It is a common misconception that choosing to do a PhD narrows your career pathway to the world of academia. However, for many of our alumni, the skills and experiences they gained during their research degree have led to a range of diverse and exciting careers outside of academic research.
A new series of postgraduate research alumni profiles, supported by Research England’s Enhancing Research Culture funding, showcases this diversity. Alumni stories from across Arts, Engineering, Science, Health, and Life Sciences reveal the breadth of skills and experiences a PhD can provide.
“The PhD has shaped my career path in the sense that it gave me some really tangible skills that are super important for me now in my current role”
Dr Michael Limb, Finance & Strategy Manager, Google
Here are five unexpected skills or insights that our PhD alumni say have boosted their non-academic career journey.
1. Communication skills: Vital to any job. A PhD often involves liaising with diverse stakeholders, from research participants to supervisors and other academics. Watch Matthew talking about the communication skills he gained during his postgraduate research.
2. Resilience: Key to success in a PhD. There are many hurdles and pitfalls to overcome as you progress in your research, and navigating these sets you up to be confident in your ability to deal with challenges. Watch Syano’s story to find out more about building confidence by overcoming challenges.
3. Project management: A PhD is a large and complex project, spanning several years. Nothing could be more effective at honing and demonstrating your project management skills! Watch James discuss what he learned about project management during his PhD:
4. Time Management: The challenge of a PhD in researching a topic over an extended period, staying motivated, and breaking down your end goal into weeks, months and years can really help to master this skill. Watch Zoe’s story to find out more about the importance of time management during long-term projects:
5. Problem solving: The process of continually exploring new ideas, coming up against problems and working independently cultivates a constant learning mindset; a skill that you can apply to any job. Watch Amanda talk about what she learned about maintaining a growth mindset:
These videos were created by the Bristol Doctoral College, with the help of our alumni. You can access the whole series on the University of Bristol’s YouTube channel.
If you have any questions about this blog article or the resources shown, please get in touch with the BDC directly at: doctoral-college@bristol.ac.uk.