An academic’s survival guide

For all its rewards, academia is a precarious career. Academics often endure many years of job insecurity as early career researchers; they must juggle multiple responsibilities of teaching, research and departmental admin, with workloads that far exceed salaried hours; they face repeated rejection from publishers, funders and employers; and now, in many countries, they may reasonably feel their entire sector is under attack. In the UK, 53 per cent of university academic staff are on fixed-term, hourly or casual contracts. In the US, as few as 30 per cent of faculty are estimated to be in tenured, thus permanent, roles. And with redundancies sweeping across the sector in many anglophone nations, workloads and stress are likely to rise. So how can academics weather this multiplicity of difficulties in pursuit of the intellectual and personal fulfilment, inspiration and discovery that higher education can offer? This survival guide aims to help academics confront or overcome some of the key challenges unique to their chosen career path, turning obstacles into opportunities.

Navigating academic job precarity

Whether you’ve landed your first, second or third teaching or research role – or are still looking – you’re more likely than not on a fixed-term contract with little long-term job security. The journey to professorship or tenure is often long and unsteady, involving relocation and upheaval, so academics must learn to cope with uncertainty and embrace adaptability as they scale the academic career ladder. These resources address these challenges with broad tips to maximise chances of academic career success in a competitive and changing higher education job market.

The aspiring academic’s career path from PhD to professor: If you have just finished your PhD or postdoc and realised that an academic career needs more than published papers and teaching, Jan Buermann from the University of Southampton has advice on how to kick-start progress up the ladder.

‘An academic career is not a heptathlon’: The secret to establishing a career in academia is focus and deliberate choices, whether the path is into research, teaching or impact. Here, Robert MacIntosh from the University of the West of Scotland explains why persistence and planning are more important than ever.

Why PhDs are more carousel than roller coaster: How to make the most of the opportunities that teaching, research and seminars bring to your PhD journey, by Nicholas Maldarelli of University of Edinburgh.

Walking the tightrope towards tenure: Achieving a permanent academic position requires a deft juggle of research, teaching and service. Here, Cheong Fan from Macau University of Science and Technology offers advice on how to keep your balance.

Playing the promotion game – how to navigate upshifting: Done well, upshifting – working at a higher grade than your official position without any formal recognition – helps you to gain experience and develop capabilities that support your career development and promotion prospects, write educators at the University of Bristol.

How to build unbreakable self-confidence – an academic’s guide: A strong foundation of professional self-confidence is crucial when treading the academic career path. Follow these five tips from Ayten Erçoban Evren of Near East University to cement yours.

Pathways to prosperity in casual academia: The journey from adjunct to permanent requires adaptability, foresight and self-awareness. Here, independent academic Andrew Stapleton offers tips – such as diversifying skills, strategic branding and mobility – to enhance an academic career.

Towards independence: blazing your trail as a freelance researcher: What options are open to you as a researcher if you decide formal academia is not for you? Helen Ross outlines considerations and useful advice for anyone wishing to become an independent researcher.

Hone your time management skills

Any academic career requires a careful balancing of priorities between teaching duties, funding applications, research work, writing, course planning, departmental administration and more. Discover strategies to balance research, teaching and other professional responsibilities, along with tips on mastering the art of saying “no”.

Around or against the clock – time management tips for higher education teachers: Careful lesson planning, understanding your universities’ support services and accepting mistakes will all save you time as a university educator. Here, John Weldon from Victoria University offers five time-management tips.

Early career researchers can say no, too: Coming up with a series of questions for ECRs about each ‘opportunity’ as it arises can help them decide what is worthy of their time, says Lucas Lixinski of UNSW Sydney.

How to survive the academic treadmill: When working hours are stretched to cover marking, induction and other tasks, what is a busy scholar to do? Here, James Derounian from the University of Bolton offers suggestions for taking essential downtime.

Women in academia are doing too much non-promotable work – and that has to stop: The No Club shares advice for women about how to spend their time at work, how to change the environment to stop saddling women with unrewarded work, and prioritise the tasks that get noticed

How to balance teaching and research: As an early career academic, how can you juggle teaching and researching while also prioritising self-care? Callum Russell of the University of the West of Scotland shares his reflections on striking a balance.

Learn to love rejection and build professional resilience

Coping with rejection is vital to any academic career. Whether you are seeking funding, promotion or journal publication, it is likely you’ll experience some knock-backs before you see success. It requires confidence and resilience to keep pushing forward – these resources offer insights on how to build a thick skin and accept failure as part of the learning journey.

Lessons for academics in resilience, persistence and coping with failure: Rejection is part of every academic journey, but that doesn’t make it easier to bear. Drawing from personal experiences, Bhawana Shrestha of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University reflects on how shifting mindsets, embracing support and practising “gentle ambition” helped her build resilience. 

Strategies for cultivating academic resilience: In a career that will make you question everything, challenge and failure are tools for moving forward, writes Andrew Stapleton. Here, he offers techniques to build resilience after setbacks.

Love and money – why the search for funding is like romance: Funding is a relationship of sorts. You and your research project funder will enter into a finite symbiosis. It’s a joyful, exciting, uncomfortable and occasionally scary co-dependency, writes Laura Berrisford of the University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha.

Lead by example and share your failures: From paper submissions to job applications, rejection is part of academic life. Leaders should share their own stories of failure to help others through theirs, says Tracy Nevatte of Keele University.

Six steps to overcoming setbacks and rejection: Rejection is an inevitable part of being an academic, so it is vital to develop strategies to cope with and learn from setbacks in order to succeed in the longer term. Paul A. Walcott of the University of the West Indies shares six such strategies

Manage the power dynamics of your institution 

Difficult managers and complex institutional processes and policies don’t have to impede your success in academia. These resources share strategies for building and maintaining positive relationships and negotiating your position while safeguarding your integrity and career progression.

