Best Advice I Received About Landing a STEM Job Outside of Academia

Transitioning from academia to industry can be overwhelming. Despite ~70% of STEM graduates choosing to pursue industry careers over academic careers, many programs lack the proper professional training to prepare their graduates for the industry job hunt.

As a result, graduates are often left wondering:

Why is the job search taking so long? How do I communicate my value as a scientist to people outside of academia? How do I get referred for a role?

Fortunately, I have spoken with 65 STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds (BS, MA, MS, MPH, MBA, PhD) and careers who have successfully navigated the transition from academia to industry to help answer these questions and more. While each professional had a unique career journey, much of their advice overlapped and is now the foundation for my own professional development.

If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 of this series for the top 10 professional lessons I learned when I decided to leave academia.

Below you’ll find even more lessons about landing your first job outside of academia and beyond.

1.       The first job out of academia can be the hardest to get

• Academics transitioning to industry often battle the unfortunate stereotype of being just smart thought leaders with poor people skills.

• Pair this with little to no industry experience and a limited academic mindset and you have a recipe for a lengthy job search.

• Learn how to shift your academic mindset to expedite your job search.

2.       Certificates, volunteer work, and internships can build industry credibility

• For those with no industry experience, certificate courses, and volunteer work/internships can demonstrate your commitment to an industry career and help you gain valuable knowledge of and experience with common programs or relevant projects in industry.

• Tip: LinkedIn, Coursera, Project Management Institute, and Google Certificate Programs are some of the many platforms that offer free/affordable certificate courses for a variety of careers.

3.       Emphasize your transferable skills

• Transferable skills refer to skills that can be applied to any field and that emphasize your ability to execute technical tasks effectively.

• Emphasize these top transferrable skills in your job applications and interviews to land your next job.

4.       Show your value through quantifiable accomplishments

• In industry quantifiable results are all that matter.

• What percentage increase in productivity did you contribute? How much grant funding did you receive? How many deliverables did you execute?

5.       Become proficient in your industry’s terminology

• By becoming proficient in your field of interest’s terminology, you will be better able to demonstrate your understanding of that field and your value as a job candidate.

• Tip: To increase proficiency in industry terminology, conduct informational interviews with employees in your field of interest. Listen to how they describe their role. What keywords do they use? What key processes do they emphasize?

6.       Research each company and role of interest

• Learn the company’s mission. Ask about current/future projects, challenges of the role, why the role is open, what is the company hoping to accomplish with this role, how would a candidate demonstrate success in this role?

• The more you know about the role and the company, the better you can tailor your application and demonstrate your value to the company.

• Hint: It’s a myth that the most ‘qualified candidate’ always gets hired.

7.       Get comfortable talking about yourself!

• Regardless of how impressive your resume is, if you can’t convey your value to potential employers in an interview, you likely won’t get hired.

• Practice describing your accomplishments using the STAR technique.

8.       Unless there are red flags, it’s okay to take the first job you’re offered

• Your first industry job doesn’t have to be your dream job, and it likely won’t be. But it will be key to building valuable industry experience that serves as a stepping stone on your path to your dream career.

• Hint: Once you get your first industry job, it becomes easier to land the next. So get your foot in the door and work up from there.

9.       Career journeys aren’t linear

• Your first job in industry does not lock you into a particular career path.

• You can change fields based on your interests, career goals, lifestyle changes, and opportunities.

• Click here to read more about why non-linear career paths are the future

10.   Switching jobs every 1-2 years is not uncommon in industry

• Company loyalty isn’t as prevalent in industry as it is in academia.

• Common reasons for switching companies:

• Gain new skills

• Earn a higher salary

• Poor work environment

11.   Contract positions are common stepping stones for scientists coming directly from academia

• Companies may offer candidates with no industry experience contract positions to trial their fit with the company before hiring them full-time.

• Note: Contract positions don’t always offer the same benefits as full-time salaried positions regarding health insurance, retirement, and salary bonuses.

12.   Job titles are arbitrary

• Job titles for the same position can vary drastically between companies.

• Tip: Speak with employees at companies of interest to learn the day-to-day of a particular role. Find out who you’ll be working with, which projects you’ll be working on, the main challenges of the role, and the key skills for a successful candidate in that role.

13.   Poor company culture can turn a dream job into a nightmare

• Company culture refers to a company’s values, goals, attitudes, and practices.

• Company culture can include: work-life balance, career development opportunities, company organization, management style, commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives, strategy for addressing changes/failures.

• Tip: Ask these key questions to identify a company’s culture.

14.   Work-life balance is valued in industry

• It’s well-known that a good work-life balance increases employee productivity, job satisfaction, and overall happiness.

• Factors to consider when assessing your optimal work-life balance:

• Remote vs on-site role

• Are you willing to relocate?

• Are you willing to travel? If so, how much?

• Fast-paced vs slow-paced work environment

15.   Don’t ask people for a referral … right away

• While there are incentives for employee referrals, it’s important to build rapport with your connections before asking for a referral.

• Once you have a solid connection, ask if they’d be willing to provide more information about a job or refer you for a job if one becomes available at their company.

• Click here for more tips on asking for a referral.

About the author: 

Natasha Fowler, Ph.D. (she/her) is an interdisciplinary clinical scientist who’s passionate about overseeing projects and programs that make science and healthcare more diverse, equitable, and inclusive and applying this knowledge to improve prevention, diagnostic, and treatment strategies. She’s also an advocate for scientists interested in non-academic careers. As the Communications Committee Chair of WIS and a volunteer on the WIS Professional Development Committee, Natasha loves connecting people with other people and with information that can aid in their career journey. Outside of work, Natasha is an avid traveler who loves connecting with others through food, different languages, and comedy.