From PhD To Industry ― 4 Best Books To Aid Your Transition | HappinessDhaba

In the bygone days, scientists usually had a straightforward career path that went like this:―

1. Enrol in a graduate program,
2. Publish papers,
3. Finish PhD, and
4. Eventually, pursue postdoctoral work.

And, with perseverance and a little bit of luck, a tenure-track professorship usually awaited them in those times. But things have changed significantly in the current academic job market.

By the time the PhDs and the postgraduates perceive this change they are already battling with the following questions:-

1. How can I use my research skills outside of academia?
2. Is the transition from Academia to Industry a one-way street?
3. Can a non-academic career be interesting?
4. Will I regret the transition at a later stage?

TRIVIA ― PhD is the short form for Doctor of Philosophy. The word doctor is derived from the Latin verb “docere,”  which means “to teach”. Medical professionals started using the title, “DOCTOR” much later. 

Here is the list of 4 books I believe can help PhDs take up the gauntlet and aid their transition from academia to industry. 

From PhD To Industry: 4 Best Books To Aid Your Transition

1. The Power of a PhD: How Anyone Can Use Their PhD to Get Hired in Industry by Dr Isaiah Hankel 

In The Power of PhD, Dr Isaiah Hankel shares his experience that can help PhDs overcome their biggest obstacle: obscurity. PhDs are in demand in industry, but often, these PhDs are invisible to potential employers. The Power of a PhD provides a stepwise blueprint that can aid the transition of PhDs from Academia to Industry. Dr Isaiah Hankel’s eight core steps within The Power of a PhD include:

• Industry career options for PhDs
• Communicating the right skills
• Writing industry résumés
• Mastering LinkedIn profiles
• Networking and job referrals
• Generating informational interviews
• Acing industry interviews
• Negotiating your salary

Grab Your Copy Here:― Amazon In | Amazon US

2. So What Are You Going To Do With That? by Susan Elizabeth Basalla

With the current dearth of tenure-track positions in academia, graduate students are more than ever in need of a guide to the alternative job market. In So What Are You Going To Do With That? the authors show how PhDs are more marketable than they might expect. 

Both authors have gone on to rewarding post-academic careers. The book is based not only on their personal experiences but also on the hundreds of interviews they conducted with former graduate students and professors, from a variety of academic specialties. It’s the experiences of PhDs from the whole spectrum of specialities that makes this book a helpful tool for those looking to make a transition from academia to industry. 

Grab Your Copy Here:― Amazon US

3. It’s a Game, Not a Formula: How to Succeed as a Scientist Working in the Private Sector

Scientists often tend to be in search of the right way of doing things. They are used to chasing formulas and theories that describe the behavior of the universe, and this expectation that there is a ‘right answer’ tends to permeate much of what they do. But the world outside the controlled environment of the science lab doesn’t work that way. Data shows that the scientists who find success outside of academia are the ones who approach their work as if it were a game, with rules that need to be followed but with no clear ‘right way” of doing things. 

The book It’s a Game, Not a Formula shares some highly intelligent insights from amazingly experienced and successful industry PhD scientists and hence can be of great utility to the PhDs planning a successful incursion into the industry. 

Grab Your Copy Here:― Amazon In | Amazon US

4. The Salmon Leap for PhDs: Swimming upstream: A transition from academia to industry

The Salmon Leap for PhDs summarizes some of the most effective tried and tested strategies for landing an industry position. Matteo Tardelli, a PhD in biomedical sciences, argues that PhDs are in high demand outside academia, but the problem is that there is a large-scale dissonance between the language that academic candidates and industry recruiters speak.

Following the author’s conversations with career coaches, HR professionals, start-ups and academics who successfully made the leap into the industry this manual summarizes practical tips on how to make a successful transition into the industry.

Grab Your Copy Here:― Amazon In | Amazon US

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6. Best Books That Talk about SOLOGAMY
7. Books Chris McCandless Took On His Journey ― INTO THE WILD
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That’s all we have for today.

Thanks a lot for tuning in to HappinessDhaba. Do let me know your views on this in the comment section.

Signing off with my favorite words

Zindagi Zindabad!