Managing upwards in higher education, part 1: structural and political skills: Strategies for academics on working effectively with managers while protecting their time, integrity and career trajectory. Read advice from Tom Chapman at the University of Southampton.

An academic’s guide to the art of negotiation, part 1: how to prepare: The first in a two-part series explores how to use Marshall Rosenberg’s “non-violent communication” framework to help you prepare for negotiations in the workplace. By Natalie K. D. Seedan of the University of the West Indies.

How to navigate power dynamics in academia: Working under different managers and management styles can be as much of a learning curve for early career academics as their work. Ahmet Küçükuncular from Near East University offers guidance on how to stay balanced in a changing workplace.

Advice for university staff on working successfully with HR: How can faculty ensure that all the touch points they have with human resources within their employee life cycle are efficient, transparent and the best experience they can be? Lisa Smith from the University of Southampton explains.

Learn to self-promote and celebrate achievements

Self-promotion may not come naturally to all academics, but it is important to make your professional achievements visible in order to build a successful teaching or research career – and, given the many knocks most in higher education endure, it is also vital to celebrate your achievements in order to preserve professional motivation and well-being. Here, experts share advice on how to showcase your achievements without sounding too sales-y and fight back against that critical inner voice.

When good enough is not enough: Back your own abilities and let your talents be seen, writes Verna Yiu of the University of Alberta. In her resource, she shares lessons from her own career journey on how women can increase opportunities for themselves and each other.

Hone the story of your career to make a case for promotion: Reflecting on achievements, considering broader impacts and shaping a narrative that resonates can help you craft a compelling career story that enhances your chances of promotion, say Eleonora Pantano and Rachael Lamb of the University of Bristol.

When am I going to be found out? Tackling academic impostor syndrome: Do you find yourself thinking “everyone knows more than I do” or “I shouldn’t have got this promotion”? If so, Jo Clift has tips for challenging your impostor syndrome.

Researchers – fight back against your struggle with self-promotion: Postdoc or professor, the self-promotion struggle is real. So, how can we promote ourselves without sounding too “sales-y”? Emma Williams has the answers.

How to spin the plates of academic visibility, engagement and pleasing yourself: Think like a journalist. Think like a content creator. Think like a musician. Jonathan Wilson from Regent’s University London gives tips on getting ahead in your career without sacrificing personal satisfaction.

Aiming for tenure? Enhance your research’s visibility: By enhancing your networking skills and increasing the visibility of your work, you can demonstrate value to your institution and improve your chances of achieving tenure, writes Abhishek S Rao K P of Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

Protect your personal and family life

A glittering academic career and a fulfilling personal life are not mutually exclusive – but to have both academics need to set clear boundaries and make sure they take time out from work. Learn how to find work-life balance to prevent your academic duties from bleeding into every aspect of your day-to-day and taking you away from other people and things that really matter. 

Four ways to achieve a better work-life balance in academia: Switching off can be a considerable challenge for those working in higher education, even though it is essential for a work-life balance and well-being, writes Rushana Khusainova of the University of Bristol.

Plant the seeds for a rewarding balance between family and academia: Balancing the demands of family life and higher education can feel as daunting as starting a garden from scratch. But with careful planning, consistent care and the right tools, you can cultivate a thriving environment where both areas of your life flourish, writes John Sinclair of Colorado State University Global.

The art of balance: tips for primary carers in higher education: The dual role of primary caregivers and higher education professionals is a delicate balancing act. Monika Shukla of Singapore Institute of Technology provides strategies for juggling two very demanding endeavours.

Let’s prioritise self-care for the benefit of everyone: Self-care can make us better at our jobs, support our students more effectively and help to build a better community across academia. Karina Dancza of Singapore Institute of Technology offers her tips on how to implement self-care in your professional life.

How to prevent compassion fatigue: Many educators experience compassion fatigue at some point in their careers. Prevent it by shifting your perspective, setting boundaries and building strong support networks, says Bhawana Shrestha of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

Conversations around stress must move beyond ‘I’m fine, how are you?’: Sara Metz of Colorado State University Global offers practical advice on adopting the “stress continuum” – a shared language and system to help staff and students reflect upon and discuss their well-being.

Managing upwards in higher education, part 2: relational and personal boundary skills: The second in a two-part series from Tom Chapman at the University of Southampton focuses on protecting your integrity, building goodwill across your institution and setting boundaries around your time and availability to create sustainable, constructive relationships with your manager.

Build support networks and professional allies

In a tricky and sometimes lonely career like academia, it really helps to have supportive colleagues or mentors who will endorse and back you when it matters. These professional allies are the people from whom you can seek advice, when times are tough, and, just as importantly, rely on to celebrate your successes. But these collegiate relationships must be actively sought and then nurtured with mutual support offered both ways – as these resources explain.

Build yourself a life raft by establishing a strong mentor relationship: Mentorship can offer a place of stability amid the choppy waters of a new role. Ibiyemi Omeihe from the University of the West of Scotland explains how to find your new guide.

An introvert’s guide to networking: For academics, networking can greatly enhance your career. But if the very idea fills you with dread, Yalinu Poya from the University of the West of Scotland offers her advice for putting yourself out there.

Get yourself a teaching buddy to help you thrive: Rather than struggle through classroom-based problems alone, we should recruit meaningful support by seeking out a colleague to discuss our teaching, says Flower Darby from the University of Missouri.

Thank you to all who contributed their expertise and insight to this guide.