Kelly, innovation adviser, phD in chemistry

 Occupation: Innovation Adviser, Business Link Nottinghamshire

Sector: Public

PhD subject: Chemistry

Why did you do a PhD?

After my degree I had decided to do a PGCE and was due to start that in the September following graduation. However, I got into a conversation with one of my lecturers and he questioned me about my motivations. I realised that I perhaps hadn’t thought it through and that whilst there was the opportunity to do a PhD I should take it.

My motivation was primarily related to the personal achievement of doing a PhD rather than specific career development.

Describe your current job briefly:

I work in a new role acting as a liaison between small to medium size businesses and universities in the East Midlands. I link these businesses with relevant contacts in the local universities to utilise the academic expertise on offer to benefit local forms and the local economy.

I’ve had to build relationships with companies and individuals in universities, with particular attention paid to the latter, so we can be sure that they are interested in commercial applications of their knowledge and able to offer relevant support and services to local industry. I also offer support to spin-out companies.

Why did you decide in this career?

My PhD had commercial potential so I got involved in technology transfer as a researcher and realised this was a function I wanted to work in. Whilst I was writing up my PhD I spent a year working at York University helping to establish the RSC’s Green Chemistry Network producing marketing material, organising events and conferences and developing my own knowledge and skills.

What was your job search strategy and how were you recruited?

Whilst I was at York I was looking at the jobs.ac.uk website but didn’t see anything interesting. This job was advertised in the local paper, so it wasn’t a typical graduate recruitment process. I was invited to interview and from that to an assessment centre which involved a number of activities all very clearly linked to the job. I had to work through written questions, take part in a role play and give a presentation, all designed to see how I would interact with potential users of the Business Link service and whether I had grasped the key issues.

Why do you think you got the job?

I had used opportunities in my PhD to develop an awareness of local universities and was familiar with academic bureaucracy. Having personal experience of technology transfer was also an advantage.

Do you think a PhD has had a positive impact on your career?

Absolutely – it has given me credibility with academics so they are more open when talking about their work and have the confidence to go into detail, rather than having to simplify things. I’ve found the same with businesses, so I get high quality information from both sides of potential partnerships which means I can match people more effectively.

What advice do you have for PhD students to boost their employability?

Recognise the other opportunities that your PhD can lead to and pursue these. Don’t just send off samples for analysis – go along and find out how this is done, or get training to do it yourself. Try to interact with different departments to broaden your understanding of the context of your own research. I’ve found that the snatches of understanding of different areas of research that I picked up with this approach are always coming in useful.

I also got involved in activities such as UCAS tours, Researchers in Residence, a GRADschool and 6th form teaching to broaden my appeal to future employers. Even in research there are VERY few jobs which will depend on the specifics of your PhD project so you need to be aware of your wider skills and understand how important these are. Writing is a case in point – producing a thesis develops high level skills which are relevant in any job.

With this attitude you won’t be cutting yourself off from other career paths –a PhD can take you just about anywhere.