Early Career Symposium

 Is it possible to plan an academic career, or does it depend on luck or circumstances? The key-note shows why it is important to take charge of your academic career and which aspects you should base your career planning on. Based on a structured overview of the expected academic portfolio, priorities and career models in the German academic system are addressed. From a coaching perspective, strategies for career planning will be discussed.

Mirjam Müller works as coach, trainer and author on academic careers. As staff developer for postdocs with the Academic Staff Development unit at the University of Konstanz, she is responsible for support measures for academic careers and advises the rectorate on strategies for the advancement of early career researchers. Previous positions include research management at Humboldt-Universität Berlin, teaching at Klaipeda University (Lithuania) and leading the quality assurance team in a software company. She was co-founder and spokesperson for the Network for Staff Development at German Universities (UniNetzPE). She is author of several career guides for postdocs at Campus Verlag, editor of the specialist journal “Personal in Hochschule und Wissenschaft entwickeln”, member of “Coachingnetz Wissenschaft e.V.” and works as trainer in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

• Mirjam Müller. Promotion – Postdoc – Professur. Karriereplanung in der Wissenschaft. Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag, 2014.
• Mirjam Müller. Karriere nach der Wissenschaft. Alternative Berufswege für Promovierte. Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag, 2017.
• Mirjam Müller/Oliver Grewe. Wissenschaftsmanagement als Beruf. Strategien für den Einstieg. Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag, 2020.
• Mirjam Müller. Bewerben auf Juniorprofessuren und Professuren. Strategien für erste Berufungsverfahren. Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag, 2023.