Navigating the transition from academia to non-academic career options can be a daunting process. It can feel like walking alone in a very dark forest without a map or flashlights. There are many paths to the final destination, and you do not know what you might stumble upon along the way. However, with the right mindset and determination, you can forge a path — even when none exists.

In this blog post, we share five mindset shifts that you need for a seamless transition:

• You are more than your PhD degree. You have spent a reasonable amount of time specializing in a particular field of study, so it is not surprising that it has become a part of your identity. As a result, it is not unusual for PhDs to feel like their field of study defines them and there isn’t much they can do outside of their core specialty. It is important to always remember that you are much more than the work you do — which, to a large extent, is what your PhD represents. You have gained knowledge and many transferable skills that you can apply to any field of endeavour that interests you. You are highly skilled at learning and understanding complex concepts, and you can apply these to literally anything.

• You have everything it takes to transition: A PhD is the highest academic qualification there is. You have gained mastery and made original contributions to your field of study. From a rookie, you have become an expert at something. What does that tell you? You can accomplish anything you set your mind to do if you put in the work. You do not need any extra degrees or qualifications; you have demonstrated your ability to independently take on a challenge and see it to completion during your PhD. You can apply the same principle to your transition. There are tons of free and paid resources and short courses available to make your transition easier. An example of such is HirePhD’s periodic career bootcamps.

• Pivoting doesn’t make you a failure. There is a tendency for those in academia to gaslight those who are transitioning and tag them as failures for chickening out. If care is not taken, one could internalize these negative ideas, and impostor syndrome kicks in. In reality, people transition out of academia for different reasons and at different stages of their careers — including those who can be classed as ‘accomplished academics’. There will always be people who will throw stones at you for leaving academia. You’d have to normalize focusing on what works best for you and align with your core values.

• It would take some time. Can you remember the first few experiments you conducted as a PhD student? You probably had little or no prior experience using the equipment or techniques required to conduct your experiments. Everything seemed overwhelming. Over time, and with consistent practice and troubleshooting, you got better at conducting experiments. Now, you have become so good that you are an expert. The same concept applies to transitioning to alternative career paths. Life outside of academia is a different ball-game completely. If you are familiar with ball games, you know that the rules of each game are different. Similarly, the ‘rules of engagement’ in academia are inherently different for non-academic career paths. As a result, it might take you to explore different approaches before you finally settle into a plan that works for you — and that’s fine. Nothing good comes easy. Even your PhD. did not come easy. Remember how tirelessly you worked to earn the degree? Through your PhD programme, you showed resilience, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It’s high time you used those skills in your job search.

• Leverage the power of community. It is a popular saying that “if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go with the right company.” Everything is more fun when you embark on it as a group. The same applies to your career journey. Don’t even think that you can be a one-man army. In academia, people tend to surround themselves with others that have similar interests (mainly those in academia). It is also a great idea to surround yourself with people who are in the same shoes as you are and those who are steps ahead of you. Such an avenue creates an opportunity to meet new people in similar and in different fields, exchange ideas and resources, and learn from each other’s failures and successes. The HirePhD Talent community provides a platform for people with advanced training (Masters, PhDs) to advance in their careers by empowering them with the right information and resources required to land their dream careers and to support them in those roles. Join the community and grow your network.

Follow HirePhD Career Society on LinkedIn and YouTube to learn more about transitioning from academia to non-academic careers.