PostPhDirections

✨ SPECIAL EDITION FROM THE ALMA.ME CAREERS WEEK 2026 ✨

What does industry actually feel like once you get there? In this special panel episode recorded live at the Alma.Me Careers Week 2026, Angela Priest sits down with four Alma.me Job Accelerator Program alumni who recently made the leap from academia into industry. Together they get honest about the mindset shifts, the culture shocks, the unexpected challenges and what they wish they'd known before they started.
The panel features Sophia Parks (PhD Toxicology → Project Manager in health tech), Michael Rempe (PhD Applied Mathematics → Senior Advanced Analytics Analyst at Grainger), Emory Richardson (Yale PhD → Data Scientist at PayPal) and Emily Richard (Lead Data Scientist at A-G Associates working with the Department of Veterans Affairs).
This is one of the most candid conversations of the Careers Week. Because reading about the transition is one thing and hearing it from people who just lived it is something else entirely.
Connect with Elena on LinkedIn and follow along on Instagram and TikTok. For hands-on support in your own transition, check out how Alma.Me can help at www.alma.me 💙

Are you applying to junior roles because you think you need to prove yourself before you can aim higher?
In this episode of PostPhDirections, I sit down with Emily Richard, a cognitive neuroscience PhD who is now a Data Science Lead at AG Associates, working on veteran suicide prevention. When Emily started her industry job search, she did what so many PhDs do she aimed too low. She kept applying to entry-level roles, convinced she needed to earn her place first. What changed everything was realising that her PhD, her decade-plus of research experience, and her leadership background already qualified her for senior-level positions. Once she shifted her targets, everything clicked.
Emily's story is a powerful reminder that choosing a job outside of academia doesn't mean giving up meaningful, mission-driven work and that your PhD already qualifies you for more than you think.
We talk about:
Why PhDs almost always underestimate the level they should be targeting
How one conversation with Angela completely reframed what Emily had to offer
Why your academic experience counts as real work experience — even when you don't believe it does
What skills Emily had been overlooking that actually qualified her for senior and leadership roles
How she landed a role she genuinely loves — leading data science on veteran suicide prevention
Why aiming too low might actually be the reason you're not hearing back
The best job search advice you'll hear: treat every application and rejection like a data point
If you're a PhD wondering what level to target or quietly convinced you need to start at the bottom then this conversation will change how you see yourself.
Connect with Emily Richard on LinkedInLearn more about Alma.me and our Job Accelerator Program: www.alma.meFollow Elena on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok
If you found this helpful, share it with a fellow researcher who might be underselling themselves — and please leave us a review. It's the easiest way to help other PhDs find this podcast. 💙

In this episode of PostPhDirections, I'm joined by my co-founder Angela Priest, who brings over 20 years of hiring experience across startups and big cooperates. We get into everything you need to know about the current job market — the honest, behind-the-scenes version.
We cover:
Why uncertainty has become the new normal for employers — and what that means for your job search
The AI shift: what "AI native" means in job descriptions and why it matters for you
Why your data fluency is one of the most in-demand skills right now (and why most PhDs don't even realize they have it)
The hottest roles for STEM PhDs in 2026: AI/ML, health tech, biotech & clinical research
The #1 skill listed in 85% of job descriptions — and why PhDs often struggle with it
How to make interviewers actually want to hire you (the unspoken criteria nobody talks about)
Why communication in industry means something completely different than it does in academia
If you're a PhD or postdoc thinking about making the leap, this episode is full of raw, practical insight from someone who's spent decades in the hiring room.
Connect with Angela Priest on LinkedInLearn more about Alma.me and our Job Accelerator Program: Follow Elena on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
If you found this helpful, share it with a fellow researcher — and please leave us a review. It's the easiest way to help other PhDs find this podcast. 💙

What if I told you one of the most powerful tools for landing your first industry job is completely free, takes 30 minutes, and most PhDs aren't using it?
I'm talking about coffee chats (aka informational interviews – but let's keep it casual).
When I was halfway through my PhD at Karolinska Institutet, I had that constant background noise: "What can I do after my PhD? Where do my skills fit? What if I don't want to stay at the bench?"
Starting conversations with people who'd already made the jump changed everything for me.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why coffee chats are my absolute favorite free tool for career transitions
The two main reasons PhDs should be doing these (and neither is "asking for a job")
Three strategies for finding people to talk to – even with zero network
The outreach message formula that actually gets responses (with examples)
What questions to ask that can't be Googled
How one PhD got a referral from a single coffee chat
Why "not everyone will reply" is totally normal (and what to do about it)
Here's the truth: You can read hundreds of job descriptions about data science or medical science liaison roles and still have no idea what it actually feels like to do the job. That information only comes from real people working in industry.
Stop sitting alone with your laptop feeling overwhelmed. Start having real conversations.
Your challenge this week: Reach out to ONE person and ask for ONE coffee chat. That's it. Share in the comments how it goes!
Ready for more support? Check out our Learning Platform (48-hour free trial) or Job Accelerator Program at www.alma.me
Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok
You got this 💙

Does your first job after your PhD have to be perfect? Spoiler: No.
If you're finishing your PhD and stressing about finding the "perfect" industry job, this episode is for you. I break down why PhDs overthink this decision, how industry actually works (hint: you're NOT locked in for 5 years), and what really matters in your first role.
You'll hear:
Why the "perfect job" mindset comes from academic training
How industry turnaround times work (2 years is normal!)
A real story: PhD who pivoted after just 9 months
What to do if you don't like your first job
Why your first role is a stepping stone, not a destination
Your first job just needs to get you into industry. That's it. Stop overthinking and start moving forward.
Ready to make your transition? Check out our Job Accelerator Program at www.alma.me
Follow me on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Tiktok