Careers in Your Ears

If you’ve ever felt stuck and unsure where to start with answering the infamous interview classics “tell us about yourself” and “why are you interested in this opportunity”, this episode is for you! Laura and Maria discuss what employers are really looking for when they ask these questions, how you can best prepare to come up with answers that feel natural and authentic on the day, and how having a background in research sets you up with exactly the right kind of skill set to master the art of crafting successful interview answers. Don't forget: send us your career question anonymously here: Send your careers question to the Careers In Your Ears podcast

Ever wondered how to stay aligned with your values and build a career that feels meaningful? Join us for this episode with clinical academic Dr Gideon Johnson, Senior Teaching Fellow in Adult Nursing at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care at King’s College London. In this episode, Gideon shares how he has kept alive the curiosity driving his research, how he has navigated a demanding career path integrating research, clinical care and innovation, and how he has learned to move on from rejection. Listen in to hear more about how building meaningful relationships can help you focus your energies, how mentoring can make you see yourself with new eyes, and how collaboration is key to making impact happen. King’s Careers Network for Researchers LinkedIn page for more researcher career insights and job postings. KCATO for training opportunities and support for research-active health professionals working across King’s Health Partners. For King's doctoral researchers and research staff you can access specific online resources and events to support you in your careers in and beyond academia.

Anna and Laura take stock of the labour market (including what's in the news and the reality) and discuss ways researchers might effectively use their time to prepare for their next steps beyond academia.

“Networking feels so fake!” ...was something said to us recently in a workshop. If the idea of networking makes you cringe or you identify as an introvert - this one's for you. Laura and Maria discuss ways that networking can work for you, and so much more in this episode. Hear about ways to approach conversations with curiosity, trying out LinkedIn, creating your own communities and doing it all whilst still being 'you'. Don't forget: send us your career question anonymously here: Send your careers question to the Careers In Your Ears podcast – Fill out form

What do cake, House (the TV series) and a vision board have in common? Find out in our latest podcast episode with the inspiring Lilian Odaro , Doctoral Student Development Officer at King's Doctoral College who used all these and more to navigate her way through balancing a PhD, part-time work, becoming a parent, discovering careers in 'alt ac' and finding a way to belong in a system that is often not designed with these challenges in mind. This episode is a balm for the current challenging job market where Lilian shows how it is possible to simultaneously be open-minded and flexible about one's career journey while also sticking to the goals that matter.

Dr Francesca Greenstreet joins us to explore her journey from a decade in neuroscience research to a creative, fast-paced role in research communications at King’s. She shares how her “favourite bits” of academia - people, creativity, and curiosity - shaped a new, academic-adjacent career. Through trying things out, embracing uncertainty, and learning to “strip it back,” Francesca has built a role that blends storytelling, strategy, and science. She reflects on the realities of stepping sideways rather than away, and the skills PhD researchers often don’t realise they already have. For anyone curious about academic-adjacent careers, science communication, or wondering how to explain your research to anyone outside your field: this is a brilliant listen. You can find Francesca on LinkedIn Want us to answer your careers question? Complete this anonymous form Careers resources for researchers on KEATS

Thinking about leaving academia but research is the only thing you've ever been 'passionate' about? This can make looking for next steps really challenging. In this episode, Anna and Laura (careers consultants for researchers) unpick what it means to be passionate about something, how to understand what this might mean for you and how to use this to explore next steps. If you're studying or working at King's you can find more support on our ' Careers Beyond Academia' KEATS page and book a 1:1 appointment with our team. Send us your career question anonymously here: Send your careers question to the Careers In Your Ears podcast – Fill out form

If you’re a current or aspiring clinical academic wondering how to build a research career alongside clinical practice, this episode is for you. Professor Julie Sanders, cardiovascular nurse and clinical academic joins us to discuss: navigating non‑linear career paths balancing clinical and research demands making the most of emerging opportunities Saying yes (and knowing when not to) Julie shares practical insights on using research in practice, building your profile, finding champions, and how being bold in your networking can shape your career in unexpected ways. You can find the resources mentioned by Julie using the links below: CARIN: https://www.councilofdeans.org.uk/partnerships/carin-clinical-academic-roles-implementation-network/ CONNECT: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/connect KCATO: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/researcher-development/kcato Post-doc paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jocn.15575 King’s Careers Network for Researchers LinkedIn page for more researcher career highlights and job postings. For King’s doctoral researchers and research staff you can access specific online resources and events to support your career development within and beyond academia.

