can't find a job after phd

• 6 . 25 . 20
• Career , Leaving Academia

Have a PhD and Can’t Get a Job? Do 4 SIMPLE Things (2023)

• Posted by: Chris

Updated March 4, 2023

I have a PhD and can’t get a job! What’s wrong with me?

When I finished my PhD, I jumped into a long drought of unemployment. It freaking sucked.

A family friend who heard I had left school very kindly offered me a job. The job was to be a general laborer on a construction site. I was living in my parents’ basement at the time and didn’t have any direction for my degree, and I considered it.  

I listened as he gave me the description of the job: “You’ll have to clean up the equipment and make sure the signs are in place. You’d be doing a lot of independent work, putting up silt fences, manual labor, digging, stuff like that.”

I was almost in tears.

This was what it had come to. In desperation, I was considering a construction job that paid $16 an hour. I thought, surely this couldn’t be all that there is?

Tell me my story doesn’t end like this!

It didn’t, and I ultimately turned the job down and chased something better.

But, without a doubt, it was one of my points of employment rock bottom. I’d done a PhD, and it seemed like all I could do was to get a job that I could have gotten with a high-school diploma.

That hurts.

I meet a lot of PhDs who are in EXACTLY the place I was in. If you’re here right now, if you’re a PhD who can’t find a job, you know what I’m talking about. You’re unemployed with no direction. You are desperately hoping for someone to come and help you, but it feels like nobody will.

If you have a PhD and can’t get a job, it seems that your best options are things like being a laborer, waiting tables, or answering phones.

Worst of all is the feeling of being alone. It’s feeling like you CAN rebuild your life, but not knowing where to start and feeling like you have nobody to talk to.

If this is you, I’ve been in your shoes. I understand what it’s like.

Are you saying, “I have a PhD and can’t get a job?” Here’s how to fix it…

This post contains links to affiliate products, which–if you choose to purchase–pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support our work. We only promote products we’ve used and love .

Check out my book about leaving academia– Doctoring: Building a Life After a PhD — read the first chapter for free on Amazon.

1. Get your mindset right

Yes, I feel like a self-help guru here. And I’ll get you to some more “actionable” steps below.

Here’s why I think your mindset is vital.

PhDs get beat up when they go through an advanced degree. In some cases, a person who is ironically referred to as a “mentor” shreds their confidence.

After years of being taught that they’re complete idiots in the academy, and being made to feel worthless by the death of a thousand cuts—not least of which is being paid peanuts for adjunct positions—there’s not much left.

Stepping out of academia into the “real world” and finding that your skills don’t seem to fit anywhere initially seems to confirm what you already believed about yourself: you’re worthless, not good enough to make it in academia, and have nothing to offer the real world either.

I have a PhD and can’t get a job .

Let me tell you something.

Lean in close so you can hear it.

You’re not worthless.

And, to quote Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting, it’s not your fault.

You need to light the spark in your soul again . You know, the one that once believed you were great and had amazing things to offer the world.

This isn’t a “law of attraction” thing; I’m not telling you to positive think your way to a career.

But what I am saying is that there’s no way you will do well in building a career if you believe you’re worthless and have nothing to offer.   

You need to light the spark in your soul again. You know, the one that once believed you were great and had amazing things to offer the world.

2. Get clear on your skills

I want you to take a few hours, even a full day if you can, and do a deep dive on LinkedIn. It’s an amazing platform, I can’t say enough about how powerful it is for those who have a PhD and can’t get a job.

This platform alone has everything you need to change your life: the people, the connections, the wisdom, the jobs. (Do create a profile if you don’t have one— I have a guide for that here .)

But for today, I want you to research.

Go find out the types of things that people are being paid to do. I often advise people to type their skills into the search bar at the top of LinkedIn and see which people come up.

Go “creep” them and see the type of work they do. Look at their job history. Pay attention to how they talk about themselves and their work.

Start writing down job titles that might fit you. You NEED to figure out something you can do that people will pay for.

This might be research or writing—these are the usual suspects for PhDs.

But it might also be stakeholder relations, event management, grant writing, project management. Keep an open mind, and make a list of things that people might way you to do.

You’ve got skills. Transferable skills . And THAT’S what you’re trying to figure out. In academia, you celebrated things like publications, awards, and important mentors.

Chances are, nobody gives a crap about that outside of academia. But people will care about your skills… The more high-value skills you bring to the table, the more likely you’ll get hired!

