People entering the non-academic job market with a PhD or ABD status (All But Dissertation) frequently plan how they will discuss their academic background with potential employers. That is undoubtedly a valuable practice, though employers’ reactions may differ from what you expect – regardless of what you expect. A University Affairs panel from earlier this year had varied views. In my own job searches, the employer I expected to be skeptical of my PhD was ecstatic about it, whilst the one who was originally concerned was a university.
Having a compelling tale ready might be helpful, regardless of the reaction. If you have access to a university career services office, they may be able to provide comments on your story or suggestions for how to improve it.
When deciding what to include in the story, always consider what is most relevant to the company for the position you are looking for. But that doesn’t imply your tale has to be a dry collection of bullet points. My alt-ac buddy just told me that she constantly encourages folks who are thinking about pursuing a PhD to do so. Her opinion is that “it’ll change who you are as a person.”
Graduate work isn’t the only transforming experience available, but if you’ve had it, it’s acceptable to draw on your most valuable experiences while speaking with employers. It’s reassuringly self-aware – and, frankly, exhilarating – to hear someone reflect on how their career path shaped who they are today.
You can still be brief (your painstaking attempts to communicate the value of your research in a 100-word field will be worthwhile). You can tell folks that, even if you’re pursuing career X for reasons Y, you’re grateful to your graduate experience for how it shaped you. Perhaps it inspired you to continue working on a complex solo project despite receiving little response. Perhaps it revealed a level of ingenuity you were previously unaware of.
My supervisor mentioned this week that one purpose of higher education is to provide meaningful means for people to change the core of their being. Answering how your graduate experience impacted you is a useful and deep place to begin.