In this episode we talk to Dr Santhi Kuppilivenkata, Head of Data Science at KPMG. It was a refreshingly honest conversation about returning to work after maternity leave: 'it's not a break' and leveraging your research skills and academic approach in industry with some excellent tips on how to talk about your value in a corporate environment (and what to avoid). She also sheds light on how to work in industry while maintaining a role in academia and how that benefits her day to day work. Santhi's proactive approach to building a professional network was also transformational in her career and she is passing that on as a mentor for SheCanCode. www.kmpg.com SheCanCode

Does a PhD count as experience? If you're looking for roles outside of academia and wondering whether you have the right experience, or finding it hard to articulate your skills in 'corporate speak', then this one's for you. Laura and Lindsay discuss: How to translate your research skills and speak the language of a new sector Using your network to unlock some of the 'secrets' of another industry Which level to start at How to get extra experience if you need it Strategic stepping stones To hear more about Lindsay's research, make sure you're following us on LinkedIn: King's Careers Network for Researchers If you have a question you'd like us to answer, complete this anonymous form If you are a researcher at King's and would like to attend one of our workshops or book a 1:1 appointment go to: https://kcl.targetconnect.net/

In this episode we welcome back Dr Amal Abuzeinab, Senior Lecturer and interdisciplinary academic at De Montford University. This conversation provides strategic insights into forging an academic career looking at the accepted reality of the '3 jobs in 1' model - research, teaching and service and the roles she took to build her academic career. Amal shares her strategic approach to academic career progression including her top three aspects of the 'hidden curriculum' of academic careers and how to position yourself effectively within interdisciplinary research. A lot of our conversation comes back to strategic alignment - with your institution, your research and finding your academic home. If you want to listen our previous episode featuring Amal, you can find it here Series 10: International Women's Day HEPI blog about the challenges of interdisciplinary research careers King's Careers Network for Researchers LinkedIn page for more researcher career insights and job postings For King's doctoral researchers and research staff you can access specific online resources and events to support you in your academic careers.

If you're worried about the job market headlines, or currently applying and feel like you're getting nowhere: this one's for you. Specialist Careers Consultants for Researchers, Anna Favalessa and Laura Johnson respond to a listener who is having a tough time and looking for ways to improve their chances. We cover: The state of the job market right now How AI is affecting recruitment How you can target your applications more effectively How to make connections with prospective employers How to protect your wellbeing in these tricky times If you have a question you'd like us to answer, complete this anonymous form: ⁠Send your careers question to the Careers In Your Ears podcast – Fill out form⁠ If you are a researcher at King's and would like to attend one of our workshops or book a 1:1 appointment go to: https://kcl.targetconnect.net/

Ever wondered what project management really looks like in the biotech industry? In this episode Dr Alice Santambrogio, Project Manager at Relation, shares her journey from research technician to scientific management. We discuss how to decide if doing a PhD is right for you, the differences between working in biotech compared to academia, and how to talk to your supervisor about taking on new responsibilities. Alice offers actionable advice on leveraging your network, identifying opportunities, and applying your research skills in new contexts. If you are a researcher at King’s, find out more about how the careers team can support you to explore roles within and beyond academia here . Connect with us on Linked in by joining our King’s Careers Network for Researchers .

Dr Vittorio Aita joins us to share his passion for communication: from getting 70 year olds on the nano dancefloor, to winning over resistant teens with his powerful storytelling. Since the early days of high school to his Physics PhD at King’s, Vittorio has shared his passion for science outreach in exciting and innovative ways. Through his openness to opportunity and experimental approach to career he now enjoys using his skills and experience as an associate editor at Nature Communication (part of Springer Nature). For anyone interested in outreach, science communications, publishing or simply keen to hear Vittorio’s take on the identity shift of leaving academia – this is a great listen. Want us to answer your careers question? Complete this anonymous form: Sendyour careers question to the Careers In Your Ears podcast – Fill out form Careers support for researchers at King’s here: https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=5279350&forceview=1 Vittorio mentioned Physics World’s student publishing platform, more info here: https://physicsworld.com/p/our-student-contributors/ Vittorio on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vittorio-aita-160021327/ https://vittorioaita.com/

