Purpose Over recent decades, the career trajectories of PhD holders have significantly evolved, with over half of new graduates now finding employment outside academia, a trend observed globally, including Finland. As the range of sectors and roles for PhD holders expands, the demand for career guidance beyond academic settings has risen. However, there is limited understanding of how PhD holders develop careers outside academia. This study aims to address this gap by exploring PhD holders’ perceptions of work environment fit and their job-crafting strategies in non-academic careers. Design/methodology/approach The study used qualitative data from 21 semi-structured interviews with PhD holders working in non-academic settings, analysed using abductive content analysis. Findings Five job-crafting strategies were identified: job change, adjusting expectations, relational crafting, task crafting and professional development. Findings suggest job changes often stem from a mismatch with the work environment or a desire to enhance a good working environment fit. Originality/value These insights enrich the existing knowledge of PhD careers outside academia, offering valuable information for developing tailored career support during doctoral education. The identified strategies can help future PhD graduates, educators and career advisors better prepare PhDs for diverse career paths.
Sundström et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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