Angela Priest

Alma.Me

At Alma.Me, we help PhDs kick start their careers in industry through on-demand courses, online communities, networking, and resources to help them make the transition from academia to industry with confidence.

Co-Founder and COO

Groyu

At Groyu, we empower businesses to grow by acknowledging the fundamental importance of people across all aspects of business operations. We use a practical approach rooted in psychology, lean six sigma, agile, and project management best practices to help companies achieve scale, empowering their teams with streamlined processes and sound operational strategies to drive results.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Led a digital marketing company's organizational structure and customer onboarding overhaul, propelling an exceptional 63% improvement across critical metrics, accelerating the customer onboarding process by 78% (from 67 days to 15 days), doubling productivity, and cutting rework loops by 75%.

- Guided a CPG startup with a results-oriented approach and practical solutions to avert the decline of organizational values, advised the formation of a change management committee to drive the values' integration, articulation of corresponding behavioral guidelines, and narrative storytelling approach to promote buy-in.

Managing Director

wejo

Headed strategy, corporate development, and innovation functions, as an integral part of the senior leadership team, offering strategic guidance to foster growth in a big data, SaaS company while directly reporting to EVP, Strategy, and Innovation.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Championed and sponsored the successful pilot of an agile innovation approach, driving accelerated R&D with a 75% reduction in ideation and validation cycle time, from six months to just six weeks.

- Represented the organization in various industry events and company investor day as a company spokesperson, playing a key role in generating potential investment capital worth $50M.

Senior Vice President Strategy & Innovation 

GutCheck

Served as a pivotal member of the senior leadership team, overseeing the company's operations, continuous improvement efforts, and business analytics. Acted as a strategic advisor on operational synchronization for all business units while directly reporting to the CEO. Developed and executed a laptop refurbishment program during the pandemic, effectively managing the laptop shortage.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Orchestrated the timely procurement and integration of 80 new devices, inclusive of system installations, leading to the elimination of daily service incidents, previously averaging three per day.

- Led the centralization and integration of an enterprise-level supplier procurement with a competitive bidding process, and standard contract terms for performance to better manage risks and costs while controlling for redundant purchasing.

Vice President, Operations and Business Solutions 

Provided leadership and guidance to 34 team members and 12 offshores, overseeing supplier procurement, business process improvement, and business analytics. Offered expert advice and insights to the executive team while reporting to the Executive Vice President, Client Solutions and Insights. Engaged in close collaboration with the executive leadership team and internal stakeholders to create annual budgets and business strategies in alignment with organizational objectives.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Boosted customer satisfaction and retention by introducing an improved post-order customer engagement approach, leading to a substantial 33% expansion in average deal size, while sustaining a commendable 63% gross margin and achieving significant savings of over $500K.

- Architected the integration of customer success and customer delivery teams, leading the design of new roles and functional processes to support a streamlined customer service team.

Sr. Director of Operations, Client Solutions and Insights

Directed and mentored 22 team members and 12 offshores with key responsibilities in supplier procurement, business process improvement, and business analytics. Spearheaded process improvement initiatives for the customer success team following the integration of research operations.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Drove a substantial productivity boost, scaling monthly revenue 188% without incurring additional costs through streamlining processes, optimizing ways of working, and strategically rebalancing the tenure of talent on the team.

- Utilized customer feedback to bolster department effectiveness by establishing a three-year strategy and aligning manager and individual objectives (OKRs), resulting in an 84% client satisfaction rate and adaptation to aggressive growth objectives.

Senior Director of Research Operations

J.D. Power

Supervised and coordinated quality and process improvement initiatives for a large, globally distributed team of 100+ professionals handling project management, research execution, and field management. Served as a trusted advisor to the CEO, CFO, and Executive Vice President of Global Research Operations, contributing to informed decision-making and organizational success.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Established and enforced key performance indicators and reporting procedures to ensure timely identification and resolution of critical failures, resulting in enhancing operational visibility by 43%.

- Streamlined resolution process and ownership for reoccurring quality issues and operational failures by conducting impactful Kaizen events on B2C ratings and B2B flagship products, including U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, Automotive CX and IQS Studies, and others.

Senior Manager, Performance Improvement

Served as Chief of Staff, driving the development of a team consisting of 21 highly competent Project Managers and implementing performance improvement processes to improve quality and streamline B2B business processes.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Played a key advisory role, contributing to a $1.1B valuation exit for the prior parent company.

- Facilitated the professional development of project managers through hands-on leadership, contributing to a 50% promotion rate to PMO leadership roles within a two-year timeframe.

- Directed the standardization of corporate operational metrics, leading to improved accountability, enhanced objectivity, and validated information by Project Managers, which resulted in a substantial annual revenue recovery of $5M+.

Senior Project Manager, PMO Operations Lead / Chief of Staff

Oversaw the design and execution of research projects for diverse clients in retail, automotive, and public sectors, ensuring the alignment of research methodology with project objectives and deliverables.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Spearheaded the development of a robust standard operating framework and procedures for the research business unit to drive operational excellence, leading to significant improvements in efficiency and consistency.

- Identified new opportunities for research projects, propelling the growth and expansion of the research business unit.

