Articles Written By Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Unemployment rates are low and monthly job reports are high. So why can't highly skilled, highly educated job seekers get hired?

To counteract the overqualified label, PhDs should focus on tailoring their application to match the job's requirements closely.

This is your chance to dispel any concerns about your overqualification and to demonstrate how your background can be an asset.

Understanding why industry employers may view PhDs as overqualified and recognizing the signs can empower candidates to navigate job applications more effectively.

By the time I started my industry job search, I was desperate. I was nearing the end of my PhD and my proverbial plate had never felt so full. Between final experiments, last drafts, and defense presentations, I had dedicated virtually no time to my job search. The little effort and time I was able put into it felt very arbitrary and unfocused I wasn’t even sure what job I wanted. All I knew was that I needed a job – and fast. Needless to say, when I finally did find myself seated in front of a hiring manager, I…

Showing that you’re not just looking for a job but are deeply interested in the work itself indicates a naturally critical and analytical mindset.

Answering "Why are you leaving academia?" offers a unique opportunity to showcase your motivations, aspirations, and the value you bring to industry.

By understanding how to project certainty through consensus, repetition, ease, and preparedness to defend your qualifications, you can more effectively persuade interviewers of your suitability for the role.

One of the biggest mistakes PhDs make when interviewing is not adapting to the interviewer's communication style.

Avoiding these mistakes requires self-awareness, preparation, and the ability to adapt to the dynamics of the interview.

Recently, I spoke with an absolutely brilliant physicist. She had a decade of groundbreaking research under her belt, was well-respected and well-known in academia, and she was ready to make the move to an industry career.  And she was stumped.  She couldn’t understand why her job applications had been hitting a brick wall for the last few months. Despite her impressive credentials and numerous publications, she hadn’t received a single interview invitation in months.  The worst part? She’d already stepped away from the research and teaching that had been sustaining her financially.  When she doubled back, thinking maybe it just…

Applying to multiple jobs at the same company at once can be perceived as unfocused or desperate, which is not the first impression you want to make.