I’ve been MIA from this blog for a little while. The reason is that I’ve just come out of a (successful) job hunt myself! More details to come later, but as much as I’m sad to leave my current team, I’m also really excited for my new role. I’m also experiencing the other side of the table, as I’m helping my company find my replacement, so it’s really fun to see the process from both sides.
This was my first time job hunting since I got my first role out of my PhD. For me it was a little nerve-wracking, but also a great refresher (plus a great kick in the butt to update my resume!). Every new job hunt requires some up-front work: you have to read a bunch of job postings, update your resume, and get back in the swing of writing cover letters. Then there’s the emotional rollercoaster of the interview process – nervousness, slow increases in confidence, occasionally kicking yourself for saying something stupid, the feeling of relief when it’s over, and then either rejection or (eventually) euphoria when you get the job! It absolutely is exhausting work and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
There are countless articles out there on how to increase your chances of a successful job application. Some of those articles are tailored to PhDs. A full recap is outside the scope of this blog post, and you’re better off reading what the professionals have to say about it. That being said, having been on both sides of the table recently, a few tips in particular stand out that really make life easier for both you and the recruiter or hiring manager.
1) Be selective in your applications
You may have heard stories of people who spend their days hitting the pavement, handing out copies of their resume to anyone who will listen to them, dropping into random offices and asking the receptionist if there are any openings available. Others apply to any job available that vaguely fits their requirements, sending out dozens of applications a day. These stories are often applauded as examples of ‘hustle’.
The problem with this approach, COVID-19 restrictions notwithstanding, is that most positions for knowledge workers (and I’m assuming you are, or are planning to be, a knowledge worker if you’re reading this blog) require people with specific skills. Also, if you have an advanced degree, you’ll have an even tougher time convincing a random hiring manager that you should totally be their next entry-level office assistant.
A better strategy is to start by figuring out what roles would be a good fit for you, based on your background, skills, what you enjoy doing, and your goals and values. You’ll narrow down the list of jobs, but you can also start spending your time and energy really making sure your application stands out. Almost every job posting these days gets hundreds of applications, and many of those applications are initially filtered by a computer. If your background seemingly has nothing to do with the role, you’re almost guaranteed to end up in the “reject” pile.
Bonus: you’ll probably spend less time overall putting together your applications, and more time doing something you’d much rather be doing.
2) Always, always, always include a cover letter
The only time you should NOT include a cover letter is if the posting specifically says not to. Even if it’s not required, write the damn cover letter. If you’re emailing your resume to someone specific, the email can be the cover letter. But always include a cover letter!
There are two reasons for this. First, at some point all candidates start to sound the same. It can be difficult to add a personal touch to a resume. Anyone’s resume can sound impressive. But a cover letter comes from you. You can start to show your personality, your style, and your writing skills. You’re much more likely to be remembered.
The other reason is that a cover letter gives you a chance to explain why you think you’re the best candidate for the job. This is extra important if you’re trying to move into a new field (which, again, you’re probably considering if you’re reading this blog). If your resume isn’t 100% exactly what the recruiter or hiring manager is expecting, then you’re leaving it up to them to guess at your motivations. If you want them to understand why a PhD in Botany is applying for a marketing manager position, you’re going to have to tell them.
Tip: Some HR management systems don’t include a field to upload a cover letter separately from your resume. Get around this by merging your cover letter and resume into a single document. It only takes a few minutes.
3) Tailor your resume
The standard for resumes outside of academia is 2 pages or less. I’ve seen CEOs with a single page resume. Needless to say, the rest of us have no excuse. Additionally, not all of your experience or achievements are always relevant – you may be aware that listing your publications isn’t very useful if you’re not aiming for a scientific position, for instance. One way to make it easier for an employer to spot you as a good candidate is to create a tailored resume for each application.
This sounds like a lot of work, but it gets easier after the first couple of times. Have a “master” copy somewhere where you keep track of all your work experience, education and professional development, volunteer experience, publications, etc. For each job you apply to, pick the most relevant pieces to highlight. Once you start applying for multiple similar jobs, you’ll start to find you can re-use the same shortened resume.
Tip: If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, I recommend creating one. LinkedIn is a great way to have an online version of that “master” resume that an employer can refer to if they want to learn more about you. You can also use it to figure out if you know anyone at the company you’re applying to (more on that in #5).
4) Use an achievement-focused resume
One mistake I used to make in my resumes was just listing what I was responsible for at previous jobs – “I was responsible for running PCRs and cleaning the lab”, for example. This is fine for entry-level roles, but not for jobs you’ll be applying for if you have a PhD. If you’re not doing this already, update your resume to be more achievement-focused. For every work experience, highlight some major achievements. For example: “Published two first-author papers in international peer-reviewed journals” or “Won $50,000 in CIHR grant funding for my research”.
Don’t worry if this feels hard. Spend some time on it and keep iterating until you’re happy with the wording. Sometimes this can feel like ‘bullshitting’, and to an extent it is, but you’ll stand out a lot more than someone who just talks about their skills and responsibilities. Get a friend to read over your resume, ideally a friend who has more experience in the job market than you do. Even though I already had an achievement-focused resume at the start of my job hunt, I benefited a lot from getting a couple of friends to go over it with a critical eye.
5) Always check if you know someone who can refer you
Another reason to use LinkedIn is to figure out if someone (ideally, someone you know well) can refer you for the job. At the very least, you might gain some insight on what kind of work culture to expect, which is still valuable information. At best, you get a good referral and have a better chance of standing out from the crowd.
A lot of people have trouble with this because we’ve been taught not to ask for favours – we don’t want to ‘bother’ our contacts. This is also an uncommon practice in academia, which can make it feel extra daunting. But this is exactly what professional networks are for! It never hurts to ask – at worst, people will just say ‘no’.
6) Prep for the interview like you would for an exam
Some people, myself included, really don’t like interviews. The combination of pressure, having to speak in front of strangers, and thinking on the fly can be incredibly intimidating. One way that helps me feel more prepared for an interview is to prepare for it the way I would prepare for an exam.
If you’ve gotten this far, you’ve probably done a lot of exams in your life, including oral exams like a comp exam or a thesis defence. And you’ve probably learned that no matter how well you think you know the material, doing practice exams helps you make sure you can put together the best answer during the actual exam. The same goes for interviews. Look up common job interview questions for the types of positions you’re applying for, and spend some time thinking about your answers. I prefer to write them down because it helps with my thought process; some people don’t like doing this because they don’t want their answers to feel scripted. Do whatever works for you, but this is one of the best ways to be mentally prepared!
7) Remember, you’re interviewing them too!
So often, people are so nervous that they get to the end of the interview, breathe a sigh of relief, and start getting ready to leave, and then the interviewer asks:
“Do you have any questions for us?”
Cue panic and desperate clutching at whichever neurons are still firing.
“Err…what’s the culture like?”
Besides being uninspiring and likely to get you points docked, you’re also missing out on learning some valuable information. Your goal going into an interview is to make sure that this is a great job for you!
You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s true: do your research! Find out as much as you can about the company and the role. At the very least, always ask: “Why is this position open? Who used to be in this role, and why did they leave/are they leaving?” 99% of the time, it’s a pretty standard answer, but keep an eye out for red flags. Does it sound like the position has a high turnover rate? If so, why?
As an added bonus, asking lots of questions means you’re an engaged candidate, which will score you points! There’s nothing worse than spending an hour talking to someone who obviously isn’t engaged.
8) Always send a thank-you note
Seriously, it takes 10 minutes. Even if the person who interviewed you doesn’t respond, they probably read it and will remember it! Remember, it’s a small world and you never know who might become an important contact in future, so always try to leave the best impression you can, regardless of whether you get the job.
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If you’re job hunting right now, know that it’s tough out there, but I hope you find these tips useful in your search. Best of luck to you!
I Have A PhD, Now What? 