How science recruiters and job applicants can get on the same page

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Careers fairs are formal recruitment channels, but some recruiters prefer to hire from their professional networks.Credit: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg/Getty
Every year, tens of thousands of people around the world apply for research jobs armed with postgraduate qualifications and specialized knowledge, only for their carefully crafted applications to seemingly vanish into a digital void. At the same time, recruiters report that they are unable to find appropriate candidates for open positions. Last year, 46% of around 1,000 respondents to a survey of research hiring managers from academia and industry told Nature’s Careers team that a lack of what they regard as ‘high-calibre’ candidates is their topmost concern (see go.nature.com/3drcqnz).

Killer questions at science job interviews and how to ace them

Killer questions at science job interviews and how to ace them
One key cause of this mismatch is the perception that someone with science qualifications is fully qualified for research work. The reality is that, often, a PhD or a first postdoctoral post is the equivalent of an entry-level qualification, with the holder needing further advice, guidance, mentoring and experience before they can work independently.
Shifting generational priorities also play a part. For example, most current early-career scientists are millennials, born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s. They are often digitally savvy and bring with them strong collaborative instincts and a desire to see their work have societal impact. They also tend to value work–life balance and career flexibility, which might not always square with the priorities of the scientists interviewing them for jobs.
Meanwhile, employers responding to Nature’s survey report that candidates often lack creative thinking, problem-solving and communication skills and qualities such as persistence, passion and tenacity. However, there’s little by way of structured training for jobseekers on how they can learn or show evidence for these characteristics.
Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach. But three interventions could make a difference.
As Nature has argued before, universities and other research-training institutions can do more to expand the focus of PhD training beyond the academic track. This means providing advice and guidance about what career paths and job opportunities might be available for researchers in companies, the public sector and non-governmental organizations. This could come, for example, through talks from alumni or former university-based staff who have transitioned to other sectors. For those looking to build their careers at universities, institutions could learn from other public- or private-sector employers by implementing job-shadowing schemes, for example, in which undergraduate students follow postdocs for a week.

Want a new job in science? Six charts to help you land it

Want a new job in science? Six charts to help you land it
The large online platforms that connect researchers to potential employers need to become less robotic. Often, candidates will submit a job application in response to an advertisement and hear nothing back beyond an automated acknowledgement. Many recruiters state that they will not provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants. That is understandable for positions that might receive a large number of applicants. But it is also demoralizing for jobseekers, and gives the impression of an uncaring employer — not somewhere where the most talented people would want to go and work.
Some recruiters told Nature that they prefer to hire through their professional networks, rather than rely on the big online platforms. This is partly to weed out cut-and-paste applications, or those that seem to have been generated using artificial-intelligence tools. This shows the continued importance of networks for career development, and means that those entering the job market should receive training in how to build networks.
Employers need to consider the benefits of structured training for early-career researchers, as a way to boost critical thinking and analytical skills. This could be done by reproducing the training schemes commonly used by large pharmaceutical, technology, consulting, finance and legal firms. They often include rotations so that new hires can experience working in different departments for short periods. Such schemes do not need to cost the Earth — a legitimate concern for small- and medium-sized companies. There are other models, too, such as short-term internships.

How job-seeking scientists should walk the line between high-calibre and humble

How job-seeking scientists should walk the line between high-calibre and humble
Overall, universities and other training bodies must accept that they need to work harder to understand the challenges that science jobseekers face and make it their mission to provide students and trainees with the skills to succeed in the current job market. The stakes here aren’t just about individual careers. Failing to properly prepare researchers for professional success wastes not only researchers’ potential but also society’s investment in scientific training.
The path forward requires jobseekers and recruiters to understand each other better. Candidates would benefit from learning why recruiters are dissatisfied with the calibre of applicants. Institutions, for their part, must see themselves as architects of scientific careers. This means acknowledging that professional preparation isn’t a distraction from research excellence — it is an essential component of it.
Nature 637, 518 (2025)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-00049-8
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Want a new job in science? Six charts to help you land it
Killer questions at science job interviews and how to ace them
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