Research Manager

Administered the design and planning of new syndicated research programs in the Government, Healthcare, Pharmacy, and Retail sectors. Managed a team comprising four interns and two direct reports, providing effective leadership and guidance.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Drove a culture of continuous improvement by actively seeking opportunities to refine research methodologies, processes, and deliverables, leading to elevated quality standards in customer programs.

- Supervised the successful launch of new syndicated research programs, meticulously coordinating timelines, resources, and logistics for a seamless implementation.

Research Supervisor

Lieberman Research Worldwide

Designed and guided market research, providing advisory services to clients in the entertainment industry.

Vail Resorts

Gathered market research data, performed analysis, and issued weekly reports to guide strategic decision-making related to the guest experience and brand perceptions.

Market Research Interviewer

UCLA Anderson Executive Education

Drove the implementation and refresh of database systems to support executive education programs.

Database Administrator

I'm a data geek and process nerd who loves to build people up and help them grow. For 20 years, I've been turning chaos into order at companies across all stages of growth to ensure that their teams flourish. I'm now throwing my passion for helping people into helping PhDs, PostDocs, and Mid-Career Researchers get jobs in industry. My goal is simple: to help brilliant minds thrive outside the academic world and make real impact in their new careers.

Check out my website to learn more: www.alma.me

Dear Employers - A PhD isn't entry level.

They've already spent years solving complex problems independently.

Start them where their skills below (and please pay them accordingly).

PhD Career Guide | Hiring Manager | 20+ Yrs Building High Performing Teams | COO @ Alma.Me

Dear Employers - PhDs doing REAL work during their degree programs.

Designing and running experiments, innovating new methods and techniques, working equipment, managing data, mentoring, presenting, writing papers.

Oftentimes, they're partnering with companies and other organizations because that's how their work is funded.

And we all know how much of that research and "academic" work is actually used in commercial products.

Please don't disregard that experience in your hiring decisions, just because it was in another environment.

Dear Employers - Please don't confuse lack of industry titles with lack of experience.

PhDs have led teams, budgets, and projects.

But academia uses much more standard, generalized titles.

Feed | LinkedIn

li_at

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LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn

Jobseekers are constantly hearing about everything bad going on in the job market. Here are a few things to know:


💡 Companies are still hiring.

4 people in our job search program have gotten jobs in the past month alone.

💡 But, they are being more cautious in their hires.

It's not enough to just have the skills. You have to also have the personality, temperament, and disposition to fit in with the team.

💡 There are always fewer open positions at the end of the year.

It's budget season. Many companies slow hiring while they get next year's budget's approved.

💡 But, hiring generally picks up at the start of every year.

Now is a great time to get your resume and job search strategy going, so that you can be ready to hit the gas in the new year.

If I could give PhDs one piece of advice to improve their job search, it would be this:

Work on your communication skills.

- In academia, complex language is a signal of rigor to your peers.
- In industry, complex language is viewed as a barrier to action for your stakeholders.

Your job is not to prove you're smart (they know you are or you wouldn't have a PhD).

Your job is to persuade people to hire you. Clarity is the tool of persuasion.

In industry, you will have a lot of non-technical stakeholders.

So, if you're not making it through the interview process or you keep getting passed over for other candidates, ask yourself:

Am I communicating what I've done in a language that everyone in the room understands?

Because clarity builds connection and connection is what gets you hired.

👉 If you want to learn how to communicate your value clearly and confidently in interviews, apply for our job search accelerator program:

www.alma.me

We can help you translate your academic experience into a story that hiring teams understand.

#phd #careers #jobsearch

One of the PhDs we helped get a job called me after he started his new position. 

"I feel like I can't get my work done because of how many discussions I have to have about everything."

That's one of the biggest mindset shifts PhDs face when they transition out of academia. 

The shift can be jarring.

Academia is an individual sport. 
Industry is a team sport.

Each requires different skills and a different mindset.

In academia, your success often depends on your individual output: your projects, your publications, your results.

In industry, success depends on collaboration: how you work across functions, share knowledge, and move things forward together.

You're no longer just the expert on your project. You're part of a larger team working toward a shared goal.

Once he learned about this difference, it was smooth sailing. He no longer felt like he was underperforming and could better integrate himself in the team.

👉 In our job search program, we help PhDs make this transition smoothly, learning how to communicate, collaborate, and show the impact they can bring as part of a team.

Apply here: www.alma.me

Why do some PhDs get hired and others don't, even when their skills are the same?

In 20 years of hiring, I see the same pattern over and over:

The candidates who connect with the humans in the process are the ones who get hired.

Here's what that looks like:

A tenured professor joined our job search program for help transitioning to industry. She was applying for a data scientist role at a startup in the digital learning space.

During our mock interview, I asked her:

💬 "Why do you want this job?"

Her first answer?

💬 "I have the skills. I check all the boxes."

Fair answer, but it wasn't enough.

So I asked:

💬 "Sure, but why do you WANT to do this work?"

She paused. Then said:

💬 "I'm a neuroscientist and a teacher. I've spent my career thinking and
studying how people learn. This role would keep me doing that, just in a
new way."

