Identifying Your Career Goals

After my PhD, I didn’t know what non-academic jobs I could start applying to. I made all the mistakes. I waited way too long to start thinking about it. I didn’t know when to start or how to research non-academic jobs. So, I put on my science hat 🎩 and started approaching how to find a job as a research project. It’s a whole new set of skills and information, one that is often neglected in an academic curriculum. I aim to continue to research career exploration for PhDs and share what I learn. So, I'm doing a meta-analysis of ALL the job titles out there to create a list of: “If you liked doing these tasks during your PhD, consider these job non-academic job titles” Follow along as I create a core list of PhD-level job titles, and I’ll continue to update as I learn about more! EDIT: This is now an interactive website! www.explorephdcareers.com Disclaimers: 1. Some of these cross into multiple categories 2. Job titles vary between companies 3. PhDs tend to undershoot seniority level. Target higher than you think. Are there any that I missed that you think should be included? --- What’s the next step to figuring out which of these is the right fit for you? 📖 My free guide to using conversations to see if a job is right for you AND landing one. (https://lnkd.in/dPQnw2Mu) ✏️ An article on this process ⬆️⬆️, specifically written for scientists. (https://lnkd.in/g-C_KVHS) 🤝 A free PhD career community, so you don’t have to job search alone. (https://lnkd.in/gPT3hp49)

Stop (only) applying for jobs. I'm serious. While everyone will help, here is what actually works: ✅ Spend that time building relationships with people at companies you want to work for. Here's the math no one talks about: 100 applications = 2-3 callbacks (if you're lucky) 10 genuine connections = 5-7 opportunities How do I know? Hiring and getting hired are very similar. So far, all my hires were referrals and introductions. All my clients came through the same. I've placed hundreds of designers. The ones who got hired fastest? They weren't the ones with the most applications. They were the ones who: → DMed designers at target companies about their work (I've hired people who did this at Miro) → Commented thoughtfully on posts from hiring managers → Asked for 15-minute coffee chats, not job talk at first → Built relationships BEFORE they needed them (that's the actual gold here) Real example from last week: The designer spent 3 months engaging with the design lead's content. When a role opened up? She got a DM: "We have something perfect for you." Never even posted publicly. Meanwhile, 847 other designers are fighting over the LinkedIn posting 👹 But here's the part no one teaches you — WHO to reach out to: ✓ Someone I aspire to get to know ✓ Someone's career I aspire to have ✓ Someone who works where I'd like to work ✓ Someone who may be going through similar challenges ✓ Someone I will have lots to talk about And here's how I prioritize companies and roles: First, I map out my network: → Find all my previous colleagues — where do they work now? → Find all open roles — what's relevant and what sounds like the best fit? → What can I see about those environments from JDs and career websites? This gives me a targeted list of: ✨ Companies where I already have warm connections ✨ Roles that actually match my skills ✨ Environments I'd thrive in (not just survive) Smart networking > no applications > successful hires. Every. Single. Time. The best jobs aren't advertised. They go to people already in the conversation. So stop being application #248. Start being the person they think of first. Your time is better spent building one real connection than sending 20 applications into the black hole. Trust me on this one. 💬 How did you get your last role: application or connection? Tell me and let's do some market research together ⬇️

