Valuing the skills of PhDs outside of academia
The doctorate by research or PhD is the highest degree that a university confers - but can a PhD enhance an individual's job prospects outside of academia? The short answer is yes but employment success will be greatly affected by a candidate's ability to market the benefits of the skills and knowledge developed through their PhD study to a prospective employer. Convincing an employer that there is more to a PhD than 'knowing a lot about a little' is not an insurmountable challenge. The transferable skills developed through PhD study offer considerable value to employers.
Dr Margaret Grigg, Manager of Rural Health for the Victorian Department of Health, has a demanding career outside of academia. With a range of qualifications including a PhD, a Masters Degree in Bioethics and a Masters Degree in Science (Health Policy and Administration), Dr Grigg's career highlights include working with the World Health Organization in Geneva for 12 months and, more recently, coordinating the psychosocial response to the Victorian bushfires. "I am more a user of research than a generator but I do continue some of my academic work, mostly in mental health. But as a policymaker my understanding of the research process and interpreting research are critical skills in my day to day work", commented Dr Grigg.
In 2008, more than 15 per cent of Deakin University's doctorate by research graduates were seeking full-time work, with more than 10 per cent of graduates working part-time or in casual employment (Deakin University 2009). By choice or out of necessity, some doctoral graduates will look outside of academia to full-time employment opportunities in government or the private sector but Dr Grigg cautions, "The challenge for employers and prospective employees is to understand how skills translate into the workplace. Depending on the nature of the studies some of the important skills are teamwork, good writing skills, critical analysis, project management, presentation skills and problem solving. I do see lots of applications from people from an academic environment and successful candidates understand the skills being looked for by the employer and are able to demonstrate these skills."
Dr Kate Kerkin is a Planning Consultant running her own social planning consultancy, K2 Planning. Previously she worked as a Senior Planning Consultant with Coomes Consulting Australia following an academic career. She identified two core benefits of a PhD that she applied in major projects involving multiple communities (10 towns) and large populations (approximately 42,000 people and over 30 key stakeholders). "These benefits included the ability to gather and analyse information quickly and the ability to write. While PhDs and academics may place themselves within the 'knowledge' industry, there is a clear role for more PhDs to work beyond the universities to help others develop informed approaches to their work. I developed my new role as a consultant with a view to helping people think through the best way to approach a topic and the best way to complete it", said Dr Kerkin.
Doctoral graduates or academics applying for roles in government and/or the private sector need to be able to identify and communicate the vast range of skills acquired through their PhD in both interviews and written applications. Moreover, is important to relate these skills and attributes to the commercial and/or government environment, and to identify with the aims of the employer. "Where specific skills are absent (e.g. experience working in government) they can demonstrate their ability to adjust to new environments and/or learn and develop new skills", said Dr Grigg. "Resilience is also important. Employment decisions are relative to other applicants and so you probably won't rival an applicant with more experience or skills. This doesn't mean you shouldn't keep trying. Seek post-interview feedback and learn and develop from the process of applications."
Tips for job applicants from Marcia Macgugan, Senior Careers Consultant, Deakin University:- Remember at all stages of seeking and applying for a job that you are the "seller" - what are your "benefits" for the employer?
- Translate your capacities into a language that the employer will recognise and appreciate.
- Be prepared for a range of recruitment processes.
- Research both the potential employer and selection processes - "Knowledge dispels fear".
- Have the tools of your application ready - resume, presentation statements, references etc.
- Stay focused and motivated - get support from a career's practitioner to help you through the process.
- Develop your networks to widen your understanding of the labour market and increase your chances of a successful career
Source: Deakin University 2009, 2008 Australian graduate survey of 2007 postgraduates: summary report, p13.
