In this Nature article, one scientist describes the panic he felt when, during his fourth year of graduate studies, he was told his PhD could pose a liability to pursuing an industry career. Partially because of declining opportunities for full professorship in academia, he had decided to pursue a career in industry only to be told that hiring managers perceive PhDs as overqualified and too independent.
The author describes the steps he took to actively combat misperceptions that might arise when submitting a CV alone – he supplemented online applications with networking events and informational interviews. Ultimately, the author credits the problem-solving skills he gained in graduate school with the positions he holds today – consultant to Fortune 500 companies and manager of three biotechnology startups.
Read more here.