Possible Stereotypes of Phds and How to Fight Them
If
you are pursuing jobs outside academia, you may need to combat
stereotypes about academics and the university environment.
As more and more PhDs entered the nonacademic workforce over
the 1980s and 1990s, these stereotypes have become less common,
but you may still encounter some. By thinking about them beforehand,
you can develop strategies to address them. Be aware that
your strategies may change depending on whether you are applying
for a job that utilizes your academic expertise versus one
that does not.
PhDs
are overqualified. If I hire one, he/she will quickly become
bored and leave.
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Make
clear that you understand the specific duties of the job
and are enthusiastic about taking them on. This may seem
like it should be taken for granted, but many recruiters
describe this as a key failing of many applicants.
-
Specifically
address the career transition you are making and communicate
that you understand it may require a brief period of retraining.
But also make clear that the skills and accomplishments
of your doctoral years qualify you for the job in question.
Most importantly, they enable you to learn new skills
quickly.
PhDs
must be paid more because of their extensive training.
-
On
the one hand, this might seem a laughable fear. Many PhDs
have been earning under $20,000/year as GSIs and few organizations
would think of paying employees this little. But be sure
not to undersell yourself. You have valuable research,
analysis, and communication skills and may have applicable
content knowledge. You are a hard worker and fast learner
with a record of producing (i.e., the dissertation and
any publications or talks). This should be worth
something, and you should research average salaries in
the field you are entering to assist you in your negotiations.
-
On
the other hand, after spending some 7 years gaining expertise
in their fields, PhDs may well feel they deserve real
compensation for that work. PhDs likely are more
valuable than the average undergrad, but if you have found
an organization you want to work with, in some cases it
may help you to land a job there if you agree to start
in an entry-level position. This gives the organization
a chance to see your value first-hand, and many career-changing
PhDs report that they quickly move up to more responsibility
and a higher salary (see this
advice from The Yellow Wood).
PhDs
are unrealistic and impractical. They are abstract rather
than pragmatic thinkers.
-
If
your academic specialty is not related to the job you
are applying for, emphasize your experience and accomplishments
over your knowledge and education on your resume. Put
the “experience” section before “education”
and describe your teaching and/or lab experiences in concrete
terms that would appeal to your employer. Emphasize tangible,
transferable skills.
-
For
example, describe your experience in CAR (cause, action,
result) statements. (1) Describe a problem that you encountered
(as a GSI, in a job you had, as a volunteer, etc.). (2)
Describe the initiative you took to resolve the problem.
(3) Describe the result (i.e., the benefit to your employer,
your students, etc.).
-
Be
sure that your resume is clearly differentiated from your
CV. One of the most painful things about turning a CV
into a resume can be the deletion of that long list of
presentations and/or publications. But your resume should
have no reference to the substance of your academic work
(or your adviser) unless the topic is relevant to the
job you are applying for.
PhDs
are just waiting for a job to open up in the academy.
Given
the seasonal nature of the academic job market, this is certainly
a reasonable concern. You need to convince your interviewer
(and perhaps convince yourself) that you really are interested
in this field and, even more importantly, this job. You can
do this by:
-
Demonstrating
that you are knowledgeable about the field, the organization,
and the position. You should have thoroughly researched
all of these. Be able to speak to the interviewer using
the vocabulary he or she utilizes in daily work. You can
learn this vocabulary by reading the professional literature
of the field, by doing informational interviews, or by
doing volunteer work or an internship.
-
Showing
informed enthusiasm for the organization and the work
it does. You need to convince your interviewer not that
you want a job but that you really want a job with his
or her organization.
-
Investing
time in learning relevant skills or subject matter in
your free time, in an internship or part-time work, or
in a volunteer position. This investment will go a long
way towards convincing an employer that you are serious
about this career choice.
PhDs
are asocial and don't know how to work with people. They are
either elitist know-it-alls or dull, introverted bookworms.
-
Emphasize
your ability to work with people in groups or teams. You
might point to your experience in the lab, in the classroom,
or serving on a committee. Hobbies can be useful in making
this point (for example, experiences in volunteer work
or playing team sports).
-
Just
as is the case for academic search committees, prospective
employers are evaluating you as a potential colleague.
Would they enjoy seeing this candidate walking the halls
of their organization? Communicate that you are an interesting
person who is interested in the world around you and who
would be fun to be around.
-
Be
careful not to use academic jargon.
-
Many
in the work world believe that PhDs have a "superiority
complex." If you find yourself thinking thoughts
that could fit this stereotype as you research or interview
at an organization, one of two things is true. Either
(1) this is not the right organization for you or (2)
you are still ambivalent about leaving academia and might
want to reexamine your motivations for doing so. You need
to be able to convince employers that PhDs see themselves
as regular people with strong abilities to think critically
and get the job done.
PhDs
are set in their ways and not easily mentored.
-
Discuss
the career transition you are undergoing from academic
to nonacademic work, and explain that part of the reason
you are making it is an interest in learning more about
the field you are attempting to enter. While demonstrating
that you have some knowledge of this field, emphasize
that you are eager to learn more and are confident that
your experience as a graduate student will allow you to
learn quickly.
-
Should
your program of study have crossed disciplinary boundaries,
you might describe the ways that this interdisciplinarity
trained you to be aware of and adapt to different environments.
Academics
can't function in the real world workplace, which requires
management skills, taking risks, and paying attention to market
forces.
-
Describe
the writing of your dissertation in terms of project management.
You had to develop a hypothesis; sell the idea to your
committee; organize and conduct your research (which may
have involved securing grants, arranging travel, forging
relationships with people whose help you needed); find
time to write; and balance the expectations and input
of multiple committee members. You took a risk on an idea,
ensured that you produced something of value despite any
flaws in your original hypothesis, and your success depended
upon meeting the expectations of a diverse audience (your
committee).
-
You
should be able to sound knowledgeable about the real world
concerns of the industry or organization you are applying
to. Reading trade publications, conducting informational
interviews, and getting volunteer or internship experience
are all ways to gain this knowledge.
PhDs
value complexity over completion. They don’t know how
to meet deadlines.
-
Describe
the deadlines you set in the writing of your dissertation
and how you met them.
-
Describe
your experience as a GSI, in which you were consistently
prepared to lead class despite the demands of writing
your dissertation at the same time.
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