Transferable skills are skills you acquire or learn in one setting that can be applied or translated to new and different settings, environments, and activities. Doctoral students often fall into the trap of seeing their skills as applicable in only one setting, thus do not recognize that they are qualified for a wide variety of career paths. Don’t let this happen to you! In the table below you will find a list of skills most sought after by employers. In the final column of the table are examples of activities that demonstrate these essential skills. For several of the skills you can also take online assessments to identify which areas you still need to develop.
Skill | Definition of skill | Assessment | What you can do in graduate school to develop this skill |
Adaptability | Ability to learn and adapt at a high level, self-confident, think quickly on your feet, and respond appropriately to large amounts of information. | | Engage in multiple projects |
Analytic skills | Ability to synthesize and understand complex content, problem solve, consider the big picture while managing details, apply advanced research methods, make decisions consistently about abstract information, and exercise good judgement. | | |
Balance & Resilience | Ability to balance multiple tasks simultaneously, integrate the products of your work with those of others to meet the multiple missions of your organization, and maintain a satisfying personal life | | Engage in structured interests and hobbies outside of graduate school |
Communication | Ability to coherently organize material for others, facilitate discussions, speak up effectively, and share your voice. | | |
Communication (Oral) | Ability to speak effectively in any forum relevant to the job title at different levels, convey complex information to diverse audiences, and present in front of large or small groups. | | Presentations to general (not discipline-specific) audiences, e.g. International Speakers Program for international students |
Communication (Written) | Ability to write effectively in any forum relevant to the job title at different levels, edit, and proofread. | | Proposal-writing (especially if proposal is accepted Grant-writing (especially if grant is awarded) Research Manuscripts |
Conflict resolution, negotiation | Ability to negotiate and resolve conflict with diverse stakeholders to advance the mission of an organization | | |
Cultural, international experience | Training that promotes understanding among cultures and countries | | Study, work, and/or research abroad |
Discipline-specific | Specific knowledge acquired through coursework and research in discipline | | Coursework Research Teaching |
Ethics & Integrity | The possession of appropriate personal
and professional values and the ability to make sound judgments based
upon these in work-related situations2 | | Attend the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research workshop series |
Follow through/ Ability to complete tasks/ Get things done | Ability to manage and complete multiple projects in a timely and efficient manner. Possess tenacity, stamina, and focus necessary for degree completion. Take initiative. | | Publish papers Degree completion Plan events |
Fundraising, monetary | Experience raising money or managing budgets to support a research goal or a mission of an organization | | Involvement in MSU student group fundraising and budgeting activities |
Independent, self-starter | Attribute of a person who is motivated to accomplish new endeavors on his or her own | | |
Intelligence | Capable of learning and retaining information quickly, asking intellectual questions, and evidencing intellectual maturity. | | |
Inter-, multi-disciplinary | Training that crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought | | |
Interpersonal | Ability to engage in cooperative learning and produce products with a team of people | | Work on a team project Coauthor a research paper |
Leadership (Personnel/ management) | Process of managing personnel or cooperators in an organization | | Incorporate undergraduate interns into research program |
Leadership (Program) | The process of leading and developing projects that fall within a mission of an organization | | Incorporate undergraduate interns into research program |
Networking & Collaboration | Ability to identify and bring together many individuals on the basis of common ideas or goals; develop partnerships | | Develop partnerships with organizations outside of university to answer research |
Organization | Ability to manage a project, organize, plan, and manage research/work, maintain records, navigate complex environments, organize and plan events, prepare programs, panels, or presentations, and recruit others to participate. | | |
Outreach | Ability to connect ideas or practices to the efforts of other organizations, groups, specific audiences or the general public | | Develop partnerships with organizations outside of university to answer research questions of interest to the organization Presentations to general (not discipline-specific) audiences, e.g. International Speakers Program for international students |
Project Management | Process of managing projects that fall within a mission of an organization | | Organize a conference Fundraising Incorporate undergraduate interns into research program Manage volunteers during graduate research Organize an event outside of department or university |
Research | The ability to define a problem, identify relevant resources, define parameters, synthesize and cite the work of others, prioritize and assign tasks, and effectively collaborate with other researchers and staff | | Thesis, dissertation, or creative event |
Self-direction/ Entrepreneurial skills | Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, thrive in a competitive environment, perform effectively under pressure, self-motivate, and manage large, self-directed projects. | | |
Supervision | Ability to objectively evaluate the performance of others and/or monitor and oversee the work of others. | | Grading Teaching |
Technical, information technology | Competency in using basic and specific software and technical tools | | Engage in work or research using technology (beyond coursework) |
Work Ethic | Ability to evidence self-discipline, track records of achievement, meet high expectations, care about work performance, and work hard. | | |
1 Contents of table are adapted from Blickley, et al. (2012). “Graduate Student’s Guide to Necessary Skills for Nonacademic Conservation Careers.” Conservation Biology, 27:1.