And that's the shift.

From blending in with every other candidate to being personally aligned with the company's mission.

Needless to say, the recruiter moved her to the next round.

Not just because of her skill set.
But because she made it human.

What most PhDs don't realize is:

- Most recruiters and hiring managers don't have a PhD
- Some have never hired a PhD before
- And many don't actually know what a PhD entails 

So when you lead with your degrees and publications, you may accidentally create distance instead of connection.

The best candidates don't just share what they can DO.
They share why it MATTERs to them.


#phd #careers #jobsearch

What a great end to the week! 3 of the PhDs we're working with got a job in the past week and 2 others are starting their new positions the first week of Dec. So, for all you jobseekers out there, don't lose hope. Companies are still hiring. Your offer might be just around the corner.

One of the PhDs we worked with was spending 3-4 hours tailoring her resume and cover letter.

This meant that she couldn't get into early applicant pools and she lowered her chances of getting her resume seen.

Here's how we got her down to a 30-minute application to improve her results:

1. Define 1 role she wanted to target. Helped her pick her lane and not try to fit every job description.
2. Identified the common skills and requirements across companies for that role to focus her core message.
3. Wrote her resume to center around those themes.
4. Showed her how to adjust her resume in two minor areas to tailor for each company.

That's it.

She now had a resume that could be used universally across companies but FELT specific to each one.

When people say "tailor your resume," this is what they mean.

Not random mass applications, but targeting your resume for your best fit role.

With this approach, you can apply for 3-5 high quality roles per day in less than 2 hours. And voila, now you can compete in your job search at scale.

👉 In our job search program, we help PhDs streamline their applications, build high impact resumes, and apply more strategically, so they can spend more time getting interviews. 

Check it out on our website: www.alma.me

#phd #jobsearch #careers

"I don't know how I would have gotten an offer without your advice."

One of the data science PhDs we worked with recently landed her dream job at nearly 2x the salary she thought was possible.

Before working with us, she hadn't gotten a single interview.

Here's what we advised:
1. Stop applying to entry-level roles and aim for more senior positions.
2. Reframe her resume to highlight applied skills instead of describing tasks
3. Apply consistently and strategically, not in occasional bursts
4. Focus on industries where she had relevant subject matter expertise

When you align your applications with your value, instead of downplaying your expertise, your results will shift.

👉 Are you a STEM PhD struggling to get job interviews?
Apply for our job search program: www.alma.me
We accept 2 new PhDs each week.

"I matched all the skills, applied, and never heard back. Now the role was reposted. What does this mean?"


It's one of the most frustrating things to see.

You apply for a job that's a perfect fit, get no interview, no response, then a few weeks later, the same job pops up again.

It can make you wonder, "Was I not good enough? Did they just not like me?"

Here are a few of the ACTUAL reasons companies repost roles:

* It's an evergreen posting to keep the pipeline warm for future openings
* They're keeping backups in case the first round of candidates falls through
* The ATS or job board automatically closed the post and it needs a refresh
* The role evolved and needs a new level, focus, or skill set
* No one fully met the requirements
* Too few strong candidates to run a full, competitive interview cycle
* They're widening the pool to validate the current finalists
* Compliance rules require the role to stay open for a set amount of time
* HR needs to repost for audit/equal opportunity reasons
* An offer fell through and the search restarted
* Hiring was paused (e.g., budget freeze). Reposting means it's reapproved.

So, try not to take the repost personally.

Keep applying. Odds are the repost is unrelated to your application.

👉 Our job search program helps PhDs understand how hiring really works and position yourself so the right people notice you.

You can apply here: www.alma.me

We accept 2 new PhDs each week.

#phd #jobsearch #careers

Over the past year, we've worked with PhDs, postdocs, and even tenured professors. And no matter how far along they are, they tend to find us at one of four stages:

1️⃣ "I have no idea how to land a job in industry."
They feel lost and overwhelmed.
We help them bring structure and strategy.
Helping them be confident in their search with a clear plan.

2️⃣ "I've been applying for months and not getting interviews."
We help translate their experience into the right language, target roles (and levels) that actually fit.

3️⃣ "I'm getting interviews, but they always go with someone else."
We train them to connect their academic experience to what hiring manager are really looking for and to communicate that confidently.

4️⃣ "I'm interviewing, but I don't feel confident."
We focus on mindset: owning your value, knowing what you bring to the table, and learning how to navigate conversations (and offers) with confidence.

But all of them have one thing in common:

They recognize they're struggling. And they don't want to do it alone anymore.

No matter the stage, we meet you where you're at.

👉 If any of these stages sound like you, or if you're just ready for structure, clarity, and support in your job transition, check out our job search program.

Apply here: www.alma.me

We can help you find your path after academia and help you build confidence in what comes next.

#phd #careers #jobsearch

Most PhDs who come to me for help want to upskill.

But skill is rarely the problem when PhDs transition into industry.

It's communication.

Communicating your value to a new audience, in a new language.
Both in you resume and during the interview.

Learn how to frame the experience you already have in an industry context if you want to get better results. 

This often means simplifying.

