Target Group: Postdoctoral researchers and advanced doctoral researchers

Course Type: Video-Webcast

This video-webcast supports you in developing viable individual ideas for professional alternatives to an academic career.

The video-webcast is aimed at academics at all levels of experience (R1-R3; PhDs and Postdocs) who would like to find out about alternative career opportunities outside the academic system or leave the academic career path.

Content & Structure

First, the situation of doctoral graduates on the German job market is presented. Using tasks for analysis and self-reflection, you will then be guided to explore your own interests and values. This is followed by a framework and strategies for researching career options and identifying your own skills for the non-university job market. Finally, tips and advice are given for the first job application steps.

Length & Topic Overview

The video has a total length of 2h 13 min. The speed of the video can be adjusted upwards in the video settings. The video covers the following topics:

0. Introduction & Program / approx. 6 min

1. Situation of PhD holders: Dr. No Chance? / approx. 12 min

2. Guideline: Values & career motives / approx. 13 min

3. Options: Using personal network, LinkedIn & Xing / approx. 12 min

4. Options: Research-related fields / approx. 16 min

5. Options: Non-research fields / approx. 12 min

6. Competences: Introduction & professional competences / approx. 8 min

7. Competences: Methodological, personal and social competences / approx. 12 min

8. Applying for jobs: Introduction & design / approx. 6 min

9. Applying for jobs: CV / approx. 10 min

10. Applying for jobs: Cover letter / approx. 11 min

11. Applying for jobs: Interview / approx. 5 min

12. Strategy: My road map / approx. 5 min

13. Recommended Reading / approx. 1 min

Accompanying materials

Working through the accompanying materials in the workbook can take several additional hours:

- Three exercises to reflect on your own values

- Exercise to analyze personal professional motives

- Documentation template for analyzing networks

- Documentation template for free research

- Documentation template for questions for conversational partners who are of professional interest to you

- Mind map of career options

- Exercise to analyze professional competences

- Overview of competences: methodological, personal and social competences

- Exercise to analyze methodological, personal and social competences

- Further exercises to analyze competences

- Documentation template for further personal strategy

- Two sample CVs

- Tips & practice questions for job interviews

Further remarks

The video can provide you with initial orientation, but cannot relieve you of the strenuous and time-consuming process that a professional reorientation entails. Furthermore, the self-learning video is not subject-specific. This means that the video does not provide you with concrete job options that are specifically tailored to your background and skills. 

Please use the registration button below to sign up.