Leaving academia: Ditch the blanket, take the skills

As a researcher you are called to investigate, discover and reveal. A skilful vocation leverages your skill set to build a career that serves a larger purpose. Your research brings value to your discipline, your institution and society at large. You chose academic research for a myriad of great reasons. Stopping to take stock of whether academia is still delivering for you is important but gets put on the bottom of the to-do list.

Are you thriving or feeling slowly smothered by the itchy, scratchy academic comfort blanket? Do you recognise any of these?

1. Academia has played on you sense of duty
2. Academia has played on your love of research
3. You have learnt to put yourself last
4. Making your work better and better, has crystalised a belief that you can't do "stuff"
5. Feeling as if you only had the skillset for your current role

Time to take stock, unravel the blanket and weave a new career with the three strong threads of your values, strengths and courage that your research career has developed. Is it time to leave?