Last updated on Apr 19, 2024

What do you do if you want to transition smoothly from academia to a career in system development?

If you are a student or a researcher who wants to pursue a career in system development, you might wonder how to make the transition smoothly and successfully. System development is the process of creating, testing, and deploying software systems that meet the needs and expectations of users and clients. It involves various skills, tools, methods, and frameworks that you may or may not have learned in academia. In this article, we will share some tips and advice on how to prepare yourself for the system development industry and how to showcase your academic achievements and potential.

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1 Assess your skills and goals

The first step is to assess your current skills and goals in relation to system development. What kind of systems are you interested in developing? What are the common requirements and standards in the industry? What are the gaps in your knowledge and experience? You can use online resources, such as job boards, blogs, podcasts, and courses, to learn more about the system development landscape and the expectations of employers and clients. You can also reach out to your network, such as mentors, peers, alumni, or industry contacts, to get feedback and advice on your skills and goals.

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Ellen Yang, PMP

Career Coach | PMO Lead @ Google | Technical Program Management
Leverage your strengths and bridge your gaps! Your data-driven research skills are a powerful asset. You can use them to gather user insights, understand complex problems, and quickly master new technologies. This analytical approach will be invaluable in any tech career. To take your skills to the next level, consider building practical experience in areas like programming, version control systems, and development methodologies. Online courses or bootcamps can be a great way to bridge these gaps. Developing a portfolio of personal projects or contributions to open-source projects is a fantastic way to demonstrate your skills and passion to potential employers.
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2 Build your portfolio

The next step is to build your portfolio of system development projects that demonstrate your abilities and achievements. You can use your academic projects, such as dissertations, papers, or assignments, as a starting point, but you should also consider creating some personal or freelance projects that showcase your creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills. You can use platforms, such as GitHub, CodePen, or StackOverflow, to host your code, share your work, and collaborate with others. You can also use tools, such as blogs, videos, or podcasts, to document your process, explain your design decisions, and highlight your results.

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3 Update your resume and online presence

The third step is to update your resume and online presence to reflect your system development skills and goals. You should tailor your resume to the specific system development roles or projects that you are applying for, highlighting your relevant skills, education, experience, and achievements. You should also include links to your portfolio, online profiles, and publications, so that potential employers or clients can easily access your work and verify your credentials. You should also update your online presence, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or personal website, to showcase your professional identity, network, and interests in system development.

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Ellen Yang, PMP

Career Coach | PMO Lead @ Google | Technical Program Management
1) Start Strong with Targeted Research:Search for job postings relevant to your desired career path. Use keywords and requirements from these postings to build your resume. 2) Focus on Impactful Achievements:Highlight the impacts of your achievements. Use strong action verbs and quantifiable results whenever possible. 3) Keep it Relevant and Concise:Focus on the top 3-5 skills and experiences that directly match the job description. You do NOT need to list out everything you did. 4) Goal: Interview, Not Autobiography:The goal of your resume is to get you an interview, not to provide a detailed life story about yourself.
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4 Prepare for interviews and tests

The fourth step is to prepare for interviews and tests that are common in the system development industry. You should expect to face technical questions, coding challenges, and behavioral questions that assess your system development knowledge, skills, and personality. You should practice your coding skills, using languages, frameworks, and tools that are relevant to the system development role or project that you are applying for. You should also research the company or client, their products or services, their culture and values, and their expectations and goals. You should also prepare some questions of your own, to show your interest and curiosity in the system development opportunity.

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5 Keep learning and improving

The final step is to keep learning and improving your system development skills and knowledge, even after you land a system development role or project. You should seek feedback, mentorship, and guidance from your colleagues, managers, or clients, and use them to improve your performance and quality. You should also keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the system development industry, and use them to enhance your creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills. You should also pursue further education, certification, or training, to expand your system development expertise and credentials.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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System Development

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What do you do if you want to transition smoothly from academia to a career in system development?

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4

5

6

1 Assess your skills and goals

2 Build your portfolio

3 Update your resume and online presence

4 Prepare for interviews and tests

5 Keep learning and improving

6 Here’s what else to consider

System Development

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What do you do if you want to transition smoothly from academia to a career in system development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess your skills and goals

2 Build your portfolio

3 Update your resume and online presence

4 Prepare for interviews and tests

5 Keep learning and improving

6 Here’s what else to consider

System Development

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