Academic career advice

Tips and resources to help you build a successful career in academia. From skills development during your PhD to preparing for a role in university administration, all academic career steps are covered. Here, you will find advice on promoting your work, growing your professional reputation and developing collegiate networks to support your academic career progression - or to help you move into industry.

Illustration of young woman with tangled arrows representing decisions above her head

One thing at a time: tips for making decisions

Academic life is rife with everyday choices that can sap your bandwidth. Here’s why this is exhausting and how to ease the load

Yaniv Hanoch

University of Southampton

A man and two women in a meeting around a laptop

How professional supervision can benefit academics

Common in health professions, supervision has much to offer faculty and higher education institutions – whether it takes place one-on-one or in groups. Here, Anita Volkert explains how to use the 3Cs of effective supervision to get started

Anita Volkert

Glasgow Caledonian University

A phone showing key social icons with notifications

Making the most of social media: practical tips for academics

A guide for academics to using social media as a powerful tool to share and amplify their work and build professional networks, by David Riley

David Riley

The University of the West Indies

Networking with other academics is key to building lasting relationships

How to succeed at policy engagement, part three: building relationships

In the third and final part of her series on policy engagement, Jo Clift looks at how to create positive and lasting relationships across your policy network

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

Narrating failure in academia: how to turn trash into treasure

Instead of hiding from failure in shame and despair, and on the way to normalising it, we should learn how to better narrate it, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Young male entrepreneur working in a cafe with coffee and laptop

How to support students considering self-employment

Not all students want – nor can they find in a challenging employment market – graduate jobs after university. Victoria Prince looks at what more faculties can do to support students in creating their own business opportunities

Victoria Prince

Nottingham Trent University

Failing your way to academic success

Failure offers students and educators a chance to explore their shortcomings and come to greater self-awareness. In fact, it can be seen as growth in disguise, write Kelvin Yihang Zhang and Kim Yong Joong

Kelvin Yihang Zhang, Kim Yong Joong

Macau University of Science and Technology

Mapping the policy landscape as an academic

How to succeed at policy engagement, part two: mapping the landscape

In the second part of her series on policy engagement, Jo Clift advises how to build a picture of the policy landscape in your area of interest and establish who to engage with

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

I moved to Sweden as an early career researcher – here’s what I learned

The pursuit of an academic career can mean moving to a different country. Here, Federica Di Biase shares lessons for early-career researchers who want to move to Sweden or have already done so

Federica Di Biase

University of Salerno , University of Naples Federico II

Older professional woman and young professional woman working together at laptop

How reverse mentoring helps co-create institutional knowledge

Reverse mentoring flips traditional power hierarchies, seeks connections across generations and offers opportunities to build relationships between students and faculty. The result boosts leadership skills and institutional knowledge

Monika Foster

Northumbria University

Elevator pitch and policy engagement with your research

How to succeed at policy engagement, part one: define your purpose

In the first of her series on policy engagement, Jo Clift provides guidance on the importance of knowing what you’re trying to achieve in order to succeed

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

professional woman in office with laptop with head in hands

How to use failure to build an academic career

Failure can be a stepping stone on the way to professional success. Here, Beiting He offers tips for finding support through setbacks and cultivating a resilience mindset

Beiting He

Macau University of Science and Technology

Colleagues laughing and having a chat over coffee

Good daily work habits for early career researchers

A collection of good daily work habits that will help early career researchers flourish, based on insight from a number of academics

Kelly Louise Preece

The University of Exeter

Faculty exit interviews: the when, how and why

There’s never a good time to say goodbye. But here, Eli Joseph provides tips and insights on conducting exit interviews for different types of faculty

Eli Joseph

Columbia University

What’s your scholarly ‘next big thing’, and how should you choose it?

