What researchers have to offer
When you are applying for jobs, both within and outside of academia, you need to be able to talk about the skills you have developed throughout your PhD and the strengths which you are good at and enjoy.
It is important not to think of it as ‘just’ another qualification but as a job you have been doing for the past several years. The jobs you are applying for may not require the specialism you have developed through your research, but they will certainly be looking for many of the skills and strengths you have developed while doing that research.
As well as an expert in your area, employers will value your skill set which includes skills such as analytical, communication, and project management skills.
These are all transferable skills that can be used in a variety of jobs and industries. Transferable skills can be developed through your interests and any placements or part-time jobs you have had as well as throughout your PhD.
What do researchers go on to do?
Vitae is a non-profit programme who support the professional development of researchers by undertaking research, creating training and resources, running events, and providing consultancy and membership for researchers in the UK. The university has an institutional licence to Vitae, simply register using your University of Nottingham email address.
According to their 2022 publication What do researchers do?:
- 90% of doctoral researchers entered the workforce on completion of their PhD (higher than those with undergraduate or master’s degrees)
- Just under 50% went into higher education
- 10% into research outside of higher education
- 27% ‘other common doctoral occupations’.
The research showed that high proportions of doctoral graduates felt that their work used their skills or knowledge, was meaningful, fitted their career plans.
The value of a PhD
The report illustrates the prominent aspects of a PhD which are valued in the workplace with:
- 62% of respondents said their doctorate was required for their job and
- 24% said it was an advantage
Using their skills and experiences
The report also shows that a significant proportion of doctoral graduates used their doctoral experiences all or most of the time across all occupational categories, for example:
- Research skills. 70% used their research skills in their role. The proportions of who used these skills are high across all types of job, not just in jobs as researchers.
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- Over 60% conducted or interpreted and evaluated research
- Over 90% of those in higher education research jobs conduct research (compared to 20% in ‘other’ occupations)
- 90% in common doctoral occupations used their research skills or worked with research findings most of the time
- Working autonomously. Over 80% said they worked autonomously with only 11% working under close supervision most or all of the time
- Teamworking. Over 50% said they worked as part of a team most or all the time and only 10% said they hardly ever or never do
- Utilising their knowledge. Over 70% draw on knowledge from their research degree at least occasionally, with only 15% saying they never do
Recognising your transferable skills - watch these videos
Watch the following videos with postgraduate researchers talking about the skills they have developed throughout their studies and how these can translate to different careers.
You might find them useful to gain ideas about how to talk about the skills you have and what you have to offer future employers.
Julia Ravey, 5 transferable skills from a PhD
Julia has a PhD in neuroscience and now works as a producer for science programmes on the BBC.
In this 24-minute video, she talks about how her PhD helped her develop skills in working independently, long-term planning, public speaking, critical analysis, and handling failure, and how these skills translate to her job.
She starts talking about transferable skills from 6mins 54 seconds.
Dr. Gertrude Nonterah, 7 PhD Career Skills You Won't Believe You Already Have
Gertrude has a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology and now works in medical communications and marketing at a large biotech company.
In this nine-minute video, she talks about the biggest skills she developed throughout her PhD and gives examples.
She talks about resilience, self-motivation, time management, synthesising information, writing (from your thesis to funding bids), problem solving, and communication.
Techne AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership, What Careers Might My PhD in Arts and Humanities Lead To? Film 9 of 15
In this four-minute video, a selection of arts and humanities staff and students talk about the skills gained through their research and how this can help them in their careers.
They discuss developing your knowledge and experience within the arts and culture sector, networking and confidence building, strengthening communication skills, teaching, learning new models of working, project management, and writing and researching.
Andy Stapleton, PhD Graduates 101: What I Wish I Knew
This 10-minute video from Andy is about the skills you develop throughout your PhD and how to articulate them to an employer.
He talks about communication skills, domain knowledge, data analysis, project management, interpersonal skills, teaching and mentoring, and how you can demonstrate these skills in a job application.
Throughout your PhD, you will have been developing your soft or transferable skills, which are general traits not specific to any job which most employers look for when recruiting. These are character traits and interpersonal skills that impact how you work and interact with other people.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Education and Skills Survey explores the skills valued by employers.
The 2022 report 
consolidates research into 273 businesses of all sizes and sectors across the UK. The report identified the biggest areas for investment over the next five years were
- industry-specific technical knowledge
- leadership and management skills
- advanced digital skills
Other areas include communication and customer skills, teamwork, planning and organising skills and critical thinking and problem solving. 15% of respondents reported an increase in demand for people with postgraduate degree skills.
