Career Pathways Research Brief No. 3
Published May 2026
Beyond Academia Is Not a Backup Plan: What the Research Says About PhD Careers
For many doctoral students, the question is no longer whether careers beyond academia are possible. The better question is how doctoral education can help students prepare for the full range of careers they are likely to pursue.
A recent scoping review by Isabelle Skakni, Nata Kereselidze, Michaël Parmentier, Nathalie Delobbe, and Kelsey Inouye examines two decades of research on PhD graduates pursuing careers beyond academia. Drawing on 71 publications, the authors show that this topic has become increasingly important, but the research remains uneven. Much of the literature focuses on STEM fields and broad employment outcomes. Less attention has been paid to the lived experiences of PhDs after they leave academia, the perspectives of employers, and the effectiveness of institutional career support.
The review’s central message is directly relevant to graduate students, careers beyond academia are not marginal or secondary outcomes of doctoral education. They are part of the current reality of PhD careers.
What the review found
The authors identify eight major areas of research; doctoral education outcomes, industry-oriented PhD programs, career development initiatives, PhD career choices and intentions, PhD employment, transitions to non-academic sectors, labor-market demand, and employer perceptions of PhDs.
Several findings are relevant to current doctoral students.
First, doctoral training develops valuable skills, but students often need help translating those skills into language that employers understand. The review notes that PhDs bring analytical thinking, complex problem-solving, project management, communication, teamwork, data analysis, and deep subject knowledge to non-academic roles. At the same time, many graduates report gaps in career guidance and preparation for work beyond the university.
Second, career intentions often change during doctoral study. Many students begin their PhD with an academic career in mind, but later consider broader options because of the academic job market, changing priorities, interest in applied work, desire for societal impact, salary, stability, or work-life balance.
Third, employers value PhDs, but not always in the same way universities do. Some employers recognize doctoral graduates as strong researchers, innovators, and problem-solvers. Others may worry that PhDs are too specialized, unfamiliar with organizational norms, or not prepared for collaborative work environments. The review suggests that employers’ views often become more positive once they have direct experience hiring and working with PhDs.
Fourth, the transition itself matters. Moving from academia into a non-academic workplace is not simply a matter of “getting a job.” It can involve learning a new organizational culture, different expectations for communication, new timelines, and different ways of defining impact.
Why this matters for graduate students
For doctoral students, the review suggests that career development should begin before the final year of the PhD. Waiting until the dissertation is nearly complete can make the process more stressful and limit the time available to explore options, build networks, and practice describing one’s skills for different audiences.
The review also suggests that students should think beyond job titles. A PhD can lead to roles in research, policy, government, nonprofit organizations, cultural institutions, industry, communication, consulting, higher education administration, data analysis, technology, and many other sectors. The key is to understand how your doctoral training connects to the problems organizations are trying to solve.
For humanities and social sciences students, this message is especially important. The authors note that the literature has focused much more heavily on STEM careers, leaving less research on the full range of roles pursued by humanities and social sciences PhDs. That gap does not mean those pathways are less real. It means they need more visibility, better documentation, and stronger institutional support.
What students can do now
Graduate students can take several practical steps:
Start naming your skills in employer-facing language. Instead of saying only that you conduct research, describe how you define problems, gather evidence, analyze complex information, manage long-term projects, write for different audiences, and communicate findings clearly.
Seek structured exposure to careers beyond academia. Workshops, alumni panels, informational interviews, internships, mentoring programs, and employer-engaged projects can help you understand how work is organized outside the university.
Build relationships before you need them. Networks are not just about asking for jobs. They help you learn what different sectors value, what language employers use, and how people with similar training have moved into new roles.
Treat career exploration as part of doctoral formation. Preparing for diverse careers does not take away from scholarly development. Done well, it can strengthen your ability to explain the value of your work and connect it to broader audiences.
What institutions should learn
The review also has a clear message for universities. Supporting PhD careers beyond academia cannot be limited to optional workshops at the end of doctoral training. The authors argue that a cultural shift is needed, one that normalizes diverse career paths, embeds transferable skill development into doctoral education, and strengthens collaboration with employers and other non-academic partners.
This aligns closely with the purpose of Grad CareerCraft at the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies. Graduate students need access to practical, research-informed support that helps them explore career options, understand hiring systems, communicate their value, and build professional relationships across sectors. The work of doctoral education is not only to prepare future faculty. It is also to prepare highly trained researchers, thinkers, writers, teachers, analysts, and problem-solvers for a wide range of meaningful careers.
Have a study or article you would like to see featured? Send it to rg835@grad.rutgers.edu.
Source
Skakni, I., Kereselidze, N., Parmentier, M., Delobbe, N., & Inouye, K. (2026). PhD graduates pursuing careers beyond academia: A scoping review. Higher Education Research & Development, 45(1), 235–254. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2515211.