After reading the following News article on YLE that highlighted the struggles PhD graduates face in finding employment in Finland, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own experience. Of course, the times are different now, but it reminded me of how naive I was during my PhD which I started back in 2010. I assumed that after I had amassed the specialised skills and experience I’d easily find a job.
That is, until reality hit when my research funding ran out before I had graduated and couldn’t secure continued funding. I didn’t know which companies valued my specialization enough to hire me. I hadn’t built enough connections in the private sector (granted I was in Joensuu, a small town east of Finland, with not that many companies).
Looking back, I wish I had held more conversations early on with my supervisors about the skills I was gaining and how they could be applied outside of Academia: Who would value those skills; What is the best way to showcase my skills to them (especially as listing research papers is not necessarily that impressive for many companies). For every PhD student or supervisor reading this, I encourage you to have this discussion way before graduation. It matters.
What worked in my favor was my Networking within the university (a skill I owe to my mother). Networking and making connections allowed me to work on different projects that introduced me to new people that increased my knowledge of opportunities available.
The article also made me think about the transferable skills I gained and how I am still currently benefiting from them in the private sector, which is what I wanted to share. These skills include:
1. Independent work
Research is, at its core, independent work. Yes, you collaborate with supervisors, co-authors, and colleagues—but the bulk of it falls on you. You conduct the literature review, identify research gaps, experiment with methodologies, analyze data, interpret results, and think about future applications.
In my current job, there’s less independent work and more teamwork, but the confidence I built during my PhD—knowing I can handle tasks on my own—makes me not afraid to take on and lead certain tasks.
2. Adding value
As a PhD student, your work is peer-reviewed by experts in your field. If your research doesn’t address a gap or offer something new, it’s not considered valuable. That mindset stays with me. In my current work, I try to always ask what value we are creating for our customers or partners, what is missing from the market that we can fill, basically try to offer something meaningful.
3. Embracing failure
I’ll never forget the sinking feeling I had when my first conference paper was rejected. It stung. But over time, I learned to embrace failure. I learned that the rejection of my work is not a rejection of me. Instead, I try to learn what went wrong, revise, and try again—or look for other opportunities. A skill I use today when ideas are rejected or feature releases do not live up to their promise.
If you’ve done a PhD, what transferable skills are you still applying today?
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