2 Winterton, Delamare - Le Deist, and Stringfellow (2006). “Typology of knowledge, skills and competences: clarification of the concept and prototype.”
FAQs
A Variety of Opportunities and Options
PhD holders may enter the corporate, non-profit, and government worlds as policy analysts, consultants, human resource managers, and program managers.
Is a PhD a good career move? ›
A PhD can widen your career options, but you might want to consider the steep price of transitioning from corporate life to academic life before taking on an advanced degree.
What is expected from a PhD holder? ›
Successful completion of a PhD program typically requires that you write a dissertation or conduct a significant research project on a specific topic related to your field. Most programs have students go through an oral defense to demonstrate mastery of the dissertation topic and describe its contribution to the field.
Is a PhD worth it if not going into academia? ›
Proponents of the PhD argue that it is worthwhile even if it does not lead to permanent academic employment. Not every student embarks on a PhD wanting a university career and many move successfully into private-sector jobs in, for instance, industrial research.
Should I stay in academia after PhD? ›
But after getting your PhD, your entire focus should be directed towards transitioning out of academia and into industry roles. Don't get stuck in apathy, staying in academia will bring you more harm than help. Make your job search your top priority. Academia will not help you get a job.
How do PhD students make a living? ›
Apart from part-time jobs, many international PhD students earn money through teaching or research assistantships offered by their universities. These positions not only provide financial support but also valuable experience in their field of study.
What is an ideal PhD candidate? ›
In the competitive academic world, PhD programs seek candidates with a mix of qualities for successful academic research. Alongside strong academic achievements, they look for discipline, self-motivation, and the ability to face challenges, among other skills.
How to sell your PhD? ›
Put your PhD story in writing and share it with friends
Write your story imagining a hiring manager reading it. Don't get too technical but don't use super flowery language either. Once you've finished a draft, share it with friends in and out of your field in industry. Those in your field can give specific tips.
What is the dropout rate for PhD students? ›
Roughly 25%, or a quarter, of PhD students drop out before finishing their degree. This number varies, though, from course to course and from country to country. For instance, the dropout percentage of PhD students in the US is higher, roughly 50%, or half.
Is a PhD or MD harder? ›
A PhD is the highest possible academic degree. Earning a PhD is often considered harder than earning an MD due to the scientific research required to stimulate original thought and develop quality hypotheses.
Career Opportunities after a PhD
They are needed at different places in society and the academic skills prepare one for a wide array of challenges. In general, the most natural job choice after a PhD is becoming a University professor, Industrial R&D Lab professionals and Start-ups mentor.
Are PhD graduates overqualified? ›
Being seen as overqualified is something that we PhDs have to face when trying to transition from academia to industry or even from one sector of industry to another. This feedback of being overqualified, while disheartening, is rooted in various concerns from the employer's perspective.
Does a PhD boost your salary? ›
Besides the fact that a PhD increases salary, there are other benefits to earning this advanced degree. Earning a PhD will not only increase your salary, but it will also allow you to work in any field you desire. While you're in school, you can apply to jobs outside of academia, giving you more career options.
Is getting a PhD a big deal? ›
Reputation Building. Jokes aside, earning a PhD earns you credibility. Employers, whether within academia or off-campus, understand the discipline, knowledge, and tenacity required to complete a doctoral program. In most cases, completing a PhD program is enough for others in your field to consider you an expert.
How to get a non-academic job as a PhD? ›
Take time to explore some fields, learn the necessary skills, day-to-day responsibilities, and how others have used their PhD. Join related LinkedIn groups and get familiar with professional associations related to your industry interests. Consider what you have learned and identify a few areas of particular interest.
Is PhD considered academia? ›
A PhD is an academic degree focused on original research, data analysis, and the evaluation of theory. A professional doctorate focuses on applying research to practical problems, formulating solutions to complex issues, and designing effective professional practices within your field.
Can you do research outside academia? ›
The research environment outside academia may differ in many ways from what you are used to within academia. Projects will tend to have much faster turn-around times, requiring a very different pace of work, and have an emphasis on 'practical' application of knowledge.
Is it hard to get a job with a PhD? ›
When you have a PhD, companies may think you'll get bored with entry-level work, expect a higher salary, or leave for a better position as soon as possible. And in many ways, they're right — a PhD grad is likely overqualified for basic jobs in their field.