This teacher helped her students see their future selves. There is great power in that. Research shows we tend to see our future selves as strangers rather than as who we'll become. But something profound happens, when you connect with your Future Self. When MIT researchers created an AI simulation - 'Future You' - letting people talk to their future selves, they noticed significant psychological shifts: ✅ People began to make bolder decisions today. ✅ They stopped questioning their worth. ✅ They built careers based on purpose, not just praise. According to Dr. Hal Hershfield's research, when we connect with our future selves, we make choices that honor our long-term vision - not just immediate demands. When we don't? ➡️ We sacrifice opportunities for comfort. ➡️ We say yes to everything except our own growth. ➡️ We delay the choices that would align with our deeper purpose. Here are 5 ways to begin connecting with your Future Self: 1/ Create Your Future Leadership Vision ↳ Stop asking: "What should I do next?" ↳ Start asking: "Who am I becoming as a leader?" ↳ Envision not just titles, but the impact you wish to make 2/ Write Letters From Your Future Self ↳ What boundaries would she tell you to set now? ↳ What skills would she want you to prioritize? ↳ What relationships would she tell you to nurture? 3/ Make Decisions Through Your Future Lens ↳ Stop making choices from urgency. ↳ Start filtering through your future wisdom. ↳ Before any major decision, ask: "What would my wisest future self advise?" 4/ Practice Future Self Meditation ↳ Set aside 5 minutes daily to connect with your future self. ↳ Breathe into the leader you're becoming. ↳ Feel the continuity between who you are and who you'll be. 5/ Create a "Future Leader" Board ↳ Collect images, quotes, and stories that represent your future self. ↳ Review it before high-stakes meetings. ↳ Let it guide your present choices when self-doubt appears. When you begin anchoring your identity in your Future Self: You stop waiting to be chosen. You start making conscious choices. You stop dimming your vision. You start embodying it today. This is what conscious leadership makes possible: Clear decisions that honor both your present capacity and future vision. Which of these practices would be most powerful for where you are in your leadership journey right now? I'd love to hear in the comments. 📚 Explore this concept more in my book - The Conscious Choice ♻ Repost if this resonated. 🔔 Follow Bhavna Toor for more insights on leading with purpose

💡 Intentionally building a T-shaped skillset helps you stay adaptable in tech. It’s about balancing depth and breadth: 🔹 Broad knowledge across multiple areas (the top of the “T”) 🔹 Deep expertise in one focus area (the vertical bar) 📌 How long should you specialize? Most professionals spend 2-5 years deeply focused on one area before branching out. But it’s not about being locked in forever—tech evolves, and so should you. ✅ Stick with a focus if you’re still learning and growing. ⚠️ Consider shifting if you feel stagnant or drawn to new challenges. 📌 How to build your T-shaped skills: 1️⃣ Choose a focus area (AI, cloud, cybersecurity, etc.) 2️⃣ Learn complementary skills (DevOps, networking, scripting, soft skills) 3️⃣ Engage with a community (open source, meetups, forums) 4️⃣ Stay open to evolving your expertise over time 💡 New to open source? Start by looking for projects with a “good first issue” label on GitHub. These are beginner-friendly and help you learn while contributing! It’s not about overnight success—just building skills with intention. Let’s chat in the comments: What’s your current focus? How long have you been in it? ⬇️

Just because a role fits your CV doesn't mean it fits you. You can tick every box on the job description and still feel smaller in the role. That's not drama. That's data. Data that says: → The culture promotes things you'd never co-sign → The politics reward survival, not substance → The version of you that thrives there isn't one you like Here's what they don't teach you in school: "Fitting in" is learning the code so you don't get rejected. Belonging is being yourself and still being chosen. If you're slowly editing yourself to match the room how you talk, who you play politics with, what you stay quiet about, you're not building a career. You're hollowing one out. Your belonging review: 📌 Do you like who you are at work? 📌 Are you respected when you say no? 📌 Do you leave work feeling more you, or less? If the answer stings, it doesn't mean you've failed. It means you're mismatched to the room. Recognising that isn't giving up. It's refusing to spend your one career as the wrong version of yourself. Choose the rooms where your pace, your questions, your ideas are assets not liabilities to be managed. Your skills can fit many jobs. Your whole self was never meant to belong everywhere. ♻️ Share this to help someone who needs it today ➕ Follow me, Maryann (MJ), for more 📷 Image credit: Cristina Grancea

