For when “What’s next?” becomes hard to answer.

Leaving, questioning, or reshaping a familiar professional path can feel disorienting. You may have built years of expertise, credibility, and identity in one world (academia, research, freelancing, or a long-term professional role), and now you are trying to understand what comes next.

My work is about helping you make informed professional decisions: whether that means staying in academia with more intention, moving beyond academia, exploring freelancing, building a portfolio career, or creating a more sustainable next chapter.

Career Mentoring for Academics, Researchers & Freelancers

Who this is for

This mentoring work may be a good fit if you are:

  • an academic, researcher, PhD, postdoc, or lecturer questioning your next step

  • exploring career paths beyond academia

  • considering freelancing, entrepreneurship, or a portfolio career

  • dealing with burnout, uncertainty, rejection, or career disruption

  • trying to translate your academic or professional experience into a clearer narrative

  • looking for structured reflection, accountability, and realistic next steps

What we work on

Together, we can work on:

  • career clarity and decision-making

  • professional identity and confidence

  • transferable skills and positioning

  • CV, LinkedIn, and professional narrative for new sectors

  • freelancing or portfolio-career planning

  • sustainable next steps that fit your real life, not just an ideal version of it

My mentoring is structured, but not one-size-fits-all. Each process is adapted to your goals, context, and current professional situation. Depending on your needs, we may focus on career clarity, transferable skills, professional positioning, confidence, freelancing strategy, portfolio careers, or navigating a deeper transition in your professional identity.

Career Strategy Session: "Clarity Focus"

Ideal if you are facing a specific decision, feel stuck, or need an external perspective.

In this session, we clarify your current challenge, identify your strengths, constraints, and opportunities, and define a concrete next-step strategy you can act on immediately.

Format

90-minute 1:1 strategic session

Investment: €165

Ideal for professionals who

  • are facing a critical choice

  • feel stuck or overwhelmed

  • need an external strategic perspective

Outcomes

  • Clear articulation of your current challenge

  • Identification of key strengths, constraints, and opportunities

  • A concrete next-step strategy you can act on immediately

  • Increased confidence in decision-making

Working with Alexandra turned my career confusion into direction and calm confidence.
— V.B., Post-doc

Career Acceleration Plan

A short, structured mentoring programme designed to turn reflection into action.

We work on clarifying your direction, identifying transferable skills, strengthening your professional narrative, and moving past hesitation, self-doubt, or analysis paralysis.

Structure

4 sessions 1:1 over 4–8 weeks

Investment: €620

A short, structured professional development programme designed to turn reflection into action.

Focus Areas

  • Clarifying career direction and priorities

  • Identifying transferable skills and growth areas

  • Strengthening professional narrative and positioning

  • Translating academic experience into non-academic value (CV/LinkedIn narrative)

  • Overcoming hesitation, self-doubt, or analysis paralysis

Ideal for professionals who

  • want to accelerate a transition or repositioning

  • feel ready for change but unsure how to structure it

  • need accountability and strategic guidance

Outcomes

  • A coherent career direction aligned with your values and strengths

  • Increased confidence and professional clarity

  • A practical roadmap for the next career phase

Working with Alexandra helped me uncover strengths I didn’t know I had.
— D.A., PhD Student

Strategic Career Growth Programme

A deeper mentoring programme for significant career change, professional redefinition, or long-term transition.

Programme Structure

10 sessions 1:1 over 4–6 months

Investment: €1550

Comprehensive, high-touch programme for professionals navigating significant career change or redefinition.

Ideal for professionals who

  • are redefining themselves beyond a single role or sector

  • are transitioning out of academia, research, or a long-term career into industry, entrepreneurship, or freelancing.

  • want long-term clarity, not quick fixes

Key components

  • In-depth exploration of professional identity and values

  • Mapping transferable skills across roles and sectors

  • Rebuilding professional narrative and confidence

  • Designing a sustainable career strategy aligned with real-life constraints

  • Support through uncertainty, transition, and implementation

Outcomes

  • A clear, grounded professional identity

  • Strategic direction for the next career chapter

  • Increased confidence in navigating non-linear careers

  • Tools and frameworks you can reuse in future transitions

You do not need to have all the answers before we start.

The work begins exactly where you are: questioning, exploring, deciding, or already moving.

Each session felt like uncovering a new layer of myself.
— M.U., Assistant Professor

Ready to Begin?

These programmes are designed for professionals and are often funded through professional development, CPD, or organisational budgets.

If you are enquiring on behalf of an organisation, association, or programme, please mention this when getting in touch.