How does a PhD make you a better worker than someone without one?

I'm_With_Stupid

studentphil wrote: »

But the vast majority of jobs in this country are not in pure sciences, so how does a PhD improve you for a standard job in business or at the council say?

Exactly the same as the sciences. Do a PhD in a certain type of accounting or law, and you have more specialised knowledge in that particular field, which allows you to do a job that someone without that knowledge would not be able to do.

Myrna_Minkoff

studentphil wrote: »

How is a person without a PhD going to compete with someone with a PhD for a job?

Surely that depends on if a PhD is required for the job?

I'm_With_Stupid

studentphil wrote: »

How is a person without a PhD going to compete with someone with a PhD for a job?

They can't if you need a PhD for that particular job. If you don't need a PhD, then the person with a PhD would be going for something that they're overqualified for, so their PhD would be irrelevant.

studentphil

I'm_With_Stupid wrote: »

They can't if you need a PhD for that particular job. If you don't need a PhD, then the person with a PhD would be going for something that they're overqualified for, so their PhD would be irrelevant.

But as the PhDer has all these higher skills no one is going to be able to beat them for a job as a normal person can not match those higher skills a PhD brings even in a job where a PhD is not required.

elantan

maybe they will have a good personality

sali_mali

Phil, this conversations already been done. Read the other thread again, save yourself some time

studentphil

sali_mali wrote: »

Phil, this conversations already been done. Read the other thread again, save yourself some time

That was a personal thread and this is an objective debate.

peter999

studentphil wrote: »

But what are you going to get for your 20k in terms of getting a better job, how is it going to me you more employable?

It can work for you or against you (being overeducated)

Many Phd students will start on much higher paid salaries ??

Companies want people that understand the difficult Sciences/Technologies
-Chemistry, Physics, Computing, BioTechnologies, Maths -Trading in the City

Phd's take people up into the next level where they're doing new research which many companies need to stay successful.

If you're a decent Graduate with Phd, not just a student nerd, there's good chance you'll jump into a higher paid starting job

peter999

studentphil

peter999 wrote: »

It can work for you or against you (being overeducated)

Many Phd students will start on much higher paid salaries ??

Companies want people that understand the difficult Sciences/Technologies
-Chemistry, Physics, Computing, BioTechnologies, Maths -Trading in the City

Phd's take people up into the next level where they're doing new research which many companies need to stay successful.

If you're a decent Graduate with Phd, not just a student nerd, there's good chance you'll jump into a higher paid starting job

peter999

Maybe more Undergrads should look at a PhD if they are so good for becoming successful.

I'm_With_Stupid

studentphil wrote: »

But as the PhDer has all these higher skills no one is going to be able to beat them for a job as a normal person can not match those higher skills a PhD brings even in a job where a PhD is not required.

If the job requires these skills, then it will be advertised only to people with a PhD. If the job doesn't require these skills, then they are completely irrelevent to the applicants suitability to the job. If the PhD is in an area of study relevent to the job, but of a much higher level, then it will depend on other factors. Employers would expect employees to work at the highest level they are capable of, and therefore can be dubious about employing someone over-qualified for a particular job (they might want higher wages, they may leave at the slightest sniff of something better, they may lack ambition, which isn't a good trait to show at an interview). Of course, it depends on the role, oppotunities to progress and take on other responsibilities, for which they may prefer the PhD over someone without one.