👉 Join our job search program (www.alma.me) and learn how to communicate your value clearly and confidently in a way that gets you hired.

#phd #jobsearch #careers.

Having hired and built high performing teams for 20 years, here's what companies usually look for (and how it's different from academia):

💡 Academia is driven by the pursuit of fundamental truth.

In academia, hiring is often focused on publications, awards, achievements, presentations, grants, etc. 

This demonstrates your ability to create knowledge that the university uses to build their reputation and institutional presence.

In other words, your work needs to be polished, precise, and defensible.

The CV is the record that creates that defensibility.

⏩ Industry is driven by the pursuit of creating value.

Hiring is focused on your ability to create impact (i.e., drive action and forward progress). This means creating recommendations, product features, or inform decisions that save time, money, or improve quality.

Speed and impact > precision.

The industry resume is that demonstrates (through examples) your ability to create value.



#phd #jobsearch #careers

Co-Founder and CEO

Karolinska institutet

PhD candidate

Research Assistant

Founders Sunday

Founders Sunday serves as a non-profit educational platform and support for founders in all continents of the world (1300 + start-ups/scale-ups) 

The community meets up every Friday 1pm CET on zoom for lively discussions related to the founders journey (#founderscoffee☕️) 

For founders - by founders 💡

Manager

PhD Careers Beyond Academia Club at Karolinska Institutet

Organizer

Department of Immunology and Microbiology (ISIM), University of Copenhagen

Visiting PhD student 

Engel Apotheke

Pharmaceutical-technical assistant 

ratiopharm

Laboratory Technician

Help PhDs to kick-start careers in industry | Co-Founder and CEO @Alma.me | Building a bridge between academia and industry | Speaker | Scientist

Welcome to my profile!

I'm Elena, passionate about helping PhDs kickstart fulfilling careers outside of academia, and connect them with industry relevant positions. 

During my PhD journey, I realized that many PhDs face challenges transitioning from academia to industry. This difficulty often arises due to a lack of knowledge about potential positions, how to craft a resume for the industry, and prepare effectively for a job in that sector.

I've experienced this struggle firsthand. While pursuing my PhD, I felt lost. I knew that I no longer wanted to work in the lab; instead, I wanted to work with people, as that's where my passion lies. I went on my own discovery journey on "what is next".  I focused on the things I loved doing and thought of possible career options- after I identified what is next- I started working toward it by building a network in that area. 

Who am I, and how did I get here?

I recently graduated with a PhD in Medical Sciences from the Karolinska Institutet in beautiful Stockholm. 
As a Co-Founder and CEO of Alma.me my vision is to bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing information to help PhDs understand the array of opportunities after completing their studies and recognise the value of their skills beyond academia. 

If you are a PhD-student, Postdoc or tenure and you want to make the transition into industry follow me for more career advice.


Elena Hoffer, PhD

The world: PhDs are experts.

Reality: experts in managing chaos, solving impossible problems, communicating clearly, and Googling things very fast. (Yes… Googling is a skill.)

♻️ Share to help demystify what PhDs really bring to the table.

-------------
If you need support communicating your skills to non-academic employers, check out what we do at Alma.me - we’d love to help.

Happy Thursday 🥳

Help PhDs to kick-start careers outside of academia | CEO @Alma.me | Complementing universities services for PhDs & Postdocs to secure jobs outside academia | Speaker I Podcast Host @PostPhDirections

An academic CV  ≠ Industry Job 

If your CV is more than 2 pages, starts with Education, and lists Publications, Conferences, and Awards - and you keep hearing nothing back - this is why.

Industry hiring managers want a clear, focused resume that shows how you’ve used your skills to create impact.

Here’s what actually works 👇
✅ 1–2 pages max
✅ Professional Experience first, not Education 
✅ Skills and achievements, not publications
✅ Add a link to your papers instead of listing them
✅ Clean, one-column layout (no over-designed templates)

This is the CV format that landed our PhDs interviews at companies such as Sanofi, Apple, Fannie Mae, PayPal, and Duolingo.....

Get your free editable version. Download it via links in the comments👇

♻️  Share this with other PhDs 

Happy Wednesday 🙌

Resume template_PhD

If you're doing a PhD right now, the odds of building a long-term academic career are, unfortunately, stacked against you.

The truth is harsh: 
Only  4-5 % of PhDs will stay in academia long-term, and for many PhDs the future about their next career step feels uncertain
 
And this isn’t just a feeling. 
A Nature Magazine career survey showed that more than half of PhD students worry about their career path, and nearly half fear there aren’t enough research jobs. Years later, nothing has changed. The path after academic is still unpredictable and fragile for most. 

Leaving academia can feel like stepping into the unknown - like being pushed out of the only environment you’ve ever belonged to. It’s scary because for years, the path was laid out for you. 

Now suddenly… you’re supposed to navigate a new world without a map. 
But you don’t have to do it blindly. 

I put together a free 10-step guide to help you make that transition with confidence - the exact framework we use in our job accelerator program to help PhDs land roles at Sanofi, Fannie Mae, Siemens Healthineers, Shield Legal and more.

If you want stability, clarity, and a plan you can actually follow, this guide is your first step. 

