From

Scholar
to Dollar

ANNA HARRISON

From
Scholar
to Dollar
ANNA HARRISON

for scholars everywhere

Creator:

Harrison, Anna, 1973, author.

Title:

From scholar to dollar : in 15 easy steps / Anna Harrison.

ISBN:

9780992562908 (ebook)

Subjects:

College graduates--Employment--aust.
Career development--Australia.

Dewey Number:

650.140994
2

foreword
Completing a higher degree is a journey that often ends
in high levels of dissatisfaction. You work intensely for
years, only to find that you lack the skills necessary to
land your dream job.
Instead of blaming the system, or discrediting the value
of higher education, you can take control of your post
degree destiny.
By following the 15 simple steps outlined in this book,
you can arm yourself with the auxiliary skills needed to
make your transition from scholar to dollar both
seamless and successful.
I wish you an enjoyable journey in your personal
transition from Scholar to Dollar!
Anna Harrison

why do
you need
this book?

a degree
alone no
longer
guarantees
career
success

Today, the acquisition of a degree, even a higher degree

such as a Masters or Doctorate, is no longer enough to
guarantee career success. In fact, according to many
recent media accounts, pursuing a higher degree has
been cast as a waste of time1. This is both worrying and
inaccurate.
As a society, we collectively benefit from the
investment made by each scholar in pursuing an
education. Education has been, and always will be, the
key weapon that we have against prejudice, hatred and
war. Unfortunately, the global trend is towards
reducing, rather than increasing, the amount of higher
education pursued by each individual.
A major cause for the decreasing popularity of higher
education is the perceived negative return on the time
and cost of such degrees. Potential scholars feel that
after completing their coveted degree, they will emerge
without the skills required to guarantee career success.
For the most part, they are correct.

your key to
post
degree
success

Educational institutions are in the market of teaching

scholars a specific set of skills. As the rank of the
degree increases, the range of skills taught necessarily
decreases. In order to complete a Doctorate, for
example, you are trained to attain world-class
competency in a very narrow skill set. The trouble is,
that to succeed in life post degree, you need a broader
range of skills.
Unfortunately, the teaching of these auxiliary skills lies
outside of the curriculum of most tertiary institutions.

This book is your roadmap to acquiring the auxiliary

skills needed to succeed post degree. By following the
15 simple steps outlined in this book, you can ensure
that your transition from scholar to dollar will be both
seamless and successful.

will I
have time
to learn
auxiliary
skills?
7

YES!

By its very nature, the process of completing a higher

degree is all consuming. It requires hard work,
brilliance and discipline. Many scholars become so
entrenched in their research that the idea of taking
time out to develop additional skills will seem
impossible.
Fortunately, the natural ebb and flow of the research
process provides the ideal environment for the
development of auxiliary skills. Regardless of the
nature of your research, there are bound to be times of
lower-intensity: times spent waiting for approvals, or
feedback, or participants to respond, or materials to
arrive. These lull-periods are the ideal opportunity to
work on developing these critical skills.

what if I
want a
career in
academia
?
9

The auxiliary skills described in this book are essential

to master, regardless of whether your post degree
career path leads to an academic or industry position
(or a combination of the two).
The reason for this is that today there is no difference
between the skills required to excel in academia, and
the skills required to excel in an industry environment.
The gap between academia and industry has become
insignificant.
10

the same skills are needed to

succeed in both academic and
industry settings

The traditional view of industry as a profit driven

ecosystem and academia as a research driven
ecosystem is no longer true. In the current economic
climate, corporations depend on research to maintain a
competitive advantage2. Similarly, academic
institutions face growing pressure to be financially
sustainable, if not profitable. As a result, the skills
needed to succeed in academia have become the same
as those needed to succeed in industry settings.

11

you will
need to
become a
professor
in CEOs
clothing
12

The golden age of academia ended several decades ago.

The academic bubble burst when faculties were
required to become profit centers. At present, many
academic departments are profit driven they are
effectively corporations which hold a special tax status
and have the capacity to award degrees3. Academic
institutions have become indistinguishable from many
other large corporations.
Despite this change in climate, the perception of what it
is to be an academic has not changed. Most early career
academics still hold on to the notion that their career
progress will be evaluated on the basis of the number
(and quality) of their publications, the quality of their
teaching and the enthusiasm with which they approach
the various administrative activities they are asked to
perform. Although the pursuit of grants is encouraged,
it is not seen as essential to career success.
Unfortunately, this view is completely wrong.

