Professional career development for PhDs and Postdocs

The Max Planck Alumni Association

The Max Planck Alumni Association (MPAA) is a non-profit organization developing and sustaining a world-wide community of alumni and alumnae of the Max Planck Society.

The association is envisioned as a highly international, modern and active community promoting and supporting innovative thinking, knowledge and experience exchange, and is the largest alumni organization for a non-university research institution.

The MPAA Career Network

Imagine a pool of outstanding professionals that you could access for information, networking and recruiting. A pool of people you are already a part of, as we all share one common career pillar, the Max Planck Society. Welcome to the MPAA Career Network! The MPAA Career Network is a professional network organized by the Max Planck Alumni Association which is open to all MPAA members. In a first pilot, the MPAA Career Network is currently established as a group on LinkedIn to enable group members to network, share information, and post jobs.

Professional development for PhDs and Postdocs

The reality of engaging in a successful career in academia shakes up increasingly more PhDs and Postdocs. There is a flaw in the academic system that forces young academics to think about and find positions and careers outside of academia. It is a barrier, but there are ways to deal with it and structure one’s individual career successfully. I will discuss and present measures that help PhDs and Postdocs to build on their successful academic foundation and score jobs in highly attractive non-academic careers.