You’re not alone in this. 
And you don’t have to figure it out in the dark. 

Download the guide to get an idea about how to approch the fist step into industry: https://lnkd.in/dwD-7nJ4

♻️  Share to help a friend 

Happy Monday 🥳

(4) Feed | LinkedIn

Today I got something fun in the mail - a Nature Magazine issue with an article I was interviewed for along other scientist: 'Scientist who have cracked LinkedIn'

Big thank you to Anne Marie Conlon for sending it over and writing such a wonderful piece! 

Holding it made me smile a little because… I actually started using LinkedIn during my PhD in 2022, at a time when absolutely no one around me was doing it. 

Back then, LinkedIn in my lab basically meant: 
 – a profile photo from 2014 
 – two connections  
 – a spares profile with some skills 

So yes - posting felt a bit uncomfortable simply because it wasn’t “a thing” scientists did. 

But it was a place where I could meet people who I would never meet inside academia: founders, PhDs talking about careers, PhDs creator who talked about other things related to the PhD journey…  
 
It became a small corner of the internet where I could talk about something I deeply cared about: PhD careers, and the messy, confusing, exciting process of figuring out what comes next

And honestly? 
Half the time I had no idea what I was doing but I loved writing and sharing content - so I kept going because I loved connecting with people who were also questioning, exploring, building. 

So seeing this Nature article today felt strangely full-circle. 
Not because “I cracked LinkedIn”.

But because it shows that scientists can show up in new spaces, start conversations, and build real networks beyond the lab. 

 If you're a PhD thinking "should I even be on LinkedIn?" -here's my honest tip (and I recommend reading the tips of the other scientist in the article -tons to learn from them)

Just spend 10 minutes a day and keep it simple stupid at this stage to see how it developed fro you: 
- Read one thing 
- Engage with some people through the comments this builds trust and network 
- Follow people who inspire you 
-  Post something small when you feel like it 

That’s it. 
No real strategy. 
No perfection. 
No “brand voice.” 
Just you being human. 

Happy Monday 💙

Dear PhDs - You are employable beyond academia.

You don’t need to become someone else to fit in industry. 
You don't need to become more of an expert - you are an expert.

You just need to learn how to translate the skills you got in industry relevant language.

You are not starting over -you are evolving.

♻️  Share with to help a friend

Dear PhDs - You're not starting from zero when moving into industry 

You’re starting from experience.  Years of research, problem-solving, teaching, writing, mentoring -  that all counts. 

You don't need to up-skill. You don't need to learn more. 

You need to learn to speak the language of industry.

Happy Sunday 💙

Dear PhDs - You’re not behind in life. 

You’ve spent years mastering critical thinking, independence, and resilience. 

You didn’t take a detour - you built depth and broadened your horizon. 

Now it’s about learning how to show it differently. 

Thank you for doing the hard work. 

Happy Sunday 💙

When I moved from academia into entrepreneurship, it wasn’t a single decision.
It was a process.

A long one - confusing, exciting, messy, and full of testing.

It actually started two years before I even graduated.
I didn’t wake up one day thinking, “I’ll be a founder.”

I simply followed the small signals:
- I took two entrepreneurship courses during my PhD.
-  I joined different organizations just to see what was out there.
- I met people completely outside my academic bubble.

And slowly, something clicked.
During that time, I realized I was naturally drawn to the topic of careers.
I started organizing career sessions for other PhDs - and it just felt right.

I’m a gut-decision person. I need to feel things.
And that feeling was unmistakable:
This is my thing.

I spoke with many of PhDs who transitioned into industry.

I learnt from each of them about things I want and don't want in a career.

But the more I talked to people, the more I realized:
Why build someone else’s dream when I could build my own?

So I made a decision:
I’m going to make this happen.
I talked to people who built companies.
I connected via LinkedIn with other founders.
I learned from every conversation.

And then something magical happened:
I met Angela Priest — my co-founder of Alma.Me — who lives in Denver, Colorado. What are the odds that we would ever meet in real life?

But here we are, building a company that changes PhDs’ lives.

And here’s the thing:
If you have a dream to move into industry after your PhD or Postdoc and don’t want to do this alone…

If you want a proven strategy that has helped PhDs land roles at Sanofi, PayPal, Fannie Mae, and so much more…

Then now is a very good moment.
Because until November 30th at 11:59 PM MST, we’re offering 26% off the initiation fee of our Job Accelerator Program ( you can start the program until the 26th of June).

Because we want more PhDs to transition with clarity instead of confusion.
With a roadmap instead of guessing.
With support instead of doing it alone.

👉 Apply to our Job Accelerator Program and book your intro call before 30th of November  11:59PM MST: Link in the comments 

You don’t need to figure this out by yourself 🙌

As a PhD, you’ve gained valuable skills.

You’ve learned to thrive in ambiguity, handle complexity, and approach problems analytically.

But none of this is seen by hiring manger if your resume doesn’t translate your value into industry language.

If you’ve ever thought:
 ❌ “Why am I getting no responses?”
 ❌ “I’ve made 20 revisions — what am I missing?”
 ❌ “How do I know what a hiring manager values?”

