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In this week’s episode…

When it comes to building your professional network, LinkedIn is unmatched. 

But it’s not the only option you have when it comes to expanding your professional network. 

There’s untapped potential that many PhDs don’t know about, and you’ll find it on Facebook.

We generally associate Facebook with social sharing, but there’s a lot going on outside your personal profile feed. 

Facebook business pages, for instance, are a great place to get to know your target companies as a brand. 

This is where you’ll find out about the business, get to know the brand’s personality, and even learn about job openings. 

But there’s much more you can do to boost your career outside of following a business page on Facebook. 

Let’s dive in and look at five different strategies you can use to land your next job.

A second thing you can do is join groups of professional interest. 

There are more than 10 million Facebook groups. 

Vet and join a handful of groups that align with your interests and career goals. 

The people you meet in these groups are likely to have quite a bit in common with you, which can lead to referrals and stronger professional connections. 

The third strategy is to be active. 

Following companies of interest and joining groups is a great place to start, but you need to make sure your notifications are enabled so you see the posts from these accounts. 

If you want to make the most out of your Facebook network, you should be sharing, responding, and professionally interacting in those groups and on those pages. 

Follow group rules, share appropriate content, and just react to posts so your name is coming up as an active user among group administrators.

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** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

Ready to start your transition into industry? Apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder, Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists here.

The post Proven Tips To Leverage Facebook For Professional Networking appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

Sustainability is a rapidly growing field – one that’s becoming increasingly important as the world faces the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. 

According to a 2022 report by KPMG, all of the world’s top 250 companies report on sustainability, and another 80% of global businesses have followed suit. 

The reasons for sustainable business practices go beyond a good moral compass – it’s good optics for a company’s brand, and it can lead to wider profit margins and a decrease in loss or waste. 

Companies know they’re going to have to invest in green tech and analysis, and that means that there are a wide variety of career opportunities for PhD graduates with a background in sustainability, environmental sciences, or environmental data collection. 

Today, we will explore five of the most promising careers in sustainability that are perfect for PhD graduates. 

The first is an Environmental Consultant. 

Environmental consultants work with businesses and organizations to help them become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. 

They may conduct audits, assess the environmental impact of projects and provide recommendations for reducing waste, conserving resources, and reducing emissions. 

This is a great career choice for PhD graduates who have a background in environmental science or engineering. 

A second role where PhDs thrive is in the role of Energy Policy Advisor. 

Energy policy advisors work with government agencies and organizations to develop policies and programs that promote sustainable energy sources and energy efficiency while making recommendations on best scientific practices. 

They may also conduct research on the latest developments in renewable energy technology and help to develop regulations to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. 

This is an ideal career for PhD graduates with a background in energy, economics, or environmental policy. 

…

** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

Ready to start your transition into industry? Apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder, Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists here.

The post 5 Sustainability Careers For PhDs appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

PhDs are often blown away by the diversity of industry. 

But, as more businesses shift to an online presence to grow their business, there are an exponential number of sectors that need PhDs. 

The gaming industry is no exception. 

This is a rapidly growing field with an incredible variety of career opportunities for PhD graduates. 

There are video games and interactive entertainment, of course. 

But the rise of new technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence is making this field attractive to many Global 500 companies. 

In order to harness the power of data acquisition and the insights that these can offer, they’re looking for PhDs to help them leverage new tech to the fullest. 

The industry is constantly evolving and opening new doors for professionals with advanced degrees. 

Today I want to explore 3 career tracks in the gaming industry that are perfect for PhD graduates of any discipline that don’t require coding to start. 

Having said that, if you’re interested in a career in this discipline, coding skills will absolutely give you a competitive edge. 

I encourage you to explore a coding language that’s relevant to the tech you’re targeting if you decide to pursue any of these career tracks.

If Data Science interests you, the gaming industry is in need of PhDs to decode their massive data sets. 

This role involves investigating metrics that can be difficult to quantify, such as clicks on a screen. 

Some Data Scientists work in gaming design and organize tests. 

Others build mathematical models and automated analytics tools that mine data and predict outcomes. 

Data Scientists evaluate and visualize end-user conversion data to find opportunities to improve user engagement and retention. 

This can translate to many aspects of game development and maintenance. 

