Already in the final phase of the doctorate, the ideas about the next career steps should become concrete. Those who start to reflect on their own abilities, experiences and wishes early on avoid additional stress and pressure in the submission phase of the dissertation. Generally speaking, it is important to consider whether you want to stay in academia after your doctorate or whether the transition to the non-scientific job market is the right path to take, as permanent positions in academia are rare.
It is often assumed that only about 5% of all doctoral candidates are later appointed to a permanent professorship at a university, whereby the appointment rate also depends on the professorships available in the subject.1 In addition to a professorship, a permanent career in science is also possible in a permanent position in the mid-level academic system. In this case, the scientists concerned take on permanent tasks in research, teaching and academic self-administration. However, the number of such positions is also limited and by far not sufficient for all doctoral candidates.
At the same time, it is difficult to plan for a permanent stay in science in temporary positions. In Germany, the "Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz" regulates the maximum duration of a fixed-term employment in science. Fixed-term contracts are mainly permitted during the qualification phase and may not exceed a maximum duration of 12 years.
If a career in science is aspired to, the next step after the doctorate is a further qualification phase, which can take various forms. Depending on the duration of the doctorate, this phase, which can be divided into the early and advanced phases, should not exceed a total of 6-8 years.