Then you need this:
🔴 Live Resume Review (Dec 2nd — 6 PM CET / 10 AM MST)
A real-time breakdown of a PhD resume from our Alma.Me community — reviewed by someone who has been on the other side of the hiring table for two decades.

Angela Priest (my co-founder) has:
 • 20+ years hiring across startups → big companies → tech → insurance
 • Built entire hiring processes and high-performing teams
 • Created for the PhDs in our job accelerator program a resumes that landed interviews at Amazon, Apple, Sanofi, Fannie Mae, Duolingo, and more

In 60 minutes, you’ll see:
 👉 Why your resume may not be getting responses
 👉 What hiring managers instantly notice
 👉 The 3 sections that usually need a complete rethink
 👉 How PhDs accidentally hide their strongest skills
 👉 How to communicate impact (not tasks!) in a way industry immediately understands

If you want clarity on what’s holding you back — you’ll get it here.

Join via the QR in the event image, or via the link in the comments.

And save the date:
Dec 17th — Live Mock Interview Session.

Because your transition deserves clarity, not guesswork 🙌 

♻️ Share to help other PhDs

Happy Tuesday 🥳

Wow - yesterday more than 220 PhDs joined our live resume review session.

Researchers from every corner of the world showed up, all with the same question:

“How do I turn my long academic CV into a strong industry resume?”

If you’ve ever stared at a job ad and thought “I have no idea how to present myself for this…” — this session was built for you.

Here’s what we covered:

✅ How to overcome academic bias in hiring — yes, it’s real
✅ The formula for a compelling professional summary
✅ How PhDs can translate research into industry-ready skills
✅ How to write impact-driven bullet points (What → How → Result)
✅ How to showcase publications, grants, and conferences without overwhelming your resume
 … and so much more.

If you missed it and want to rewatch the full session, it’s now on my YouTube channel.
 👉 https://lnkd.in/dArdRgXM

Next up: A live mock interview - December 17th

Most PhDs never get real feedback after an interview — just a generic “we’ve decided to move forward with someone else.” And that leaves you guessing.

When we work with PhDs in our program who’ve been through this, they often have true “wow” moments during mock interviews with us.

For the first time, they finally understand the actual reasons they didn’t move forward - and more importantly, how to fix them.

If interviews make you freeze, over-explain, or feel like you have to “pretend” to be the expert… this mock interview session will change everything.

Angela will run a real industry-style interview.

🎟️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/djGT7Wb9

Happy Wednesday 🙌

Most PhDs spend hours tailoring a resume…

Only to end up feeling unsure, overwhelmed, and still not confident they’re doing it “right.”

Inside our job accelerator program, we teach a system that takes less than 10 minutes - and it works because it’s based on how hiring managers (like my co-founder Angela) actually evaluate resumes.

Here’s the 5-step method our PhDs use to tailor their industry resume quickly and effectively 👇 

1. Research the Role
Look at 5–10 recent job postings for the same title.
Patterns only appear when you look across multiple ads - not one.

2. Identify Themes
Across those postings, pull out:
 • 6–7 common responsibilities
 • 3–4 repeated qualifications
 These become your resume’s “anchor points.”

3. Find the KPIs
How does industry measure success in this role?
Number of users? Timelines? Revenue? Efficiency?
These KPIs show you how to quantify your accomplishments.

4. Create a Template
Build one strong base version of your resume for that role. Then:
 • match your experiences to the themes
 • quantify using the KPIs
 This is where your academic work becomes industry-relevant.

5. Tailor Your Application
Tweak keywords → apply → done.
 Because when your template is strong, tailoring takes minutes.

Most PhDs were never taught this - and that’s exactly why it feels so hard.
But once you learn the system, everything clicks.

📌 Download your printable cheat sheet here for later : https://lnkd.in/gPXWAFUp

You don’t need more time.
You need a process — and our cheat sheet has teaches you exactly that

♻️  Share this to help other PhDs

The hidden curriculum of every PhD.
(Featuring: cleaning floors, stacking pipette tips, and solving problems no one warned you about 😂)

Thank you for the fun collaboration, Raul Peña.
Your PhD skills can take you anywhere - but somehow they also had you doing everything:

🧠 The intellectual stuff:
-designing experiments from scratch
-analysing complex data and turning chaos into clarity
-communicating science to any audience
-managing long-term projects with shifting timelines
-learning new tools and methods overnight
-thinking critically under pressure

🤡 And then the other stuff every PhD knows too well:

-refilling 70% ethanol bottles… over and over…sometimes even making it)
-pushing a cart of empty 50 ml tubes like you’re restocking a supermarket aisle
-hunting for missing reagents that somehow walked away
-fixing lab equipment with tape, hope, and YouTube tutorials
-reorganizing the −80°C freezer because no one respects labels
-collecting biohazard waste bags and dragging them down the hall
-defrosting freezers like you’re leading a polar expedition
-labeling tubes until your handwriting becomes its own scientific font

This blend - the intellectual + the absurd - is your real superpower in industry.
Because you can think deeply and get things done, no matter what chaos shows up. 

If you are doing a PhD or Postdoc - Don't forget you are amazing 🙌 

What am I missing?

