At a recent workshop I led, “From Vision to Reality: 4 Steps to Creating & Executing Your Individual Development Plan (IDP),” a postdoc asked a question that stuck with me for days: “How can we put together a plan like this, given the high level of uncertainty in both academia and industry?”
It’s the question that reflects what many graduate students and postdocs are feeling now — the fear that planning may be pointless when the future appears hazy at best and terrifying at worst. So, here’s the short version of my response:
Planning is how you prepare for chaos.
However, after giving it much more thought, I wanted to follow up with five practical strategies to help graduate students and postdocs move forward more clearly and with less existential dread.
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Stay Informed, Not Overwhelmed
The academic and non-academic job markets are constantly shifting—sometimes overnight. Pay attention to hiring trends, emerging fields, and funding patterns. Subscribe to newsletters (the kind that inform, not alarm), attend career panels, and follow thought leaders who are plugged in.
Being informed helps you make strategic choices instead of reactive ones. But, and this is important, don’t confuse staying informed with doom-scrolling. If you find yourself spiraling after 30 minutes on academic Twitter/X or Reddit, close the tab and walk away. Insight is useful. Panic is not.
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Expand Your Professional Network
You’ve probably heard the phrase “informational interviews” so many times it’s lost all meaning, but hear me out. Building relationships with professionals both inside and outside academia is the best way to learn about hidden opportunities, get candid advice, and stay grounded in what’s actually possible.
Networking isn’t about schmoozing or collecting LinkedIn connections. It’s about staying curious and connected, especially with people who’ve made the leap from where you are now to where you might want to go. For more networking tips, check out my posts, ‘How to Network with Intention and Not Be a Schmoozer’ and “How to Build Your Professional Network from the Ground Up”.
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Focus on Transferable Skills
You might not be able to predict which job titles will be hot in five years, but you can control the skills you develop along the way. Skills like communication, project management, data analysis, leadership, strategic thinking, and other transferable skills provide you with options. They’re the bridge between your current role and the broader world of work. Managing and mentoring undergrads? That’s leadership. Those hours spent reviewing the literature? That’s the ability to research, evaluate, and synthesize data. Don’t wait for permission to start building transferable skills—look for opportunities in your research, service work, and side projects right now.
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Revisit and Revise Your Goals
The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is not set in stone. It’s a living document, meant to grow and change as you do. Check in with it regularly. Ask yourself:
- What still feels aligned?
- What no longer serves me?
- What’s emerging that I want to explore?
Setting short-term goals in uncertain times gives you focus without locking you into a single path. Long-term goals can serve as flexible scaffolding, rather than a rigid blueprint.
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Protect Your Mindset
It’s easy to fall into despair, especially when academic job postings are shrinking, and industry roles can feel elusive or out of reach. But despair is not a strategy. Instead, cultivate a practice of perspective. Remind yourself that uncertainty is part of every career path.
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or scared. Just don’t let those feelings control your decisions. Avoid getting lost in endless rabbit holes. Be mindful of what you feed your brain. Reach out for help when you’re stuck. And surround yourself with people who remind you of what’s possible.
Bottom line: Planning during uncertain times isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about preparing yourself to meet it with a strong foundation, a flexible mindset, and a network of support.
And yes, sometimes the plan will shift. That doesn’t mean it failed. It means you’re evolving—and that’s the point.