13

in reality, the
criteria
pyramid is
almost
exactly
inverted

In order to excel in academia it is no longer enough to

be a brilliant researcher. You will also need to become a
professor in CEOs clothing and develop the auxiliary
skills to create your academic identity, communicate
the value of your research and sell your ideas to fund
further research. Fortunately, these skills can be
acquired (in 15 simple steps).
14

or a
CEO
in a
bowtie
15

Just as there is a need for academics to develop skills

traditionally associated with the corporate sector, there
is an equally strong need to transfer the skills and
culture of research into corporate settings.

Innovation is no longer a one-time process, it is

something that must be done systematically in order to
create a steadily producing innovation pipeline of new
and improved offerings2.

Traditionally, corporations strove to gain a competitive

advantage to create barriers to entry for competitors.
With increased competition and shorter time to
market, however, these barriers to entry are becoming
eroded faster than in the past. As a result, corporations
must continually innovate in order to maintain their
market share.

In order to maintain an innovation pipeline, a culture of

innovation is needed within the corporation.
Unfortunately, corporations have not traditionally
excelled in creating environments which reward
exploration, research and blue-sky thinking. This type
of intellectual exploration has been performed within
our academic and research institutions.

16

research
thinking is
needed to
fuel the
innovation
pipeline

As both the academic and corporate ecosystems adapt

to reflect changes in the complexity and
competitiveness of the outside world, we too must
adapt in order to thrive in these new ecosystems.
The convergence between academia and industry
brings with it new opportunities for a new type of
higher degree graduate.
17

There is currently an acute need for people who possess

both a higher degree education, and have the auxiliary
skillset to translate the value of research into business
terms.
Our education institutions do a good job of ensuring
graduates emerge with the research based skills. This
book provides a simple roadmap to filling the skills gap
needed to successfully transition from scholar to a
successful career in both academic and industry
settings.
Like most things in life, the more you practice
something the better at it you become. The art lies in
knowing where to focus your efforts and in making a
start!

business
thinking is
needed to
fund
research
projects
18

your
roadmap
to post
degree
success
19

STEP 1
learn to
articulate
value
20

your value proposition is the

answer to why should I care
about
your
work

21

Learning to articulate the value of your work, from the

perspective of your audience, is the most important
lesson that you can take away from this book.
The value proposition of your work is the answer to
why should I care about your research. It is the
answer to the question of how will your work help me
[make more money | get promoted]?. It is not the
answer to the question of why YOU think your work is
interesting, or why you are interested in your work, or
why you think someone else may be interested. Your
value proposition is the bridge that connects your work
to someone elses revenue stream.
It is a common mistake to assume that your audience
cares about your work, and therefore leave this
question unanswered. Dont make this mistake. It is
your job to communicate the value of your work
dont leave it to your audience to guess.

it is YOUR job
to articulate
the value...
do not make
your audience
guess

22

Imagine if you walked into a shop that sold items

packaged in black boxes. The shop keeper, rather than
telling you what was in each box, said instead:
I worked hard on the contents of the box, so you
should buy the item. Needless to say, you would not
buy a black box, would you?
Make it your responsibility to articulate how your work
can help solve someone else's problem.
23

always
eschew
obfuscation
in favour of
clarity and
simplicity

Articulating the value requires the ability to look at the

problem from the perspective of your target audience.
Articulating value does not mean talking about how
many graduates or publications your project produced.
Value needs to be articulated in the currency of the
recipient: dollars saved, dollars earned, new ideas
developed (future earning potential or market share
preservation potential).
A correlated misperception is that there is a connection
between complexity and value. Academic training, and
specifically academic writing, sometimes leads to the
abstraction and obfuscation of ideas. The ability to
express value in simple terms is critical, and should be
considered a feature, not a downfall.
24

STEP 2
develop
an
elevator
pitch
25

your pitch
should
articulate your
value
proposition
what do you
do, and why
should I care

