Wayfinding

Sometimes we all need a little help to make sure we’re heading in the right direction.

Working with others to leverage their knowledge and expertise is one of the biggest smartcuts of all. Whether you want to gain new skills (or enhance existing ones), seek one-to-one assistance, or completely outsource work where possible, here are a few suggestions to get you started.

COMMUNICATION

My business is built on encouraging researchers to harness the power of good communication to improve papers and proposals, so I freely admit that this section may be a bit biased.

However, I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that communication is the most important skill one needs to be successful in academia. After all, clearly expressing our ideas and our research to others—without introducing ambiguity or causing confusion—is at the heart of everything we do. Doing it well and in a way that captures the interest of our audience—whether students, colleagues, or reviewers— benefits everyone.

PROFESSOR DAN ALLWOOD

Writing Training & Proposal Development

Dan and I co-developed the Couch to £500K training programme to help researchers turn their idea into a grant proposal. When not guiding academics through the proposal creation process, Dan also provides writing training and runs the website FlashyScience.

ANDREW COPPIN

Storytelling

All research is a story … and the human brain is wired for storytelling. Andrew helps participants learn how to harness this power to find their voice and communicate in a more engaging manner.

MARK FAITHFULL

Presentation Skills

Feeling nervous before a conference? Mark runs the Malmesbury Speakers Academy, where he provides training and coaching to help individuals learn to speak with clarity, confidence, and courage.

DR MARGARET HILEY

Translation (German to English)

Seeking to publish your German documents in English? Margaret uses her academic background to provide translations about a variety of subjects, with a focus on Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law.

NAOMI MOTTRAM

Translation (French/Russian to English)

Naomi translates from French and Russian to English, primarily specialising in literary, creative, academic, and research texts, such as those concerned with legal, medical, or engineering topics.

MARK NORTHALL

Social Media Management & Training

Running a social media account for a project doesn’t have to be challenging. Mark provides social media management (so you can set it and forget it) as well as bitesize training to help you quickly get to grips with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

COACHING

I can’t say this enough: it is vital for us to get out of our own heads if we are to make personal and professional progress. Rather than being stuck in the same cycle of unhelpful thoughts, harnessing the power of coaching allows you to see problems from a different perspective. Being asked the right questions means you can find the solution that is tailor-made for you … and get unstuck.

On that note, each coach will have a different style and approach: please make sure you find someone you click with.

CAROLINE BUBLIK

Personal Coaching

Perfectionism, procrastination, and other self-sabotaging tendencies are often part and parcel of academia. If this is something that you’re dealing with, please consider speaking with Caroline to see how she can help.

MATTHEW HALFIN

Higher Education Career Coaching

Whether you’re trying to decide what to do after you complete your PhD, confused about how to find your first academic post, or you’re thinking about leaving academia, consider speaking with Matt to gain clarity about your career options and what steps you can take to achieve your professional goals.

AMANDA MORRIS

Solution Focused Brief Therapy

Regardless of what you’re dealing with, it can often be more helpful to look forward rather than be trapped by the past. The solution focused brief therapy practiced by Amanda does exactly what it says on the tin: it helps you find solutions, quickly.

JO PLIMMER

Personal Coaching

With a background as a GB triathlete, Jo knows what it’s like to push herself beyond her limits. She has since turned her attention to helping people dealing with burnout and overwhelm get out of the boom-bust cycle and avoid the guilt that often goes hand-in-hand with overwork.

ANNE MARIE SOWERBUTTS

Personal Coaching

Would you like to quiet negative thoughts, achieve success in your academic career, and enjoy life at the same time? Anne Marie has been a qualitative researcher at the University of Manchester so knows the stresses and strains of academic life. She now helps stressed out academics find clarity and calm.

NIKKI WYBORN

Leadership Coaching

Nikki uses her two decades of experience in leadership development and coaching to help clients find their authentic self. Although online and office-based coaching is available, she also specialises in outdoor practice, with a focus on wellbeing, resilience, and how to balance both personal and professional needs.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Sometimes you just don’t have enough time in the day. Or maybe there are a lot of low-level tasks clogging your to-do list and preventing you from fully focusing on the work only you can do. This is where hiring a virtual assistant can free up time and headspace so you can achieve what really matters to you. Whether you’re trying to get a spin-out company off the ground and need more regular assistance or would love just a few hours of inbox management each month, VAs can often provide the flexibility to help you get things done.

EMMA BOATMAN

VA and Bookkeeping Services

Emma is the award-winning admin fairy behind Boatman Admin Services. She provides a number of services for busy business owners, including diary management, content creation, and audio transcription.