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Last Friday, the PhD and Postdoc Councils brought us another edition of the Career Event. This event brought together early-career researchers, industry professionals, and academic leaders for a day dedicated to one crucial question: what comes next, after your PhD or Postdoc position?
The event began with an opening talk by Guillén Fernández, Scientific Director, followed by Audrey Peters from Academic Transfer, who highlighted the often overlooked transferable skills, from communication, adaptability, leadership, to curiosity and critical thinking, that we develop during our PhD journey. She encouraged participants to see their PhD as a toolkit, showing how to identify and showcase strengths that employers value beyond laboratory skills.
After a series of rapid-fire sponsor pitches, the career speed dating began. In small groups, participants engaged directly with professionals from the pharmaceutical industry, policy & consulting, communication and education, sharing personal stories and honest advice about career pathways beyond academia.
Lunch break was coupled with a networking session both at the tables and at the sponsor booths, including CBG, Ardena, Briskr, 10x Genomics and Pivot Park. As well as a CV check corner, whose line was bigger than the buffet. Afternoon workshops shifted focus from concepts to practical skills. Participants could rotate through sessions on mastering the STAR method for interviews, leveraging LinkedIn for networking, exploring drug development trade-offs, or learning the art of networking.
The event wrapped up in typical Dutch style with a ‘gezellig’ borrel, where conversations flowed into new ideas, contacts, and well-earned drinks. At the same time, a company market showcased organizations eager to connect with young researchers, including BioLegend, Thermo Fisher, PNO Innovations, RVO, Exelor, ScreenPoint Medical, Startup Nijmegen, HAN, Novogene, Phos4nova, Mercator, and even the Dutch Police.
If there was one take-home message from this year's Career Event, it’s that a scientific background opens more doors than it closes. Whether in labs, boardrooms, classrooms, or startups, researchers carry the same core strengths, critical thinking, creativity, and persistence. This event was a timely reminder that career development isn’t about leaving science behind but about taking science wherever you go.
