Tips and resources to help you build a successful career in academia. From skills development during your PhD to preparing for a role in university administration, all academic career steps are covered. Here, you will find advice on promoting your work, growing your professional reputation and developing collegiate networks to support your academic career progression - or to help you move into industry.

Academic career advice

One of the most crucial, but often overlooked, keys to success in research is being organised. And yes, I mean organised in the sense of keeping your files in a nice, neat order (and not naming everything “draft number x”). But there’s also a further hidden key: organising the people around you. 

Now, I’m not advocating you become an evil genius, planning to take over your university by manipulating everyone you know without them even realising. It’s just about managing and understanding the working relationships around you at your research institution and beyond. 

My PhD involves four supervisors from two institutions, which feels like a lot. And beyond that, there’s a host of people who help make my research happen. For the record, I look at visitor experience in museums, so as well as being a student at the University of Warwick, I’m also a researcher at Oxford University Museum of Natural History. My data is people, so I’ve learned a fair bit about how to get the best out of them. 

Managing expectations
Of course, four supervisors does not mean four people who want exactly the same thing from me and my research. At the start of your research, or whenever someone assumes a supervisory role, make the time to work out this relationship. Obviously, it needs to build organically, but over three or so months it’s good to establish what they want from you and what you want from them. 

One may be great at dealing with admin-related issues such as funding, extensions and submissions. One may be better with day-to-day research questions, while another might have an eye for strategic direction. But don’t forget that this relationship works two ways. 

Obviously, your supervisors will also be very interested in the outputs you produce and where your research goes. This can be slightly more difficult to manage, as academic egos can influence discussions about which research to undertake. In this situation, which can get sticky, listen patiently but stand firm in coming to your own conclusions. 

If you’re a PhD student, it’s your research at the end of the day. I’ve also found that enthusiasm helps to quell the tide of overbearing seniors. 

By setting out these plans early, everyone’s expectations can be managed in terms of roles within the research team. By asserting a bit of authority over your own work (but not in an arrogant or hostile way) and by spending time building effective and meaningful relationships, you’re more likely to have a successful research journey in which problems can be ironed out fairly easily. 

Admin
On a much more basic level, expectations also need to be managed in terms of how often meetings occur, how long people have to reply to emails, what the turnaround on work is and more. Again, agree these early, ensure everyone is on the same page and keep talking. 

Also, always remember that you’re in control, especially of meetings. Plan a rough agenda of what you want to talk about, and if you need someone to prepare something in particular make sure you’ve let them know. Chair the meeting and lead its direction with enthusiasm. You’re working with busy people, so handing everything they need to them on a plate is massively helpful. You need to be the one taking the initiative.

The wider team

Your research will also involve working with a wider team of people who are important, but not as close, to your research. This could be admin staff at your institution, people who help with funding, those who provide more pastoral support, colleagues associated with your work, even your family and friends. 

Maintaining effective and friendly relationships with all of them is crucial for both your success and your well-being. And just like your supervisor team, it’s helpful to work out who does what in this wider team too. These people will be working to different schedules, deadlines, priorities, even sectors, so knowing them and working around them is vital to getting on. 

For my museum research, I need to work to the deadline of the exhibition schedules, and ethics approval only comes around every so often, so I need to be ready with my applications. No matter which colleagues (or friends) you need support from, make sure you contact them with plenty of time to spare. 

Making it a success

These principles have really helped me provide structure, support and certainty to my research. It means I can get on with researching the important stuff, and it’s easier to smooth things over when they go wrong. 

One tool I find really useful is the power-interest grid used in project management. By plotting everyone involved in your work along these two axes, based on how much power they have and how much interest they have in your project, you can more easily understand who needs to be monitored, kept satisfied, kept informed or worked with closely. 

Being a researcher is not only about research, and people management is one of the keys to success. Take the time to build on this skill so that it is done effectively and to your benefit – as well as everyone else’s. If done right, you’ll be a joy to work with.

Ellie King is a doctoral researcher at the University of Warwick and Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Her work explores the user experience of exhibitions, and she conducts visitor evaluation and exhibition development practices for cultural and heritage sites across the UK.

