Academic career advice

Tips and resources to help you build a successful career in academia. From skills development during your PhD to preparing for a role in university administration, all academic career steps are covered. Here, you will find advice on promoting your work, growing your professional reputation and developing collegiate networks to support your academic career progression - or to help you move into industry.

Books and laptop

Why get a PhD by publication (and other career tips)

Finding the ‘golden thread’ in your academic path can offer an opportunity to reflect and grow, writes James Derounian

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Human resources officer at computer

Advice for university staff on working successfully with HR

How can faculty ensure that all the touch points they have with human resources within their employee lifecycle are efficient, transparent and the best experience they can be?

Lisa Smith

University of Southampton

Metacognition with AI

How to strengthen your metacognitive skills to collaborate effectively with AI

To follow their previous piece on why metacognition is crucial for collaborating with Generative AI, Sidra and Claire Mason reveal how to boost those specific metacognitive skills

Sidra, Claire Mason

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

Bring an apple for an exceptional university teacher

Take these seven steps to be a great teacher

The distinction between being a good teacher and a remarkable one transcends mere transmission of knowledge, writes Gabriela Espínola Carballo

Gabriela Espínola Carballo

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Two colleagues working together at a computer

ChatGPT and generative AI: 25 applications to support administrative tasks

In the third part of their series looking at 100 ways to use ChatGPT in higher education, Seb Dianati and Suman Laudari share 25 prompts for the AI tool to assist with administrative duties

Seb Dianati, Suman Laudari

Charles Darwin University

Three people in an office having a discussion

So what? Who cares? The skill of talking about impact

Darcey Gillie explains the importance of talking about impact in higher education and offers practical steps on how to do it

Darcey Gillie

The University of Edinburgh

Two female colleagues discussing some work over a laptop

Create a psychologically safe space for honest feedback between colleagues

A guide to creating a culture of respect and honesty in which colleagues feel safe offering and receiving constructive feedback on their work

Jennifer Pulkkinen

University of Derby

A male lecturer talks to a class of students

The ‘third way’ academic: becoming an education-focused professor

Career development tips for higher education professionals who take an education-focused pathway

Rushana Khusainova, Wayne Holland, Sally Everett, David Boughey, Kathy Daniels

The University of Bristol, The University of Exeter, Aston University, King’s College London

Illustration of penguin ballooning over sharks, risk and uncertainty concept

An academic’s advice for navigating risk

From publication to grant applications, the rites of academia come with unfavourable odds. Yet researchers are rarely taught how to deal with uncertainty. Here, Yaniv Hanoch offers mitigation strategies

Yaniv Hanoch

University of Southampton

Mentoring session

Six lessons from facilitating a formalised mentoring programme

An institutional formalised mentoring scheme can offer invaluable career guidance for early- and mid-career academics. Here, based on 15 years of managing a programme for academic staff, Karen Mather offers her key takeaways

Karen Mather

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Online presence

The benefits of having a web presence as an early career researcher

If you can be easily found online, you’re more likely to raise your research profile, receive media requests, get involved in peer review – or even just get nice emails from the public, writes Ashleigh Johnstone

Ashleigh Johnstone

Arden University

Career adviser and student

Engaging students with careers resources early and often

Here’s how career centres can reach out to students before they’ve even set foot on campus, and why it matters for their future job search and development

Amaka Nwoko, Widalys Santiago, Davia Woulard

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Person on a tightrope

Pathways to prosperity in casual academia

The journey from adjunct to permanent requires adaptability, foresight and self-awareness. Here, Andrew Stapleton offers tips – such as diversifying skills, strategic branding and mobility – to enhance an academic career

Andrew Stapleton

Independent academic

Student taking an online class

Online teachers need professional development, too

Teacher presence significantly influences students’ engagement, satisfaction and learning. So educators need professional development focused on adjusting their classroom teaching skills to online learning environments

Jay Cohen, Andrew Vincent

La Trobe University, Australian Catholic University

Advice for academics on developing a personal strategy

As a researcher, you need a personal strategy…could business frameworks help?