Most companies sell you the dream. The ones worth joining tell you the truth. I heard the best CEO pitch recently: "We only offer two things: earning and learning." No corporate family nonsense. No ping pong tables disguised as culture. No vague promises about making an impact. Just straight talk. Do great work. Get rewarded now. Increase your value. Refreshingly candid. Increasingly rare. Here's how to spot an environment where you'll thrive: 1. They're honest about the hard parts Every role has unglamorous work. The best companies tell you upfront. The worst ones surprise you after a month. 2. They're clear about how you win Not vague values on a wall. Specific behaviors that get rewarded. Specific outcomes that get recognized. 3. They invest in your growth deliberately Not "we have a learning budget." A real plan for where you'll be in 18 months. And a manager who actually helps you get there. 4. They tell you what they won't do Great cultures have non-negotiables. Things they refuse to compromise on. That clarity is a feature, not a bug. 5. They respect your time from day one How a company interviews tells you everything. Disorganized process. Vague feedback. Slow decisions. That's not a hiring issue. That's a culture preview. The best career move you'll ever make? Finding a place that's honest about what it is. Not what it wants you to think it is. Straight talk isn't harsh. It's respectful. It says: we think you're an adult who can handle the truth. And we only want you here for the right reasons. Find the place that tells you the truth. Then give them everything you've got. ♻️ Share to help someone find a culture where they'll thrive. 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more leadership insights.

Sometimes, you just need a paycheck, so you take whatever job is available. But other times, you have the privilege of making a more intentional choice about where to work. To make the best choice, I see 6 distinct company archetypes that exist out there: 1️⃣ *Unicorns* Fast growing scale-ups with <200 empl, ~$50-100M in rev with >100% yoy growth. What it feels like: Thrilling and high-speed, but also overwhelming and chaotic. 🟢 : Exposure to rapid growth and experience of a lifetime. 🔴 : Guaranteed burnout, constant change, need to keep up, and no clear roles & responsibilities. Best for: Individuals who thrive in fast-paced, vaguely defined roles, who can evolve in their role extremely fast. 2️⃣ *Tankers* Massive corporations with >100K empl, generating $B in revenue, and growing <15% annually. What it feels like: Structured and stable, but very slow due to bureaucracy. 🟢: Excellent training resources, financial stability, and a well recognized logo on the resume. 🔴 : Tiny seat at the table, slow pace, hyper-specialized roles. Best for: Folks wanting stability, clear roles & responsibilities, and structured career development. 3️⃣ *Declining Giants* Once-dominant companies now struggling to grow. What it feels like: Constant change with frequent reorgs and strategy shifts in hopes of re-accelerating growth. 🟢 : High visibility of work; potential for rapid career advancement (due to high turnover) 🔴 : Crushing pressure to deliver results; constant stream of negativity due to slowing growth. Best for: Folks executing well under pressure and lots of bad news. Makes for great turnaround story, if successful. 4️⃣ *Survival Mode Startups* Pre-PMF companies with <50 empl, with <$1M in revenue. What it feels like: Stressful do-or-die atmosphere; roles are fluid, requiring wearing multiple hats. 🟢 : High autonomy; opportunity to build from scratch; broad skill development. 🔴 : High risk of company failure; lack of mentorship and structured learning. Best for: Experienced individuals comfortable with ambiguity and high risk. 5️⃣ *Lifestyle Boats* Founder-led, bootstrapped, and/or profitable companies optimized for sustainable growth. What it feels like: Balanced workload with moderate pressure. 🟢 : Better work-life balance; insight into sustainable business practices. 🔴 : Slower career progression. Best for: Individuals valuing stability and a balanced work-life dynamic. 6️⃣ *Social Good Seekers* Prioritize impact over revenue within climate change, education, or social justice sectors. What it feels like: Strong focus on mission-driven work. 🟢 : High job satisfaction from meaningful contributions. 🔴 : Lower salaries; challenges in scaling impact without funding. Best for: Those driven by mission and impact, willing to navigate resource limitations. For a more details, you can read my full article: https://lnkd.in/eaSDy4Kx

