Dr.Claudia Belliveau: I Learned to Stop Waiting for the Right Opportunity Instead, Created One (Neuroscientist, Entrepreneur, Montreal,117K Followers)

Dr.Claudia Belliveau Interview

“I stopped waiting for the right opportunity and started creating one, even when the outcome was uncertain.”

Q. Without titles, how would you describe your career journey so far?

For a long time, my career had no clear roadmap. I made mistakes, tried ideas, started projects, paused some, and often moved slower than I expected. But every step helped me understand how I work and what motivates me.

Over time, I learned to stop waiting for the “right” opportunity and instead create my own, even when the outcome was uncertain. The path hasn’t been linear or easy, but it has been shaped by curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to try. Each phase contributed to building something that now feels meaningful and sustainable.

Q. During the uncertainty after your PhD, what actually helped you keep moving forward?

What helped me most was support, especially from my fiancé. For nearly a year and a half, while I was unemployed and figuring out my next step, he supported me emotionally, practically, and financially. He backed me as I launched business ideas, experimented with projects, and tried things that might not work. He gave honest feedback and helped me think things through, even when it was uncomfortable to hear.

My family and friends were also incredibly supportive. They never pressured me and constantly reassured me through rejections and interviews. Feeling supported during such a messy and uncertain phase made all the difference.

At the same time, I stayed honest with myself about what I actually wanted. I felt pressure to take any job just to move forward, but I chose not to commit unless it felt right. Instead, I kept saying yes to opportunities that helped me grow and stay visible, like networking events, collaborations, and public interviews, even when I felt tired or unsure.

I also had to remind myself that my PhD wasn’t wasted time. It trained me to work through complex problems, collaborate, accept feedback, and keep moving forward without perfect information. Those skills turned out to be far more transferable than I realized at the time.

Q. Now that you’re in an industry role, what feels most different from what you imagined, and what stayed the same?

During my job search, I was very narrowly focused on entering the pharmaceutical industry. I expected the transition to be intense, high pressure, and overwhelming. In my mind, that first role meant long days, formal environments, constant imposter syndrome, and deep immersion in technical data.

The reality has been completely different. I now work as a Senior Marketing and Communications Manager at a science-adjacent nonprofit, fully remote, in an environment where I was trusted and welcomed from day one. My work focuses on collaboration, strategy, and communication. I work from home, wear comfortable clothes, and engage with a supportive team rather than a cutthroat culture.

What surprised me most was how much job security immediately improved my wellbeing. While it’s uncomfortable to admit, financial stability is a very real and grounding factor. What ultimately aligned with my vision wasn’t the industry or title I once imagined, but the feeling I was searching for all along: stability, trust, and meaningful work without sacrificing balance.

Q. Which PhD skill has been most useful in your current role, even outside science?

Resourcefulness and the ability to learn quickly have been the most transferable skills. During my PhD, I spent years breaking down complex problems and troubleshooting without knowing if I was heading in the right direction. That way of thinking carried over naturally.

Even though my work no longer looks scientific on paper, my approach still is. I gather information, test ideas, stay curious, and adapt when things don’t work. In marketing and communications, that shows up as experimentation and paying close attention to what resonates. The skills from a PhD don’t disappear outside research, they simply show up in new and unexpected ways.

Q. How do you decide what to share online now, and what does responsible transparency mean to you?

I’ve always been intentional about what I share online because my platform has never been purely personal. It exists in an academic and professional context, closely tied to my work.

During my job search, that caution increased. I often avoided posting while I was in interview processes, worried that visibility could be misinterpreted. At one point, an interview panel mentioned listening to a podcast I had been on about transitioning from academia to industry. I genuinely couldn’t tell if that visibility was helping or hurting me, which made me more guarded.

What’s changed is my current environment. I now work with an organization that views my public voice as an asset, not a risk. In hindsight, my platform became a public portfolio of my communication and strategy skills long before I fully realized it.

Responsible transparency now means being open with my employer, thoughtful about what I share, and intentional before posting, while still staying authentic. It’s about sharing lessons without oversharing, and being honest without disappearing. As I settle into this role, I’m looking forward to finding a steady rhythm again and returning to more regular, thoughtful content.

Bio

Dr. Claudia Belliveau, is a Montreal based neuroscientist, science communicator, and entrepreneur. She earned her PhD in Neuroscience from McGill University in 2024 and built a trusted digital platform documenting the realities of career transitions after academia.

With a community of 116,000+ followers, Claudia is known for making uncertainty, job searching, freelancing, and life after research feel honest and approachable. Her work bridges science, communication, and strategy, reflecting the transferable skills often developed during a PhD but rarely talked about openly.

She currently serves as Senior Marketing and Communications Manager at the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology, where her professional role aligns closely with her public advocacy for transparency, balance, and sustainable careers in STEM.

Instagram: Dr. Claudia Belliveau

Interviewed by Monika Bhardwaj