Before deciding on your next possible career move, it is useful to consider your skills and options because this will help you plan your development and help you make a career decision that is right for you.
We suggest that you follow the 4 commonly used steps:
Understanding yourself means knowing your skills and competences but it also about realizing your values, your personality, your aptitudes and your interests. The perfect job will be a job where all of these factors are fulfilled, but in reality, we sometimes have to compromise because the different factors collide.
In order for you to make a career move, you need to have an understanding of what your possibilities are. This means learning about different occupations which fit with your self assessment in step 1. You can explore your options by looking at job descriptions, participating in career fairs, research what people with a similar background as yours are doing and look into as many different kinds of jobs, so you know what your options are. You can read more about the most common career paths for young researchers here.
By now, you will have an understanding of yourself and of the many options out there, so the natural next step is to make a decision about the direction(s) you would like to pursue. Consider thoroughly what these jobs entail and what the requirements are so that you know how you match and where possible shortcomings are.
During this step you will be making an action plan for how to reach a goal(s) you have identified through the other 3 steps. Whether it is on paper or in your head is up to you, but the important part is that you consider how you will reach your goal(s). These goals can be developing a skill, taking a course, building a network or other possible goals that you have realized that you need in order to make the career move you want. But it may also be taking action with regards to actually getting the job you want. In this case your plan should include finding concrete jobs and potential employers, activating your network, writing CVs and cover letters, updating your LinkedIn profile etc. so your reach your goal of getting your next job.
To help you with the different steps in this process, we recommend using the exercises in the videos below, which can help you identify your skills, interests and values as well as possible knowledge gaps. We also recommend discussing your career ideas with your supervisor/PI and of course to look at the different services, activities and individual counselling offered by the career service.
Are you a PhD student interested in developing your career in or outside academia? Here you will find information on what we can offer and how you can develop your career.
A PhD position is a 3-year educational position. The PhD education leads to a PhD degree, which is the highest level of education at Danish universities. A PhD program can start after a bachelor's or master’s degree with or without other credits. It is possible to get enrolled in a PhD programme while you are still at your master's level in which case the PhD programme and position will be extended by 1-2 years.
Read more about the application process at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences.
During your PhD education you will work on a PhD research project under the supervision of one or more senior scientists. You will interact with research groups outside AU, including staying at other, mainly foreign, research institutions, as well as participate in local and international PhD courses and conferences. It is also possible to do an industrial PhD, where you will be employed by a company, working on a collaborative project with supervision from both company and AU.
The specific skills and experiences, which you obtain through the PhD programme depend on your PhD project’s scientific content and method, your course activities etc. Throughout the PhD project you will train your skills in and get experience with quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as obtain specialized knowledge within a scientific field.
Through the PhD education you will learn to map and comprehend a large and complex field of research and determine the quality of its scientific findings. You will participate in scientific discussions, teaching and dissemination. Early in the PhD programme you will be trained in project planning and management as well as evaluation and adjustment of projects based on intermediate results and sparring with supervisors and peers. Furthermore, you will train your collaboration skills e.g., through writing publications or activities in national and international research groups.
During your PhD programme you will get the opportunity to focus on your career development e.g., by attending career workshops as part of the onboarding programme at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences, by discussing career opportunities and plans through a structured framework for dialogue with your supervisor or by seeking out guidance counselling at AU Career PhD and JR.
Read more about the admission criteria to become a PhD student at the Faculty of Natural Sciences here (under Assessment criteria).
Vitae is a career platform containing advice and knowledge on developing as a researcer and how to support or supervise others in their career. Aarhus University is a member of the Vitae Community, so all AU researchers have access to the full suite of online resources.
Sign in and register to Vitae with your AU institutional email domain, and you will have unlimited use of professional development and training materials.