You might work on solutions to keep users from exploiting a game’s algorithms one day and sift through metrics to help create highly targeted marketing campaigns another. 

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** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

Ready to start your transition into industry? Apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder, Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists here.

The post Ready, Player One? Careers For PhDs In The Gaming Industry  appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

Sometimes – especially if you’ve been unemployed for a while – you might feel compelled to accept a job offer that raises a lot of red flags. 

You wouldn’t be alone if you feel like you’re better off accepting a job offer that feels a little off and just waiting it out. 

A recent study revealed that nearly two-thirds of job seekers report taking a job – all despite knowing that it wasn’t a good fit. 

So now, as you settle into your new role, does it feel more and more like you’re just settling, period? 

First, do a pulse check. 

Is it possible that you need to grow up a little? Maybe learn to coexist with personality types that you’re not accustomed to? 

Be honest with yourself. If you don’t understand your role in the broken dynamic, you’ll be doomed to repeat it. 

If you’ve spent time in the hire-hunt-quit-hire cycle, you know these are early warning signs that your current new position is a bad fit. 

One thing to be on the lookout for is a lack of clear communication or disorganization within the company. That’s the kind of thing you can feel on day one. 

If a new employer isn’t communicating effectively, this can quickly lead to confusion and misunderstandings. 

Left unchecked, this can make it difficult to get work done and advance in the company.

A toxic work environment is also something to be very wary of. 

If you notice that your new coworkers or leaders are slandering ex-employees, their competition or one another, what’s to stop them from doing the same to you? 

You left that negativity behind in academia – don’t feel like you have to accept it in a new industry. 

This environment can make it difficult to focus on your work. It will almost certainly be a constant source of stress and anxiety. 

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** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

Ready to start your transition into industry? Apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder, Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists here.

The post Don’t Walk – Run From A Job If You See These Red Flags appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

You can have incredible experience, a killer summary, and be ready to start work tomorrow – but none of that matters if employers can’t find you. 

That’s the power of an epic LinkedIn headline. 

The headline is the first text that appears in your LinkedIn profile, and the keywords in this section factor heavily into LinkedIn’s search algorithm. 

Logically, that means it’s also the major differentiator between you and your competition. 

If you don’t have a headline that tells hiring managers who you are, what you do, and where you do it, they’re going to keep scrolling and move on to the next candidate. 

You probably thought your headline should just describe either the position you have currently or the position you want. 

And that was true a decade ago. 

But now employers expect a little more finesse – especially from a PhD candidate such as yourself. 

So what makes a great headline? 

For one thing, your headline should include words that recruiters are actually searching for. 

You have 120 to 200 characters at your disposal, which isn’t much when you’re trying to paint a picture of yourself at a glance. 

Don’t waste valuable space on academic words like “postdoc” or “PhD student” that will never appear in an employer’s search. 

Instead, consider the employer’s perspective. 

If they want to hire a Medical Science Liason in Madrid, Spain, what are they going to search? 

“Medical Science Liason,” “Madrid.” 

Done. If you want to even show up in that search at all, your headline needs to reflect your availability. 

Your location and the title of the job (or jobs – you can list up to 2) should be at the start of your headline. 

Next, you need to learn the language that employers are using for the jobs you want. 

What keywords are they using to describe your target position? 

You can take your best guess, but if you want a degree of certainty, you can paste anywhere from 12 to 20 of your target job descriptions into a word cloud. 

If you don’t know what that is, it’s a free text parser that you can find online. 

It creates a visual representation of the weight or keyword density of any text you plug in. 

This will give you, definitively, the keywords that employers are using to find candidates for the roles that you’re targeting.

…

** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Irresistible Profile Headlines Sure To Stop Recruiters In Their Tracks appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

Resumes have been around for much longer than most of us realize. 

Did you know that historians give Leonardo DaVinci credit for writing the very first in 1482? 

It was his handwritten letter, summarizing his engineering abilities and experience to the Duke of Milan, that serves as one of the earlier examples of the modern-day resume. 

Obviously, things have changed quite a bit since that first resume and will continue to evolve. 

Today we’re going to check in about some outdated things that you should delete from your resume if you haven’t yet. 

First is your address. 

Employers are reportedly less likely to hire candidates outside a certain radius of the company’s target zip code. 

