The scenario around the world has changed rapidly and is further on the process of changing. There was a time when after the completion of PhD, academics was the only option that the researchers had and not many had the courage to go offbeat but over the years we have witnessed a change, uniformly around the world where scholars have opted for non-academic profiles after completing their doctoral degrees and the trend is increasing even now. It isn’t really a norm anymore that you got to be a professor after completing your PhD. The challenge here is that most PhD students take career counselling from their PhD supervisors only and usually they aren’t aware or interested in any other field other than the academia.
Other than the dearth of permanent positions in the academia there are many more reasons because of which you must not leave the option of working outside academics, if possible. If your choice of career and decision is well timed and matches your skill set, there is no reason that you wouldn’t get success in your endeavour.
Some situations where you must give yourself the opportunity to work outside the academia are:
Shifting from academic to non-academics, the transition may not be as easy as it is appears. Post your doctoral studies, you need to upgrade yourself with a lot of things that you would have left behind during your research journey. Personal and professional development is the first thing that needs to be focussed upon right after your PhD. The skills that you choose must make sense in the sector where you wish to work. You must think and understand the novel ways in which you can apply your research knowledge and skills in the non-academia and make others feel that your knowledge of research is unique and indispensable for them. You have to surely work hard initially to create that space for yourself because still that stereotyped image sustains at places that PhDs are meant to be professors.