French physicist here, currently doing a postdoc in Japan (optics / nanotechnologies) until 2028. Already thinking about my return to Europe and transition to industry.
Here’s what I’ve done so far:
Completely revamped my LinkedIn — industry-oriented titles, descriptions, keywords. Started cold DMing people who made the PhD → industry jump in my field. Not asking for jobs, just asking if they’d be willing to share their experience via messages. Id
My plan is to build the network slowly now, then go active around September 2026 — roughly 18 months before my contract ends. The idea is to have something lined up before I’m done, not scrambling at the last minute.
A few things I’m not sure about:
Is starting this early weird or does it make sense? Anyone had success with the cold DM approach on LinkedIn? Anything obviously missing from this strategy?
Would appreciate any honest feedback. Not looking for generic advice, actual experience welcome.