What do employers want?

Whether it's an academic research project, a technical post within an industrial research lab or a finance house recruiting mathematical modellers, employers have a wish list of qualifications, experience and skills that they are looking for. Although this wish list may differ according to the job role, there are many common themes that emerge when you look at what employers say they want from their PhD recruits.

Academic Research - What are academic employers looking for?

Your PhD is crucial if you want to build an academic career. However you'll find that a PhD on its own isn't enough. When you apply for postdoctoral research positions, you also need to show a strong motivation for your subject and a serious focus on developing your academic credentials.

What do postdoctoral recruiters say they are looking for?

On their subject:

"I look for a confident and able researcher who displays a passion for their subject area and who conveys a proactive attitude to developing their professional standing in the field. This might be through increased publications, grant applications, conference presentations, etc. In particular I am looking for evidence that the applicant has thought this through and not just telling me what I want to hear. So, what might the grant proposal be about, what might their next paper be on or which journal might it be published in? Detailed answers to these and evidence of having published already would give me confidence that they are serious contenders." (Senior Lecturer in Engineering)

On their potential:

"What do I look for? Subject and technique specific knowledge which matches the area of interest, the ability to generate publishable results, and the flexibility to be able to help direct a research project and guide students." (Senior Lecturer in Chemistry)

On teamwork:

"We'd also want to know whether they would fit into the research group/centre they are applying to join. This might be by offering different but complementary expertise or knowledge, or by being well aligned to the work already being conducted in the group." (Senior Lecturer in Engineering)

Industrial/Government Research - What are employers looking for?

Some of you reading this will be interested in using your scientific/engineering knowledge and research skills outside academia. The 2007 report, "Recruiting PhDs - What Works" aimed to provide a 360 degree view of the PhD labour market, and included interviews with non academic employers who recruit PhDs. Here's what one employer sees as the advantages of recruiting science PhDs compared to undergraduates:

1. Experimental experience: "PhD applicants are more likely to have experience of collecting and analysing data (and in particular the ability to carry out robust statistical analysis) and so it is not necessary to teach these skills."
2. More confidence in use of equipment: "They are more likely to have used similar equipment while doing research for their PhD."
3. Experience of conducting/writing literature reviews: "This is particularly important when investigating new techniques or looking at new subject areas."
4. Maturity: "PhDs have wider knowledge of their subject."
5. Better people skills: "PhDs are used to working in a group, sharing instrumentation, etc." (quotes from a manager/recruiter in a government laboratory)

This same manager, who has a PhD, feels that scientific officers with PhDs are more likely to hit the ground running when they start work. "This also...gives them an advantage when it comes to getting promoted. They are more likely to get promoted quicker. They are also able to take on a management role in projects sooner which helps them get the range of experience required for promotion earlier than other scientific officers without a PhD."

Non-Research Jobs - What are employers looking for?

The EMPRESS (Employers' Perceptions of Recruiting Research Staff and Students) project produced a report in 2005 which looked at non academic employers' perceptions of recruiting people with a research background. Although a few employers warned that some PhD applicants could come across as being too specialised, this selection of quotes from the report illustrates some of the positive reasons employers have for recruiting PhDs:

1. Researchers have a good range of skills; "we see PhD students as having a wider range of skills to offer - analytical and numeracy amongst others"
2. Researchers can move into different roles; "because someone has been in a research post does not mean to say that they can't translate to a commercial/public sector job BUT I would probe their motivation and do role-play to assess their personal behaviours"
3. Researchers have specific skills that can save employers time and money; "[the person we recruited] had worked on a particular type of software and this saved us having to pay someone else for additional training"
4. Having employees with a PhD can give an employer kudos; "their qualifications can be a great selling point to clients"

Overall, the report identified the most positive attributes that employers see in applicants with postgraduate research experience as being "more mature, having better analytical and research skills, better ability to work autonomously and good project management."

The most commonly noted negative attributes included "narrowness of interest, problems of integration, lack of interpersonal skills and over expectation in terms of salary and career progression". Although not all employers feel this way, it's important to be aware of these perceptions so if you come across them, you are ready to counteract them.

Overall, employers who recruit PhDs are looking for - and value - the skills a research degree helps you to develop - maturity, lateral thinking, analytical skills and excellent problem solving capabilities to fill demanding roles.