Yesterday I posted a Twitter poll, and the results are in, with 832 votes. I asked folks who have PhDs or other doctoral degrees whether the jobs they have now specifically require a doctorate.
I asked this question because I know that when PhDs are job searching, it’s not uncommon for them to look for positions that require a PhD. Or, you search for roles that mention your specific academic discipline.
This makes sense: In academia, the professional environment you’re usually most familiar with, the subject of your research in general and the focus of your dissertation in particular is important and useful information when it comes to seeking work (and presentation opportunities, publication avenues, and funding options).
Outside academia, the specifics are much less important. Scientists and engineers can often find relevant jobs, even if they have to broaden out a bit. (And that’s assuming you want to continue doing bench science or other highly technical work, which you might not.) As for the rest of us, we’re largely out of luck.
Try searching a jobs listings site such as LinkedIn or Indeed for “PhD” and you’ll get a ton of ads . . . for analytical chemists and computational biologists and software engineers. And some for postdocs and professors, for sure.
But if you enter “philosophy” in the search bar, you’ll pretty much only get academic positions. If that’s what you’re after and there are options that appeal to you, fantastic, no problem.
This still leaves a lot of PhDs without good options. There’s not much that’s relevant and interesting in places we want to live at wages we can manage that call for doctoral degree holders or specialists in our disciplines. How frustrating!
So, uh, now what?
Was the PhD a waste? Am I doomed to un- or underemployment forever, you wonder?
Well, I’m not going to answer that first question. As for the second, no! Probably not! (Unless “underemployment” is a synonym for “having an educational qualification that exceeds the minimum this role requires,” in which case, maybe. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing.)
Here’s what I suggest instead of assuming you should be targeting roles for PhDs: Determine what you actually want to do.
- What skills do you want to use?
- What methods do you want to employ?
- What topics interest you, professionally?
- What kind of work environment facilitates your success and thriving?
- Where do you want to live?
- And so on.
The answers to these questions are critical to you identifying positions that would excite and delight you. At least some of the time.
If there is a reason you do need to privilege jobs that require a PhD — like, if you need a work visa to stay in the US — these answers will help you rank your options, meaningfully network with other professionals, develop compelling application materials, and shine in job interviews.