How To Write a Ph.D. for Non-Academic Jobs Resume
If you earned a Ph.D. and want to work in a non-academic setting, crafting a resume that balances your professional and educational achievements is important. Highlight your degree and any relevant academic research you’ve done, but you also need to convey the key skills and job experience you can bring to an organization. Review our resume examples and strategies to accelerate your job search and land your next interview.
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
1. Write a brief summary of your Ph.D. resume qualifications
With a Ph.D., you’ve proven mastery of an academic subject, but when going for an industry or non-academic job, you’ll need to summarize your abilities and accomplishments outside the classroom. This requires a strategic approach to your personal branding. Employers must see you as more than just a researcher, so you must clarify your versatility. Build a dynamic profile incorporating various skills and industry expertise to position yourself as a subject matter expert (SME) who can apply their academic training in the field.
For example, if you are applying for a consultant or SME role with a cloud computing company, you could emphasize your background supporting database migrations as a consultant. If you’ve delivered consulting services within the pharmaceutical industry, highlight your experience in drug development and clinical trials.
Professional Profile - Example #1
An IT consultant specializing in developing scalable IT infrastructure for enterprise companies. Expertise in cloud technology, Microsoft Azure, and data-driven decision-making. A proven track record of partnering with diverse technology teams to execute large-scale IT initiatives. Adept at defining IT strategy and leading complex data migration projects.
Professional Profile - Example #2
A scientist and pharmaceutical expert specializing in drug discovery, research and development (R&D), clinical drug trials, and regulatory compliance. Adept at leveraging pharmaceutical expertise to aid organizations in creating innovative new medicines to improve quality of life.
2. Outline your Ph.D. resume experience in a compelling list
When seeking an industry job with a Ph.D. resume, show you’re more than just an academic. Share clear and compelling examples of how you’ve excelled in previous jobs you’ve had. Point out your value to organizations and include data where possible.
If you lack hands-on experience outside of academia, leverage your academic projects and dissertations to brand yourself as an SME in the eyes of hiring managers. Think about how your academic research relates to your target industry, and pay close attention to the job description as you showcase your projects. For example, you could leverage your experience in instructional design to obtain a consulting position to help organizations develop training programs and curricula.
Professional Experience - Example #1
Medical Education Consultant, Detroit Healthcare Educators, Detroit, MI
May 2021 – Present
- Serve as a consultant for stakeholders at a healthcare education company, which includes developing programs to refine training curriculum for medical students
- Interface with healthcare partners (HCPs) and C-level executives to ensure alignment with long-term organizational objectives
- Develop course content and workshops using instructional design principles and perform assessments to create train-the-trainer programs
Professional Experience - Example #2
Drug Discovery Consultant, Collingswood Pharmaceuticals, Collingswood, NJ
May 2021 – Present
- Serve as a lead consultant for drug discovery and drug development for a premiere pharmaceutical company, which includes interacting with pharmaceutical teams to ensure regulatory compliance throughout all phases of R&D
- Provide subject matter expertise to researchers and scientists in the development of a new cardiovascular drug to reduce the risk of pulmonary disease
- Conduct research on medical data across five clinical drug trials
3. Add Ph.D. education and certifications
If you’ve earned a Ph.D., the education section of your resume will be prominent. But what might seem less obvious is including some specifics about your area of study and any relevant industry certifications you may have earned. Clearly, you believe in lifelong learning, but anything you can add to show specializations or job-related learnings can make you even more attractive.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Medical Science
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI September 2011 – May 2018
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP), Expected 2022
- Certified Associate of Project Management (CAPM), 2021
4. List key skills and proficiencies
A big part of making it to the job search process’s interview level is ensuring your resume passes the applicant tracking system (ATS). This helps recruiters screen candidates by looking for pertinent keywords related to the role. Confirm you have the keywords the hiring team seeks. Look closely at the job description (or job postings in your field of interest) and ensure important terms and skills are mentioned on your resume. Here are some skills that non-academic or industry jobs might want to see from Ph.D. degree holders who apply:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Agile methodology | Analytics |
| AutoCad | Big data |
| Chemical engineering | Cloud computing |
| Cybersecurity | Data analytics |
| Data science | DevOps |
| Drug development | Engineering |
| Information technology (IT) infrastructure | Instructional design |
| Manufacturing | Medical education |
| Product development | Project management |
| Pharmaceutical science | Research |
5. Highlight academic research related to the role
If your dissertation is relevant to the industry job you’re applying for, it would be worthwhile to include a section on your resume that describes your research findings. For example, if your Ph.D. project was related to cybersecurity and you’re seeking an IT infrastructure position, that could help you stand out from your peers.
