From Academia to Industry: Understanding the Hiring Journey

The two co-founders of Alma.me uniquely complement each other in guiding PhDs on their transition into industry: Dr. Elena Hoffer, a PhD graduate and now a thought leader in PhD career transitions, opened the session by emphasizing the importance of being proactive in navigating one’s career. She encouraged participants to take charge of their professional paths with confidence.

Angela Priest, hiring manager with over 20 years of experience in industry recruitment, demystified the hiring process in industry, offering a candid look into how hiring decisions are made and what truly stands out in applications and interviews.

Key Takeaways from the Talk

Angela walked participants through the entire hiring lifecycle: from crafting compelling CVs to succeeding in interviews, and challenged common myths about applicant tracking systems (ATS), including the often-feared AI rejection narrative. She stressed that human recruiters are still the primary decision-makers, and timing, clarity, and relevance in applications matter far more than keywords alone.

Participants learned:

• The fundamental cultural and structural differences between academia and industry
• How to write impact-driven CVs that highlight measurable results
• Why interpersonal fit and alignment with company values can be as crucial as technical skills
• How to approach interviews with authenticity and confidence
• Insider tips for salary negotiations and understanding job offers

Angela also emphasized the importance of understanding organizational fit: how company size, structure, and values affect workplace culture, and how to use that knowledge to target roles aligned with personal strengths and preferences.

Key Learnings

• Impact-Driven CVs Make the Difference: A standout CV should go beyond listing tasks. Hiring managers are looking for impact-based statements that show measurable outcomes, value added, or challenges solved – not just what was done, but why it mattered.
• The Interview Is About Connection: Treat the interview as a conversation, not an exam. Authenticity, curiosity, and the ability to build rapport with your interviewers often outweigh polished but impersonal answers. Hiring decisions are often influenced by something as simple as: “Would I want to work with this person?”
• Rejection Is Often a Redirection: Job rejections are rarely personal. Many factors influence hiring that candidates cannot see -from internal team dynamics to strategic fit. Persistence and reframing rejection as redirection are key to staying motivated.
• Research the Company: Hiring teams notice when you’ve done your homework. Referencing specific company products, challenges, or values in your application or interview signals initiative and reduces perceived hiring risk.

Q&A Highlights: Navigating Fit, Failure, and Frustration

In the lively Q&A session, attendees asked thoughtful questions about CV formatting, the role of photos in resumes (particularly within European contexts), how to express personal motivation without sounding generic, and how to frame theoretical research in terms of practical impact.

The session closed with both experts sharing encouragement for those navigating difficult transitions, reminding attendees that rejection is often redirection, and that fit goes both ways: just as companies evaluate candidates, candidates should also look for environments where they can thrive.

About the Speakers

Angela Priest

With a degree in psychology and a Lean Six Sigma Belt, Angela has always been passionate about building high-performing teams in industry. She has worked across various industries and company sizes, from startups to large corporations, in both the U.S. and the U.K. With 20+ years of hiring experience, Angela has successfully built teams and implemented effective hiring processes. She understands exactly what companies look for in candidates and is now dedicated to helping PhDs navigate the challenges of transitioning into industry.

Dr. Elena Hoffer

Elena earned her PhD in Medical Sciences from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2023. Having experienced academia firsthand, she deeply understands the challenges of transitioning into industry. Elena’s strength lies in building relationships and professional networks. With more than 100,000 followers on LinkedIn, she inspires PhDs daily on career development and transition strategies. She is a strong advocate for PhDs, encouraging them to recognize their value beyond academia while raising global awareness of the need for universities to better support PhDs in their career transitions.

Together Angela and Elena run Alma.me, a startup focused on helping PhDs in their transition into industry.

RESEARCHERS BEYOND ACADEMIA by Euraxess

Created in collaboration with the Researchers Beyond Academia (REBECA) Hub by EURAXESS.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme within the framework of the ERA TALENT Project funded under grant agreement No 10110347.