Don’t give employers a reason to disqualify you by volunteering them your coordinates on a map. 

The second thing you should cut is your objective statement. 

This isn’t the 90s. 

Your resume should have a professional summary that highlights your expertise and showcases the value you can bring to a company. 

Objective statements are bland, generic blurbs that add no real value to your resume and add more reading time for the hiring party. 

They read hundreds of resumes a day – don’t make them toil over yours. 

A third thing you should think about removing is very old work experience that has no relevance to your current career goals. 

Don’t waste valuable space on your resume listing these old positions. 

Instead, focus on your most recent and relevant experience. 

Dates are a fourth thing that have no place in a resume. 

Unless a specific date range is required for a job, it’s not necessary to include the exact dates you held each position. 

Instead, use years or “X years” to indicate your tenure; this also cuts down on highlighting any employment gaps. 

The fifth bit of dead weight on your resume is jargon, as well as acronyms and initials. 

Unless it’s a transferable or niche skill you found on the job posting, avoid using it on your resume. 

Instead, use plain language that anyone can understand. 

Number six: cut irrelevant facts, hobbies, or even accolades. 

You’re not a high school student getting a job at the ice cream stand. 

Your resume should be tailored to the specific job or industry you’re applying to.

It should be uncluttered by irrelevant information that has nothing to do with their requirements. 

Seven on our list is anything that is not absolute fact. 

Don’t exaggerate or make up information on your resume. 

Sell yourself, but stick to the facts and provide concrete examples of your qualifications and experience. 

…

** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Cut This From Your Resume This Year (9 Things) appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

A hiring manager’s eyes will start to glaze over when they see certain words. 

This kind of buzzy resume language can become outdated quickly among the inner circles of industry and can sometimes read as a desperate attempt to sound in the know. 

But above all, the problem with resume buzzwords is that they don’t say anything meaningful about your qualifications or experience. 

One study by The Guardian revealed that the use of buzzwords can reduce a candidate’s chances of getting a phone screen by 30%. 

Today I’m going to cover 10 of the biggest offenders and explain what exactly is so wrong with these particular buzzwords.

“Enthusiastic” is one I’m guilty of using in the early days of my job search. 

Recruiters see “enthusiasm” as a word you should show, not tell. 

It is impossible to measure enthusiasm quantitatively. 

Also, enthusiasm has no bearing on how successful you’ll be in this role, or your qualifications. 

If this word is in your cover letter or resume, cut it now without a second thought. 

“Skilled” is another buzzword, and it goes hand-in-hand with our third one – “hard worker.” 

Employers assume that you can perform any of the skills on your resume well. 

And, since no one would ever put “lazy” or “occasionally a hard worker” on their resume, “hard worker” is another word that falls into the category of “yeah, so?” for employers. 

To demonstrate these skills, focus on specific examples. 

For instance, include a bullet point on your resume that describes a time when you went above and beyond to meet a deadline. 

A fourth buzzphrase is “proficient in Microsoft Word.” 

This, employers assume, should be given; the software has existed since 1983. 

If you have a certification in Excel or Sharepoint, bring that up by all means. 

But every candidate in the job market today has grown up using word processing programs. 

Literacy in Word is considered a given. 

“Fast learners” and those who “work well under pressure” should skip these buzzwords on their resumes too. 

Again, they don’t say anything concrete about what you’re capable of. 

Most Global 500 companies have training and SOPs that are clearly defined – you won’t be able to jump in feet first, even if you wanted to. 

As far as “working well under pressure”, this is another instance where an anecdote can be powerful, but the word itself is weak and comes across as an effort to fill up space on your resume. 

…

** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post 10 Resume Buzzwords Employers Despise appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

When you’re looking for job opportunities, it makes sense to focus on making new connections. 

Having a scarce network tells recruiters two things: a) you’re scared of technology and social media and 2) you are not good when it comes to meeting new people. 

That’s why so many of us tap the blue “Connect” button repeatedly and try to amass as many contacts as possible. 

But did you know that the quality of your connections can matter just as much as the quantity?

Recruiters can see your connections. 

When they do, they’re looking for a combination of quality and relevance. 

For example, if you have 500 connections but most of those contacts don’t work in your target industry, that doesn’t provide an employer with much insight about you. 