The idea of the elevator pitch was popularized in the

Silicon Valley during the dot com boom. The essence
of the elevator pitch is to distill your work into a few
sentences approximately what could be delivered to
a potential investor during a chance encounter in an
elevator.
The elevator pitch is your answer to the question so,
what do you do?, and implicitly how does what you
do help me?. The elevator pitch is not something
traditionally associated with academic research, but it
ought to be.
The elevator pitch is quite literally the most
important 100 words that you will write outside of
your thesis. These 100 words not only communicate
the value of your work, they will ultimately define
your post degree identity.
26

words become actions

actions become habits
habits shape character
character becomes destiny
...choose your words with care
adapted from Lao Tzu
27

Investing time in refining your elevator pitch will pay

dividends, as will rehearsing it. You never know who
you will meet, and when your pitch will come in handy
Aunt Beryls first cousin may just be the past director
of the largest consulting firm you are trying to get a job
at. The world is small.

It is important that your elevator pitch communicates

your value proposition. It is not enough to say WHAT
your research is about, you need to articulate WHY it is
important or potentially interesting to others. Your
pitch needs to articulate your value proposition, in
simple, everyday language.
Refine your pitch and commit it to memory. The story
you start to tell yourself about your life will shape your
post degree destiny.
28

STEP 3
take
yourself
seriously
29

think and act

like who you
want to
become...
not like the
student you
are right now

The nature of the higher degree process will make you

question your self-worth on many levels: is the
research significant enough? Interesting enough? Am I
as brilliant as my colleagues? Will I ever finish this
degree?
Historically, the academic process had imbued students
with a deep sense of humility and subversion to the
incumbents in the field. Although it is natural to admire
the work of others with awe and to pose these
questions, it is equally important to recognize our own
potential.
Each of us is perceived by others through the image we
project. By taking yourself seriously, and thinking of
yourself in the role you wish to have AFTER you
graduate, you will find that others begin to see you as
worthy of having that role.
Start to take yourself seriously and others will too.

30

STEP 4
use
words to
shape
concepts
31

naming
abstract
concepts will
make your
research
accessible and
easier to
understand

Our early relationship with the world is formed

through the association of words to tangible objects: a
cup, a mountain, a teddy bear.
In contrast, the output of many Masters and Doctoral
works is a set of highly specialized and abstract
concepts. The intangible nature of these concepts
makes it very difficult to explain, and to understand the
outputs of such research.
As children, we assign names to the tangible things
around us. As adults, we assign names to the less
tangible things in our lives: love, happiness, sadness,
hope. However, it is rare to apply these same strategies
to give form and tangibility to research outputs.
Everything around us once started as a concept: your
phone, your shoes, your jacket, your car, your coffee
cup. All these objects once started as dreams. The
dreams became articulated though words and designs.
Words make concepts real.

32

dont be afraid to invent

words or phrases to give
your work shape and form

33

STEP 5
dress
well,
look
good
34

if you wear
nice clothes,
you will
always look
good

Clothes may not maketh the man, but they do maketh

the first impression. And they continue to reinforce
that impression at each subsequent interaction.
People are visual, and influenced by first impressions. It
is natures way of dealing with complexity. You can
fight it, or embrace it and make it work to your
advantage.
Dressing well and looking the part is an EASY, totally
overlooked, and yet critical part of creating your postdegree career identity. Remember to dress like who you
want to become post degree, and not like who you
currently are (starving student).

35

STEP 6
learn to
write
clearly
36

make clarity your core value...

Writing well is an essential skill to develop. The written
word is the main conduit through which we
communicate our thoughts and ideas to the outside
world.
The written word persists far longer than the spoken,
irrespective of the medium in which the words are
produced. Each and every piece of writing you create
shapes your professional identity: email, facebook,
academic papers, twitter updates and presentation
slides. Take your writing as seriously as you take
yourself.
Writing well is not a skill that one is born with. It is a
skill that needs to be practiced and takes time to
develop.

