It is a common misconception that recruiters only want candidates in specific disciplines without advanced degrees. Recruiters seek well-rounded, skilled individuals who can be trained to do specific jobs.
The key to finding employment outside your academic discipline is in focusing on your transferable skills, and applying them to a variety of settings. For example: Public speaking, organizing/managing people, developing lectures/learning activities, keeping accurate records and providing feedback, can be applied to teaching, management, sales or human resources.
When looking for a job, you might have to specifically point out how you fit the employers' needs. Sometimes recruiters will see the graduate degree on your résumé and think "overqualified" or "we're only looking for undergraduates." Hearing this kind of feedback can be particularly frustrating, but remember that you are qualified to do many jobs outside your academic training and you may have to explain how you are a good fit for the company.
If you are interested in working specifically in your field, you probably already know the skills that will be important for success in that field. However, if you plan on changing fields, highlight transferable skills to potential employers to show your qualifications.
Transferable skills are those that you have cultivated during graduate school that will be desirable in different work settings. Most graduate students, for example, are good at writing, researching (either finding resources or conducting research), teaching, communication, time management, critical thinking, problem solving, etc.
Here are some transferable skills you might have developed or honed in on during graduate school:
| • Teaching |
• Writing |
| • Research (conducting or finding information) |
• Analytical skills |
| • Time management |
• Critical thinking |
| • Motivation |
• Attention to detail |
| • Organizational skills |
• Synthesizing information |
| • Problem solving |
• Writing |
| • Oral communication |
• Team work |
| • Finishing what you start/Work Ethic |
• Creativity |
| • Leadership |
• Interpersonal |
| • Multitasking |
• Responsibility |
In a 2003 survey, employers rated the top skills they sought in entry-level candidates (NACE).
| 1. Communication skills |
11. Detail Oriented |
| 2. Honesty/Integrity |
12. Leadership |
| 3. Teamwork Skills |
13. Self-Confidence |
| 4. Interpersonal Skills |
14. Friendly, Outgoing Personality |
| 5. Motivation/Initiative |
15. Tactfulness |
| 6. Strong Work Ethic |
16. Well mannered/Polite |
| 7. Analytical Skills |
17. GPA: 3.0+ |
| 8. Flexibility/Adaptability |
18. Creativity |
| 9. Computer Skills |
19. Entrepreneur/Risk Taker |
| 10.Organizational Skills |
20. Sense of Humor |
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If you are completing a thesis for your master's degree, you have gotten a taste of what it's like finishing a dissertation. The dissertation, although quite an endeavor, is not the only difficult part of doctoral study.
Doctoral level courses are usually more rigorous than Master’s level courses and you will have more duties to accomplish outside of your coursework, including research methodology classes, research projects, grant writing, teaching and writing.
Master's work is more applied while doctoral work is traditionally more theoretical/abstract. If you are someone who is interested in using information to make practical changes, then going on for the doctorate might be challenging for you.
When thinking about going on for the Ph.D., consider what parts of your master's work you have truly enjoyed. Is going on for the Ph.D. necessary to do the kinds of tasks you enjoy? For example, if you enjoy:
- Teaching. You can teach at a community college without a Ph.D.
- Research. You will definitely qualify for many jobs doing research for corporations, the government, tech firms, consultants, and some universities. You will not usually control the research topic or agenda, which you might be able to do if you had the Ph.D.
- Writing. You can do that without a college degree, although for technical writing, an advanced degree can help get you published.
It is true that you can make a fine living with your master's degree. Having the Ph.D will probably open more doors for you in most arenas, but it might also be difficult to harder to apply your training outside of academia.
So why does anyone ever go on for the Ph.D.? People want to be professors at 4-year colleges or universities. Some reasons are:
- The prestige associated with earning a doctorate
- Wanting to be called "Dr."
- Wanting to become an expert in a subject area
- Loving research and teaching
- Wanting to tackle an extremely difficult task
- To challenge your ways of thinking about the world
- Loving the academic world
- Having a great curiosity about your subject area
- To make getting a license easier in some professions (such as psychology)
Finally, ask yourself:
- Why would you pursue your Ph.D.?
- What are the pros and cons of stopping at a master's or going on for the Ph.D.?
- How will your decision impact your family and friends?
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Welcome to OptimalResume™,a free service provided by the Career Resource Center that assists you create professional files that are appropriate for your career or employment objective. Use OptimalResume™ to:
- Design high-quality resumes and professional correspondence in several styles formats, including Word® Compatible, Plain Text, PDF, and HTML.
- Manage up to 5 unique resumes and letters.
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If you are granted a site interview, be sure to request an itinerary to see what will be expected of you. Prepare. Additionally, verify the reimbursement of travel/out-of-pocket expenses. An employer usually pays these fees.
For more information on interviewing in general, please see our other pages on interviewing.
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