I have a PhD and I’m still searching for a job 16 months later

Illustration credit Angie Pine

Since the end of my PhD in November 2023, I have been searching for my next role and believe me when I tell you that the job search process is one of the most painful, mentally taxing, and identity-shaking things I have ever had to do. I don’t think anyone has a good time job searching, and it is absolutely demoralising to realise that your (under)graduate teachers and supervisors sold you the false idea that having a degree, and a PhD no less, will open many doors for you. They probably do if you studied the ‘right’ subject, but there are certainly equal, if not more, doors being slammed in your face.

Getting rejected because “you’re overqualified” is a real pain in the butt

One of the most frustrating challenges for me is being rejected because I am considered "overqualified" by recruiters. This happened during an interview for an entry-level role at a university. Despite explicitly stating in my cover letter that I was in the midst of a career change and that I am willing to start basically from zero, they had the audacity to reject me for being “ambitious” after the first interview. Bitch, you invited ME to the interview! Does having a PhD signal a lack of ambition?!

Nonetheless, it was eye-opening to realise that recruiters are not always looking for the best and brightest for every single role, despite what society has told you about the importance of staying ahead and crafting a perfect CV. In fact, employers typically fear that highly skilled individuals (in my case, someone with a PhD) will get bored quickly, demand higher salaries, or jump ship as soon as a more “suitable” position opens up. Listen, I get it.  I would honestly think twice before hiring a highly educated—and—skilled person for an entry level role too. But I find this to be such an unfair assessment of ALL highly educated applicants, especially those who are perhaps in the midst of a career change, or, god forbid, are burnt out from having worked so hard for many years and now want to do less challenging work and collect a decent salary so they can focus on their hobbies and have a life (it’s me: I am highly educated applicants).

That’s not socially acceptable to say during an interview of course (“get me while I’m on a discount, thank you and send snacks pls”), but I’d like recruiters to open their minds and probe a little more when a highly skilled applicant appears at their desk. Perhaps even be upfront with their doubts about their dedication to the role, and have the candidate defend the reason for applying rather than write all of them off as job hoppers. I can only remain hopeful that one day, someone will get wise and think “Damn, I am getting a deal for her skills if I hire her now!” But until that day comes, I’m devoting my energy to not yeeting myself off the balcony by focusing on a variety of things, and I share them below with the hope that they’ll be useful for you too.

My personal tried-and-true tips for staying (mostly) sane during a job search

1. Get a hobby or two. Or three.

Seriously, keep yourself busy. I started embroidery, joined a book club, read more books on my Kobo in 3 months than I ever did in 6 years, started playing Magic: The Gathering, and tried out new recipes in the kitchen. Fretting and overthinking robs you of precious hours that you will never get back once you start your next role, or when climate change wipes us out in the next couple of years—whichever comes faster. Your choice.

2. Go learn a new skill or take a course

If you’re like me, you worry that your brain is slowly rotting and losing its abilities to do intellectual work and other Big Brain Things. Do yourself, your brain, and maybe even your CV a favour and go take a short course or sign up for a lecture series on a topic you’ve always wanted to learn more about but never had the time to. Not only is it good for you to stay mentally active, it’s also a way to signal to recruiters that you’re actively improving yourself.

3. Treat job searching like a part-time job before it becomes a full-time nightmare ;)

It’s really easy to refresh a job board, vacancy sites, and LinkedIn multiple times a day, especially during dinner or when you’re trying to relax (guilty as charged). I’ve found it extremely useful to keep job searching somewhere between the classic 9:00-5:00 period. Not having a regular schedule means it's easy to lose track of how much time you spend on this stress-inducing activity, and it can start to feel like the dread is closing in on you all seconds of the day. Stop that shit—block time in your calendar for “Job Search Stuff”, stick to it, and get to your hobbies and do life once you’re done!

4. Do skills-based volunteering

One of my biggest struggles was feeling like I was wasting my talents by not contributing to an important societal problem. Furthermore, I went from non-stop years of gruelling and demanding education and work to nothing, so the transition was a massive shock to my system.

One day, I thought to myself: “Since no one was willing to pay me for my skills, I’ll volunteer ‘em!” Volunteering has allowed me to learn new skills, network, and to feel a sense of accomplishment and validation that my experiences and skills are useful to and needed by someone. It’s not just about being employed for me—it’s about being valued!

Job searching is going to be tough, so make sure you’re taking care of yourself and still living life while you’re doing it. Do you have any tips or insights about your job search you want to share? Let me know so we can all survive this together!