GRADUATE

ACADEMY

Immediately after the PhD or in the early postdoc phase (i.e., the first year or two years after completing the PhD) are a good time to change career fields. Sometimes a longer postdoc experience in academia is also useful for a leadership position in research and development in industry. However, it is then significant that you have taken on leadership responsibility for projects and people and also worked on relevant new topics. In most cases, the less complicated the transition after a PhD or postdoc, the better. If you stay in science for a longer period of time, you will have to ask yourself whether applying outside is really your first choice or rather a compromise solution.

For some companies, biological age also plays a role. For example, some companies name an age limit of 35 years, above which they would hardly hire people coming from science. Adjusting to a new way of working and company culture is usually harder the older someone is.

Once you know you won't stay in science permanently, then go for the transition. However, each year of working within science should be rewarding for you by learning something that will be of use to you outside, or because you enjoy the current work so much.