportunities Office, with tracks for the academic or non-academic career.
Doctoral candidates can also check the offer with the CUSO doctoral programmes and the “PRO” module with the CUSO Transversal Programme.
The ALUMNIL network also provides support for anyone with a UNIL degree. The alumni Office service TandemPRO is a free coaching programme that helps members share their experience by offering UNIL graduates and PhDs the opportunity to meet with a "TandemPRO Coach". A service that gives the opportunity to make contacts, develop one's network, identify opportunities and get advice on their career.
Advice
There are a wide variety of online resources you can consult in order to consider and prepare for the transition:
- The Beyond the Professoriate blog provides an array of career development support and advice. Listen to their podcast!
- PhDs working in different industries and talking about what they do.
- And more PhD Career Stories here!
- My Individual Development Plan, for PhDs in the natural and life sciences.
- ImaginePhD for PhDs in the social sciences and humanities.
- PostGradual, the PhD careers blog.
- Academics.com offers advice and job opportunities (academic and beyond) for Germany, Austria and Switzerland
- PhilSkills: for philosophers
- Beyond Academe : for historians
- Connected Academics : for language and literature specialists
- The recent Vitae survey on the real life experience of postdocs across Europe gives helpful thoughts on the alternatives.
- Using twitter, you may look for: #postac #altac #phdchat #withaphd #academic
