Written by Dr Natasha Tomm.
As a scientist who has newly embarked into the world of consulting, I find it fascinating to realise that the worlds of scientific research and business are very similar, although the people in these areas tend to consider them as extreme opposites.
As I was approaching the last year of my PhD in Physics, I was afflicted by the same “little crisis” through which every academic faces at this stage of their careers: to find what to do next in life. When you do scientific research, you become an expert in a very specialised field. You know a lot about a very specific topic. When you’re a researcher in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), you may be at the forefront of knowledge in a particular field only to realise that what you’ve developed and studied for years has limited applicability outside of the University or Research Institute you’ve been working for. When you find another job, you’ll definitely not do the same as you’ve been doing previously. So realising what the next step in your career should be can be quite a pickle.
According to a report derived from a survey conducted by Nature1 (one of the most prestigious scientific journals) only 30% of PhDs continue to do academic research past three years of their title awarding2. And although a big chunk of the remaining 70% continues to work in research and development (R&D) in the private sector, an increasingly sought-after path for PhDs is a career in either management or finance consulting. This career path is really not an obvious one for early-career researchers, so how does one come about working as a consultant? And why is it a great career path for STEM academics?
Like many of my peers, deciding about what to do next was not about focusing on the specifics of my topic, but about figuring out what “general” tasks I enjoyed doing and what I was really good at in my academic job.
From Problem to Solution
When defining the course of a research project, one of my favorite parts was structuring a plan to go from problem to solution: I would need to perform bibliography research (“is the solution existent somewhere out there?” or “did other people encounter the same problem?”) and discuss with colleagues (“what are our capabilities?” and “how would other experts tackle this?”). It was about defining what were the fundamental steps in the plan, setting the priorities and the risks of each part of the project – and how to mitigate/solve each encountered new challenge.
Collaboration
A scientific project is rarely performed alone, but it is rather the result of a collaboration where each researcher has a key role in the success of the project. As a more senior researcher one takes the lead to orchestrate the time and task management of the team. It was about performing more advanced tasks, while enabling more junior researchers to develop their own skills while advancing with the project. Seeing the project progress and it all fall into place when executing a structured plan as a team was definitely a very rewarding part of my job.
Communication
Finally, a key part of being a scientist is being able to communicate well in the different stages of the project. Before and during the project, establishing a dialogue for increased chances of success was key. Afterwards, it’s about stitching the data together and being able to tell a story. Communicating our results in conferences and workshops to peers from around the world, receiving feedback and recognition of our achievements was gratifying for myself and for the whole team.
It turns out that when searching for a career path that would enable me to use my skillset and work with interesting and motivated people to succeed, I found myself drawn to the world of consulting. The types of projects to be managed may be very different. The tools and the goals in scientific research and the business world might be diverging. In practice, however, it is all about finding efficient ways to solve a problem, which is what scientists do on a daily basis.
So while a career in consulting might be a brilliant one for a PhD looking for a change, what’s in it for consulting companies? Why is it also a great idea to hire recent graduates?
Although STEM researchers may not be immediately across the business terminology and concepts, this is not a hinderance: academics are fast learners, and diving into the unknown is what they thrive on! In fact, it is estimated that about a fifth of new consultant hires will come from the academic pool3, as consulting firms recognise that PhDs are equipped with a skillset fit for solving business (and any kind of) problems: analytic and structured thinking, resilience and the ability to be a team player. These are all attributes that good consulting companies value in any new employees – particularly those looking to bring a higher degree of diversity into their team.
In conclusion, although I am only starting my journey into the world of consulting, I won’t be leaving behind the skills I’ve developed as an academic researcher and I am very much looking forward to putting my talents to use in this next phase of my career.
References
[1] https://figshare.com/s/74a5ea79d76ad66a8af8
[3] https://www.science.org/content/article/science-careers-guide-consulting-careers-phd-scientists
Natasha was just awarded with the prestigious Prix Schläfli Physics 2022 (one of the oldest prizes in Switzerland!). She has recently arrived in Australia and joins us as a result-driven professional with 10+ years of experience in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Natasha is a strategic thinker experienced in working in multicultural environments having lived and worked in Europe, and South and North America. She is passionate about communicating and driving cross-functional activities oriented at finding innovative and inclusive solutions and today is writing about the transition from the world of academia to consulting.
