The post-doc phase is crucial for those wishing to further their academic career, and it is subject to the constant tension between dependent employment and academic independence. Academics face a number of professional challenges: developing a research profile, independent publishing activity, compiling a teaching portfolio, participating in academic communication, building up a network of colleagues and co-operation partners, planning academic stays abroad, etc. When are which tasks particularly important? What has the highest priority? How important is a post-doctoral qualification? What is an appropriate time frame? This webcast tells you all the key requirements (covering more than just publications and third-party funding) and milestones for a career in academia, and gives you concrete tips and advice on how to prioritise these requirements as well as strategic considerations during the post-doc phase on the path to a professorship.

The aim of the webcast is to provide participants with detailed information about all phases of the appointment procedure for professorships (focus Germany), and to give them concrete advice and tips for their applications. The webcast will first deal with the procedure and the formal aspects of the appointment process. Afterwards, all necessary application documents (especially CV, cover letter, research and teaching concept) will be discussed in detail and partly illustrated with sample materials. The third part addresses all aspects of the hearing. Participants will learn about the requirements for the application talk and the demonstration lecture. In addition, the most frequently asked questions in the interview with the selection committee will be discussed.

It has become the norm for academics to pursue a career outside the traditional university professorship pathway after completing their PhD, or even after a few years as a post-doc. Therefore, sooner or later, many researchers start to think about a career outside academia and have to consider questions such as: Am I suited to a job outside academia? How can I find appropriate jobs? Do I have any skills and experience that make me an interesting candidate for jobs in the open market? Is there anything outside of academic research that I’d really like to do?

In this webcast, you’ll get

1. Information on the situation for PhD graduates on the non-academic job market
2. Concrete advice on how and where you can look for options suitable for you
3. An initial overview of examples of fields of work for PhD graduates outside academia
4. Suggestions and advice on how to identify and reflect on your own professional motivators and how to showcase the skills you’ve acquired in academia during the application process
5. Concrete tips on applying for jobs outside academia

A job application in science differs from other industries in numerous ways: What does a scientific application portfolio look like? Which competencies from my previous scientific career should I particularly emphasize? What characterizes a good cover letter? And how can I stand out from other applicants? At the beginning, the webcast primarily deals with the phase before the invitation to a job interview or lecture. Here, we will first discuss the different job formats for postdocs (e.g. research associate, junior professor) as well as the requirements for a complete academic profile. Subsequently, you will learn how to present yourself optimally and adapted to the scientific community in written form, what special features there are in the design of a curriculum vitae, how teaching experience and teaching evaluations can find their way into the application documents, and you will receive tips for the cover letter. Building on this, the webcast will address the post-invitation phase of getting to know someone in person, from preparing for an interview, to critical science-specific interview questions, to giving a job application talk. Applications for traditional staff positions as well as junior professorships are discussed.