For those who want to be setting the agenda in their field, a big project is one of the clearest ways of doing it. Lucas Lixinski ruminates on what that could look like

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

How to raise the bar on the teaching section of your CV

From not burying the teaching section to developing a broad range of experiences, Emma Williams gives tips on making your CV shine when applying for a lectureship

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

Dos and do-overs: reflections on life as an early career researcher

Reflecting on her time as an early career researcher, Edzia Carvalho looks back at the things she did successfully – her dos – and the things she wishes she had done from the start – her do-overs – to help others embarking on the same journey

Edzia Carvalho

University of Dundee

Questions for thinking about your career vitality

Vitality is at the opposite end of the motivation spectrum from burnout. Where do you sit? Here are 10 questions that university faculty can use to reflect on their experience

Rebecca Pope-Ruark

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

The art of fostering collegiality

With responsibility to encourage collegiality in their domain but limited authority to make it happen, what is a department chair to do? Kevin Dettmar shares the uses and misuses of academia’s professional bonds

Kevin Dettmar

Pomona College

Image representing different elements of teaching and learning

How to build quantitative evidence of your teaching expertise

Teaching impact can be difficult to measure but by sharing insight, resources and teaching materials online, you can start to build quantitative evidence of your expertise as Philip Leftwich explains

Philip Leftwich

The University of East Anglia

Rainbow light bulb in a row of white bulbs

Leadership and the intersectionality of being queer and living with HIV

Coming out as gay was a first step, but it was being open about living with HIV that showed Raymond Crossman how his whole self shaped his role as president. Here, he talks about intersectionality and leadership

Raymond Crossman

Adler University

Campus webinar: The keys to a successful academic career

Three female academics in Europe, the UK and Australia give their advice on how to land a promotion, networking for introverts, how much you should be publishing – and answering the question: ‘Should I quit?’

Sarah Ivory, Catherine Léglu, Kylie Message-Jones

Australian National University, University of Luxembourg, The University of Edinburgh

People in arrow formation, leadership concept

What is responsible leadership in tertiary education?

This leadership model emphasises participation and community over individual heroics and champions broad measures of success, writes Harry Gill

Harry Gill

Zayed University

Changing career focus to become a university teacher

Considerations when focusing your career on teaching over research

Brooke Wilson provides tips for those attempting to enter higher education with, or pivot an existing academic career towards, a focus on teaching

Brooke Wilson

Colorado State University Global

Practice makes perfect and other networking tips for academics

The benefits of networking for academics and how to do it well, both in person and online, explained by Eleanor Hennige

Eleanor Hennige

The University of Edinburgh

Techniques for managing and learning from failure in academia

Failure in academia does not have to be entirely negative – it can provide an opportunity to grow, build resilience and is an essential part of the self-improvement process

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos

The University of Westminster

Top tips for choosing a PhD Supervisor

Özge Özden lays out the pros and cons you need to consider when choosing a PhD supervisor, as well as five key qualities to look out for

Özge Özden

Near East University

Image showing multiple hands holding up CVs

How to write an academic CV: dos and don'ts

What key information to include on your academic CV and how to present it, alongside some common mistakes to avoid, by Eleanor Hennige

Eleanor Hennige

The University of Edinburgh

Asian woman holding laptop illustrating leadership

Leadership styles in higher education that work in the ‘new normal’

University leaders require a broad set of skills – from using data to creating long-term strategy – as well as the ability to adapt to changing times

Gou Rui, Liu Chao

Macau University of Science and Technology

Tips to balance teaching and research activities

Five tips to help academics balance their teaching and research duties without compromising the quality of one or the other, by Abdullah Khadim

Abdullah Khadim

Al-Mustaqbal University

Impostor syndrome is common in higher education

When am I going to be found out? Tackling academic impostor syndrome

Do you find yourself thinking ‘everyone knows more than I do’ or ‘I shouldn’t have got this promotion’? If so, Jo Clift has tips for challenging your impostor syndrome

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

Leading through mentorship: a guide to the ups and downs

Anna Chur-Hansen reflects on her experiences as a mentee and mentor, how this skill can be developed and how it contributes to the building of a meaningful career

Anna Chur-Hansen

The University of Adelaide

Leading with empathy is more important than ever in HE

How to be an empathetic leader during times of change

No one style is the panacea for all leadership challenges but, as Rachel Gibson explains, empathy is a crucial ingredient for leadership success

