Does Completing a PhD Increase Your Employability?

Have you been thinking about continuing your education with a PhD but a wondering if it will help with your employability. We’ve got the data you need to help you make the best career decision for you.

In the modern knowledge-driven 21st century, employers all across the board seek highly educated and experienced personnel to add to their board of staff. Having said that, PhD graduates are one of the highly sought-after and skilled candidates in the domain of human capital. Their skills are highly utilised in the fields of either academia or research-based organisations in the market, as the skills gathered by them in research and analysis for their thesis during the PhD tenure are unmatched and highly diverse.

So the question remains, does a PhD qualification improve your employability?

Statistics in favour of a PhD

According to the Longitudinal DLHE survey conducted by HESA on the outcomes of employment of graduated PhD candidates in the United Kingdom, 77.5% of the PhD graduates were able to get into full-time positions 3.5 years after their graduation. While 8.2% of the PhD graduates were able to engage themselves in part-time work during the same period. Thus, 85.7% of the survey candidates were able to find jobs within 3.5 years of their graduation from PhD.

According to their findings, PhD graduates are highly employable as the majority of the students either find a job or start to pursue higher training in terms of Post-Doctoral programs.

The Non-academic attributes

The attributes possessed by PhD graduates are highly recognised, not only in the field of academia but also by the industry. Some of the demanded skill sets by employers in PhD graduates include a high degree of problem-solving and the determination to identify innovative and relatively better methods to solve arduous challenges. Moreover, having a PhD degree adds to the characteristics of the candidate and to the credibility of the employing organisation.

Apart from that, employing organisations seek abilities in their employees such as data analytics, project management, and interpersonal skills, which are ingrained in the characteristics of PhD graduates. These skillsets are gathered inherently while preparing for a PhD, which employers highly value in the today’s time. These peripheral qualities demonstrate great attractiveness among employers for non-academic profiles.

Employers have identified that a PhD is no longer solely an academia-based professional course. The present-day PhD candidates are highly versatile and diverse as they inculcate a wide range of transferable skills. The experience they have during their PhD work, including voluntary work, assisting professors in classes, giving presentations, and so on, has a lasting impact on their employability.

Universities enhancing the employability of PhD graduates

Nowadays, universities have also understood the changing patterns of the skill set required in the modern-day job market. Therefore, they have also developed programmes and implemented new changes in the existing programmes that encourage developing skillsets to increase the employability of PhD candidates, including developing administrative and leadership skills, apart from enhancing academic skills. Nowadays, many PhD graduates are moving into the field of highly lucrative jobs instead of going into academic research and teaching.

In a nutshell, a PhD really does increase your employability. This is because PhD graduates offer a strong inquiring approach and attitude, unparalleled analytical skill set with perseverant problem-solving psyche, a comprehensive self-confidence to display their ideas, and lucid and eloquent writing and speaking skills, among others.

If you are thinking of pursuing a PhD to increase your employability, our PhD expert writers can help. From PhD proposal writing help to thesis chapter writing help, Original PhD has your back.