From supervisors to friends and family, the key to success is organising the people around you, says Ellie King

Want to get on in research? You need to manage people effectively

Three PhD students share tips for embracing an interdisciplinary approach to research from the start of one’s academic career to aid progress towards tackling the Sustainable Development Goals 

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: investing in early career interdisciplinarity 

Sarah Jasim and Shaakir Salam offer early career researchers advice on how to navigate issues of inequality, prejudice and exclusion in the workplace and handle misconduct without risking their own positions

Advice for early career researchers on handling workplace inequality, prejudice and exclusion

Saying no is a difficult academic skill − and one that shows maturity. A previous dean of mine used to ask the same question in every promotion interview to join the professorial level: “Can you name one thing to which have you said ‘no’ lately?” But academics and researchers should not wait until this point in their careers to start practising this mystical art form.Of course, it is all easier said than done. I am an opportunity junkie. I always said yes for the usual varied reasons: I was ambitious, eager to learn, eager to please, curious and afraid that people would never ask me again. I am still all these things. But I have learned to say no.Now, let me just put it out there: it’s especially hard for ECRs to say no. And this whole thing that we should enjoy our research time as an ECR while we can (something muttered a lot by senior colleagues) sounds idyllic in hindsight, but it’s not tenable if you do not have a permanent contract. People with precarious contracts, such as ECRs, need to be visible. So, protecting research time is great but not a compelling reason why ECRs can afford to, or should, say no to things.That said, there are also risks of saying yes too much. Years ago, an ECR colleague was passed over for promotion despite a truly outstanding service record because they had not done enough research − since all their time was taken up by service. Do not fool yourselves into thinking service will be valued proportionately to the importance of the job, or how much you put into it.How do we strike a balance, then? I started trialling prompts that would help me discern what was worth saying yes to. If the opportunity failed to clear too many of these questions, it needed to be a no.The first (admittedly clichéd) factor to consider is whether the opportunity before you “sparks joy”. I know what you’re thinking: a lot of opportunities are just busy work and you “have” to do them. Well, you don’t.Unless you can find something enjoyable in the opportunity, you will not do a decent job at it. And doing a bad job at something means you get no usable credit from it down the line. So, try to find joy in the opportunity as presented − and if you can’t, pass.Another factor is whether the opportunity is sufficiently self-contained and has a clear end in sight. Do not sign up to things indefinitely − it means they will grow indefinitely and take over more of your time than you want.A third question to ask is how this opportunity will help you develop community: do you want to be in a research project with these specific people? Will it help you interact more with colleagues in productive ways? Will it help you have a positive influence on students’ lives?If the project does not create community in a meaningful way, it is work that can be done by someone who already has their communities, instead of an ECR who needs to grow and nurture their own.Fourthly, it is important to consider whether this opportunity will push you out of your comfort zone (but not so far that it reaches the pain zone!) and whether it fills a gap in your CV that could be handy for the next job, a permanent position, a promotion etc.Relatedly, I often asked myself as an ECR whether the opportunity was sufficiently “showy” or if it was one of those jobs that are important but get no recognition. Leave the latter jobs for senior academics.Doing this will also help you spread the opportunities to which you agree across different areas − one of each in research service, teaching service, institutional service. When I was an ECR, doing so ensured some balance and a well-rounded CV at the end of it when I was going to apply for jobs or try to get promoted. I also keep a draft email where I list the things to which I have committed (particularly publications) and have a cap of things I will accept in a year. It is then very easy to see what I can and cannot reasonably do, and it creates an easy basis to pass on things.When considering an opportunity, I have also learned to sleep on it. Time helps me gain clarity about the value of the opportunity, as opposed to indulging my people-pleasing instincts. If the opportunity is urgent, it usually means it’s more of a problem for the person asking than an opportunity for you.Lastly (and related to giving yourself time to think over the opportunity), if you cannot form a “committee of no”, rely on your peer and mentoring connections. They will be able to see things more clearly than you can from a distance, however small, and you having to articulate to them why the opportunity seems useful will help you understand whether you want it in the first place.Do not think for a second that you can learn how to say no overnight. It takes practice and persistence, like any other important skill. So, if you stumble and say yes to something you should not have agreed to do, do not despair – after all, there will be another demand on your time just around the corner.Lucas Lixinski is a professor in the Faculty of Law and Justice at&nbsp;UNSW Sydney.