♻️  Repost to make another PhD feel seen.

Happy Wednesday 🥳

Most PhDs never get real feedback after an interview — just a generic
 “we’ve decided to move forward with someone else.”

That leaves you guessing:
Was it my answer?
My experience?
My “fit”?

When we work with PhDs who’ve been through this, they often have true “wow” moments during our mock interviews. 
For the first time, they finally understand the actual reasons they didn’t move forward - and, even more importantly, how to fix them.

When we run mock interviews with PhDs in our program, they often have real “wow” moments because, for the first time, they understand why they didn’t move forward - and how to fix it.

If interviews make you freeze, over-explain, or feel like you have to “pretend” to be the expert… this session is for you.

The top 3 interview struggles we see again and again:
- Rambling or giving overly long answers because you’re unsure what the interviewer really wants
- Being too stiff or formal instead of sounding like someone they’d genuinely want to work with
- Going too technical when the hiring manager actually wants clarity, not complexity

In this live mock interview, you’ll learn exactly how to turn these challenges into strengths - with practical strategies you can use immediately.

Live Mock Interview – PhD-to-Industry Ready Series
December 17th, 6 PM CET / 10 AM MST
Led by Angela Priest, hiring manager with 20+ years of experience who has helped our PhDs land jobs at Sanofi, Siemenes Healthineers, Fannie Mai, etc. 

Secure your spot via QR code or link in the comments 👇

Share to help a friend ♻️

She did it after her PhD - despite hearing that no one had ever done it before.

Kertu Tenso, PhD transitioned into data science after her PhD in global health - and she did it by being intentional, proactive, and incredibly strategic.

In this episode, we talk about how early clarity became her superpower:
🔹 She started exploring data science in her first year of her PhD
🔹 Checked job listings to understand what skills she’d need
🔹 Took extra math, stats, ML and Python courses
🔹 Built machine learning directly into her dissertation
🔹 Kertu shares many valuable tips how you can make that transition too

What stood out to me most is how she built the career she wanted while still doing her PhD, even when others told her it wasn’t possible.

Her story shows the power of knowing what’s next: when you have clarity, you can shape your PhD intentionally, develop applied skills, and create opportunities that align with your future - not just your present.

🎙️ If you're considering a transition into data science (or any industry role), this episode is a must-listen. It's so super inspiring - don't miss out on it. 

👉 Tune in to the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/dw2a4W-D

Happy Tuesday 💙

It’s Thanksgiving today — and while we don’t typically celebrate it here in Europe, having an American co-founder means I get to borrow the tradition.
So here comes a gratitude post. ❤️

🙏 I’m deeply grateful for the impact we’ve made this year.
This month alone, five PhDs landed industry jobs through our program.
 Five people who some...
 ➡️ had been trying for months and felt their confidence slipping
 ➡️ were running out of money and needed stability now
 ➡️ didn’t want to go through this transition alone
 ➡️ needed structure, direction, and someone who genuinely understands their journey

Each story reminds me why Angela and I built Alma.Me - not just to help PhDs get jobs, but to help them rebuild confidence, self-worth, and clarity.

🙏 I’m grateful for our team.
Michael Orndoff - you believed in us from day one. We couldn’t be more grateful.

Jevin Lortie, Ph.D. & Emily Cohen, PhD - you are extraordinary coaches and human beings. I’m so glad we get to learn and grow together.

Sofija Sundmann & Chiara Tremolanti - thank you for jumping in headfirst. Startups can be messy, but the impact you’ve already made is huge.

🙏 And of course… Angela Priest.
My co-founder, friend, and business partner.
With 20+ years of hiring experience, she understands industry hiring like few do.
 
Together, we bridge what PhDs need most: real academic understanding + real hiring expertise.

💛 Giving back to the PhD community
We know that finances can be a real barrier for many PhDs who need support in their transition.

 So tomorrow, we’re doing something special.
👉 From tomorrow on, we’re offering 26% off the initiation fee for our Job Accelerator Program.

 If you want to know more, stay tuned.

Start 2026 knowing you don’t have to navigate your job search alone - and that you’re supported every step of the way.

🧡 Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends around the world.
And thank you to every PhD, postdoc, and professor who trusts us with their career journey.

We see you. We believe in you. And we’re here for you.

She finished her PhD in computational neuroscience and just accepted her first industry role as a Medical Writer — all in 41 days.

🔹 44 applications
🔹 2 interview rounds
🔹 1 offer she was excited about

What we worked on together:
 ✅ We rebuilt her resume from scratch - industry-ready, skills-forward, no academic jargon
 ✅ We coached her through interviews - how to be conversational, confident and clear

Why she succeeded (and what other PhDs can learn):
 1️⃣ She followed our process / protocol - no overthinking, just implementing.
 2️⃣ She was authentically herself in interviews - She gave concise, thoughtful answers, stayed human, and let her personality come through.
 3️⃣ She showcased her skills, not job titles - Even though she had never worked as a medical writer, she clearly communicated that she understood what this role was about and how she can contribute
 4️⃣ She didn’t chase perfection or feared mistakes - she trusted her instincts in interviews- after all it is a learning process

If you want to accelerate your job search, you can apply to our Job Accelerator Program here: https://www.alma.me/

Happy Friday 🥳

Self-rejection limited her job opportunities.

