So you're doing a PhD... But what's next?
Congratulations! You are one of the lucky few who has been selected to do a PhD; a great achievement. But you will soon have completed your adventures within traditional education after what is likely to have been over two decades of hard work. Now is the time to be thinking about your next move.
Deciding what to do after a PhD can be incredibly difficult and many find it tricky. However, you also have a great opportunity. The number of choices available to you may be staggering and, if you are ambitious they may also be very competitive, but having a PhD puts you in a good position. Even if you don't have years of paid work experience, you have proven you have a lot of the skills many employers are looking for.
The first major decision: do you want to stay in academia or not? Below are some of the conventional options inside and outside of academia for newly graduated PhD holders and some of the considerations you will have to take into account when choosing whether one of them will be the right move for you.
Academic
Research
If you want to stay in academic research then getting a postdoctoral research fellowship is the ideal situation. They will give you the ability to do a decent amount of research, publish papers in an academic journal and work with people at the top of their fields. However, postdoc positions are incredibly competitive and there are never enough to go round. If you are willing to, and your personal circumstances allow it, going abroad will improve your chances of successfully finding a full-time academic position.
Even if you are able to get on to one, it is likely to be a few months after you have finished your PhD so you may need to find something else in the meantime. Sitting idle during this time will not be good for your CV. Both academic and industrial employers want to see that you are motivated to get the position you really want. So make sure you are doing something constructive during this time.
Teaching
One thing you can do either temporarily or for an extended period is to try and get some part-time teaching work at the institution you were at during your PhD. Knowing some of the academics will help you to find classes to teach and you might also be able to do some work as a research assistant or a lab technician at the same time. However, going to a new institution or finding a slightly different area of study will be an excellent way of showing the diversity of your abilities over the long term.
If you decide you would like to go to a different institution, it is likely that your supervisor may know of some part-time teaching work available elsewhere, particularly if they are a good networker. Many of these temporary positions are not publicly advertised making them a great opportunity (if you know the right people).
These early teaching positions are generally not very financially rewarding and can be hard work but it will pay off over time, with the addition of skills on your CV helping you get a permanent position in the future.
Non-academic
Research
If your PhD is in science or engineering then there are a number of non-academic institutions and private research facilities that need skilled researchers with experience of working in labs or on research and development teams. Your PhD is not just proof of your experience but also proof of your ability to get results and present them, something that employers from industry will be relying on.
Finance/Business/Other
Another option for people with a PhD in science or mathematics is to move into finance or business. The analytical and numerical skills that they have developed whilst completing their courses will be very beneficial in both of these fields.
These skills will also be useful to the civil services, local governments or other employers who require policies to be analysed or created (e.g. charities).
In addition, the writing and editing skills acquired may be applicable to editorial roles at academic journals, newspapers and magazines.
As a successful PhD graduate, you have a great number of options available to you when you finish. During your PhD, you will have gained a large range of skills. Many of these will be transferable to all kinds of disciplines inside and outside of academia and as such you are a potential asset to a number of employers. With some positivity, ambition and perseverance you should find yourself in a good role to help start your career.
And if none of these ideas appeal to you then you can always do something completely different. The chances are part of your experience will benefit you in finding a role in virtually any industry or sector.
)