Transition your skills from Academia to Business with jobs.ac.uk
Do you want to take your academic and research skills into the world of business? This article explores how you can adapt your skills from Academia and successfully use them in the business sector.
You may be searching for an innovative challenge or simply want to secure a second income.
Academia and business may seem widely separated but you may be surprised at how transferable your skills are.
Subject Expertise
Well-used routes include:
Research for external bodies
This may be for privately owned foundations or business organisations.
Roles in the industry are more targeted to scientists and engineers, however, there are many possibilities in quantitative subjects like finance, consulting, and social science.
Consultancy
Opportunities in the commercial world range depending on your chosen subject. It is possible to offer consulting services personally to organisations in your field or via commercial consultancies.
Explore other prospect areas to apply subject knowledge:
- Academic Publishing (including writing school and undergraduate textbooks)
- External Examination Setting and Assessment (for professional bodies as well as academic boards)
- Journalism (both print and online)
- Private Tutoring for individuals and groups and Guest Lecturing
It is a good idea to reflect on the transferable skills, you have developed over the years.
Teaching Skills
Teaching and public speaking skills can be conducted in training and development opportunities in private businesses beyond your subject area. Covering both soft and hard skills are essential skills to have enabling you to captivate your students.
Your skillset may include:
- Designing, preparing and delivering lectures
- Designing e-learning modules
- Facilitating small group seminars
- Addressing peers at conferences
- One-to-one tuition and coaching
- Providing feedback and assessment
Roles in Organisations and training consultancies may include:
- Delivering training and lectures as well as
- Identifying training needs for individuals and groups and
- Designing training interventions involving external suppliers
Interpersonal Skills
Along with strong verbal and non-verbal communication skills learnt in a teaching environment, you may have developed:
- Influencing and negotiating skills (from writing funding bids, securing resources from within your dept etc)
- Creating and presenting ideas (in your teaching, or to draw in external funding)
- Teamworking
- Mentoring and coaching (of young lecturers and PhDs/post-docs)
Management Skills
This may be an increasingly large part of your role involving:
- Project Management
- Line Management (hiring, developing, motivating and assessing performance)
- Financial and resource management
- Marketing (eg student recruitment)
Management skills are in high demand in business areas such as sales, management consulting, human resources, public relations, facilities management, and procurement.
You can search on the jobs listing today and explore other commercial organisation opportunities such as:
- A health consultancy advertising for a medical writer
- A chain of private colleges recruiting an Education Liaison Executive for schools
- A food manufacturer needing a New Product Development Technologist
- A hedge fund with opportunities in scientific /financial research
Refine your search by seeking ‘Commercial Organisations’ in ‘Employer Type’ and make sure you sign up for the job by email alerts.
Explore other related articles with jobs.ac.uk:
- Business jobs in Higher Education
- From Academia To Business
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I am currently a head teacher who wants a change of direction. I would be very keen to discuss my future prospects and/or career opportunities with you. I look forward to hearing from you.