I recently met with one of our PhDs who was feeling discouraged because her application rate had dropped.

When I asked why, she said:
“I just don’t see many positions I’m a good fit for.”

We went through a few openings together. Some made sense - not the right match.

But then we found one that fit her perfectly… every skill, every qualification - except one line.

“Must know how to operate machine X from company Y.”
She’d used the exact same type of machine - just from company A.
And she didn’t apply.

I encouraged her to go for it.
If you can master one version, you can learn another.

And that’s the thing - I see this all the time.

PhDs, postdocs, even tenured professors often look for a 100 % match before applying.
 But you’re not supposed to tick every box - you’re supposed to have room to grow.

👉 In our Job Accelerator, we work on this exact mindset shift — translating academic experience into language that shows industry readiness (even when you don’t meet every requirement).

If you’ve been holding back because you’re not “perfectly qualified,” join our job accelerator program: Apply here: https://www.alma.me/

Happy Monday 🥳

Let’s normalize a few things about the job search for PhDs. 

These are things I see every day with the PhDs in our program - and if any of them are happening to you, it's not you. 

Please don’t start questioning your value. 
✅ Yes, interview processes can move very slowly - sometimes 3+ months. 
✅ Yes, some companies have 4+ rounds of interviews. 
✅ Yes, some will ghost you completely. 
✅ Yes, it can take sometimes weeks before you hear back about next steps. 
✅ And yes - some PhDs get invited to interview more than 4 weeks  after applying. 

If these things are happening to you, you're not alone. 

The job search in industry isn’t a reflection of your worth - it’s a process that takes strategy, patience, and perspective. 

👉 If you’re tired of navigating it on your own and don't want to do it alone anymore join our job accelerator program 

We’ll help you build a clear strategy, keep your confidence high, and finally move through the process with support - not self-doubt. 

Apply here: https://www.alma.me/

Happy Tuesday 🌻

I just got back from speaking at Postdoc Day in Portugal - and being in that room reminded me exactly why I do this work.

A huge thank you to the Postdoc Union GIMM for the invitation and for creating such a thoughtful space for postdocs to explore their next steps.
It was an honour to be part of it.

Every time I talk to postdocs, many of the same things come up.

And if more PhDs knew them earlier, their career transition would feel a lot less overwhelming.

1️⃣ Your publications aren’t your greatest asset - your skills are.
Industry hires for what you can do, not what you’ve published.
You already use valuable skills every day - you just haven’t been taught to translate them.

2️⃣ Industry doesn’t hire the “most qualified” - it hires the best fit.
Recruiters skim your CV in seconds.
Hiring managers want someone curious, collaborative, and human - it's more than skills.

3️⃣ Impact beats description. Always.
“Conducted research…” doesn’t stand out.
“Improved, enabled, led, accelerated…” does.
Show what changed because of your work.

Portugal was a beautiful reminder:
Postdocs are far more prepared for industry than they think - they just need the right tools and language.

Thank you for making career development a priority: Miguel M. Santos, Tomás Gomes, Franziska Hildebrandt, PhD, Catarina Rosa, Christian Gnann, and David Anaguano from the PostDoc Union GIMM. 
Great job 🙌 

Hope to see you soon again beautiful Portugal 💙

“Should I just wait until next year to start your Job Accelerator Program?”
It seems to make sense at first - but the short answer is no.
Here’s why:

1️⃣ If you start thinking about getting your application ready in January, you’re already behind.

The biggest hiring wave of the year happens right at the start of January.

By starting now, you enter the new year with:
-an industry-ready resume aligned with employer needs
-a clear understanding of which roles you’re qualified for
-a job search strategy that gets you seen by employers and hiring managers
- momentum - not confusion - when hiring season opens
This positions you to compete immediately when January roles go live.

2️⃣ We are offering a Black Friday discount of 26% off the initiation fee.
This offer is only available until Sunday. the 31st of November 11:59PM MST.
Here’s what you need to do:
 ✔️ Apply + book your intro call before the deadline on Sunday
 ✔️ The call itself can take place later
 ✔️ If you qualify for the program, the discount applies

Simple and straightforward. 

Not sure if you're a fit?

Here are examples of PhDs we helped transition into industry roles:
-PhD in Economics → Quantitative Modeler at Fannie Mae
-PhD in Immunology → Scientist at Sanofi
-Postdoc in Psychology → Senior Decision Scientist at PayPal
-Tenured Professor in Theoretical Mathematics → Senior Advanced Analytics Analyst at Grainger
-PhD in Computational Neuroscience → Data Scientist I at Scribd

or reach out if you have questions.

If you want 2026 to be the year you transition into industry, the right time to start and invest in yourself is now - not in January.

📌 Apply and book your intro call before Sunday to secure the 26% Black Friday discount:

👉 Link to apply in the comments 

Happy Black Friday 🙌

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The Battle

Angela Priest

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Engagements

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Angela Priest's LinkedIn Performance

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