Here are some Skills your PhD probably gave you that can help get you hired:

• Researching
• Presentation
• Public Speaking
• Grant Writing
• Report Writing
• Synthesizing
• Critical Thinking

Pro Tip. Do try to pay attention to things you think you might love doing. There’s no sense in doing jobs because you can, at least in the long term. Start to build a vision of your future .

3. Talk to 10 people in cool roles

I talk about networking as being transformational for PhD job-hunting, and I believe it is.

But when I say networking, I don’t mean handing out business cards, or going to sketchy “networking events.”

I mean talking to 10 people. That’s it.

Over the course of the next 2 months, I want you to set this big, audacious goal.

Talk to 10 people who are doing something you find interesting. These will be the beginning of your network.

Most of us don’t have powerful networks. We need to build them from scratch.

It will take a lot of confidence to reach out to them and ask for their time, and perhaps a little bit of humility too.

I have a whole post on networking tips — but here are 8 ways to find people to talk to:

• Ask a prof you work with for a recommendation. Some profs have great networks outside of the academy.
• Contact the career center at your school to see if they have events or connections they could give you.
• Try your school’s alumni network, which will have both local events and listings of people who might be interesting.
• When you search on LinkedIn, reach out to connect to the interesting people you find. Send a note explaining that you’re a new grad trying to find your direction.
• Join a LinkedIn group for PhDs. This could be the Roostervane LinkedIn group , or one of the many others dedicated to PhDs. Pro tip: look at the group members and connect with those you find interesting .  
• Talk to family, friends, and anybody else you already know about what they do. Ask lots of questions.
• Talk to people in public! If it’s your thing. I have kids, so I often strike up conversations with other parents at the park, asking about what they do. If you want to be really strategic, go to parks in the wealthy areas of your town. Go to a dog park. Join a gym, a church, a special-interest club, or any other place you can meet humans.
• Follow interesting people on Twitter, Instagram, or another social platform—especially if they’re local. See if they’d be a good fit, and message them! Tell them you love their work and you’re curious about what they do.

4. Ask those 10 people for advice on how to get hired

I made a list of informational interview questions you absolutely should ask them when you talk to them!

But one of the best would always be, “What advice do you have for someone trying to get to where you are?”

They’ll tell you instantly where to go. People in positions understand how to get there. They know where the gatekeepers are.

They’ll tell you if you need to take another course. They’ll tell you if there’s a certain person you need to talk to.

They’ll know, for example, that their company always uses a certain job bank or looks for certain keywords on their resumes.

Best of all, they might keep you in mind for future opportunities. When their employer goes looking for someone to hire, there’s a much better chance that your name will go to the top of the list.

So right now you have a PhD and can’t get a job. Can I make a prediction? I predict that if you take these steps, you will have some serious traction on your career. If you do this, it will change your life.

If you’re a PhD with no job prospects, I know that these steps will get you traction fast.

But let me tell you one more thing.

Today, the problem is that you have a PhD and can’t get a job.

Once you get that first job, I want you to think a little bigger. Don’t stumble through your life and career. Roostervane is not about getting jobs, believe it or not. It’s about building a career with purpose.

So go get a job. But never stop building a bigger vision for your life and chase that.

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PhD Job Search Timeline and Tips

• Share This: Share PhD Job Search Timeline and Tips on Facebook Share PhD Job Search Timeline and Tips on LinkedIn Share PhD Job Search Timeline and Tips on X

The PhD job search can be a confusing process for a variety of reasons. The doctoral graduation timeline is often unclear and may not be fully within your control. For industry positions, your mentors in academia may be unfamiliar with non-academic norms and expectations, but there are tools and resources that can help you prepare for this process and develop a plan of action.

Job Search Timeline

General peak PhD recruitment timelines for different fields and positions assuming June graduation . Keep in mind, these are approximations; timelines vary considerably by field.

When should I start my job search? What if I missed peak recruitment times?

The job search varies widely in process, norms, and expectations. It is never too early to research your interest areas by searching online, attending events, and initiating informal career conversations. Even if you missed the peak recruiting season for your field, you can continue to inquire about opportunities through networking and online job search websites.

What if I am graduating in December?

Keep in mind that the start date of a position can often be negotiated. Also, the needs of employers vary so positions can open or start on a more flexible timeline.

