Realising your potential outside academiaKatie Russell

There are jobs out there

What you have to offer

Getting started with applications

Make your PhD work for you

Bad Timing?

Recession ended this January

Unemployment rises smaller than forecast

Some sectors soaring

Finance (Auditing, Accountancy, Corporate)

IT

Petroleum engineering and retail

Some sectors: business as usual

You'll stand out, whatever the weather

Do what’s right for you

My working assumption is that if you’re smart enough to get yourself into a Ph.D.

program, you’re smart enough to get yourself out of one. My positive philosophy about career change is partly a result of my glass-is-half-full attitude/personality, but it’s also borne out in the “anecdata” I’ve collected through my interviews. MAs and PhDs find work in non-academic sectors all the time.

http://www.leavingacademia.com

FTSE GBP 2010-03-10

Academia vs Commerce

Shorter timeframe (days not years)

High pressure

No students, no teaching

Different people

Making money not advancing knowledge

PhD Effectiveness: SIAMObtaining a highly desirable positionExtremely effective 58%

Somewhat effective 25%

Not effective 17%

Helping in your workExtremely effective 59%

Somewhat effective 32%

Not effective 9%

Superior career pathExtremely effective 27%Somewhat effective 51%

Not effective 22%

Importance of advanced mathematics: SIAM

Importance Ph.D. Master's ManagersPrimary 43% 28% 51%

Secondary 43% 40% 37%

Only for general utility 11% 32% 12%

Three main functional roles for mathematics were mentioned by managers:

Development of algorithms and numerical methods (27%)Modelling and simulation (23%)Statistical analysis (15%)

Possibilities

Academic distribution: SIAMGovernment 28%

Engineering research, computer services, software 19%Electronic, computers, aerospace, transportation equipment 17%

Services (financial, communications, transportation) 13%

Chemical, pharmaceutical, petroleum-related 6%

Don't get tied up on this … apply now, get interviews, filter later

Mathematical Modelling

Dealing with Unknowns

Researching and Compiling

Handling Detailed Work

Trouble Shooting

Pattern Spotting

Programming

Investigation Coordinating

Analysis

Reading

Teaching

Presenting

Conceptualization

Decision Making

Problem Solving

Communicating

Abstraction

Algorithm development

Learning

Time management

Assimilation

Technical writing

Public speaking

Your Skills

Interpreting

Translating

CV

Blurb

Technical Skills programming

mathematical modelling

data analysis

computer simulations

Monte Carlo technique

Teaching

Key Achievements

Get Advice!

Dr Katherine Russell

Address: Email: Home: Mobile: I have a rare combination of skills - a highly logical and intelligent mind, an ability to communicate with others and an affable personality. I’m adaptable, I relish new challenges, I’m a natural problem solver and pattern spotter - hence my success in mathematics. Education Sep 2004 - Jun 2009 PhD Mathematical Physics Heriot-Watt University Solitons are solutions to highly non linear differential equations. I investigated the evolution of different soliton fields which had been given some energy. I modelled the soliton – energy system and found a reduced version of the problem using representation theory. Then I used various packages including NAG routines in Fortran 77, Maple and Matlab to solve the systems of differential equations; which were second order, coupled, singular and highly non linear systems. The complexity of the problem meant that hand written algorithms (such as shooting methods) were required for much of the work. I made a scattering analysis of the solutions using hand written algorithms for Matlab and Maple.

Sep 2003 - Jul 2004 Part III Mathematics (Masters) University of Cambridge Sep 2000 - Aug 2003 Bachelor of Arts Mathematics (2:1 Honours) University of Cambridge

Sep 1998 - Aug 2000 A levels Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, English Literature (AAAA)

Aylesbury High School Publications Field Theory and Solitons, PhD. Thesis March 2009 Katherine Russell Resonances of the non-BPS monopole forthcoming Katherine Russell and Bernd J. Schroers Excitations of the Ginzburg-Landau vortex forthcoming Katherine Russell and Bernd J. Schroers Employment History Oct 2004 - Dec 2008 Tutorial Assistant, Heriot-Watt University - helped undergraduate students understand examples and concepts from their lectures - marked work including exam scripts - attended training courses for teaching and marking skills Aug 2003 - May 2004 Waitress, Cambridge United Football Club - Provided hospitality for Sponsors and Directors of the Football Club

Get started with applications

Use contacts

Recruiters

High Quantity (filter your choices later)

Keep your options open

Be googleable (academic webpages help)

Don't (over) worry about initial salary

The phone calls roll in ...

Interviews

Confidence in your skills and your value to the company

Commercial attitude (as opposed to academic)

Ability to relate to other people, and work in a group

Ability to answer technical questions, and explain your research to non-specialists

Clarity on your reasons for leaving academia and choosing this particular career path

Interviews

• Initiative, interest, outside activities

• Don't be afraid to show your personality

xkcd.com

Avoid stumbling blocks

What was your PhD about?

Why are you leaving Maths?

What are your weaknesses?

Tests – prepare for them!

Evidence based questions

Teamwork

Leadership

Innovation

Resources

http://www.siam.org/about/mii/

http://www.poplarware.com/personal/lvphys.html

http://www.leavingacademia.com

http://www.remjobs.co.uk

http://www.reed.co.uk/

https://www.mi5.gov.uk > careers > competency based interviews

http://www.mckinsey.com > careers > how do I apply

> how to do well in the interview