Pursuing an academic career
Many people aspire to an academic career after they complete their doctorate and/or work as a member of research staff. This is highly competitive as only a small percentage of doctoral graduates and research staff go on to have a long term career in academia. This percentage is highly variable by country and subject area.
To increase your chance of succeeding in academia you will need a good publications record, experience of teaching, administration, supervision experience, knowledge of funding opportunities, and ideally evidence of successful funding applications. Experience of professional networking to raise your profile and, increasingly, entrepreneurship or knowledge transfer experience will also be advantageous.
Our online Professional Development Planner based on the Vitae Researcher Development Framework describes the knowledge, behaviours and attributes of successful researchers and can help you reflect on your capabilities as a researcher and create a professional development action plan.
