I made this transition myself. That's why I can help you make it.
About
Dr. William Clark Consulting
I spent years as a researcher at the Max Planck Institute, working toward the kind of academic career I'd been training for since my PhD in Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart.
Then I left.
Not because academia was bad, simply because I needed my work to make a different kind of difference. Something more direct. More visible. More connected to the person in front of me rather than the citation count behind me.
What I discovered on the other side surprised me. The gap between what I knew and what industry needed me to say wasn't a skills gap at all. It was a translation gap. I had everything I needed. I just hadn't learned the language yet.
That gap is what I close for the academics I work with now.
I'm not a generic career coach. I'm someone who has made this exact transition, from a research environment to industry interviews, in Germany, with everything that entails and has spent the last year and a half building a structured process that takes the guesswork out of it for the people who come after me.
The academics I work with are not failing. They're being failed by a system that trains them intensively for one path and then provides almost no support for anything else. My job is to fill that gap: specifically, practically and without wasting their time.
Common Questions
Q: Is this program right for me if I'm still finishing my PhD?
A: Yes. In fact, starting before the pressure arrives is one of the most important advantages you can give yourself. The academics who get the best results from the program are almost always the ones who start with enough runway to be selective about roles rather than applying from desperation. If you're graduating within the next 6–12 months, now is the right time.
Q: I've been applying for months with no results. Can this still help?
A: This is actually the most common situation clients come to me in. Months of silence from applications is almost always a positioning and translation problem rather than a background problem. The first thing we do is diagnose exactly where the gap is: CV, LinkedIn, targeting or interview approach, so we're fixing the right thing rather than guessing.
Q: I don't have any industry experience. Is that a problem?
A: It's the starting point, not a disqualifier. You have more relevant experience than you think, it's just been built in a research environment and described in academic language. The program's core work is identifying that experience and reframing it in language industry hiring managers immediately understand.
Q: How is this different from other career coaching programs?
A: Most career programs give generic advice designed for a broad audience. This program is built specifically for PhD-level candidates making the academic-to-industry transition, with particular depth in the European and German market and is 'Battle Tested'. Every element: the CV approach, the LinkedIn strategy and the interview preparation is tailored to your specific background, field, and target roles. There are no templates that get filled in with your name.
Q: Why is it limited to 5 clients per month?
A: Because it's just me, and the quality of the work depends on the focus I can give each client. Five is the number where I can give everyone the direct access and personalised attention the process requires. When I'm at capacity, I'm at capacity, which is why I'd encourage you to have the introductory conversation sooner rather than later.
Q: What does the introductory call involve?
A: It's a 30-minute conversation where I understand your situation, your background, and what you're trying to achieve. I'll also be honest if I don't think the program is the right fit. I'd rather turn away a fee than take on a client I can't genuinely help. There's no commitment and no pressure.
Q: What if I'm not based in Germany?
A: The program works for academics across Europe. The German market content (CV conventions, application norms, LinkedIn discoverability in Germany) is available as part of the program for those who need it, but the core process: career path mapping, CV transformation, interview preparation and salary negotiation, applies regardless of which European market you're targeting.