Explore career coaching package
Clarity for researchers at a
career crossroads
Finished your PhD or Postdoc and unsure what comes next? Whether you want to stay in research or pursue related opportunities, EXPLORE Career Coaching helps you:
Understand your natural talents and how to leverage them
Identify the impact goals that are most important to you
Plot the next steps in your career path & create a structured career plan
EXPLORE your talents
EXPLORE career coaching is for researchers who want to make strategic, informed career decisions.
It helps you:
Own and articulate your expertise
Clarify the impact you want to create
Explore aligned career directions and roles
Plot a realistic, values-aligned career path
This is not generic advice.
It’s structured, reflective, and personalised.
How it works
EXPLORE Career Coaching follows a simple, structured three-step process designed to give you clarity, confidence and a clear path forward.
This approach ensures that you move from self-awareness → clarity → actionable direction, with structured support from experts who understand research careers and the challenges of stepping beyond academia.
Step 1: Reflection
Complete a brief, confidential questionnaire to give your coach context before your sessions, so we can move straight into meaningful, personalised discussion.
Step 2: Assessment
Next, you’ll take the CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment (a globally recognised talent assessment) to discover your natural talents and learn how to develop them into strengths.
Step 3: Coaching
Following your assessment, you’ll have 3 sessions with a PhD-qualified career development coach to interpret and apply your CliftonStrengths profile as you explore aligned career options and create a practical plan.
EXPLORE is ideal if you…
Feel uncertain or conflicted about your next career step
Are questioning whether to stay in research or explore related opportunities
Want clarity without being rushed
Value personalised, reflective career planning
Plot your path
Career Coaching Package
What’s included:
CliftonStrengths 34 profile assessment & report
3 × 60-minute coaching sessions structured around our Empirical Careers Plot framework
A personalised Career Plot summary capturing your career direction
Detailed follow-up notes with insights and next steps.
Meet your career collaborator
EXPLORE Career Coaching is delivered by Dr Narelle Tunstall who is deeply committed to supporting careers post-PhD.
Narelle brings a rare combination of experience across research and career development. Her work supports researchers to define success on their own terms – whether that’s within academic research or beyond.
She offers:
First-hand experience navigating research careers and career transitions
Deep understanding of the Australian research ecosystem
A genuine passion for helping PhD graduates build meaningful, sustainable careers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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PhD graduates working in research or research-adjacent roles who want clarity about their career direction – whether continuing in research or exploring related opportunities.
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EXPLORE is tailored for researchers in STEM fields. If you’re involved in labs, clinical research, research management, or translational projects, the program helps you understand your strengths and map a career path relevant to your career and impact goals.
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You could, but the assessment alone doesn’t give you actionable insight. Coaching transforms your results into a strategic, personalised career plan using the Empirical Career Plot framework. That’s where the real value lies.
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You’ll work with Narelle who understands research careers and transitions.
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Coaching sessions are flexible and scheduled around your availability.
Most clients complete the 3-session package within 4-6 weeks, allowing time for reflection and action between sessions. -
Just complete the background form and the CliftonStrengths assessment. Other than that, your curiosity and openness to explore your strengths and options are all you need.
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EXPLORE is about clarity and strategy, not placement. But understanding your strengths and mapping your career path will help you pursue opportunities confidently and articulate your value.
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EXPLORE combines a validated strengths assessment with the Empirical Careers Plot framework, specifically designed for PhD graduates. This structured approach ensures your career plan is evidence-based, personalised, and practical.
Your next career move
Turn your strengths into a clear, actionable career plan.