It’s finally happening people…
After nearly three years of researching, writing, rewriting, editing, and more biscuit breaks than I care to count, Navigating Careers Beyond Academia: A Practical Handbook for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Researchers is available for pre-order!
When I first hatched this book idea, I wanted to create the kind of resource I wish had existed when I was finishing my own PhD: a practical guide to help people navigate the uncertainty, complexity, and sometimes weirdness of figuring out what comes next.
Along the way, I’ve had countless conversations with doctoral researchers, postdocs, researcher developers, careers professionals, and academics from across disciplines and countries that have shaped every chapter of the book. If you’ve ever attended one of my workshops, read this blog, shared your experiences, or simply chatted with me about careers beyond academia over coffee, then thank you… your insights and experiences have helped shape this book and (hopefully) will help those currently at a career juncture to see they don’t have to go it alone.
To celebrate the launch of the book, I’d love to invite you to join me for a free online author conversation on Monday 14 September, 4–5 pm (UK time).
It’ll be a chance to explore some of the key ideas from the book, hear the story behind how it came about, and discuss why navigating careers beyond academia has never been more important. I’ll be joined by the legend that is Johanna Stadlbauer, Head of the Research Careers Campus at the University of Graz, for an informal conversation about the book and to outline a few of the practical tools featured in the book, plus there’ll be opportunity to ask your own questions during the live Q&A.
Whether you’re:
- A PhD researcher wondering what comes after your doctorate,
- A postdoc exploring your next steps,
- Someone who supports researchers in their career development,
I’d love you to come along.
The event is free to attend, and everyone who registers will receive a discount code for the book.
Register for the online launch via the event webpage.
Find out more about the book on the Routledge website.
Whether you’ve been following this project from the beginning or have only recently discovered the blog, thank you for being part of this community… and here’s hoping that the book helps researchers feel a little less overwhelmed, a little more confident, and a little more curious about the possibilities that lie beyond academia.
See you in September!
And… if you’re sitting on your own book idea, this is a note to self to not let the ‘Reviewer 2’ memes put you off. In an earlier post on this blog, I put together some lessons from my journey towards getting the book contract to help get you started.
P.S. With a strict 45,000 word limit, there were obviously things I couldn’t fit into the book, so stay tuned later in the year for blog posts picking up on important topics that the book didn’t have space to explore in detail, like why Research Technical Professions can be a great option for researchers, the challenges of finding ‘meaningful’ work… and more.