Business frameworks could help academic researchers to develop a personal strategy to guide their work

Daniel Moraru

Shizuoka University

Learning a language

How to improve your well-being in higher education

Gareth Morris considers the importance of well-being in HE and offers realistic suggestions on how this can be achieved by busy academics

Gareth Morris

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China

railway lit up at sunset

Illuminating the shadowy path to success in academia

Postdocs and early career researchers, do not believe the myths about the route to a stellar academic career, says Andrew Stapleton. Here are better directions to get you and your work noticed

Andrew Stapleton

Independent academic

A young woman expressing disappointment over her work

Six steps to overcoming setbacks and rejection

Rejection is an inevitable part of being an academic, so it is vital to develop strategies to cope with and learn from setbacks in order to succeed in the longer term. Paul A. Walcott shares six such strategies

Paul A. Walcott

The University of the West Indies

leopard and cub

I’d tell my younger self that my chequered past would be my strength

With the benefit of hindsight, Anson Mackay re-examines their career path to see lessons in self-compassion and being their authentic self in collaboration and the classroom

Anson W. Mackay

UCL

Coffee cup for a good manager

Key knowledge to be a good manager in higher education

Academics are the most important asset for any university, though they are often the most neglected, making it even more vital to be a good manager, says Şerife Eyüpoğlu

Şerife Eyüpoğlu

Near East University

A young Black female engineer looks up in a satellite manufacturing facility

What are the barriers to success for under-represented early career researchers in maths, physics, computer science and engineering?

Recommendations for improving equity, diversity and inclusion in maths, physics, computer science and engineering, based on research into the barriers faced by ECRs from under-represented groups in these disciplines

Lucy Yeomans, Daniela Fernandez, Lauren Stentiford

The University of Exeter

Hands typing on a Braille keyboard

What I’ve learned from a decade of working with a disability in academia

Meredith Wilkinson gives her younger self advice on climbing the academic ladder in an able-bodied world, but also calls for greater support for academics with disabilities

Meredith Wilkinson

De Montfort University

A woman looking after her toddler

How to win at the part-time ‘game’ in academia

Higher education might be more accommodating of part-time employment than many private sector organisations, but working part-time comes with challenges. So how can you make a success of part-time working in academia?

Multiple authors

The University of Bristol, University of Bedfordshire, Bath Spa University, Women Space

Siutcase packed

Lots to unpack: tips for those considering visiting positions abroad

Having worked in numerous countries across different continents, Farish A. Noor gives advice on what to look out for when potentially moving overseas

Farish A. Noor  

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

Collaborative working in academia

Five tips for building healthy academic collaborations

Collaboration is a key skill in academia, but nobody is ever taught how to do it effectively. Martyna Śliwa gives advice on how to work well with others

Martyna Śliwa

Durham University

Networking for academics

The how and why of building a network in higher education

Sandy Jones gives advice to her 22-year-old self on the value of networking and how to get started – despite not owning a single high heel

Sandy Jones

Colorado State University Global

fish jumping out of one bowl and into another, career change

How to find personal fulfilment after being a scientist

Academia encourages experimentation and innovative thinking. Why not apply these skills to finding a more satisfying job? Greta Faccio explains how she hit on her hybrid solution

Greta Faccio

Independent academic

A team of colleagues celebrating a work success

How to find passion in your work – and sustain it

A simple strategy to sustain passion and enthusiasm for your work by keeping big dreams in view while celebrating each small step

Eleanor Cook

The University of Exeter

Online academic research with Google Scholar

Three ways to make the most of Google Scholar’s ExCITATION plug-in

Luca Cacciolatti explains how to use Google’s ExCITATION journal-ranking tool, which can help researchers quickly identify relevant and high-quality sources

Luca Cacciolatti

University of Westminster

Spinning the multiple plates of being an academic

How to spin the plates of academic visibility, engagement and pleasing yourself

Think like a journalist. Think like a content creator. Think like a musician. Jonathan Wilson gives tips on getting ahead in your career without sacrificing personal satisfaction

Jonathan Wilson

Regent’s University London

Career ladder and senior fellowship in academia

Senior fellowship: three tips that will help your application

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos explains the importance of applying for a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and gives tips on how to be successful in this process

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos

University of Westminster

How a PhD can put their skills to use in a workplace

The confidence trick: impostor syndrome and PhDs in the non-academic world

Researchers have a great deal to offer the world beyond academia. But, as John Miles writes, knowing where and when to deploy these skills is crucial

John Miles

Inkpath

Young multiracial artists painting in a studio

How to foster a start-up mindset in creative sector students

In an ever-changing employment landscape, more students than ever are setting up start-ups after graduation. Richard Sant and Victoria Fabbri share how the creative sector has lessons for nurturing future entrepreneurs

