For employers

Research skills 

• Exhibit knowledge of advances and developments in their field.

• Demonstrate knowledge of research in related fields and disciplines.

• Comprehend and effectively employ appropriate research methodologies.

• Critically analyse and synthesise new and complex information from diverse sources, applying innovative scientific literacy skills.

• Demonstrate excellence in data management planning.

• Formulate and apply solutions to research problems and effectively interpret research results.

• Demonstrate, where appropriate, a knowledge of health and safety procedures and their application in the research environment.

• Have a broad awareness and knowledge of key relevant funding sources and grant application procedures.

• Implement strategies to ensure effective project and time management, constantly monitor timelines, deliverables and adapt flexibly in order to maintain progress.

• Knowledge of intellectual property and know-how.

• E-research skills, using social media, mobile applications and other online platforms to assist in the collating, coding, and analysis of data for their research.

Ethics and social understanding skills  

• Understand, and apply in their research, principles of ethical conduct of research, including avoidance of plagiarism, allocation of credit and authorship and definitions of research misconduct.

• Understand the relevance of research in society and the potential impact of research on individuals, groups and society where applicable.

• Understand and apply the relevant guidelines for the ethical conduct of research involving people, human tissue and animals.

• Demonstrate advanced understanding of principles of research integrity, and the ability to apply those principles and carry out research in a manner that allows HEIs and wider society to have confidence and trust in the methods used and the findings and conclusions that result from that research.

• Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of Open Scholarship principles.

• Demonstrate awareness of issues of equality and diversity and their role and value in research activities.  

Personal Effectiveness Transferable Skills 

• Demonstrate strong critical thinking, with skills in identifying, analysing, evaluating, and making inferences from arguments proffered and evidence produced to support those arguments.

• Work in an independent and self-directed manner, showing initiative to accomplish clearly defined goals, monitor timelines, deliverables, manage stakeholders, mitigate risk and overcome setbacks.

• Demonstrate excellent data management skills, informed by legislative requirements (e.g., GDPR, 2018) and frameworks, such as FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) Principles.

• Understand key rhetorical skills, including how to persuade others of a viewpoint’s merits, demonstrate and communicate credible suggestions to achieve one’s aims.

• Understand the importance of initiating new projects, proactively react to newly identified needs or aim to resolve persistent problems.

• Demonstrate effective budgeting and financial management skills, manage budgets to support attainment of objectives and plan and monitor future income and expenditure.

• Demonstrate the ability to identify and appropriately manage risks, both within their research and in their other professional activities.

• Reflect on experiences in a critical manner and act on such in a cycle of self-improvement.  

Team-working and leadership skills 

• Demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues and work in a collaborative environment.

• Demonstrate awareness of their own working style and that of others, and how they interact. Understand leadership in team environments, recognise the strengths of team members and how to work effectively to achieve mutual goals.

• Ability to oversee, coach and motivate team-members, fostering a co-operative and solution-driven working environment.

• Ability to understand feedback of different kinds, taking suggestions on board when appropriate.

• Ability to network effectively within and beyond the organisation, nationally and internationally, and across discipline and sectoral boundaries.

• Demonstrate intercultural awareness, with the capacity to interact between numerous cultural frames of reference.

Communication skills  

• Demonstrate effective writing and publishing skills through submission of peer-reviewed articles, reviews and conference proceedings.

• Effectively use and decide on appropriate forms and levels of communication for the benefit of public engagement.

• Communicate and explain research to diverse audiences, including both specialist and non-specialist.

• Effectively support the learning of other students when involved in teaching and demonstrating.

• Effectively use social media to enhance accessibility of research activities.  

Entrepreneurship & innovation skills

• Understand the role of innovation and creativity in research.  

• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of intellectual property issues, appreciate and, where appropriate, contribute to knowledge exchange.

• Appreciate the skills required for the development of entrepreneurial enterprises in the public and private sectors.

• Understand different cultural environments, including the business world, and the contribution that knowledge transfer can make to society.

A survey of Irish employers from a range of sectors, conducted in 2022 by a working group reporting to the National Framework of Doctoral Education (NFDE) Advisory Forum, showed that employers recognise PhD graduates to be strong academically and to have excellent research and analytical skills.

In this survey, many employers referred to the intellectual flexibility that PhD graduates demonstrate. Furthermore, employers who responded referred to complex problem-solving skills, innovation and communications skills. The personal skills of resilience, patience and persistence were also referred to. This is nicely articulated by one contributor who highlighted that broadly speaking, newly recruited PhD graduates are seen to have the ability to ‘hit the ground running’ which is a huge advantage to any employer. Employers who responded reported that PhD graduates can go deeper than bachelor’s or master’s graduates into any given assignment. In addition, PhD graduates can correctly articulate a problem and formulate efficient and effective action plans through competently analysing significant volumes of data. 

PhD holders are deemed to possess enhanced levels of maturity compared to those entering employment with a bachelor’s or masters degree. In the survey, it was also recognised that they have enhanced communication skills and that their confidence in public speaking & ability to engage an audience is greatly beneficial when it comes to dealing with clients. A PhD holder is noted as possessing greater team and leadership skills than their bachelor’s and master's degree counterparts.

One respondent stated that the added value of recruiting PhD graduates is that  it raises the profile of the company and the standard of education-expertise within the company.

Employer testimonials 

Sector: Consulting 

"PhD graduates tend to be rigorous 'completers', have patience (results don't come quickly or easily..), are analytical, are a bit more mature than their bachelors colleagues, are not afraid of going deep when required…..to be clear, I don't take on PhDs for their particular domain knowledge (genetics, molecular biology , whatever). It's their transversal skills, built on the back of research discipline/rigour, that I like and works well in consulting."

Sector: Pharmaceuticals

“Stronger technical acumen and more advanced scientific knowledge which means that they get up to speed much faster than someone that has just done a bachelors or masters degree” 

Sector: Public Service

"…In navigating a complex higher-education and research-funding policy landscape PhD graduates bring an added value in that they have been through the process of completing a PhD and, therefore, understand the ins and outs of the landscape to a level that would not be appreciated by bachelors and masters graduates."