Further reading
As you read the articles, can you think of examples where you can demonstrate these skills?
Forbes: 11 Essential Soft Skills In 2024 (With Examples)
LinkedIn: The Most In-Demand Skills for 2024
What specific skills do different sectors require?
If you already have a specific sector in mind, relevant professional bodies often conduct surveys of their members, focusing on skills shortages. This should help you to identify valuable skills to emphasise in job applications. For example:
- In 2023 the UK Space Agency provided a report into space skills across UK businesses, government and academia.
- ScreenSkills ‘Skills checklists’ are industry-approved lists of the skills and responsibilities required for departments and roles across film and TV.
- In 2022, The Publishers Association undertook a survey of members to understand the issues facing different types of publishers. For example, data analysis or ability to manage own time and prioritise tasks were skills lacking in the sector. Read the report.
- The 2022 Skills for a digital future survey by The Institution of Engineering and Technology assesses the UK’s digital skills gap, its impact on employers, and potential solutions to the challenge.
Where to look for information
Sector Skills Councils often provide relevant information on their websites. A list of them, with contact details and website addresses, can be found on the Sector Skills Development Agency website.
You could also look at job adverts posted on sites like Indeed, The Guardian Jobs, Times Higher Education, or jobs.ac.uk.
Read through the adverts, highlight the skills mentioned and think ‘what have I done that could demonstrate this’? Make notes as you go along to use when writing your own job applications.
Next steps
Task 1: Identifying your skills
Are you finding it challenging to articulate the skills you have developed throughout your PhD?
Rather than thinking of the programme as a whole, try breaking it down into individual activities and experiences you have had and making notes about the skills you needed to do them. See the table below with an example of how you can do this.
Brainstorm all the activities you have taken part in as part of your PhD and write these in the first column. Here are some examples of activities you might have done:
- Writing a journal article
- Taking part in committees/panels in your department
- Using archives to research
- Interviewing participants
- Reading and summarising others’ research
- And, of course, writing your thesis!
In the second column, breakdown the steps involved in this activity, from start to finish. Finally, in the third column, think about the skills required for each of these stages.
Examine an activity to identify what it involved and the skills demonstrated
| Activity | Tasks | Skills |
|---|
| Presenting at a conference |
Applying with an abstract
Writing a paper
Creating a presentation
|
Understanding a brief and selecting appropriate content for my audience
Communicating new research to a specialist audience
Using Microsoft Office (PowerPoint)
|
Task 2: Focus on your strengths
What is a strength?
A strength is something that you do well, enjoy doing, and are naturally good at.
Using these strengths in your work can provide a sense of fulfilment, boost your confidence, and enhance your engagement with your tasks.
Research has shown that when people are able to use their strengths at work, they experience higher levels of happiness, better performance, and stronger relationships with customers and colleagues.
Why discover your strengths?
Identifying your strengths allows you to increase your self-awareness, which can help you set more focused career goals and develop strategies for achieving them. Additionally, organisations benefit when their employees are operating in roles that align with their natural strengths, leading to better overall performance and satisfaction.
Benefits of identifying your strengths
- Increased happiness and confidence. By focusing on what you do well, you’re more likely to feel motivated and confident in your abilities.
- Better performance. Using your strengths at work can make tasks easier and lead to higher quality output.
- Career satisfaction. Knowing and utilising your strengths can guide you towards roles or projects that align with your natural capabilities, leading to more career fulfilment.
Find out more
- Login to Moodle and learn how to gain insights into your strengths using the core summary and the deep dive into strengths profiling
- One-to-one strengths coaching: Once you have engaged with Moodle, you may wish to book an appointment with a strengths-trained career professional to talk about how strengths profiling may help your career development
Task 3: Journaling includes a video
If you are at a stage in your PhD where you are having new experiences and exploring the various avenues of academia, you might find it useful to make notes, at the end of each day or week, or when you have been to a particular event or completed a task.
This will help you to recognise the skills you are developing.
Think about:
- What you have achieved and what you have found challenging
- What skills have those experiences required?
- Are you confident you have the necessary skills to conquer those challenges or do you feel like you want to work on them?
Ciara Feely, PhD student Transferable Skills Tracking in A4 Bullet Journal Research Diary
In this six- minute video, Ciara explains how she uses her journal to track skills she wants to develop throughout her PhD.
The skills she is tracking include personal organisation, teamwork and leadership, media and science communication, and careers management.
She rates each skill out of 10 and notes what she needs to do to improve her score in each.
This might be a useful video to watch to see how someone talks about their transferable skills, even if you do not use a journal (although this might inspire you to start one!)