Richard Sant, Victoria Fabbri

University of the Arts London

PhD at university needs to be more practical

Bridging the gap: how to enhance PhD programmes for non-academic careers

As more PhD students express interest in non-academic career paths, it’s essential to evaluate the relevance of traditional PhD programmes for alternative opportunities

Dennis Relojo-Howell

The University of Edinburgh

Illustration of young woman with tangled arrows representing decisions above her head

One thing at a time: tips for making decisions

Academic life is rife with everyday choices that can sap your bandwidth. Here’s why this is exhausting and how to ease the load

Yaniv Hanoch

University of Southampton

A man and two women in a meeting around a laptop

How professional supervision can benefit academics

Common in health professions, supervision has much to offer faculty and higher education institutions – whether it takes place one-on-one or in groups. Here, Anita Volkert explains how to use the 3Cs of effective supervision to get started

Anita Volkert

Glasgow Caledonian University

A phone showing key social icons with notifications

Making the most of social media: practical tips for academics

A guide for academics to using social media as a powerful tool to share and amplify their work and build professional networks, by David Riley

David Riley

The University of the West Indies

Networking with other academics is key to building lasting relationships

How to succeed at policy engagement, part three: building relationships

In the third and final part of her series on policy engagement, Jo Clift looks at how to create positive and lasting relationships across your policy network

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

Proud speaker

Narrating failure in academia: how to turn trash into treasure

Instead of hiding from failure in shame and despair, and on the way to normalising it, we should learn how to better narrate it, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Young male entrepreneur working in a cafe with coffee and laptop

How to support students considering self-employment

Not all students want – nor can they find in a challenging employment market – graduate jobs after university. Victoria Prince looks at what more faculties can do to support students in creating their own business opportunities

Victoria Prince

Nottingham Trent University

Rubber duck dodging an obstacle

Failing your way to academic success

Failure offers students and educators a chance to explore their shortcomings and come to greater self-awareness. In fact, it can be seen as growth in disguise, write Kelvin Yihang Zhang and Kim Yong Joong

Kelvin Yihang Zhang, Kim Yong Joong

Macau University of Science and Technology

Mapping the policy landscape as an academic

How to succeed at policy engagement, part two: mapping the landscape

In the second part of her series on policy engagement, Jo Clift advises how to build a picture of the policy landscape in your area of interest and establish who to engage with

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

View of Stockholm

I moved to Sweden as an early career researcher – here’s what I learned

The pursuit of an academic career can mean moving to a different country. Here, Federica Di Biase shares lessons for early-career researchers who want to move to Sweden or have already done so

Federica Di Biase

University of Salerno , University of Naples Federico II

Older professional woman and young professional woman working together at laptop

How reverse mentoring helps co-create institutional knowledge

Reverse mentoring flips traditional power hierarchies, seeks connections across generations and offers opportunities to build relationships between students and faculty. The result boosts leadership skills and institutional knowledge

Monika Foster

Northumbria University

Elevator pitch and policy engagement with your research

How to succeed at policy engagement, part one: define your purpose

In the first of her series on policy engagement, Jo Clift provides guidance on the importance of knowing what you’re trying to achieve in order to succeed

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

professional woman in office with laptop with head in hands

How to use failure to build an academic career

Failure can be a stepping stone on the way to professional success. Here, Beiting He offers tips for finding support through setbacks and cultivating a resilience mindset

Beiting He

Macau University of Science and Technology

Colleagues laughing and having a chat over coffee

Good daily work habits for early career researchers

A collection of good daily work habits that will help early career researchers flourish, based on insight from a number of academics

Kelly Louise Preece

The University of Exeter

Exit sign

Faculty exit interviews: the when, how and why

There’s never a good time to say goodbye. But here, Eli Joseph provides tips and insights on conducting exit interviews for different types of faculty

Eli Joseph

Columbia University

Thinking about the next big thing

What’s your scholarly ‘next big thing’, and how should you choose it?

For those who want to be setting the agenda in their field, a big project is one of the clearest ways of doing it. Lucas Lixinski ruminates on what that could look like

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Academic teaching section of your CV

How to raise the bar on the teaching section of your CV

From not burying the teaching section to developing a broad range of experiences, Emma Williams gives tips on making your CV shine when applying for a lectureship

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions