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The key to convincing prospective employers, and yourself, that you have the skills they require is to put yourself in their shoes. You need to consider their needs and respond appropriately. Remember that most employers of people with doctorates are based outside academia and are unlikely to be familiar with the arcane language and styles that are used to produce a thesis. Employers have different priorities and expectations about organising, delivering and communicating work, which you may not be familiar with – so avoid making under-researched assumptions.
1) Understand your skill set
Often researchers underestimate the versatility of their skills and only discuss their abilities in the context of their research. Present the skills you've gained both in and outside the research context and recognise how the skills acquired during your doctorate can be used in other areas. For example, the skill of quickly reading literature to find the critical point, transfers to quick decision making of information. To identify your own skill set check your attributes against the Vitae Researcher Development Framework.
2) Get to know your audience
List the skills the employer is seeking and then map these against your own skill set. Provide examples of where and when your skills could contribute effectively. Job descriptions and person specifications are good places to start, but use your research skills. Find more information about the workplace and its activities on the internet and use your networking skillsto talk to someone in the company. Each organisation has a specific ethos: look at their vision statements for insights. The more you know about the company and the role, the better you will be able to demonstrate your fit.
3) Work on your elevator pitch
Your research is important, and you may well be asked about it, so learn how to talk about it in a succinct way. Only go into the specifics of how you did it if you are applying for a technical job in which these skills will be useful. Practice with people outside of your discipline, your family and friends, using language that everyone can understand. The more you practice the better you will be in interview.
4) Learn the language of potential employers
It is not just academics who use jargon; every profession has specific words or phrases to describe elements of its work. Be clear – it's not their responsibility to translate your languageto determine whether you're a worthy candidate. Employers will be looking for exactly what they said in the job spec, so use their words rather than replacing them with others to look different.
5) Produce the evidence
You will need concrete examples of your skills. It is not good enough to say "I have excellent time management skills". Explore your own work and experience for specific examples that demonstrate those skills. Saying you attended a time management course has little impact compared to, for instance, completing a successful placement, mentoring undergraduates and handing in your project on time. Also make sure to clarify how a skill you've used in the past would contribute to the advertised post.
6) Focus on what you can do for them
Employers want people who feel they are going to personally benefit from their job. They also want to know what you will bring to the team and how you will add value. Focus on what you can do for the employerrather than what you want from them. Recruiting new people is resource-heavy so employers will be looking for people whose interest, even passion, for the job is demonstrated in the way they prepared for the recruitment process.
7) Mention both your personal and technical skill set
As well as particular technical skills, employers are looking for someone with personal attributes that will help them fit in the work culture, learn the business, manage under pressure, and be persuasive etc. Prepare examples of how you have effectively exercised influence (with your supervisor or peers), worked with diverse people, and responded to different and difficult situations.
8) Be honest about what you could improve on An employer will soon detect if you are waffling or exaggerating your prowess but will appreciate an honest acknowledgement of a deficit. Show that you have considered how to acquire the skill before, or while, working for them – or at least compensate for its lack. Knowing your limitations and preparing to fix them is an important skill.
9) Seek out support
As writers and speakers we all can benefit from constructive feedback. A poorly constructed CV or application with typos will not get you an interview – use your networks to give you feedback on how these documents read to others and use your university careers service to help you present your attributes well on paper. The same goes for interview practice. Persuade people to ask you interview questions, so that you get used to answering out loud; ask them what they understood by your response, so you can hone it appropriately.
10) Demonstrate your commitment to further learning
Continuous professional development is the ultimate transferable skill. If you can demonstrate how you grew your professional skill set (not just your academic skills) through a personal development plan as a researcher, you will present yourself as an excellent future employee. Show that you are seriously committed to continuously improving your knowledge, skills and ways of working.
These tips were taken from Success in Research: Developing Transferable Skills.
Pam Denicolo is a professor at the University of Surrey and a chartered psychologist, Julie Reeves is skills training coordinator for early career researchers at the University of Southampton, and Dawn Duke is research training officer at the University of Surrey
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