One of the key texts for PhDs seeking careers outside academia is called “So What Are You Going to Do With That?” (Amazon affiliate link). I’ve got the third edition on my shelf, and I was re-reading the chapter on resumes and cover letters the other day.
The chapter tells the stories of three people (two PhDs, one almost-PhD who moved on without completing the degree). Here’s how these folks got the jobs they did:
- Thelma was interviewed because of a close network connection;
- Howard did an unpaid internship to get into their target field;
- Sam had highly relevant non-academic work experience.
Now this is just three people but these stories are telling of a very often true reality: When it comes to jobs outside academia, the PhD itself and the stuff that goes with it — TAing, conference presentations, journal articles — aren’t enough to get hired. They won’t even get you an interview, in most cases.
You can’t just do your PhD. You need to do more, or have more, to get meaningful work.
If this makes you mad, get mad at programs, departments, and universities.
And then get networking, researching possibilities for your career, and making strategic choices about what else to do during graduate school.
A tip: Social media is a great place to connect with folks. LinkedIn is an incredible networking tool for any job seeker; Twitter is a professional networking platform too. Use them to your advantage.