Have more questions?

Make an appointment with CAPD.

Job Search Tips

• Helpful self-assessment tools: Various assessment tools are available that were made with PhDs in mind. These include: MyIDP (Individual Development Plan), ChemIDP , and ImaginePhD .
• Network early and often. It’s never too early to network, gather information, and try on different roles or career paths. Anytime during your graduate career, it’s helpful to attend career fairs and information sessions of companies that interest you. You can also learn more about specific industries through informational interviews or by applying for summer internships and IAP micro-internships.
• Helpful networking tools: MIT Alumni Advisors Hub (conduct informational interviews or career conversations with MIT alumni working in various industries)
• Make an appointment with a career advisor.
• CAPD Career Handbook  for resume/cover letter examples and much more
• Handshake for CAPD appointments and job searches
• Post-Graduate and Summer Outcomes data
• LinkedIn, Indeed, and Professional Associations for networking and job listings

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Six Steps to Finding a Job after the PhD

Even though you think that the rest of your life will consist of the lab and your computer, there will be a day when you “come out.”  The day when you finally get your PhD, and then take your next step in life .

You might cringe when I mention “the next step in your life.” You might start giving me an entire list of excuses why you really don’t have the time and energy to start thinking of life after the PhD while you are still engrossed in your PhD. But unless you have a tree that grows money in your garden, you will need to find something that pays the bills once you finish your research and your scholarship runs out. A job.

Today’s article will not tell you to start sending your resume to 300 companies while you try to finish up your dissertation. The final months of the PhD can be incredibly messy with looking for a job, moving to a different place, often a different country, and then trying to finish the dissertation and defense. I’m in the very middle of all that myself  and can tell you that the final months of a PhD don’t allow much time for a big job hunt.

Before you actually reach those final months, there are many actions you can undertake to grow your network, so that your job search becomes easier once you are reaching the final months of grad life. I’ve outlined a simple plan with six steps that you can take from the very start of your PhD to transition into a job right after graduation.

1. Reflect on what you want

A PhD doesn’t automatically mean that you will stay in academia for the rest of your life. In fact, many graduate students wouldn’t  be happy staying in academia for the rest of their lives, and are anxious to roll up their sleeves and get a more hands-on job in industry.

Reflection is key. Spend some time  analyzing your strengths  and imagining what your ideal job would be like. Then, use your research as a leverage to work towards your ideal position. Your PhD research can be an incredible tool to grow your skills. You can learn new coding languages, delve into more theoretical work, or prepare to transition to industry.

Regardless of where you imagine yourself in three to five years from now, just realize that your PhD research gives you many more skills than “just” becoming an independent researcher. All these skills, along with your communication skills and the strong work ethic of graduate school, are additional elements you can later show to a prospective employer as benefits that come with hiring a (maybe overqualified) PhD.

2. Present at conferences

Get your face out there, show your work, and meet people. Conferences are a very important way to grow your network,  and the majority of jobs are still found through using your network, rather than simply reacting to a job opening at company X or university Y.

Similarly, use conferences to get an overview of what is possible after your PhD. Try to find conferences that combine research from academia with cases from industry and that come with a large exhibition hall. At the exhibition hall, you can learn about companies that might be interested in hiring new employees, even though their primary goal might be to sell their product or services.

3. Attend industry events

Again, get active, talk to people, and get your face out there. The benefit of attending industry events and becoming involved is broader than making sure people start to know you. It also helps you to explore what is out there in industry. You can get to know the different companies and get a feeling for their company culture. Would you “fit in” at that company? Do their projects look attractive to you to work on? Use your involvement in these events to get a taste of the world out there – sniff around and see what could be suitable for you.

4. Personal branding: offline and online

Personal branding is a fashionable term, and you might think that it is only for designers and the flashy men and women from the advertisement industry. In academia, we can rethink branding as having a clear statement on who we are and what we are good at. It’s about having a consistent image of ourselves—online and offline—and carrying that out into the world. It’s not about pretending you’re someone else, it’s not about compromising on authenticity , and it’s not about vanity or praising yourself either. It’s simply about your very professional essence and being okay with sharing that image with the world.

Once you have completed Step 1, and reflected on what your strengths are, and how you envision yourself in the future, you can use this information to show the world how you can help in situation Y because you are very good at doing Z. You can get active (Steps 2 and 3) in international organizations by volunteering to do something you are good at. You can build a digital footprint by using a blog or social networks to share what you’ve learned in your research, connect to like-minded people, and make your professional image and statements Google-able.

