For most academics, when they consider their future careers, they think of two options: academia or industry. There are other options, however, such as one we will be discussing today – working for the government. Academics can serve on councils and advisory boards, or work as part of a civil service, or as advisors to policy makers. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of working for the government? This is the topic we're considering in this article.

For academic careers, the big question is always: academia or industry? But why not a bit of both? If you want to combine teaching and working in industry, there are possibilities for part-time teaching work or tutoring jobs which fall outside of traditional work hours. You can have an industry job and try teaching too. Below we'll look at some of the options.

One of the great advantages of performing your research within an academic setting rather than a commercial one is the degree of research autonomy which you posses. This means that you have the freedom to pursue the work which you think is interesting and worthwhile, and to pick the methods and research approaches which you find to be most suitable. In fact, having flexibility and freedom over your work was identified as one of the top advantages of working in an academic institution in our 2015 Academic Institutions Report. Clearly, this is an important issue which is one of the major differentiating factors between academia and industry. 

One issue for those working in academia that can be difficult to deal with is the problem of job insecurity. It is common for postdocs or junior lectures to be employed on short-term contracts of a few months to a few years, meaning that they must secure a new job when their contract ends. Today we have some tips on how to manage this insecurity if you're working in academia.

When you're been abroad for a semester or longer during your studies, you're bound to have picked up lots of new skills and knowledge that can help you to stand out when applying for a job or course of study. But in order to take advantage of this, you need to know how to convey your extra skills to potential employers or universities. So today we're offering advice on how to show off the best of your study abroad on your resume. You can use the following ideas as skills to highlight on applications, or find ways to include this information in your cover letter, letter of motivation, or to answer interview questions.

When you're teaching, it's important to find a way to engage with all of your students, to keep their interest and to make sure that they understand the information that you're conveying to them. However, the size of a class can make a huge difference to what teaching methods are most appropriate and effective.

For graduates of the social sciences, there is a wide range of career possibilities open. For people who are curious, self-motivated, and capable of both good organisation and creative thinking, research can be an extremely rewarding career.

A popular activity among PhD students, particularly for those in structured programs, is a journal club. This is a regular meeting at which PhD students gather together to read  and discuss a journal paper from their field. These meetings can be a fun and educational addition to a PhD program, and today we're discussing how you can make the most of the opportunities presented by these meetings.

Open access refers to materials which are publicly available without restrictions on access or reuse. To publish your research in open access means that anyone, including other researchers and the public, will be able to read your paper in its original form. In order to support this free access for users, journals which publish open-access charge a fee (often in the region of several thousand Euros) to the authors. But, this cost comes with advantages. Today we're looking at the case for making your research available in open access form.

One part of the PhD process that students are not always aware of when they begin is their role in the supervision of bachelors or masters students.

When planning to pursue a PhD, one of the most important decisions you must make is to choose a supervisor for your project. A supervisor supports you and advises you in your research, helps you with your career development (for example by introducing you to relevant people in your field and suggesting conferences that you should attend), and provides encouragement to you throughout your PhD. Your supervision will be the most important academic relationship of your PhD years, so it's vital to find someone who fits your research interests and personality well. Below we'll share some tips for helping you to find the best supervisor for your project. If you plan to start your PhD application this autumn, download our free guide "How to successfully apply to a PhD in Economics".

Starting out a new role as a PhD student or postdoc will often be demanding and involve a steep learning curve. This is especially true if you have moved into a new discipline or field than you have worked in previously. With different approaches to research, learning and assessment than that which you have experienced before, it can take some effort to adjust to a new setting. Below are some tips to ease this transition to help you make the most of your postdoc in a new field.

Networking is a concept which is somewhat alien to many academics – you may well have heard how important it is to create an interactive network with other researchers in your field, but it's hard to know how to get started. Some people have a negative view of networking; thinking that it involves being deceptive or finding a way to turn every conversation around to yourself. But it needn't be that way! Successful networking is all about putting you in touch with other like-minded academics or professionals with whom you share interests. These networks help you both by supplying information (for example, finding someone with an expertise in a statistical technique which you are interested in using) and by providing you with a way to share your research (for example, sending your recent publications to other researchers who could find it useful). Networking can be a fun and rewarding way to build up your profile within your discipline.

It can be hard to stay motivated surrounded by chocolate, festive lighting and tinsel garlands. With the prospect of overseas holidays, dinners with family and friends, gift-giving and an abundance of food fast approaching, whether you work or study, maintaining focus can be an issue.

With the start of the academic year come many changes to most university departments – new students, new courses and, every so often, a new department chair. If you happen to find yourself in the lucky position of holding this post, it’s important to be aware of the plethora of responsibilities and advantages that come with the job. In this article, we’ve gathered helpful tips and reminders from a variety of sources to create a comprehensive list of what you need to know to make the most of being a department chair.

With September upon us and campuses around the globe preparing for the coming school year, many recent graduates face a harsh reminder that student life is over and it’s time to plunge headlong into the workforce. Yet, sometimes landing that first career-oriented position can be tough, particularly in today’s economic climate.

A picture speaks a thousand words, an adage that also holds true when presenting data to an audience. Whether to stand out during an academic conference or a class presentation, to share statistics with your customers, to explain a difficult concept to your students or to impress your friends with something funny: if you want to convey the message quickly and clearly an infographic is the tool to use!