2006 Volume 75 Issue 1 Pages 80-83
Even though the employment problems of younger people have been the main concern of the public, candidates with doctoral degrees are having difficulties in finding jobs. From the results of many research studies and surveys, we learned that many corporations are hiring new graduates from universities and graduate schools; however, most of them are hiring only graduates with master’s degrees. Our studies show that the demand for candidates with doctoral degrees is only one fourth that for candidates with mas-ter’s degrees. The reason doctoral candidates are rejected is not related to their degrees, but companies’ low demand for them. Companies demand people with superior knowledge of specific fields, as well as those with high interpersonal skills (including communication, project management, and problem-solving skills). Many candidates do not satisfy these criteria. By understanding this aspect and improving interpersonal skills, the probability of getting offers would markedly increase for doctoral candidates.