5. Cherish your network

Don’t build a network just for the sake of having contacts with certain people for whenever you need a job. Cherishing your network is about getting back in touch with people every now and then, about keeping good ties to your former classmates and rekindling the connection with professors from previous institutions because you are grateful for the people who helped you learn and grow over the years. And from these contacts, people who you truly enjoy being around, fruitful collaborations can grow. You can imagine that it can be very rewarding to be able to work later on with people with whom you have a very good relationship.

6. Let people know you will be available

Once you are nearing your final semesters, or your thesis starts to grow steadily towards it first draft version, don’t get too secretive about it. It can be hard to really tell people that you think you will be finished six months from now, if all goes well, as that might add pressure, but trust yourself. Something can always go wrong, but there’s no need to live life assuming all possible doom scenarios. Share the message that you are wrapping up your work. Write to people in your network to let them know when you will be defending, invite them for the day itself or send them a copy of your dissertation. Share  how your progress is going on your online networks. Share on LinkedIn that you have a few more weeks to finish your first dissertation draft. Share your updates on Twitter – get the word out that you are coming out soon! You might get some reactions completely out of the blue from people asking you if you’re interested in  learning about possibilities at their firm .

Have you started thinking about life after the PhD? Have you incorporated some of these ideas into your daily research life? Please share your thoughts with us!

[Image by Flickr user michael.heiss under Creative Commons license]

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• 13 March 2024

Three actions PhD-holders should take to land their next job

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Fawzi Abou-Chahine is director of grant funding at the FI Group in London.

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When I finished my PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Bristol, UK, 11 years ago, I didn’t expect to become a director in financial consulting, advising businesses on how to secure investments. But that’s what happened, and to get there, I’ve had to overcome several challenges that academia never prepared me for.

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Academic Job Search

How to get an academic job after finishing your phd: a mini guide to academic job search.

Read a summary or generate practice questions using the INOMICS AI tool

This article was featured in the INOMICS Handbook 2017, a new career guide for Economists. Download it here .

When you're about to finish your PhD, it can be hard to know where to start looking for a job. If you want to stay in academia, then you'll need to find a postdoc position after you've finished your thesis and defended it. Today we're sharing this mini guide to finding an academic job and some tips on how to handle the process.

Fellowships, grants, and other sources of funding

For maximum autonomy and security, one of the most preferable options available to those who have finished their PhD is to secure their own funding. That means that you apply directly to a governmental or other organisation to obtain funding for your project idea, and if successful, the funding is allocated to your project and to you personally. The advantage of this is twofold: firstly, you can choose exactly what topic to research, and whatever methodologies or approaches that you think will be effective. There is great intellectual freedom in being able to set the course of your own research.

The second big advantage or having your own funding is the security which it offers. If you have funding, you will be in high demand and many departments will be happy to host you as a postdoc. You can pick the institution which best suits you and your project. Also, if things are not working out as you would wish at your institution, or if you decide to move to another city or country, then generally you will be able to transfer your funding with you. Knowing that you have 2-5 years of funding guaranteed frees you from financial stress and allows you to concentrate on your work. Finally, it is worth noting that having secured your own funding is highly regarded by hiring committees, as it demonstrates an ability to be successful in grant applications. Having won your own funding will be a great strength on your CV when you come to apply for other academic roles in the future.

Finding a fellowship

You will find fellowships and other kinds of postdoc funding offered by governmental organisations, professional groups, and charities and non-profits. However, as this type of funding is so desirable, there are often a large number of applicants per grant available. The process of applying for the funding and having your application assessed can also take a long time – up to six months in some cases.

For these reasons, it's a good idea to start applying for funding early, either before you complete your PhD or soon after. The application process for fellowships generally involves you first thinking up an idea for a project, preferably a project which is a natural extension of your PhD work. That way, you can demonstrate to the funders that you have already acquired the necessary skills to perform the project during your PhD, and show that you are an expert in your topic. For most applications you'll need to produce a research proposal outlining your project idea, along with other documents like a statement of your interest in the work and a description of how your project fits into the aims of the funding organisation. It's common for researchers to think up a project and then to use that one project as a basis for applying to a number of different fellowships. So once you have done one application, you can modify the materials which you have created for your other applications too. 

