Career Possibilities

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Career Possibilities

• What can you do with a research degree?

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Session overview

• The national picture
• Headlines from What Do PhDs Do?
• Positive perspectives
• Messages from employers and graduates
• Individual stories from St Andrews
• Career Planning
• How to boost your employability
• Support and resources

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What Do PhDs Do? Career progression and its
implications for the postgraduate research
experience
Authors Dr. Sara Shinton, Careers Consultant on
behalf of UK GRAD Dr. Charlie Ball, Graduate
Prospects
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2003 cohort

• 12,520 PhDs awarded by UK institutions
• 7,270 UK citizens (58)
• 1,525 EU citizens from countries outside the
  UK (12)
• 3,725 non-EU citizens (not covered in this
  survey) (30)

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2003 survey responses (UK)

• Of the 4695 respondents
• 2150 women, 2545 men
• 45.8 of PhDs who were surveyed were women
• Of the 4695 respondents
• 1,265 part time 3,430 full time
• 26.9 of the PhDs who were surveyed had studied
  part-time

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2003 cohort (UK)
Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency
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CohortTop Ten Subjects (UK)
of UK domiciled PhD graduates
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What did 2003 PhDs do?
Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency
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Key Occupations
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First Jobs for 2003 PhDs

• What kind of contracts are PhD graduates on?
• 55.8 are on permanent contracts
• over 1 in 3 (37) are on fixed contracts
• The large majority of those are on fixed term
  contracts of more than 12 months
• only 4 go into self-employment
• temping and agency work has far less significance
  for PhD graduates than for first degree
  graduates.

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Postdoctoral Researcher
I hit the ground running following my PhD,
aiming to increase my publication record. Peter,
Oral Biology
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University Lecturer
the freedom academia offers on a day-to-day
level and in the long term I feel I have more
control over my career path. John, Human
Geography
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Other Key Occupations
Our focus is quite different from academia where
I looked at things in great detail and for much
longer, but within a narrow scope. Andrew,
Immunologist Pharmaceutical industry
managerial business and IT commercial,
industrial, public sector research (non academia)
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Perspectives on

• Self belief and confidence
• When I left my viva after passing my PhD, I felt
  like I could achieve anything, so I started at
  the Civil Service with a lot of self-confidence,
  even though I knew the work would be challenging
  and very different to my research.
• Tracey, Civil Servant

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Perspectives on

• Problem solving
• In this department we look for bright young
  people who come to us with new ideas and the
  ability to think about problems in novel ways
  lateral thinkers. Weve found that PhD graduates
  offer all of these things
• David McCarthy, Albion Colours

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Perspectives on

• Tenacity
• We like PhDs in our business sector they never
  take anything at face value. That is a real bonus
  in a business compliance function. Their
  philosophical training and critical judgement
  have direct application in business services,
  whatever the topic of their research.
• Head of Graduate Recruitment,
• Big 4 Accountancy firm

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Perspectives on

• Self reliance
• What it also shows is that the individual is able
  to set and achieve goals, manage their own time,
  think both analytically and creatively, and
  overcome problems a set of highly desirable
  skills and attitudes in any professional person.
• John Hopkins, English Nature

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Perspectives on

• Sharper intellect
• Apart from their obvious knowledge, what makes
  PhD graduates stand out is the quality of their
  brains they are experts at analytical thinking
  and can work their way through complicated
  processes without being intimidated.
• Ian McKinley, Science Recruitment Group

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Perspectives on

• Improving our research base
• We need people who have a deep down knowledge of
  technology, can demonstrate the ability to solve
  complex problems efficiently, and be active
  within our company culture as well. PhD graduates
  can also act as a bridge between universities and
  industry, helping to promote technology transfer
  and a knowledge flow in both directions.
• Karsten Vandrup, Nokia

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Key messages- PhD researchers

• Your qualification can take you beyond academia
  and research
• Employers value your
• Problem solving
• Intellect
• Determination
• but want evidence of skills
• as well as specific knowledge

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Personal views

• Now hear from St Andrews researchers
• Tanya and Jennifer
• Their perspectives on the value of their PhDs
• The career paths they have chosen
• How they achieved the transition

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Career Planning- Why?

• Statistics are positive, but only part of story
• Academic careers are highly sought after
• Employers outside academia look for more than
  research outputs
• Whatever your career objectives, start planning

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Academic careers

• PhD
• Conferences
• Publications
• Committees and national bodies
• Meeting the right people
• Choosing the right postdoc
• Aiming for Fellowships
• Mobility

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Research Careers

• PhD
• Conferences research labour market
• Publications AND wider communication
• Multidisciplinary approach breadth
• Commercial awareness
• Choosing the right company
• Recruitment practices mini interns
• Geographical focus

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Alternative Careers

• PhD
• Skills development
• Management of self and others
• Communication
• Information management
• Tenacity and drive
• Social interaction