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

Early career researchers can say no, too

On the surface, universities’ recruitment and selection practices appear to be highly equitable and transparent – particularly in recent years. But dig under the surface and there’s no doubt that you’ll find hidden barriers to certain groups.Many are acknowledged to be under-represented among academic staff, based on intersecting identities of gender, ethnicity, disability and socio-economic background. This comes despite universities’ public commitments to equity and representation.Higher education institutions (HEIs) have undoubtedly tried to take steps to address a lack of diversity, usually through formal policies and processes that intend fairer outcomes from recruitment and selection processes.Campus webinar: Recruit, develop and retain the best staff in higher educationWhat are the barriers to success for under-represented researchers in STEM?How do universities successfully recruit faculty and staff?There have also been widely publicised attempts to introduce training in unconscious bias to help selection panels overcome the biases inherent in us all. Many universities have implemented structured interviews and diverse panels to try to instil a reliable and inclusive process.Thankfully, long gone are the days of overt forms of illegal discrimination; universities strive to attract applications from diverse groups through inclusive language, case studies and improved recruitment channels.So why do many universities report the continued under-representation of certain groups? Are we just going through the motions of transparent recruitment and structured selection processes? The data would suggest so.Hidden barriers in recruitment and selection practicesThe following points lift the lid on hidden barriers faced by under-represented groups in our recruitment and selection practices. The onus to adapt is on us as organisations, not individuals. By talking about the hidden barriers, we can help bring them down.Research metricsA scan of job descriptions and adverts reveals that the selection criteria used for academic roles are largely based on measurable research outputs such as publications, h-index, impact factor and income.This reliance on research metrics contradicts the reality of the broader role of the academic, who today is expected to be much more than a researcher. Lecturers are expected to be not only productive researchers but also educationalists, managers and strong administrators − as well as collaborative corporate citizens. Yet these broader contributions are not valued by selection panels, meaning that some academics are overlooked in the selection process. This includes if an academic has a lower h-index, fewer publications or an atypical career trajectory owing to caring responsibilities or a previous career in industry. It also excludes those who have taken on additional managerial or administrative roles.Our preoccupation with research outputs is undermining universities’ attempts to become more diverse, but commitments such as Dora are starting to help.Networks and cronyism Networks are key in academia. Access to jobs, conferences, peer-review processes, letters of reference and even editorships or co-authoring opportunities depends very much on networks. This has a double-whammy effect − those who cannot access such networks will be excluded from generating the research metrics outlined above and subsequently excluded during the selection process. This accepted form of cronyism is adversely impacting the outcome of recruitment processes.Academic inbreeding Academics in the UK are often employed in the same institution that awarded their PhD, meaning that the effects of networks and exclusion described above can start right at the point of entry into the higher education system if people do not have the “right” institution listed on their&nbsp;CV.Academic CVThe academic CV is unlike those in other sectors. The extent to which information is available to selection panels about academic candidates (including their networks, co-authors and research metrics) is unparalleled. Yet this accumulated data could be exacerbating bias and flawed decision-making in selection processes.Overall, it seems apparent that the existence of extensive, formal policy and a reliance on measurable research metrics could be giving a false sense of security to universities. It is incumbent on institutions to adjust our practices to be more inclusive. Optimistically speaking, I&nbsp;think the tide is slowly turning and universities are trying to adapt.&nbsp;How to navigate career barriers&nbsp;In the meantime, candidates can use these three tips to help navigate these barriers:Network, network, network As mentioned, academia is built on networks, so anything you can do to access these networks will help you. Many universities offer networking opportunities and coaching in the art of networking as part of their development plans to support up-and-coming career academics − speak to your HR or learning and development teams to see if your institution offers these opportunities. Similarly, employee-led networks can help open doors and connect you with different people.MentoringIt has been said many times before, but a mentor can really help with career progression – from interview coaching and spotting opportunities to giving you the courage to take the plunge with job applications and opening up (even) more networks. Many institutions have formal mentoring programmes, so speak to your line manager or head of department. Reverse mentoring has also become popular, whereby less-experienced academics mentor more senior staff.Take part in selection panels If you can help, even as an observer in a shortlisting or interview process, you can learn so much about the protocols, questions and criteria used. Your participation could also help spread the word about inclusive recruitment and selection practices to those who may not be aware of the hidden barriers described above, and you will help challenge the status quo. Universities have been encouraging more diversity on selection panels, so register your interest. Sign up to interview and selection training even if you’re not a hiring manager right now − the insight you gain could be invaluable in your own job search.Rebecca Jarrett is head of HR operations and resourcing at Cranfield University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Despite surface appearances, universities’ recruitment and selection practices still present hidden obstacles to under-represented groups