You can find lots more information about this in our guide to applying for a postdoc grant or fellowship .

Applying for advertised postdoc positions

Another option for academic employment after the PhD is to apply for advertised positions. When professors need support in planning and performing their own research, in teaching undergraduates and masters students, or in supervising PhD students, they will advertise for postdoc positions. You can find advertisements for such positions on university websites and academic job portals – take a look at the postdoc jobs section here on Inomics, for example. You should also check the websites of professional organisations for your field, where there may be information about currently hiring positions. A useful way of hearing about new postdoc jobs as soon as they become available is to sign up to email mailing lists for university departments or for specific academic topics.

If you're hoping to land a postdoc position, however, you shouldn't limit yourself to searching online. It's also helpful to get the word out to your professional network that you are looking for a work. Former colleagues, supervisors, lecturers, and your fellow students may know of opportunities that would suit you, and may be willing to pass your name along to the hiring professor. Having someone who knows you and your work recommend you for a position can be a great advantage in helping you to get hired. You should also be on the lookout at conferences, lectures, and other academic events. If you know that there will be someone attending who you are interested in working for, do go and introduce yourself to them and let them know about your work. Take a look at our guide to networking in academia for more tips about this.

Typically, postdoc positions are fixed-term contracts of around 2 years, meaning that after the end of the contract period you will have to find another job. You may have to be willing to relocate in order to find the postdoc job that you want. If you are willing to move around your country, or even to move abroad, then your chances of securing a position will be higher.

Other Types of Academic Jobs

As well as fellowships and postdoc positions, there are other available jobs within academia for those who have completed a PhD. Typically such positions will involve teaching, technical work such as configuring research equipment, or possibly some amount of administrative work such as setting and marking exams. The exact nature of these jobs varies between countries, and they will vary in their title, duties, stability, and benefits. In Britain, for example, it is common to find Lecturer positions advertised. These are full-time, well-paid teaching posts and are well respected, and are suitable for exceptional PhD students who have already gained some teaching experience. These positions can be competitive as you will be applying alongside people who have already done postdoc jobs, but for the right person they can be an excellent opportunity.

In the United States, on the other hand, there are many adjunct faculty positions available . These are teaching positions, but are usually poorly paid and do not have benefits like health insurance or paid sick leave. Adjunct positions may be zero-hours, meaning that there are no guarantees of how much work will be available, and that adjuncts are employed on a semester-to-semester basis. Adjuncts often work at two or more universities, teaching courses wherever work is available. The combination of low pay and poor job security makes working as an adjunct a difficult option for most people, especially those who have student debts to pay off.

A further option for working in academia post-PhD is to take on several part-time roles. This is a useful compromise for those who are unable to relocate for work or who need work while they are searching for a full-time role. Part-time roles could include teaching full courses, covering lessons for other lecturers while they are away, exam marking, writing course syllabi, or acting as student support.

From these options, you should be able to tailor your job search to find the right position for you after you finish your PhD. But don't forget that there are lots of job options for academics outside of academia too . To see the latest postdoc positions available at universities around the world, head to our postdoc jobs section here on INOIMICS.

Photo Credit: Flickr @ steve p2008

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career-advice.jobs.ac.uk

Post PhD, Where Do I Go From Here?

This article focuses on a difficult time in every academic’s career: what to do post PhD.

Congratulations, you have had your viva and your PhD has been awarded, it feels as though you are at the end of a huge journey . However, it is also a time of uncertain futures. There are many paths open to you post PhD, and decisions made at this stage could shape the pattern of your life over the next thirty or forty years so it is vital to take time to consider all your options. Here are some suggestions on how to cope.

Non-Academic Options

While doing your postgraduate work perhaps you decided that going into an academic career based at a university was not for you. You might want to leave your subject and scholarly study behind forever. This doesn’t mean that the skills and knowledge you have acquired in the last seven or so years of study are irrelevant to your future.

You now have to show employers how adaptable you are. Finding a job is challenging, especially if you have gone straight through from school to postgraduate work without years out and have little actual work experience. So, you have to sell your skills by tailoring them to a particular job. You may not know it, but your PhD means that you are:

• self- driven
• a great time keeper
• able to do sustained project design and development

and that you can:

• work within a team
• communicate your ideas at a high level to your peers
• perhaps even manage small budgets

These skills are vital in the workplace of whichever industry and role you decide to go into.