“Have faith in yourself that you’re able to learn...have the willpower and the confidence that you can do it” In this episode Dr Gayathri Sekhar, Risk & Compliance at Deloitte, speaks candidly about some of the realities of adapting to a fast-paced, corporate environment and reflects on how her experience as a researcher taught her perseverance and a willingness to learn. We discuss how she used networking and informational interviews to navigate a transition into consulting and what progression looks like after making that move. Gayathri also offers practical tips and information about the recruitment process and how to prepare for it as well as words of encouragement for any researchers curious about exploring roles beyond academia. *All opinions are Gayathri’s own and not associated with Deloitte If you are a researcher at King’s you can access resources for exploring careers beyond academia on our KEATS pages and for preparing for consultancy interviews here .

Dr Lindsay Parker and Laura Johnson (careers consultants for researchers) tackle a question around whether it is necessary to do graduate teaching assistant (GTA) work for your career development, even if you're not currently planning on being a lecturer. Got a careers question for our next episode? Complete this form: https://forms.office.com/e/JNyRpVd1eR Here are some resources and sites we mention: GTA one-stop shop on KEATS: https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=42686 King's Doctoral College Hub: https://emckclac.sharepoint.com/sites/KPRH King's Academy: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/academy More info on Advance HE fellowships: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/fellowship Brilliant Club: https://thebrilliantclub.org/ King's careers resources for researchers: https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=5279350&forceview=1

Could you apply your research skills to your career development and work out your next step? Our latest guest has taken this approach and recently wrote about it in this article in Nature . Matt talks to Laura about how he tested a few of his career hypotheses during his 15 years as a researcher (Start up? Publishing? Freelance?) and how it has helped him work out what he enjoys, what he's good at and how he likes to work. It doesn't have to take up all your time and it's a great strategy for exploring careers in academia and beyond. Matt's article, co-written with Dr Anne-Laure Le Cunff : https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02437-6 Find Matt on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-betts-ph-d-12527857/ If you are a researcher at King's, you can access our resources here: Careers resources for researchers on KEATS Got a careers question for our next Q&A episode? Complete this anonymous form

If you’ve ever wondered how to make that initial approach and use networking to create your own opportunities, this episode is for you. Dr Stella Toonen, Programme Director, Culture Within Newham joins us to talk about how building connections and having conversations has guided her career development. We discuss Stella's current role, the importance of co-creation, and how her PhD experience has shaped her career. Stella shares insights on the differences between academia and community work, the value of networking, and the significance of gaining varied experiences. She emphasises the importance of using a PhD as a tool for building connections and gaining practical experience in the arts sector. Top tip “use your PhD as an excuse to speak to people!” If you are a PhD student or research staff at King's, find out more about how we can support you here: Careers support for researchers | King's College London

In this episode, specialist careers consultants, Laura and Anna answer a common question: How can I talk to my supervisor about my career goals when their only experience is academia and I'm worried that they won't want to discuss anything else. ⁠Send us your question here⁠ We explore: The reason why you should try and talk to your manager about your career Why it could be challenging for them too How to prepare for your career conversation Who is responsible for your career management? Our top tips for managers - how to have career conversations Send us your question here Resources on KEATS: Support for Researchers: Talking to your Group Leader about trying out career options | KEATS Join us on LinkedIn

“It was instrumental in me getting a job – this little boost of support.” How often do we ask for help? So many of us are afraid to saywhen something is difficult, to try out new things or tell people about our ambitions – it can make us feel vulnerable and fear of failure can get in the way. But what our guest, Dr Tatjana Zoller, has realised is that when we ask for help, people are often keen to support and enable us to perform at our best, they can help us explore possibilities,diversify our skills and - we concludedin our conversation – “people are generally kind aren’t they?” Who could you reach out to? Tatjana was awarded a PhD in Molecular Biology from theSchool of Neuroscience at King's College in November 2024 and she then left science to follow her passion for creating and (science) communications. She now works two-part time communications jobs within King's. Namely she workswith the King's Doctoral College and also serves as a producer for the "Between the Signals" podcast from the UK Dementia Research Institute at King's. She spends her free time documenting life through photography and video. Between the Signals - UK Dementia Research podcast Resources to support you in asking for ‘reasonable adjustments’ https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments https://employmentautism.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-interviews-and-assessments/ https://dyslexiascotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/JobInterviews.pdf https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/ask-for-adjustments-at-interview