Dr. Jie Shi

Vertwo Advisory

What was your main area of research?

My main area of research was investigating the nuclear functions of the motor protein, Myosin VI. Particularly its roles in DNA repair and replication stress.

What is your current job?

I am currently working as a consultant.

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

I found this position through LinkedIn. The career steps I took to get to a position in consulting included an initial internship in consulting, a business course, and quite a lot of case interview preparation.

Why did you decide not to pursue a career in academia?

I enjoyed the research very much but felt that I would be closer to improving lives of patients in industry – which was my reason for choosing to study biology. 

What advice do you have for someone getting his or her PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Firstly, learn about as many options as possible outside of academia and try to figure out which one(s) you like. The switch from academia to industry is not easy (but also very manageable of course!) – try to develop the skills required for the position(s) that you want to aim for as early as possible. Finally, make connections and talk to people / alumni who have made it into industry already, many people would be happy to support you and give you advice!