How to progress in your academic career

By Eliza.Compton, 12 January, 2023
Illustration of woman walking atop columns, career progression
Advice for academics at every step of your career
How to progress in your academic career
Advice for academics at every step of your career
Illustration of woman walking atop columns, career progression

With its well-documented precarity and fierce competition, an academic career is beset with challenges throughout the ascent to rewards and opportunities. This collection of resources offers advice from faculty around the world for all steps of the journey and at all levels – from finding the right PhD supervisor to taking on leadership roles. Read how to craft an academic CV, tackle impostor syndrome, get funding, work in different countries, win that promotion, become a dean, thrive as a freelance researcher, use networks (online and in-person) and develop the soft skills that get you noticed.

How to write an effective academic CV
Resources
By Miranda Prynne, 21 December, 2022

Academic CV writing dos and don’ts

View
Image showing multiple hands holding up CVs
What key information to include on your academic CV and how to present it, alongside some common mistakes to avoid, by Eleanor Hennige
Reading time
3minutes
Young woman celebrating with laptop
By dene.mullen, 10 January, 2023

Top tips for choosing a PhD Supervisor

View
Choosing the right PhD supervisor
Özge Özden lays out the pros and cons you need to consider when choosing a supervisor, as well as five key qualities to look out for
Reading time
4minutes
Getting tenure and promotion
Resources
By Eliza.Compton, 12 July, 2022

What is tenure – and how to get it

View
man running towards target
For many scholars, permanent employment is the light at the end of a years-long tunnel. Here, Henry Reichman explains the US tenure system and why it is key to protecting academic freedom
Reading time
4minutes
By dene.mullen, 9 March, 2022

Who wants to be a dean?

View
Academics looking to move up the higher education career ladder might consider becoming a dean
Paul Baines talks through the pros and cons of being a dean, plus the skills you’ll need to display during the recruitment process to get there
Reading time
4minutes
Illustration of impostor syndrome concept
Networking for academics
Resources
knowledge transfer concept
Working internationally
Resources
hammer with bent nails
Skills that get you noticed
Resources
By Miranda Prynne, 27 June, 2022

A guide to writing grant proposals

View
Image showing two academics working together on a grant proposal
To write a successful grant proposal, academics need to focus on the relevant details that will help sell their research idea to the reviewer and this requires a shift of mindset, as Kaycie Butler explains
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 12 August, 2022

How much should you publish?

View
Young Indian woman opens a carton of books
For reputation or promotion? Book or peer-reviewed journal? Publishing is a high-stakes issue for academics. Catherine Léglu looks at scholars’ motivations to publish, where and how often
Reading time
4minutes
Balancing stones on beach
By dene.mullen, 10 November, 2022

You can have it all, just not all at once

View
Work-life balance in academia can be achieved, but it's not easy
It might just be possible to achieve a good work-life balance in academia, but it requires focusing on certain areas of your life and career at certain times, says Lucas Lixinski
Reading time
5minutes
Success for all
Resources