PhD Career Stories

Welcome to PhD Career Stories

PhD Career Stories is a podcast where PhDs share stories, successes and failures of their career development after completing their doctorate. Here everyone can participate and share their journey and experience so that we can learn and grow with each other. Together, we can inspire you to take the next step in your career development. Available on all major podcast platforms.

Your Story. Our Inspiration.

It is time to close a remarkable chapter after 8 amazing years

I want to take a moment to express my deepest and honest gratitude to all of you as we, on the 30th of May, bring our podcast to a close. Our journey began on a sunny spring day in Stockholm, Sweden, back in 2016, and since then, we've shared 130 episodes featuring incredible PhDs, scientists, researchers, and career experts. None of this would have been possible without your support and enthusiasm. To our loyal followers worldwide, thank you for listening, sharing, and engaging with us. Your engagement with us has meant everything to team PhDCS. I also want to thank the PhDCS team and our alumni volunteers who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes over the years. Without your hard work, the story behind PhDCS wouldn’t have been a reality and the success it became. While this chapter ends, its impact on us and our community will last a lifetime. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Tina Persson, founder of PhD Career Stories

May2024

PhDCS Wrapped: Reflecting on 8 Years, 130 Episodes, and a Global Journey of PhD Career Exploration

Dear Listeners, The time has come for the team of PhD Career Stories (PhDCS) to move onto other adventures. As we bring our podcast journey to a close, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 8 wonderful years exploring the diverse career paths of PhD graduates. Let us bring you briefly with us down memory lane, as we have been reminiscing… The PhDCS team has produced and brought you 130 podcast episodes, amounting to a total of over 44 hours! Throughout that time, 24 people from nearly a dozen nationalities have integrated our team, with the current team working together from at least 5 different countries at all times!

In the beginning, PhDCS’ stories were presented in audio-only, monologue-style episodes, having later evolved into interview-style episodes, both in audio and video, demanding a higher level of production. Despite distance making it harder to coordinate any big team, we did it! The challenge has been incredibly rewarding and we have made great friends along the way! And your support for us has been felt every step of the way – with a cumulative 4500 of you, from all corners of the world, following our frequent updates across our several social media platforms, and over 112 000 episode downloads! We have brought to you over 110 voices of PhDs from all walks of life – from pure academics to entrepreneurship-minded CEOs, through dedicated science communicators, creative freelance consultants, and so many more!

We were honoured to bring you even more diverse perspectives, by interviewing not only single guests but also collectives and companies, who talked to us about topics ranging from the power of soft skills to recruiter tips and the importance of mental health. Through the years, we heard from listeners who felt more confident in navigating their own career changes, finding their dream jobs or starting new ventures after listening to our episodes, which thoroughly warmed our hearts and motivated us to move forward. For all this and much more, we would like to say THANK YOU for being on that side throughout this journey!

All of us have taken something from the PhDCS experience that has helped us grow in our personal lives, but ultimately the goal was to get YOU to join the growth and career development path! We have learned so much from it, as we hope many of you have as well! Your support and enthusiasm have made every episode worthwhile. Remember: the skills and knowledge gained through your PhD can open countless doors, even the most unexpected ones. Farewell, stay learning, and keep pursuing your passions!

The PhDCS Team