Or worse, it shows them you’re not serious about the industry you’re trying to get into. 

The best thing they can infer is that you’re in the process of changing careers. 

You DO want 500 connections or more, without a doubt. 

But once you’ve surpassed that number, consider cutting out the ones that don’t add value. 

That said, let’s look at four different reasons to selectively delete contacts that may be preventing you from getting hired. 

First, ask yourself if any of your contacts post controversial content? 

If you have a connection that is attracting the wrong kind of attention, that’s a great reason to consider cutting ties. 

You should be connected to trustworthy industry professionals whose behavior doesn’t call your own character into question by association. 

A second reason to remove a connection on LinkedIn is if that person never responds to you – or, you never reach out to or respond to them. 

If you’ve never had a conversation with your connection, or haven’t had one in a long time, they aren’t a quality connection. 

They’re just taking up space.

…

** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Why You Should Delete Half Your LinkedIn Connections appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

As a PhD, you have high-level niche skills. 

You are an expert. 

But, there are lots of experts out there, especially if you are applying for a position that requires a PhD. 

The best way to set yourself apart is to highlight your transferable skills. 

That’s why every bullet point on your resume should start with a transferable skill. 

To a hiring manager, transferable skills are more important than niche skills. 

They demonstrate you can work successfully with other industry professionals who do not have your niche skills. 

It also shows them that you understand the importance of the foundational skills that give rise to all current and future niche skills. 

To figure out what transferable skills the position requires, look through your job postings of interest. 

What were some of the skills they mentioned repeatedly? 

Which seemed important as you read them in context? 

It could be things like cross-functional collaboration, leadership, conflict resolution, product and market knowledge and so on. 

A few examples to get you started might include, “Collaboration and client-facing skills,” or “High-level strategic planner…” 

Your transferable skill is the hook of your bullet point — it is how you catch the attention of the hiring manager. 

But, you need to back this up with specificity — that’s your niche experience, and that’s what comes next. 

Mentioning your niche experience assures the hiring manager that you have the high barrier-to-entry skills needed to get the job done. 

To figure out which niche skills you’re going to need, go back again to the job posting, or think about the conversations you’ve had with the person referring you. 

What are the niche skills required for this job? 

Use keywords here, and be succinct. Don’t ramble on and on about all the niche things you can do. 

The hiring manager doesn’t care unless it’s on the job posting. 

They just want to know that you have the specific skills they are looking for. 

Here’s an example of how you can follow your transferable skills in a bullet point. 

“Collaboration skills and client-facing skills, with a strong ability to manage multifaceted biochemical research projects…” 

…

** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Bullet Points Resume Filtering Systems Love appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.

In this week’s episode…

Almost everyone starts using LinkedIn’s free account. 

And why wouldn’t you? It’s the most comprehensive directory for professional contacts for every industry you could possibly be interested in. 

LinkedIn is also the perfect way to build a professional brand, find job leads, keep in touch with your contacts, and the list goes on. 

With more than 58 million companies to connect with, it would be a huge mistake not to have a Basic account. 

But if you’ve been wondering about moving to a paid account, you might be asking yourself: What do I need this for? What are the benefits? 

Here are the main limitations of a free account:

You can’t send additional messages to hiring managers or employees at your company of interest after your initial connection request. 

Even if you send a message in your connection request, it doesn’t show up in full in your target’s inbox until they accept the request. 

The problem with this is that most people who are employed only go to LinkedIn once or twice a month. 

On top of this, you’re limited to connecting to 50 people a day.

Another reason you might consider a paid account is that your searchability is limited. 

You can only do a set number of searches before being throttled, and you have limited filtering options. 

Another drawback to LinkedIn’s free account is that you can’t see everyone who has visited your profile. 

That might not sound like a problem. But being able to see who’s viewed your profile is very beneficial when it comes to seeing which employers are interested in you and when.

It’s also important to know that you have a reputation score on LinkedIn. It’s called your Social Selling Index or SSI score. 

LinkedIn Premium elevates this score in numerous ways. First, by increasing the exposure you have to connections in your field of interest.

Second, by increasing your profile’s visibility in LinkedIn Recruiter – that’s the LinkedIn that employers use.

…

** For the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

The post Are You Using The Right LinkedIn? appeared first on Cheeky Scientist.