Over the weekend, my teenager finally asked me the dreaded question (which I sometimes hear from the students I give career-coaching to) "Mum, my friends keep saying they want to follow their passion. But I don't know what my passion in life is, how do I even start planning a career driven by my passion?" It stopped me cold. As someone who grappled with the same question when I was younger, I realized how flawed it can be for teens. Her dad & I went on to explain what our decades of living as an adult gave us insights into: 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 (𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭!). What lights you up at 15 might feel totally different at 20. Locking into one path too soon? Limiting. 2️⃣ 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 ≠ 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤. Loving something doesn’t mean it’ll pay rent—or that turning it into a job won’t drain the joy out of it. 3️⃣ “𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧” 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Not having a “calling” by 18? That’s NORMAL. Yet teens hear it like they’re failing before they start. We decided to give her this advice instead: 🌟 “𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑪𝑼𝑹𝑰𝑶𝑺𝑰𝑻𝒀.” Try things. Suck at them. Discover what you like or don't like. 🌟 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝑺𝑲𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑺. Writing, problem-solving, tech—these open doors anywhere. 🌟 𝑺𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝑷𝑼𝑹𝑷𝑶𝑺𝑬, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. Ask: “What problem feels like it's worth solving?” (Turns out, my girl cares more about sustainability than she lets on.) 𝐁𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 "𝐀𝐡𝐚" 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? Passion often follows mastery—not the other way around. When you get good at something meaningful? That’s when fire ignites. (and like my husband said: "At 50, I am still searching for my career passion. It's ok.") Sometimes, I think we’ve over- complicated this for kids. It’s not about finding a single burning purpose. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 + 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 + 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬—𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮. (or not)

"I want to be a doctor" That is destination orientation. "I want to do something to improve people's health" That's direction orientation. A person with destination orientation has only one option - becoming a doctor. Whereas a person with direction orientation has many options: Doctor Nutritionist Optometrist Physiotherapist Hospital management Starting a Pharma company that makes inexpensive medicines. Starting a Pharma distribution that takes lesser time and cost to deliver medicines. Yoga instructor. Become an engineer to design, manufacture and service medical equipment. Design and manufacture surgical equipment. Setup and run a business to provide care at home. Run a kitchen to provide special need food for dietetics and people with other such conditions. Build a business to provide tele medicine service to under developed remote areas. These and many more such options to make people's lives better by working in a direction. Destination limits you. Direction enables you. It opens so many options. If you want to work for Big 4, be a Cabin Crew, be a consultant, be a product manager, be a VP, etc. then know that you are destination oriented. You are likely to miss the jungle for the tree. If you want to be in the domain of finance and help organisations manage their money better, or help organisations get more revenue by being in a customer facing role, or improve processes to reduce cost and increase efficiency, then you are a direction oriented person. Sky is the limit for you. What do you choose, destination or direction? #unLearn

LinkedIn just dropped their “Top 50 Companies for Career Growth” list. I analyzed the data. Here's what I discovered... These companies aren't just hiring; they're completely transforming talent: ↳ Alphabet (#1) now offers unlimited education reimbursement at ALL levels ↳ Amazon (#2) committed $1.2B specifically for workforce upskilling ↳ JPMorgan dropped degree requirements for 70% of experienced roles Here’s what matters if you’re trying to get a job at these companies: — Technical literacy is non-negotiable. Even non-tech roles at these companies require basic AI understanding. — Continuous learning signals are critical. 78% of these employers look for candidates who show past investment in their own development. — Demonstrated results in previous roles matter more than impressive titles. These companies hire problem-solvers. — Having relationships (or building them) witin these organizations dramatically increase your chances. Modern Skillsets They're Actually Searching For: • Evidence you can learn complex concepts rapidly. • Proof you've contributed measurable results in previous roles. • Signs you collaborate effectively across diverse teams. • Indications you can operate with minimal guidance. These companies want people who can navigate uncertainty and contribute from day one. The biggest mistake I see? Most spend 80% of their time on applications and 20% on networking. The hundreds of clients I’ve helped get into these types of companies flip that strategy. They also make sure to focus on the elements that matter most in the hiring process. Pro Tip: Reframe your resume to showcase outcomes and learning agility vs. responsibilities. Check out the infographic👇 for all 50 companies and industry breakdowns. ♻ Share this to help your network ➕ Follow me for more career insights