Create a career with your PhD
With a PhD degree from Aarhus BSS, you are very well-equipped for an excellent career - also outside academia. In fact, you possess a number of skills that are increasingly in demand in both the private and public sector.
It can be both stressful and nerve-wrecking being close to finishing your PhD or postdoc without knowing what the future holds. Maybe you don’t want to continue in academia, maybe it’s not a possibility, but then what should you do? And can you even apply all the things you’ve learnt during your PhD or postdoc in the “real” world?
Yes, is the resounding answer from Per Baltzer Overgaard, who is the vice-dean for talent and research at Aarhus BSS. He is convinced that a PhD from Aarhus BSS gives your career a good head start - also outside the university walls. In fact, the PhD degree is in high demand in both public and private companies and for many good reasons, he says:
“During your PhD, you acquire a set of very strong analytical and methodological skills which enable you to add great value to companies in both the private and public sector. You can handle a lot of interesting jobs and can contribute to solving complex challenges that require a substantial analytical and methodological overview. This might be the reason that PhD graduates often get ahead in their career rather quickly compared to e.g. Master’s graduates.”
What can you offer?
However, your analytical and methodological competences are not the only skills you should emphasise when you have to sell yourself to a future employer. According to AU’s PhD career consultant Vibeke Broe there are a number of other skills which you should emphasise when applying for jobs.
“Having worked on a PhD project for three years shows that you are motivated and used to working independently under a lot of pressure and with tight deadlines. You have been your own project manager,” she says. “In addition, you haven’t been sitting alone in an office for three years, but have been out disseminating your research, teaching and perhaps been in contact with one or more companies during the process. You should remember to highlight all of these aspects when you’re looking for a job outside the university - both as a finished PhD or postdoc.”
Would you like to know more about career counselling at Aarhus BSS?
Contact AU Career PhD & JR
Vibeke Broe
Email: vibr@au.dk
Mobile: 29426029
Jane Midtgaard Madsen
Email: jamm@au.dk
Mobile:51226880