You will also have an intimate knowledge of the university sector itself so do consider going into a non-academic role at universities ; there is a huge variety of these and there are several articles on this site that explain in more detail how to pursue them. However, the commercial sector is increasingly welcoming such highly educated post phd staff so, if that attracts you, then chances are you will be able to land a great job.

Teaching at your institution

If you have decided to stay in academia it can be challenging to make the transition from student to member of staff, but many scholars do find that their institution is able to offer them part-time teaching to build their experience while they find a more permanent academic position. It is a good option because you will be familiar with the department and the way things are done;  perhaps will already have teaching experience there, and so will have less to prepare initially. Because people there know you, they are more likely to help you to make up a portfolio career, for example doing some teaching while working for a permanent member of staff as a research assistant.

On the downside, staying at the same institution can be restrictive for your career. It will mean that your range of experience is narrower; you will only know how things work at that one institution and you will only have experience of teaching on a limited number of courses. It is also easy to get into a comfort zone, which is hard to get out of because it is hard to break out of familiar territory and set off on something new.

If it doesn’t look as though a more permanent and secure job is going to come up at your institution any time soon, it is worth making the break to move the next step up the career ladder.

Part-time temporary teaching elsewhere

If there are no full-time, permanent positions around then it’s worth looking for part-time work in other universities. Your supervisor can help with this because academics often contact each other looking for temporary staff to help out for short periods of time, and often these positions are not advertised publicly if they are to be hourly paid. You may have responsibility for only one unit or class but it will still allow you to present a broader CV to future employers and you will learn a great deal from working with new colleagues and seeing how administrative and management matters work at a different institution.

Taking on roles such as this one can result in practical difficulties such as travelling to and from another institution, often at some distance from your home. It can seem as though you are spending a lot of money getting this job and earning very little, but it will pay off in the end in terms of career development even though financially it may not be hugely beneficial and may actually be somewhat challenging.

Of course, if you can get a postdoctoral research fellowship somewhere this is an ideal first job: it gives you the chance to boost the research and publications side of your CV while working alongside researchers at the top of their game. It also gives you some measure of financial security, for a few years at least.

However, post-doctoral fellowships are extremely competitive, sometimes with hundreds of applicants from across the world applying for one position. Junior Research Fellowships (JRFs) at Oxford and Cambridge regularly come up but these are the most difficult to get as they are the most sought after.

If you had external funding for your PhD and have had a flawless record of submitting your PhD on time, and already have some publications to your name then you have more chance of being considered. If you and your supervisor have been experts at networking then you also might stand a good chance at this stage. If the researcher seeking a postdoc knows you and your work then he or she is more likely to give the position to you than someone approaching them totally out of the blue. If you are able to travel a long way to get this position and will even consider moving overseas then this also improves your chances.

If your aim is to win a postdoc position then it’s important to have a ‘plan B’ as well. It might take you months of waiting before you do land that position.

CV building for the future

Having finished your PhD and passed the viva the last thing you want to do is immediately get down to more research. It used to be possible to take a break after your PhD before coming back to it with fresh eyes later. However, in today’s competitive climate that really isn’t the case.

You need to start work on publications and future plans straight away. Perhaps your PhD would make a great book; if so, start looking around for publishers immediately. If not, then think about breaking it down into articles or smaller reports. You also need to think about going to conferences to keep your research profile high.

Being successful at this stage of your career is all about having the drive to push forward even during times when you may be struggling financially or when permanent, secure jobs are not available. Realistically it may take you several years before you land that dream post PhD job and so don’t let those years slip by while being unproductive. Make sure you can show an employer that you have been building your CV, doing research, publishing and developing your teaching portfolio, even while maybe struggling to make ends meet.

Find your post PhD role here .

For more advice see:

• Career Planning for PhDs
• Getting your post-PhD job during COVID-19
• Turning Your PhD into a Book
• Become a Researcher – 5 Skills You Need

What did you think of our article? - please rate

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Lucie Johnston

Lucie Johnston has worked as a Careers Adviser in Higher Education since 2004 following a successful career running a graduate training scheme. She has particular interests in enterprise within industry, portfolio careers and career changers. Lucie has been published in Prospects and also writes for national features magazines as part of her own portfolio career.

Reader Interactions

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29th August 2023 at 7:19 am

I need to do Post-doc in Education. And require a job in university.

