What does it really take to succeed in academic careers? Job ads reveal all

One of those researchers is Dr Lilia Mantai from the University of Sydney, whose recent study with Dr Mauricio Marrone of Macquarie University analysed over 40,000 academic job ads - offering fresh insights into the evolving landscape of academic careers.

Here Lilia has summarised what it really takes to succeed in academic careers.

The path from PhD to Professor has always been clear, that’s if you take anecdotal evidence as a source of truth and wade through various academic capabilities frameworks that differ depending on which university you are at.

PhD graduates of which many still aspire to become academics as well as globally mobile academics wonder what exactly they need to succeed at each stage and progress to the next.

Our recent research analysing over 40,000 academic job advertisements from across Europe finally lifts the veil, revealing some surprising insights about what universities actually want from PhD students all the way to Professors. 

The PhD starting line is higher than you think 

Contrary to the traditional view that PhDs begin as academic blank slates, the research (Mantai & Marrone, 2022) shows that even PhD candidature demands remarkably sophisticated skills of which many are research skills the PhD sets out to develop. Nearly half of vacant PhD spots on Euraxess request communication skills, research experience, and interpersonal abilities, qualities typically expected at Grad level and associated with seasoned professionals. 

What’s particularly striking is the trend: between 2016 and 2019, PhD job ads went from listing an average of 2.4 skill categories to 3.6. Universities are increasingly expecting “academic superheroes” even at entry level. You can access this tool to filter skill needs by country or discipline, and find out more about our current research on AI skills. 

The academic career ladder: More than just publications 

While “publish or perish” remains the dominant narrative, the reality is more nuanced. Yes, research skills top the requirements across all career stages, but teaching gains significant prominence as academics progress, globally speaking. By professorship level, teaching and supervision skills rank second only to research credentials. 

The biggest career leap? It’s not from PhD to postdoc, but from postdoc/lecturer to associate professor. This transition sees the most dramatic shift in required attributes, with mobility, fundraising, curriculum development, and outreach activities becoming crucial. See full paper by Mantai & Marrone, 2023 here. 

Location and discipline matter more than you think 

The research reveals fascinating national differences. Spanish universities prioritise digital skills and work experience, whilst Dutch institutions emphasise communication and interpersonal abilities twice as much as other countries. For internationally mobile academics, these insights could be game-changing, essentially the message is “go where your skills are most valued”. 

Disciplinary differences are equally pronounced. All top disciplines (medicine, engineering, physics, biology, chemistry) have distinct preferences, suggesting that interdisciplinary career moves require careful skill alignment. 

Practical takeaways for academic career planning 

For PhD applicants: Don’t underestimate the bar. Develop communication, teamwork, and research skills before applying. International experience is increasingly valuable. 

For early career researchers: The jump to associate professor level demands new skills. Start building experience in curriculum development, grant writing, and supervision during your postdoc years. 

For institutions: Consider whether your professional development programmes align with these evolving demands. Are you preparing academics for the skills they’ll actually need? 

For mobile academics: Research your target country’s preferences. Your existing skill set might be more valued elsewhere. Beware of mobility costs, and I don’t just mean in financial sense. 

The changing academic landscape 

Perhaps most intriguingly, the research suggests academic career requirements are evolving rapidly. Digital skills, mobility, and teaching capabilities are trending upward, while traditional research emphasis is slightly declining, possibly because research competence is now assumed rather than explicitly stated, teaching the masses requires capable educators, and academic careers certainly benefit from mobility. 

The message is clear: successful academic careers require strategic skill development from day one. The ivory tower may be crumbling, but for those prepared to adapt, the opportunities are broader and more diverse than ever before.

Find out more

• This article is republished from the ICCSDE blog site. Read the original article.
• The research, published in the journal Studies in Higher Education, analysed job advertisements from 2016-2021 across 60 countries and 40 disciplines, providing unprecedented insight into academic career requirements. 
• The ICCSDE emerged through a collaboration of researchers at Durham University and Sofia University (in Bulgaria), and it has expanded through multiple international contacts and collaborations. Find out more about the Centre on our website: https://iccsde.com/.