Building Better Career Habits for Technical Scientists with Emma May

In this episode of The Human Protocol, Theodora Savlovschi-Wicks is joined by Emma May, founder of The Career Habit. After 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry as a statistician, Emma has pivoted into professional development for statisticians, programmers, data scientists, and other analytical scientists. In this conversation, she explains why so many technically brilliant people struggle to communicate their value, advocate for themselves, and build the habits that advance their careers. We talk about why technical disciplines still prioritise technical excellence at the expense of professional skills, why self-advocacy can feel uncomfortable for quantitative scientists, and why career development is less about collecting knowledge and more about changing behaviour in small, repeatable steps. Emma also shares her views on confidence, imposter syndrome, networking, reflective practice, and the reality that nobody else will care about your career as much as you do. This episode is a conversation about what it takes for highly technical professionals to grow, influence, and lead. Key takeaways 🔸 Why knowing what makes a good leader is not the same as becoming one🔸 Why technical experts often underinvest in communication, influence, and self-advocacy🔸 Why self-advocacy can start by learning to advocate for your data🔸 Why behaviour change and habit-building matter more than passive learning🔸 Why confidence issues and imposter syndrome often show up in different forms across a career🔸 Why your career is your responsibility — but not something you have to build alone Host: Theodora Savlovschi-WicksFounder and Managing Director, Vivexa PartnersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theoswicks/ Guest: Emma MayFounder, The Career HabitLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-may-uk/ Key chapters:00:00 Emma’s Journey and Career Pivot03:53 Why Professional Development Matters07:07 Supporting Technical Professionals10:03 Generational Shifts in Career Growth13:05 Self-Advocacy, Vulnerability and Leadership16:12 Why Soft Skills Matter in Technical Fields21:13 Building Habits and Measuring Progress29:46 Networking, Relationships and Taking Action The Human Protocol is a podcast from Vivexa, exploring clinical conversations at the intersection of people and trials. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on the people shaping clinical research.