14th October 2023 at 6:41 pm

I have interesting to study a Ph.D

14th October 2023 at 6:42 pm

11th November 2023 at 8:22 pm

Dear Sir/Madam, I am a university lecturer and looking for a Post-doc fellowship in Public Health or Environmental Health or Public Health and Environmental Health Sciences at any university in the UK. I am looking also for a job at a university such as; teaching at the university.

2nd February 2024 at 1:38 am

I have interesting to work with. I have Phd in Computer Software.

18th February 2024 at 1:27 pm

I will like to start a PHD program. These articles published are really helpful. Thank you

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Doctor, doctor … we’re suffering a glut of PhDs who can’t find academic jobs

Only a tiny minority of those with a doctorate manage to find a university post – yet the numbers enrolling for PhDs have never been greater

I f you are taking a PhD, especially in the sciences, look away now. It may be stale news but I’ve just seen a graph from a 2010 Royal Society report suggesting that of every 200 people completing a PhD, only seven will get a permanent academic post. Only one will become a professor.

These figures may look too bad to be true, but who are we to question the Royal Society’s grasp of statistics? What, then, should we make of the calculation that so few people gaining PhDs in the sciences go on to academic careers?

Perhaps it is good news. Many will applaud the fact that there appears to be so much demand in this country for scientific researchers in the private, charity and government sectors.

The arts and humanities and the social sciences may be another matter. Other figures suggest that academic job prospects are a little better in these areas. Even so, the number of academic jobs each year in every subject is far fewer than the number of jobseekers.

In some parts of the social sciences, such as economics, the position is similar to the sciences, with clear employment paths for PhDs outside academia. The arts and humanities are rather different. True, many people with PhDs in Old Norse, the early novels of Disraeli, or the philosophy of time get first-rate jobs outside academia, but their subject training rarely prepares them for the work they end up doing.

It has been a concern for some time that many more PhDs are awarded than are needed in academia. And I mean “for some time”. When I applied to graduate school in the US 30 years ago, among my acceptance papers was a standard letter from the American Philosophical Association giving a bleak warning about the downturn in the academic job market.

The golden age in the UK was the period of rapid growth in the 1960s, with the foundation of the “white-tile” universities of Sussex, Warwick, York, East Anglia and others. Suddenly academics were needed everywhere but supply lines were thin. New talents were plucked from their Oxbridge colleges even before they started serious post-graduate research. David Lodge’s character Philip Swallow (MA) is a symbol of his age.

Expansion continues. There are five times as many students at UK universities than there were in the early 60s, and opportunities for academics have marched forward too, even if not quite in step. But the number of people taking PhDs has risen just as fast. Except for in the late 60s and early 70s, those seeking academic jobs have greatly outweighed the positions available.

This is a puzzle. In many areas, such as medicine, the number of training positions is regulated to match the expected number of jobs. On the other hand, there are mismatches. In law, for example, many people gaining LLBs will not become solicitors or barristers. Why do sectors differ?

Where an employer pays to train its staff it will make sure it doesn’t take on more than it needs. But when students have to fund themselves, employers are in a much better position, not having to worry about wasting their own resources. This is the position the universities are in, and we greatly benefit by being able to pick and choose those who have proved to be the best, rather than taking an early gamble.

Why then, doesn’t the market self-regulate, as Chicago economists assure us it must? Or, in other words, why do so many people continue to enrol for PhDs when the prospects are so uncertain?

Despite our moans about hours of work, pay, and pensions, being an academic is still the best job in the world for those of a particular temperament and talents. It can be worth the struggle and risk simply to have a decent shot.

Jonathan Wolff is professor of philosophy at University College London and dean of arts and humanities

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Most viewed

I was fired from a new job in less than a week after I started. It taught me not every opportunity is a good opportunity.

• Calli Nguyen, 24, was fired from her job as a director of digital marketing after less than a week.
• Nguyen highlights the importance of mental health and employee respect in the workplace.
• She emphasizes Gen Z's unwillingness to settle for toxic work environments.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Calli Nguyen, a 24-year-old social media marketer from Baton Rouge, LA, about getting fired after less than one week of work. It's been edited for length and clarity.

Before I started as the director of digital marketing for a medical spa, I gave my boss the benefit of the doubt because I just wanted a job. What could go wrong?

Turns out, everything.

