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What to do after a Phd?
Choosing work that suits you

Help for your search from a Dutch career coach with a PhD

What to do after a PhD?
Choosing work that suits you

Help for your search from a Dutch career coach with a PhD

Situations you might recognise?

  • I don’t know what to do after a Phd
  • I want work outside the university, but have no idea what
  • I have little knowledge of the job market outside of academia
  • I don’t know where to begin my search
  • I wonder if there are jobs that match my interests
  • I find it difficult to imagine non-academic work
  • I can’t find jobs that appeal to me
  • I feel that no one is waiting for a PhD
  • I get discouraged because my job applications remain unsuccessful

I meet many PhD students, post-docs and temporary lecturers struggling to find leads for job searches outside the academy. They get discouraged because they don’t see a connection between what drives them and possible jobs.

Did you know?

66%

of PhDs in the Netherlands find work outside university

 only 13 %

feel prepared to look for work outside university

How to find out what to do after a PhD

Four things that are especially important for PhDs when choosing and getting other work after a PhD – that are often lacking:

  1. Knowledge about your own qualities and drives
  2. Knowledge of work environments that fit
  3. Feel that there is a match
  4. Skills for a successful non-academic job application

My blogs provide starting points to work on this independently.

Are you looking for professional help with your career question?

Career coaching ‘Complete’

Are you unsure if you want to continue in academia? Is it time to reassess your career? Or do you know you want to work outside of academia, but you’re not sure what career fits? Career coaching helps you to find out what career path fits best.

Job application guidance

Do you feel unprepared for applying for non-academic Dutch jobs? Are you looking for a application expert that knows both academia and the Dutch labour market? Job application guidance helps you present your competencies convincingly.

Career coaching ‘Compact’

Do you know yourself well, but are you still unable to determine what to do after a PhD? Are you looking for short-term help after which you can move on? This compact and powerful trajectory helps you to make choices that suit you.

Job application guidance

Do you feel unprepared for applying for non-academic Dutch jobs? Are you looking for a application expert that knows both academia and the Dutch labour market? Job application guidance helps you present your competencies convincingly.

Cv-feedback for PhDs

Your CV determines whether you pass the first selection round of a job application in the Netherlands. Do you want to make a career switch and a resume that helps you with that? Are you wondering how a non-academic reviewer will look at your CV?

Who am I?

My name is Margriet Fokken, historian with a PhD and qualified Dutch career coach. In 2018 I defended my PhD thesis at the University of Groningen. At the time I was very happy to have finished, but I did not have a clue what type of work I wanted to do. I was not going to continue as a teacher/researcher, that I knew. Curious how my journey developed?

Here you can read more.

What clients say:

Karin

‘Margriet, a pleasant and honest person. I would recommend her for anyone who thinks: oh what can a career coach add for me now. This is how I came to her, at a turning point in my career. She helped me to set things in motion in a nice way, which provided me with good answers to my questions. Conclusion: take that step, it is well worth it!’

Liesbeth

‘I certainly found the mirror and sounding board I was looking for in Margriet. She helped breakthrough the thought-circles in my head with specific questions, that gave me air to breath. Margriet was able to bring the things I already knew about myself into sharper and clearer focus, which made my self-confidence grow. ‘

Sanne

‘The conversations with Margriet were very pleasant. Margriet looks at your needs and adapts the assignments/meetings to those needs. She stimulates you with questions so that you come to your own insights and dare to do something with them. In short, I am happy that I followed this programme with Margriet!’

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