Irrespective of your starting point or whether you are

writing in your native tongue, you can improve your
writing if you know what to focus on.
As part of your Masters or Doctoral degree, you will be
required to produce thousands of words in the written
form. It is worthwhile to invest time into writing these
words with clarity and focus. In doing so, you will find
that you can re-purpose elements of your thesis or
dissertation into various formats: blog posts, expert
opinions, general media pieces and academic
publications.
The key is to learn to write smarter.

always write with purpose

37

eight tips for writing smarter

1. Keep all writing simple and to the point. Ensure that the
value of your piece (WHAT and WHY) is explicitly
articulated. Do not leave this as guesswork for your
audience.
2. NEVER, ever, write an email in a hurry or when you are
angry. Always assume that your email will be forwarded
or ccd to a wider audience and write accordingly.
3. Keep emails to one paragraph in length no one has
time to read more than that. Ensure that you articulate
the value (WHAT and WHY) early and succinctly.
4. Pay attention to punctuation, grammar and spelling in
ALL forms of writing, even in emails. Each piece of
written work contributes to your professional identity.
Take yourself seriously: LOLs and YOLOs do not belong
in professional correspondence.

concepts in a clear and simple manner. Make use of

metaphors, analogies and assign names to difficult
concepts. There is elegance in simplicity.
6. Keep each pieces of writing focused on one main idea.
Resist the temptation to put everything you know into
every piece of writing. Break it up into logical
components.
7. Keep blog pages to a length of 300 words. If your post is
longer, break it into two or more pieces.
8. When creating presentations, focus on what do I want
the audience to learn?. Ensure that each slide
addresses the key goal. NEVER include slides that are
illegible (such as tables of 10pt numbers), or slides that
you dont have time to cover in this talk.

5. Academic writing is notoriously boring and unreadable.

Do not be afraid to break this trend. It is perfectly
acceptable, if not preferable, to write about difficult

38

STEP 7
learn to
speak
effectively
39

you do not
serve the
world by
shrinking,
but by
shining

Effective presentation skills are essential to career

success. Where written words shape our identity, the
spoken word provides the opportunity for that identity
to shine. It is our responsibility to enable this: keeping
the fruits of research in the shadows does not do the
world any favors. To share your knowledge and work
with others, it is necessary to learn how to speak well.
Like writing, speaking effectively is a skill that
improves with practice. It is also a skill that everyone
can learn, even those who face the challenge of
overcoming language barriers. Speaking in a non-native
tongue may be harder, but it is not a show-stopper. The
audience is interested in learning about your ideas and
work, irrespective of what accent the ideas are
delivered in.
The thought of learning to speak effectively can be
overwhelming for many people. However, with the
right focus, you can improve and grow to enjoy
your moment in the spotlight.

40

eight tips for smooth talking

1. Begin by writing an outline and transcript for your
presentation. Focus on the length of your talk: a 15
minute talk should only cover ONE concept; a 30
minute talk at MOST three. Keep focused on what
do I want the audience to learn?.

5. Represent your results visually. Make use of

photographs, infographics, words, colors, metaphors.
There are many examples of outstanding slides on
the internet: use these as a guide for your own
presentations.

2. Articulate the value. Tell the audience, explicitly and

up front, why your work is important and why they
should listen to your talk. Dont make the audience
guess.

6. Expect to be nervous before a talk: it is natural to get

nervous about things that you care about. The key to
overcoming stage fright is to be aware of it and
embrace it.

3. Eliminate unnecessary detail. Tell the audience only

what they need to understand the WHAT and the
WHY. They can read the detail in the paper.

7. Give yourself time to breathe. Arrive at the venue

early, familiarize yourself with the equipment and
allow a few minutes to BREATHE before starting your
presentation. Breathing deeply will settle your
nerves and lower your voice to a confident level.

4. Delete slides that you dont have time to cover. A

15 minute presentation should have no more than 15
slides. Starting with a deck of 30+ slides guarantees
that your talk will run over time. The opportunity to
deliver the WHAT and WHY will be lost.

8. Rehearse your talk OUT LOUD. This will help to fine

tune the length of the presentation. Becoming
familiar with the sound of your own voice will also
help to reduce nervousness on the day.
41

STEP 8
learn to
network
efficiently
42

if you love networking then

you are probably an alien

If you are like most humans on this planet, the sheer

thought of networking with strangers is likely to send
you into a vortex of anxiety punctuated by moments of
cold sweats and night terrors. Remember, however,
that when you look around the conference room, you
are in the company of those who feel exactly as you do.
Many scholars write networking off as unimportant,
classifying it in the category of irrelevant small-talk
with strangers. They view networking as a distraction
from their main research goals. This perspective is
entirely career limiting.