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Search committees at colleges and universities increasingly require candidates applying for faculty or leadership positions to submit diversity statements. And in the post-Covid online world, where interviews are truncated at best, we are increasingly reliant on applicants’ written materials.Universities across the US are now considering making diversity statements required for all faculty. Many institutions ask faculty to post diversity statements online for students to read before or during their course&nbsp;to demonstrate the institution’s and the individual’s&nbsp;commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Some universities even offer&nbsp;incentives such as merit raises for those willing to do so.A well-constructed diversity statement is especially important for online instructors who need to provide a carefully considered response&nbsp;to the additional layer of challenges that many students face when studying remotely.Equal research partnerships are a myth – but we can change thatEquitable teaching that creates pathways to success for all studentsHow AI and chatbots can deliver personalised career planning&nbsp;Here, we lay out some “red flags” to avoid and key frameworks&nbsp;to embed when writing a diversity statement.What to avoid – red flagsCommon mistakes or pitfalls&nbsp;when writing a diversity statement fall into three major categories:Diversity by proxyPersonal stories of redemptionThe exceptionalist argument.1. Diversity by proxyDiversity by proxy is when candidates borrow from the success of others, an organisation or programme. Candidates speak specifically about their department’s student demographics or a programme for students of colour that they direct, are part of&nbsp;or appreciate.Example 1: “_____ (university’s name) is one of the most diverse campuses in the country.&nbsp;We are ____% white, ____% Latin, ____% Asian/Pacific Islander, ____% African American.”Example 2: Candidates might mention success and claim some responsibility, implicitly or explicitly. “I’m a faculty mentor for the McNair&nbsp;Scholars programme and we have had wonderful, bright students who just need intense mentorship.”Example 3: The message of “I support success for people of colour” can be followed by surprise and self-congratulation. “We have students who do very well, one or two have even gone on to graduate school at very good schools! One of my students, from Chicago, a first-generation student from a single-parent household, is a first-year PhD student at Berkeley.”We called this “diversity by proxy” because the candidate’s example relies on numbers that tell us about where they are and not who they are or what they have done. Secondly, they are borrowing identity, status and achievement by linking themselves to the success stories of students of colour or faculty. In this way, they give undue credit to themselves as a saviour.2. Personal stories of redemptionCandidates write of personal experiences that have occurred outside of the academy and are meant to reflect their appreciation for diversity and inclusion and their dissatisfaction with racism.Example 1: They may write about an event that solidified their understanding of privilege:&nbsp;“I grew up in a small town where there was only one Indian family and one of the girls from that family became a close friend. And then, in the sixth grade, everything changed. She and I both auditioned for the school play, Annie, and it was clear that another girl got the lead because she was white and looked the part. But my friend was clearly better than everyone else. I felt bad for her but there was nothing I could do. And that is why I really feel so strongly about racism and exclusion and do what I can to help students of colour.”Example 2: They may also talk about how they work with and learn so much from their colleagues of colour and students of colour. The focus is on their feeling and how they assuage their feelings of social injustice by their engagement, but does this lead to fighting structural issues found in the academy?The playing field is never level, and so what do they do for those who they do not deem “clearly better”? 3. The exceptionalist argumentCandidates write that they are in favour of diversity and inclusion but have not been in a position to fight against exclusionary practices.Example 1: “Diversity is important but I can’t do it because my discipline is based on dead white men.”Example 2: Or “I believe in diversity, but I have not been in a leadership position where I might make decisions. I would be supportive if there were some people of colour.”The exceptionalist argument suggests that impact can only be made from certain positions, thereby exonerating most people who do not go against the grain. This obscures the roles that all faculty play in maintaining the status quo and contributing in small and large ways to discriminatory practices and negative outcomes for faculty, staff and students of colour.Bias can lead to mis-assessing students, even creating unequal learning conditions. A student may be characterised as “low achieving” when they may need greater encouragement or when they come from a high school with fewer resources. In committee work, colleagues may use different adjectives to describe the quality of work of women colleagues and colleagues of colour.  