Rachel Gibson

The University of Adelaide

Being a public scientist is not an easy choice

When scholars know their data well and can see their findings being ignored, they should be comfortable enough to speak out. Here, Paul McGreevy offers advice to those contemplating putting their heads above the parapet

Paul McGreevy

University of New England

Catching up with academic colleagues is part of keeping it REAL

Authentic leadership: the four pillars of keeping it ‘REAL’

Corinna van den Heuvel explains how developing a strong personal leadership philosophy is key to authenticity as a leader

Corinna van den Heuvel

The University of Adelaide

Combining business and educational acumen is required for HE leaders

Modern higher education leaders must blend business and educational knowledge

Clearly articulated values, structures that support accountability and metrics that align with strategic goals are the new leadership competencies, says Angela Hernquist

Angela Hernquist

Colorado State University Global

Work-life balance in academia can be achieved, but it's not easy

You can have it all, just not all at once

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

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Tips for university faculty on negotiating salary

Salary negotiation – a guide for faculty members

In the age of inflation, increased competition and an emphasis on adjunct faculty roles, knowing how to effectively negotiate your salary is key

Vanessa Claus

Colorado State University Global

Pretending that academia is a meritocracy harms tutors and students

Looking for a tenured teaching job? I’ve got one piece of advice: get lucky

By reinforcing the myth of meritocracy, we perpetuate a system grounded in cruelty and false promises. It needs to stop, says David Webster

David Webster

King's University College

Image showing networking and peer support

Three cornerstones of a successful research career

Success in academia requires much more than topical expertise. Jackie Carter shares three vital areas of focus for building a research career

Jackie Carter

The University of Manchester

Illustration of mentoring tree of lightbulbs

Career mentoring can support student employability

Support for students extends beyond the classroom. Here’s how to develop a successful mentoring programme to help students take their first steps into the workplace

Zurria Qureshi

The University of Westminster

Part-time work could be a great option for work-life balance

In the search for work-life balance, going part-time could provide an answer

James Derounian makes the case for part-time work, particularly as academics advance in their careers – and gives tips on how to begin the transition and make a success of it

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Towards independence: blazing your trail as a freelance researcher

What options are open to you as a researcher if you decide formal academia within a university is not for you? Helen Ross outlines considerations and useful advice for anyone wishing to become an independent researcher

Helen Ross

Independent academic

The magic motivation fairy does not exist for academics

Bad news, kids (and academics): the magical motivation fairy doesn’t exist

Motivation for tricky tasks doesn’t just appear magically, but with these psychological tricks you can get yourself and your career moving, says Hugh Kearns

Hugh Kearns

Flinders University

Illustration of young woman with pile of papers, laptop and timer

Ask for help: a survival guide for inexperienced academics

Research and teaching are two sides of the knowledge coin: creation and dissemination. How do young scholars learn to balance these fundamental roles?

M. C. Zhang, Aliana Leong

Macau University of Science and Technology

Failure is crucial in academia, science and research

Failure can feel hot and shameful, but we must normalise it

Failure is essential in research, so we need to reframe it into an opportunity for learning, says Emma Williams

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

Many adjunct professors find themselves pulled in two different directions

Five steps to help adjunct professors prioritise competing workloads

Teaching at universities while also working in industry can require superhuman powers of organisation. Brooke Wilson offers pointers for staying on top of things

Brooke Wilson

Colorado State University Global

Cat in travel cage with plane in background

Zoom fatigue and other exhaustions of international academic life

For many scholars, a sustainable career means moving countries to follow jobs and opportunities. Here, Clare Griffin talks about the financial, mental and social costs of relocation and offers practical tips for coping

Clare Griffin

Indiana University Bloomington

Classroom management techniques you don’t get taught

‘Fake it till you make it’ is a useful motto for new university teachers facing a classroom of antsy students for the first time. Here are seven basic skills to master

John Weldon

Victoria University

Why my hobbies make me a better scholar

Non-academic skills, both motor and cognitive, can enrich research capabilities in unexpected and often unexamined ways, writes Stephen W. Harmon

Stephen W. Harmon

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

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