Exploring Career Paths during the Postdoc
Our goal is to encourage you to view the postdoc phase as an opportunity to make an informed decision about a suitable career path. At the same time, you’ll want to take the necessary steps early on so that you don’t end up moving from one postdoc position to the next simply because you lack alternatives or a clear career strategy. We’ve compiled information and resources here to help you get started.
- We recommend the podcast Spot ON – Wege zur Professur with interviews in English or German, Spot ON – From Postdoc to… (in English; both podcasts are from the Berlin University Alliance, BUA) or Leaving Academia (available in German; Dr. Sandra Jansen) as a source of inspiration for non-academic career paths.
- Want to hear a general overview of the postdoc phase and improve your German language skills on the side, then listen to NachwuchsFragen from the Graduate Academy at Leibniz University Hannover.
Teaching is your greatest passion, and you want to conduct practice-oriented research and projects? Then find out how you can best position yourself during your postdoc phase to apply for a professorship at a university of applied sciences:
- Quick check to see if you already meet all the requirements (the HAW professorship),
- Job openings (in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and throughout Germany).
- The German Postdoc Network (GPN) has compiled one of the most comprehensive overviews of tools and resources for career guidance.
- The open-source workbook “Career Development for Postdocs” (UNIBUND Halle-Jena-Leipzig) helps you reflect on and consciously prepare for your next career steps.
- No matter which career path you choose, visibility plays a central role. Tips, information, and a strategy configurator are available on the Munich University of Applied Sciences (available in German) website.
- The ResearchComp Self-Assessment Tool (European Commission) assesses your skills and provides recommendations for further development.
- In the article “AI Career Tools for Researchers: Practical Ways to Use Them in Job Applications” (Guidance, Skills & Opportunities, GSO), you’ll find tools and prompts to help you with your job application process.
- The website “Wissen Schafft Karriere” (available in German) brings together relevant information, support options, and testimonials for all stages of an academic career at Halle-Wittenberg, as well as for alternative paths outside of academia.
- For more in-depth research, check out the UniWinD Special “Perspektiven nach der Promotion” (available in German), which features 13 career profiles, or the book “Promotion-Postdoc-Professur” by Mirjam Müller (available in German).
Universities and universities of applied sciences in the state of Saxony-Anhalt offer their postdocs personalised and free career consultation on both academic and non-academic career paths. Whether you’re just beginning to explore your options or already have a clear idea of where you want to go, career counseling can help you gain clarity and determine specific next steps at any stage.
To schedule an appointment for career consultation at MLU Halle-Wittenberg, send an email to postdoc@ingra.uni-halle.de or sign up directly in the JobTeaser calendar of the MLU Career Center.
At OVGU Magdeburg, please contact Dr. Sabrina Walter from the OVG Graduate Academy regarding career consultation for postdocs.
The Graduate Center at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences offers career consultation for doctoral candidates and postdocs.
For career consultation, postdocs can contact the Career Service at Harz University of Applied Sciences.
All (former) doctoral candidates interested in a professorship at a University of Applied Sciences (HAW) can seek individual advice regarding their personal appointment requirements from the appointment officers (available in German) at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. Similarly, the Startup Service (Gründungsservice, available in German) advises and supports all (former) doctoral candidates who are interested in starting a business.
By the way: The qualification program for doctoral candidates is also open to postdocs at the four universities of applied sciences in the state of Saxony-Anhalt – in some cases on a first-come, first-served basis.
At Merseburg University of Applied Sciences, the Graduate Academy (available in German) offers career counseling for doctoral candidates and postdocs. For startup consulting, you can contact the Startup Service (Gründungsservice, available in German).
You can find information on starting a business, self-employment, and other career counseling for graduates at Burg Alumni (available in German).