Navigating the Shift from Academia to Industry

Transitioning from academia to industry is being one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my professional journey. As I navigate this path, I want to share my story with others who are considering or already making a similar move. Through these articles, I aim to offer insights, advice, and encouragement while also seeking feedback from those who have successfully made the switch.

Know the market, know yourself

For starters, and though it may sound obvious, you have to make sure that the positions you apply for align as closely as possible with the type of work you are seeking. It’s a rookie mistake to assume that because they sound similar, the responsibilities of a data scientist are the same as those of a data analyst or that two people with the same job title working in vastly different sectors use the same tools or share the same set of skills. Learning the subtle (and not so subtle) differences between various roles and researching the skills required in different sectors becomes very important.

Because your learning path may look different if you want to work in finance rather than retail, it is important to ask yourself what you like to do, what you are good at, and whether there are job opportunities available.

Be specific

It’s tempting to believe that after completing the introspective part, you are now 100% sure of the kind of role you want to land and in which industry. So, you might think it’s a good idea to indiscriminately send applications to all the places you can think of, hoping that purely by statistics, someone will say ‘yes’, right? Wrong. Maybe this machine gun approach worked for someone you know (well, maybe it will work for you, who knows?), but it has more clear disadvantages than advantages.

Most application processes involve some kind of form, where they ask you for personal information, they might ask some questions, for example your expected salary, and they almost always require two documents: your resume and a cover letter. Tailoring both to the job position you are applying for and to the company itself (shared values and vision) is very important and can make your application stand out from the rest. At the beginning, it may take you longer, but with sufficient practice, in a matter of weeks, you will be more than capable of editing them in a reasonable time. Like everything else, writing a good cover letter is a skill, and you get better at it with practice. Another advantage is that it is easier to keep track of all your applications and saves you from embarrassing mistakes like mixing up the names of the companies or hiring managers.

Build your profile

There are plenty of job posting sites, and LinkedIn is a good place to start. At the risk of sounding obvious, opening an account and maintaining it up to date is the easiest way to showcase yourself to potential employers while searching for jobs. It also can help you assess where you stand in comparison to other potential candidates and what the industry or sector of your choice considers as norms in terms of qualifications and skills, allowing you to start building your professional profile. You can learn from others the subtle art of selling yourself, which is key when writing your application documents and for the job interviews to come (more on that in another post!). Additionally, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for networking, helping you connect with professionals in your field, seek advice, and discover job opportunities through your connections.