Boost your career prospects

No matter which career you would like to pursue, as soon as you start applying for jobs it is not just you skill with a pipet that counts. Other things will come to the fore, skills you take with you throughout your career, from one job to the next. We call these 'transferable skills'.

Realise your employability

Transferable skills – communicative, project management, team-working skills, et cetera – are important both inside and out of academia. You have already developed a whole lot of these skills during your PhD or postdoc research; everybody who's ever been to graduate school will tell you that a researcher's job is about more than working out theories at your desk and running experiments in the lab. Take some time to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Read more...

Attend courses

Your future employer wants to know what his prospective researchers can do above and beyond holding up test tubes to the light. There is a lot you can do to develop such skills. What is more, many universities and research institutes offer career development activities for staff. When you have identified gaps in your personal skill-set, find out what you can do to fill those gaps, and what your employer does to help you develop your skills. Read more...

Explore the world of life sciences

The life sciences industry is a young and exciting sector to work in. To get a look behind the scenes visit one of the many recurring events. These events are organised to give you a heads-up on developments in the life sciences and they provide you with a chance to get to know possible employers. These can be great networking events, so bring your biggest smile and make sure people notice you as much as you notice other people. Find here suggestions on where to start.

Read up and get inspired

Need some background information or inspiration on career development? Those aspiring a career in academia could profit from books that give overview on academic skills. Other books may help you deciding on your career. Find here our selection.

What PCDI has to offer

PCDI organises activities throughout the year to help you every step of the way to the next stop in your career. Our annual retreats attract researchers in the life sciences from home and abroad, and are well received by attendants and life sciences professionals alike. Find out what people say about us, learn all about past events, and take your pick of upcoming PCDI activities. Read more...