How To Pick the Best Ph.D. for Non-Academic Jobs Resume Template
The best resume template depends on the industry you are targeting. For instance, how you construct a resume for a biomedical engineering role might look different than for an art historian position. That said, if employers are looking for candidates with high educational levels like Ph.D.s, it’s probably best to choose an academic-looking rather than design-heavy template. Keep it clean, simple, and professional.
Ph.D. for Industry and Non-Academic Jobs Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Justin Long, Ph.D.
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Newark, NJ 12345
Profile
A Scientist and Pharmaceutical Expert specializing in drug discovery, R&D, clinical drug trials, and regulatory compliance. Adept at leveraging pharmaceutical expertise to aid organizations in the development of innovative new medicines to improve quality of life.
Professional Experience
Drug Discovery Consultant, Collingswood Pharmaceuticals, Collingswood, NJ
May 2021 – Present
- Serve as a lead consultant for drug discovery and drug development for a premiere pharmaceutical company, which includes interacting with pharmaceutical teams to ensure regulatory compliance throughout all phases of R&D
- Provide subject matter expertise to researchers and scientists in the development of a new cardiovascular drug to reduce the risk of pulmonary disease
- Conduct research on medical data across five clinical drug trials
Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Science, University of Newark, Newark, NJ
June 2018 – May 2021
- Taught pharmaceutical science courses to 50+ students per semester, including drug discovery, drug development, laboratory safety, and pharmaceutical research
- Supervised laboratory research projects, ensured compliance with safety procedures, evaluated student research, and provided support to drive academic growth
Academic Experience
Research Dissertation, University of Newark, Newark, NJ
May 2016 – May 2018
- Wrote a 100-page dissertation on the effectiveness and long-term medical effects of emtricitabine and lamivudine in managing HIV symptoms, which included evaluating medical data from clinical drug trials
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Pharmaceutical Science
University Of Newark, Newark, NJ September 2011 – May 2018
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Pharmaceutical Science
University Of Newark, Newark, NJ September 2007 – September 2011
Key Skills
- Pharmaceutical Science
- Drug Development
- Drug Discovery
- R&D
- Clinical Research
- Regulatory Compliance
Frequently Asked Questions: Ph.D. for Industry and Non-Academic Jobs Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for Ph.D. non-academic resumes?-
The professional experience section of your resume should bring your achievements to life, which is why choosing the right action verbs is important. Consider using some of the common engaging action verbs from the list below that are typically relevant to job candidates with Ph.D.s.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyze | Build |
| Conduct | Coordinate |
| Design | Develop |
| Diagnose | Drive |
| Evaluate | Execute |
| Generate | Identify |
| Implement | Improve |
| Lead | Manage |
| Migrate | Optimize |
| Oversee | Test |
How do you align your resume with an industry or non-academic job description when you have a Ph.D.?-
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median weekly earnings for those with Ph.D.s was $2,083, which is the highest compared to other educational attainment levels. For example, bachelor’s degree holders had median earnings of $1,432.
Continuing your education can certainly pay dividends on the job market, but you’ll need to leverage your academic experience strategically on your resume to break into an industry or non-academic job. Unlike academic positions that are more likely to require CVs, industry jobs generally view resumes to evaluate potential candidates.
The key is to focus on the unique skill set and thought leadership your education level has helped you achieve. Perhaps it might mean sharing details of a research project you were involved with or how a consultant role in a related industry helped an organization meet an objective.
What is the best Ph.D. resume format for industry and non-academic jobs?-
Usually, using a reverse chronological format will familiarize hiring managers and allow you to highlight your professional and academic experiences. If you are changing careers completely, it might make sense to combine a resume format. But otherwise, sharing your most recent experiences and working your way backward makes the most sense.
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