Academic Career Support
Academic hiring rewards clear evidence presented in the conventions of each country, institution type and discipline. We help you prepare that evidence — from your CV and cover letter to job talks, fellowship proposals and, if you choose, a résumé for a career outside academia.
Overview
This pillar supports researchers and faculty at each career transition: finishing a PhD, finding a postdoc or fellowship, entering the faculty job market, moving between countries or institution types, and moving into industry, government or nonprofit roles. The documents and stages differ, but the aim is the same: help decision-makers see your real strengths quickly.
Conventions matter. A US search committee, a UK shortlisting panel scoring against a person specification, and a European fellowship panel read application materials in different ways. Many funders and institutions have also changed how they assess research, for example through narrative CVs such as UKRI's Résumé for Research and Innovation and commitments under DORA. We keep up with these conventions and apply them to your case.
You are the applicant and author throughout. Career documents are an area where co-drafting is normal, but every claim must be true and approved by you. We cannot promise interviews, offers or funding; we can help you prepare thoroughly and present yourself accurately and well.
Who this is for
- PhD candidates preparing for their first academic or non-academic job search
- Postdocs and fixed-term researchers seeking fellowships, faculty posts or a change of sector
- Faculty moving institutions, countries or into leadership roles
- International researchers learning US, UK or European hiring conventions
- Researchers exploring careers in industry, policy or nonprofits
Where to start
Pick the situation that sounds most like yours.
- My CV is long and disorganized, or I need a narrative CV for a funderAcademic CV review
- I need a cover letter or UK supporting statement for a lecturer or assistant professor postFaculty cover letters
- I have to write a teaching statement or put together a teaching portfolioTeaching statements & portfolios
- I have interviews, a job talk or a campus visit coming up, or need a plan for the job marketJob market strategy & interviews
- I am looking for a postdoc or preparing a fellowship such as MSCAPostdoc applications
- My LinkedIn and personal website are outdated or inconsistentLinkedIn & academic websites
- I want to move from academia into industry or another sectorIndustry transition
- I need a research statement or a statement on mentoring and inclusion for an applicationResearch & diversity statements
Services
- Academic CV Review for Faculty & Research Roles “Help turning my long list of publications and teaching into a CV that hiring committees can actually read”
- Faculty Job Cover Letter Feedback “Help making my cover letter for a lecturer or assistant professor job specific to that department”
- Teaching Philosophy Statement & Teaching Portfolio “Help writing a teaching statement that sounds like me and putting together evidence that I teach well”
- Academic Job Market Strategy & Interview Prep “Help planning my academic job search and practicing for interviews, job talks and campus visits”
- Postdoc Application Support “Help applying for a postdoc, whether that means emailing a lab or writing a Marie Curie fellowship proposal”
- LinkedIn & Academic Website Profiles “Help making my LinkedIn and personal academic website look professional and consistent with my CV”
- Academia-to-Industry Career Transition “Help turning my PhD or postdoc experience into a résumé and interview answers that companies understand”
How we approach this work
Conventions first, then persuasion
We match your materials to the country, institution type and discipline you are targeting — section order, length, criteria and terminology — before polishing language.
Evidence over adjectives
Committees are persuaded by concrete examples: a course you redesigned, a dataset you built, a student you mentored. We help you find and present them.
One coherent story across documents
CV, letter, research and teaching statements, and online profiles should tell the same story with different emphasis. We check them together.
Honest, confidential and yours
Materials are prepared with you and approved by you, contain only accurate claims, and are kept confidential along with the institutions you apply to.
Frequently asked questions
Is it acceptable to get help with academic job applications?
Yes. Candidates routinely get feedback from advisors, colleagues and careers services. Our support is similar but structured. You remain the author and applicant, and all content must accurately reflect your record.
Which country conventions do you cover?
Most often the US and UK systems, plus European fellowships such as MSCA, and Canadian and Australian postings. For other systems, we work from the posting and institution's own guidance.
Can you help with several documents at once?
Yes, and it is often more efficient. Reviewing your CV, cover letter and statements together means they stay consistent and we can avoid repeating the same advice.
How far ahead should I start preparing?
For the US faculty market, materials are best drafted before postings open in late summer. UK posts can close within weeks of advertisement, and fellowships usually need several months with a host. Earlier is easier, but we also support short-notice applications and interviews.
Will my advisor or institution know I used your service?
Only if you tell them. We keep your materials and target institutions confidential. Many clients share our feedback with their advisors, which usually works well.
Do you work across all disciplines?
Yes. Conventions differ between fields — for example, chalk talks in biomedical searches or JOE and signaling in economics — and we adapt to your discipline.
Tell us what you need help with
Describe your project, stage and deadline. We’ll reply with the right service, what we need from you and a quote — no obligation.