Are you interested in diversity issues? Check out our EDI channel, which is dedicated to advice and insight about equity, diversity and inclusion from academics around the worldWhat to include – key frameworksSome white colleagues ask:&nbsp;“Can white candidates write something that would be acceptable?” This is a valid question. We say:&nbsp;“Of course they can. And some people of colour will write poor statements.” A good statement could come in countless forms. While some may feel that they cannot write from a position of experience, this is absolutely not the case. Their experiences are different.We identify four elements found in strong diversity statements:Diversity as a strategyEvidence of addressing structural challengesRecognition and underscoring of the invisible labour done by faculty and staff of colourDemonstrated enlightened mentoring. 1. Diversity as a strategyCreating a plan, rather than simply doing an action, moves people beyond reacting and shows an understanding of intersectionality and the matrices of oppression.For online teachers, it is especially important to consider the contours of their students’ lives. The strongest statements are ones where they see that there are interlocking issues – food insecurity is connected to student learning, impression management with professors, matriculation and well-being. For example, an online teaching candidate may have buttressed student support with financial and social support and&nbsp;mentoring&nbsp;and even made changes to policies that excluded certain people or groups based on criteria that are unnecessary. The strongest statements are those where candidates articulate how diversity is used centrally in re-thinking budget, curriculum&nbsp;and access.2. Evidence of addressing structural challengesStrong diversity statements include examples of candidates advocating for structural changes. They show that they recognise and make systemic changes to address this. Candidates can write about “white space” and how they have educated others and implemented new practices that go against the status quo. They may have found systemic holes and problems that have disparate effects on women of colour. They may have counteracted systemic and institutionalised practices. For instance, strong candidates mention noticing varying language, such as different adjectives, in the evaluations of faculty, staff and students of colour. 3. Recognition or underscoring of invisible labour Supporting faculty and staff of colour must be multifaceted. It is widely known and acknowledged that faculty of colour have different experiences – they are counted on to take on certain services because they are a person of colour; students of colour look to them more than to white colleagues; and they face student racism. 4. Demonstrated enlightened mentoringMentors who are “woke” to and address structural challenges, who use diversity as a strategy, and who recognise or underscore the invisible labour and challenges of faculty, staff&nbsp;and students of colour will mentor in ways that have longer term impacts and that mitigate exclusion and discriminatory practices.  Mentoring is especially difficult in the online world, but candidates who write about ways they have overcome this demonstrate strong commitments to the work of the framework we call JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion).The JEDI framework is about more than one or two actions, and goes beyond a checklist. Thus, posting a diversity statement online is, in and of itself, not “enough”. However, this is an important part of systemic change when faculty post diversity statements, and these become an integral part of performance reviews and promotion. We are elevating the importance of JEDI work, and taking a step in the right direction of the structural changes needed for social transformation.Pardis Mahdavi is dean of social sciences at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and directs the School of Social Transformation, and Scott Brooks is an associate professor with the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, both at Arizona State University.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered directly to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Diversity statements are increasingly important for faculty, both when teaching online and applying for jobs. Pardis Mahdavi and Scott Brooks outline what to avoid and what to include when drafting a diversity statement

Diversity statements: what to avoid and what to include

Tips and resources for building a successful academic career and how to enhance your reputation or move into industry

Academic career advice

Want to get on in research? You need to manage people effectively

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: investing in early career interdisciplinarity

Advice for early career researchers on handling workplace inequality, prejudice and exclusion

Early career researchers can say no, too

We must dismantle the invisible career barriers in HE

THE podcast: making the case for better faculty training

Diversity statements: what to avoid and what to include

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