The transition from academia to industry remains one of the most challenging journeys for PhDs, yet it's a path that half of all doctoral graduates will take. Elena Hoffer, PhD and founder of https://www.alma.me/ shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship and explains how she helps PhDs and PostDocs transitioning to industry careers after reaching over 100,000 LinkedIn followers.
• PhDs often struggle to translate their academic skills into language industry employers understand
• Networking is about relationship building over time, not transactional requests to strangers
• True value of a PhD lies in who you become during the process, not just the thesis produced
• Industry employers value PhDs for their problem-solving abilities, resilience, and "get things done" mentality
• Most successful job searches focus on 1-2 targeted positions rather than applying broadly
• Taking courses in areas like project management signals clear career direction to potential employers
• Time management and prioritization are essential for balancing entrepreneurship with content creation
• The PhD degree remains valuable but could evolve to better prepare graduates for diverse career paths
Visit https://www.alma.me/ to learn more about helping PhDs transition to industry, and follow Elena on LinkedIn or listen to her podcast "Post PhD Directions" for more insights on leveraging your doctoral experience in the professional world. PostPhDDirections podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2trW8zOrwLgh9HKWNqHLpp?si=41cec8b3020d4c3a