Obtaining Academic Employment Within the U.S. Context: The Experiences of Strugglers

In the present study, we explored the experiences of Ph.D. graduates in navigating the U.S. academic job market. Using interpretative phenomenology and interview data from 15 Ph.D. graduates, we found that while pursuing academic positions, the Ph.D. graduates faced concerns about the best-fit qualities, negotiated their failures with a flexible mindset, and introspected to restore their academic identity. These internal struggles suggest the challenges of validating doctoral employability in a highly competitive academic job market. This paper discusses the findings and offers recommendations for further research and for doctoral students/graduates and academic institutions.