Articles Written By Catherine Sorbara, Ph.D.

The average work week is 38.7 hours long and the average American works an average of 46.8 weeks in a year (Pew Research). There are only 52 weeks in an entire year. Ultimately, your workplace is where you will spend 90% of your year. Before you make a commitment to spend so much of your time somewhere, you need to do your research. One of the biggest things you need to understand is company culture. Company culture is everything from how the company is organized, to how they communicate, to how they dress — and, it’s all important. 89% of…

Are you still doubting the value of networking in your job search? A report in the Academy of Management Journal showed that successful industry professionals spend 70% more time networking than their less successful counterparts. And, Forbes reported that 80% of job openings are never advertised. The only way to achieve success and to have access to the hidden job market is to network with people in industry. But, are you networking to the fullest? If you are only networking online, from the comfort of your couch, then you are not getting all the benefits of networking. In-person contact is…

To get hired as fast as possible, in-person networking should be a high priority in your job search. The words we choose when communicating are only 7% of how we actually communicate (Psychology Today). And, when networking online through emails and messaging, word choice is the only part of your communication that is coming across. The most important components of how we communicate — such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice — are left out of online networking. That means the only way to fully communicate with someone is in person. As PhDs, many of us are…

Women are underrepresented in STEM careers. Only 14.5% of engineers are women, only 26.4% of math and computer science positions are filled by women, and only 27.8% of professionals working in the physical sciences are women (National Science Foundation). As a woman with a PhD who is looking to get hired in the STEM fields, you are a minority. And, this makes networking very important. Because, as a PhD, you are qualified for more than just an entry position in industry. You have the technical and transferable skills required to secure a management position in industry. But, women are also…

LinkedIn is a great platform to find and connect with industry professionals. It allows you to reach out to people who work at the companies you are interested in that you would not have had access to otherwise. To make the most of LinkedIn as a way to connect with people at your target companies, you can use the LinkedIn search feature, get introductions from people in your current network, and look at the company website to find specific people you want to reach out to. For the most effective use of LinkedIn, you should use a combination of these…

According to Jobvite, 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to screen candidates. These recruiters use LinkedIn to judge not only your qualifications, but also how you would fit into the company. Your professional profile is your first impression on new connections and potential employers. A study at Cornell University, as reported by Science Daily, found that first impressions, although formed in seconds, can alter the way you are perceived even after 6 months. In other words, there is really no overcoming a bad first impression — you must do all you can to make the best first impression possible, which includes…

As a PhD, you have spent years developing your technical skills. You are an expert in your field (there is no doubt about that), but you must have certain transferable skills to succeed in industry. And, believe it or not, you already have many of these “soft skills”. A recent study found that graduate school equips PhDs with many of the transferable skills they need to succeed in industry (PLOS). And, these transferable skills are key to being successful in an industry position. 57% of business leaders identified soft skills as more important than hard skills (LinkedIn). That means not…

Do not execute your job search as merely a way to get away from academia. As a PhD, you deserve to have a fulfilling job that you enjoy. To reach that goal, you must take the time to figure out what you want from a job, and then implement a strategic job search to reach that goal. To figure out if you will enjoy a position, you should consider the career growth trajectory for the position, the culture of the company, the salary level and compensation, the work-life balance, and the location. Each of these factors is important in finding…

Recruiters are a great resource to use during your job search. But, you must make a good impression on the recruiter by approaching them in an appropriate way. Make sure you avoid common mistakes when reaching out to recruiters such as: trying to make small talk, contacting recruiters from a field unrelated to your target jobs, asking about only one specific position, having an unprofessional LinkedIn profile or resume, and not providing the recruiter with the information they need in the very first message you send them. As a PhD, you are valuable and recruiters can connect you with opportunities…

Many PhDs make the mistake of ignoring LinkedIn, and their job search suffers as a result. LinkedIn is used by recruiters and other industry professionals, so it is essential that you have a top notch profile. To make your LinkedIn profile stand out from the 500 million other people on LinkedIn, you should strive to increase dwell time, include keywords and transferable skills throughout your profile, add value by posting regularly to pulse, and delete irrelevant skills and endorsements. The 7 hacks outlined here will increase the visibility of your LinkedIn profile and help you get industry interviews.

Women PhDs are poised to enter into leadership roles and yet many don’t have the confidence to go for them. The truth is that women with PhDs have an opportunity to impact corporate culture and societal change in unique ways with their strengths and experience. Many let imposter syndrome and a lack of confidence hold them back. But, businesses and society alike need women to find their voice and use it to enact change. Here are three reasons why women with PhDs need to be in leadership roles in industry.

Academia is not the only place for you if you have a humanities PhD. There are not enough jobs for the number of PhDs, so it’s important to start leveraging your transferable skills and start building your network. Alternative networks and careers exist that are perfect for you with companies that will value your skills. Here are 10 alternative careers in industry that humanities PhDs should consider targeting in their industry transition.