Research careers can be a strong option for doctoral students across disciplines who want to continue refining or leveraging their research training and skills beyond faculty roles. Panelists from the Expand Your Career Options event series (Spring 2026) shared valuable perspectives on pursuing research roles in different sectors. Their insights specifically focused on advice for transitioning beyond academia, navigating informational interviews, and understanding day-to-day work and workplace culture.
Repositioning Your Academic Background
Panelists shared strategies for repositioning yourself in the job market:
- Be intentional about framing your research skills – tell a story about how your skills align with the job you are pursuing.
- Learn to speak the language of other researchers or professionals in the industry you are interested in.
- Practice communicating your research to non-subject-matter-expert audiences. This could include presenting in community settings using accessible language, explaining your work to family members, or gaining experience through internships or volunteer roles.
- Learn what makes you unique and stay grounded in that.
- Recognize that stepping away from an academic identity can feel like abandoning something important and understand that this feeling is normal.
- Have a diverse committee and access to people who can help.
Navigating Informational Interviews
All panelists emphasized the importance of informational interviews to help them access non-academic career paths. They shared several tips for outreach and navigation of informational interviews:
- Use LinkedIn to connect; request 15-20 minutes of conversation to learn about others’ roles and career paths.
- Be prepared for refusals but remember that many are generous with their support.
- Come prepared with three questions, such as their day-to-day work, something that surprised you about the job/role, or one piece of advice they would offer
- Follow up and maintain connections if it feels meaningful, for example, by sharing updates about attending a conference, or publishing a paper, etc.
Day-to-day Work and Workplace Culture
Panelists highlighted how workday structure and culture may vary across sectors:
- Nonprofit roles offer collaborative and supportive environments. Working in a research position may involve site visits and travel along with work from home, and work tasks can vary from day to day.
- Working in a company can be fast-paced and often requires quick deliverables, with research serving as context to inform decision-making across teams.
- Higher education research roles may feel more flexible, with dedicated time for writing manuscripts, creating surveys, and meeting with collaborators.
Advice for Doctoral Students
- Your dissertation does not have to be groundbreaking – finish it and move on.
- Visualize your life beyond graduation and consider how your job fits into the bigger picture.
- Step back and check in on your goals to make sure you leave your program with what you need or want.
- Take interviews seriously – they can be valuable opportunities to explore or advance potential careers.
Career Service/Resources:
- Learn more about conducting informational interviews through this self-paced online learning module
- Consider meeting with a career coach for career exploration, application materials review, networking strategies, and more
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Expand Your Career Options is an event series that occurs every semester and invites speakers with graduate degrees pursuing various career fields. Visit the event page to learn more about different career paths featured.
