Emma Jonson Are there any non academic jobs for PhD holders?
Working in academia isn’t for everyone, but there are plenty of non-academic careers open to PhD holders. The skills you gain during a doctorate will be well-valued in many jobs and sectors and you’re certainly not limited to your research discipline.
What can you do with a PhD outside of academia?
Even if you attend none of the formal courses offered, your PhD itself will provide you with many skills. The challenge, when going outside of academia, is to translate your skills in a way that makes sense to your chosen sector. Think outside the box and take stock of what you are good at or have experience in.
Where can I get career advice for a PhD?
The difficulty is that the main sources of career advice for PhD students are their supervisors and other students, and the majority of them have known no other working environment.
Why is it so hard to get a job after a PhD?
PhD courses are so specialised that university careers offices struggle to assist graduates looking for jobs, and supervisors tend to have little interest in students who are leaving academia.
What kind of job can you get after a PhD?
It’s difficult to gain a permanent academic job immediately after graduation. The traditional entry point for PhD graduates is as a research assistant or research fellow. However, these roles aren’t renowned for their job security. Short-term contracts are usually offered, lasting from three months to three years.
What are the requirements for a PhD in the UK?
Qualifications and academic eligibility. In most cases, a PhD applicant will need to show good performance at undergraduate level. This PhD entry requirement means at least a UK upper second class honours degree (2.1). This needs to be in a relevant discipline for the PhD study.
Are there alternative careers for PhD science graduates?
There are many alternative career options available to STEM PhDs. It will also help you make an intelligent decision on which positions you would enjoy and which you may not enjoy. When choosing the next step in your career, be sure to consider not only the title and salary you want to have, but the lifestyle you want to live.
Is it hard to get a job with a PhD?
The path is especially difficult for PhDs trying to transition into a career in business. This is because the worlds of academia and business are very different. It’s also because most Universities offer little or no career training for graduate students.
What to avoid when starting a business as a PhD?
The key to starting a great career in business learning what not to do. Here are 5 things to avoid: 1. Networking with your competitors only. I went to just about every PhD jobs networking event on the planet. I went to Biologists In Business, PhD Entrepreneurs, PhDs In Industry, and so on.
What happens when you move from academia to a non academic career?
Moving from academia is a transition and while you may have had a lot of freedom to organise your days and weeks when you were doing research, in other sectors things might be more structured. You may miss academia! You’ll probably have to work on other people’s priorities but you can shape the job you’re in thanks to your experience.
What can you do with two PhDs in one field?
Then after you get your PhD you can continue to learn and train in one or both fields as you see fit. It is entirely plausible that you could land an academic job in one department while having gotten your PhD in the other department. This is an ambitious goal, but any academic job is an ambitious goal.
When is it worth doing a second PhD?
The only time a second PhD is worth doing is if you realise after completing one that you want to do research in another field, and that you can’t make a path from one field to the other. A PhD is essentially the first step on a research path in a particular field, so make sure it’s a field you want to do research in.
Is it hard to get a job as a PhD student?
At a recent conference hosted by the UK Council for Graduate Education, it was clear that while academia (i.e. academic research) is still the preferred career destination for PhD students, 80% of them are aware that it may be hard to get a job as a post-doc or junior research associate and secure a lifelong academic career.