Networking is an important component of an effective

transition post degree. It is through the establishment
of human contacts that opportunities are created and
the pool of knowledge is expanded. The problems that
remain to be solved are generally too complex to be
tackled by people in isolation. Working with others,
expanding your professional network and getting to
know the leaders in your field on a personal basis will
hold the key to your career success.
The good news, of course, is that efficient networking is
once again a skill that can be refined with practice.
43

eight tips for working the room

1. Expect that networking will place you outside of your
comfort zone: talking to people you already know
and are comfortable with is not networking, it is
socializing.
2. Connect with the people who hold the positions you
aspire to have.
3. Master the art of instant rapport. You have about 10
seconds to convince a stranger that you are worth
talking to. The EASIEST way to do this is to offer
compliment: Hi, I loved your talk, can you tell me
more about.
4. Research your networking targets and come
prepared with questions. This will keep conversation
flowing. All people love talking about themselves and
their work.

5. Learn to make effective introductions. Say one

interesting thing about each of the people you are
introducing: John, this is my colleague Frans. Frans
is at MCI, and was just telling me about his research
into
6. Prepare an exit. There will be times when you strike
out: if it is not working, make a polite exit. Life is
short and there are plenty of other strangers in the
networking sea.
7. Exchange business cards and follow up with an email
after the meeting or conference. If appropriate, send
a LinkedIn invitation.
8. Remember peoples names. A good way to do this is
to over-use their name in the first three sentences of
conversation.

44

STEP 9
articulate
your goal

45

without a
clear goal,
you are like
a blind man
looking for a
light switch
in a well lit
room

Articulating your career goals will enable you to

recognize opportunities that come your way. Without a
specific goal in mind, it is easy to get distracted by the
complexity of life.
Life provides us with everything we need to succeed,
however, it is our responsibility to take advantage of
these opportunities. A clear goal will help you to
recognize these openings from the background noise of
life.
Having an explicit career goal will also direct you
towards asking the right questions and networking
with the right people who can help you along your
path.
Do not postpone setting a career goal for fear of getting
it wrong. Set a temporary career goal, and refine it over
time. Having a goal is more important than having the
perfect goal.

46

STEP 10
remember
that
heroes are
human
47

everyone who is someone

was at one
time
no-one

The idolization of high profile academics is a right of

passage for all scholars, especially those pursuing a
Masters or Doctorate degree. It is natural to feel
intimidated by the sheer brainpower and publication
record of leaders in your field. So much so, that we
often forget that the heroes we idolize are human, and
really not much different to us (publication records
aside).
As with all people, academic heroes fall into one of two
categories. The first category, the approachable heroes,
having attained dizzying career highs, will be happy to
share their knowledge and experience with you. These
academics are secure enough in their career that they
do not feel threatened, and live by the creed that
knowledge shared multiplies.
The remaining 1% of our heroes are, unfortunately,
insecure assholes. Dont be discouraged by your
encounters with this minority group. Brush it off, and
move on.
48

STEP 11
dont be
afraid to
help
others
49

if you light
a lamp for
somebody,
it will also
brighten
your
own
path

One of the unfortunate side effects of the changes in

the academic ecosystem has been the gradual
deterioration of academic collegiality. Where in the
past, colleagues would openly discuss research
problems and solutions over sandwiches in common
rooms, they now all hide in cones of secrecy and
silence. The pressure to secure grants has eroded the
free exchange of ideas.
Although it may seem counter intuitive, resist the
temptation to isolate yourself and your research.
Actively help others with the things you have learned.
Connect people who have similar interests. Be generous
with your time, share your passion and ideas.
Helping others is an authentic way to build your
network. It is also a good way to give back something to
the common good. As research problems become more
complex, collectively, we all have a lot more to gain
from active collaboration and co-innovation than
insularity.

adapted from Buddhist saying

50

STEP 12
accept
imperfection
51

by the universal laws of

balance... life is made up of
50% success
and
50% screw-ups

52

A common trait of many higher degree scholars is a

very well developed perfectionism streak. This
characteristic fuels the determination that is needed to
keep going through the hard and discouraging parts of
the research process. Of course, perfectionism is also
responsible for relentless self-criticism when things go
wrong.
Any journey into unchartered waters carries with it the
promise of success, and the risk of failure. In making a
successful transition post degree, it is important to
build up a tolerance to imperfection, failure, and the
possibility that things will go wrong.