While I've worked many jobs, this director role was my first time working in digital marketing . I rationalized that maybe I was going through a learning curve; or that I just had the jitters. But on the third day of work, when I left my desk for a quick mental health break, I was fired on the spot. To be fair, I saw the red flags but ignored them.

I read the negative Glassdoor and Google reviews left by former clients and employees. One review said that five employees quit within two weeks. The review underscored that employers should not mistreat their employees regardless of their age. Also, before I even started the job, I agreed to change my role from client care coordinator to director of digital marketing without changing my hourly pay of $16. Yet, immediately after I was fired, I felt like a failure.

I now feel that getting fired after less than a week of employment was a blessing in disguise. The experience taught me that not every opportunity is a good opportunity. But more importantly, protecting my mental health and having employers see the value in me is more important than earning money.

My boss refused to take my advice

I didn't think it was a big deal that my former boss wanted me to switch gears to social media marketing after I applied on Indeed for an office coordinator role. Afterall, I did list my social media marketing skills on my résumé.

After I accepted the new role over the phone with her general manager, I looked forward to honing in on my creative skills while helping a small, independent business grow and gain more customers. But how can I help someone who refuses to listen to my advice?

My boss wanted her social media marketing to look a certain way: showcasing stock photos of attractive women with outdated fonts.

I showed her the analytics on the low-performing social media posts and that I knew how to update her online presence to gain more customers , but she refused to absorb anything I had to say. So I followed her creative lead — until I became overwhelmed by her demands.

I was shocked to find out that my boss wanted more from me than what I produced

On my third day, I started a project to build posts for the company's social media accounts and research her competitors' special offers. I presented everything she asked for. While she seemed happy with my social posts and the offers that I found, she needed more from me.

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Without warning, she asked which products the other medical spas used. I spiraled into a tailspin.

I didn't know anything about specific products in the medical spa industry . I didn't even know what she wanted me to research. She never brought up my level of product knowledge in our initial interview, nor did anyone ask me to find out about the competitors' products when explaining the project to me.

She said I should've known to research the different products used by our competitors. Then, she launched into a list of other deliverables that I should've done. After a few minutes of her feedback, I felt overwhelmed .

Mental health and respect at work are mandatory

I stood up and told her I needed to take a break. So, I walked toward the front door.

She tried stopping me. I didn't give in. I already vowed to never let anyone disrespect me at work. I said, "Ma'am, respectfully, I need to step outside and take a breather. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She fired me, saying that I wasn't going to work out for her. I thought to myself, "Oh, awesome," as I tried to keep my demeanor professional. I was so pissed off.

To be fair, I wanted to quit , so she got me before I got her. As I approached the front desk, I looked at the general manager and trainer and told them that I was fired. The general manager offered me a recommendation letter despite all the drama.

I said goodbye to my coworkers after 2.5 days

I felt like a failure after two days and about six hours of work on day three. I said goodbye to my coworkers and told them that I was fired as I walked out the door for the last time. But I really felt depressed too.

I texted "9-1-1" to my mom while she was at work and started sobbing on the phone with her in the parking lot. I kept apologizing to her for being a failure, even though I knew I worked in a toxic environment .

Afterward, I spent a month in bed while working remotely for another company.

I've been in the workforce since I was about 16 or 17 years old and have worked with various age groups. That said, some Gen Z workers are lazy and unreliable, and I've seen the TikToks that say that Gen Z is rude, too. At the same time, we want what everyone else wants: for our employers to value us, to enjoy our jobs and work environment, and to receive proper training so that we'll thrive.

Gen Z knows that there's somewhere better for us

While the older generations might have put up with toxic work environments, we're speaking up for ourselves and not settling.

I'm more than happy to receive constructive criticism, as long as the feedback does not cross the line into degradation and disrespect. The workforce continuously changes , and employers must be open to flexibility, growth, and change.

Gen Z knows that there's somewhere better for us if we don't get what we want out of a job — that's why I'm working at a reputable advertising agency that respects me, advocates for mental health, and cultivates a fun and enjoyable work environment.

As an employee, it's not on me if a boss doesn't want to learn or be flexible. I can't help a boss to grow, and I can't grow in a toxic environment , right?

If you're a Gen Z worker and want to share your story, email Manseen Logan at [email protected] .

Watch: How Gen Z will change the workplace, according to LinkedIn's CMO

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