The easiest way to do this is to change your

expectations. If you accept that, on balance, you will get
50% of the things you try completely wrong, then it is
likely that you will come out pleasantly surprised.
Being a scholar is the perfect time to experiment, to get
things wrong and to take chances. Separate your
identity from your failed attempt: keep focused on your
goal, expect that some leads will fizzle, get over it and
move on to the next item on the list.
Above all, be kind to yourself and do not get
discouraged by discouragement.
53

STEP 13
create a
virtual
identity
54

Each of the steps outlined in this book so far help to

develop specific skills that you will need to make a
successful transition to your post degree career.
Refining each step, or skill, is like creating a piece of a
jigsaw puzzle. The next step is to assemble all the pieces
into your post degree identity.
Your virtual identity will define how the outside world
sees you. Creating a consistent, authentic and
compelling identity is imperative to making a
successful transition. In theory, a prospective employer
should be able to learn everything they need to know
about your professional achievements by googling you.
The information they find virtually will lend credibility
to what is written in your job application and resume.

A professional blog will allow you to share your

growing expertise and passion with a wider audience.
In conjunction with a blog, it is a good idea to connect
with peers on social media channels such as Twitter.
Become a regular contributor, help others and share
your research. All these elements will assist in creating
your post degree identity.
Lastly, consolidate your virtual presence by updating
your LinkedIn profile. Ensure that you have an
appropriate professional photo. Edit your list of
experience and education to reflect only what is
relevant to your new career goals.

An excellent way to anchor your virtual identity is to

start a blog. During the course of your research, you
will have written thousands of words for your thesis.
You can easily re-purpose this writing into a blog
format.

55

STEP 14
define
your own
business
model
56

The final component of making a successful transition

from scholar to dollar is to define a business model that
will fit in with your life. The model you choose will
depend on your specific life context: do you have
dependents? Can you travel to take your dream job? Is
your work patentable? Do you have debt?
The options for tailoring a business model to suit your
life vary in terms of the autonomy they provide and the
risk they entail. In addition to full-time employment
and contracting, you also have the option of starting
your own business, or creating a cashflow portfolio that
encompasses a hybrid mix of all these options.

57

find a niche small enough

to make you stand out, yet
big enough to generate a
steady cashflow
By following the steps in this book, you will have
established yourself as a leader in your chosen field by
the time that you are ready to graduate. This will place
you in a good position to negotiate a work-life balance
to suit your needs. The key is to find a niche that is
narrow enough to make yourself stand out, yet big
enough to generate a steady stream of opportunities.

58

STEP 15
start
today!

59

Start today. Not tomorrow. Dont wait for the

environment to be perfect and for the stars to line up.
Starting early gives you a longer ramp-up period. It also
allows you to make your most awkward mistakes while
you are relatively unknown.

The key is to start thinking about how to fit the pieces

of your post degree identity together, and work on this
incrementally. If you begin a blog today, by the time
you graduate you will have a 3+ year track record. This
is something you cannot make up overnight.

You need time to try things out, to get things wrong, to

refine your message, perspective and identity. You
need time to establish yourself, to grow your network,
to learn to speak and learn to write.

The steps described in this book are not rocket

science but, the auxiliary skills take time to refine. It
is not enough to read and understand the lessons in this
book. It is necessary to put the lessons into practice.
The only way to do that is just to start. Today.

60

references
1. The Disposable Academic, The Economist, 16
December 2010
2. Transient Advantage, R. McGrath, Harvard Business
Review 2013
3. Many thanks to Prof Simon Kaplan, Director at
NICTA, who pointed out the similarity between
academic institutions and corporations.

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Very inspirational and uplifting! The 15 tips can be applied

to any field, and I love how simple the message is but at the
same time real pointers on what to actually do (not just
theory) and by the end you feel like you can really do it!
Evona Fingleton, Graphic Designer transitioning to a
career in Nursing

Clear, beautifully written, really well designed and focused.

Dee Bradshaw, Professor at JKMRC and winner of the
2013 UQ Award for Excellence in Supervision
I wish I had read this when I was doing my own PhD!
Tania Steinmuller, Author

BRILLIANT! LOVE IT! So relevant easy, succinct, enjoyable

and packed with pertinent advice.
Workshop attendee

www.FromScholarToDollar.com
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