Every year, Dr. Gertrude Nonterah receives questions from PhDs who feel stuck in their job search. One of the most common is: “Should I take my PhD off my resume to get a job?” In this episode of The Bold PhD podcast, Dr. Nonterah tackled this issue head-on, explaining why removing a doctorate from a PhD resume is rarely the right move and what job seekers can do instead.
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Why Employers See PhDs as “Overqualified”
Dr. Nonterah began by exploring why employers sometimes label PhDs as overqualified:
- Salary Expectations – Employers may assume PhDs demand salaries beyond what the company can pay. While understandable, she argued that this assumption unfairly disqualifies many qualified candidates.
- Retention Concerns – Hiring and training new staff is expensive, and some employers fear PhDs will leave quickly for better opportunities. However, Dr. Nonterah emphasized that not all doctorate holders are “job hoppers.”
- Ego Assumptions – Another bias is the belief that PhDs won’t take direction from non-PhDs. While she admitted some individuals do display arrogance, she noted that many PhDs actually struggle with imposter syndrome.
- Skill Mismatch – Employers sometimes perceive PhDs as too theoretical or research-heavy. Without proof of practical skills, candidates may be overlooked.
- Fear of Being Outshone – Insecurity on the part of hiring managers may also play a role. As Dr. Nonterah shared, colleagues without advanced degrees sometimes project their own discomfort onto PhDs.
These perceptions, while real, are not facts. They reflect biases that candidates must be prepared to navigate.
Why You Should Keep Your PhD on Your Resume
Despite these challenges, Dr. Nonterah firmly believes PhDs should not erase their hard-earned degrees from their resumes. She offered two powerful reasons:
- Time and Sacrifice – A doctorate represents years of study, research, and often personal and family sacrifices. Leaving it off your resume erases a significant part of your story and creates unexplained career gaps.
- Pride and Integrity – A PhD is not just an individual achievement but, in many cultures, a family honor. For Dr. Nonterah, taking it off her resume would diminish the sacrifices her parents, spouse, and child made to support her journey.
What To Do Instead
Rather than hiding a PhD, Dr. Nonterah recommends learning to communicate skills in non-academic language. She identified several strategies:
- Translate Skills Clearly – Don’t use jargon. Instead of “studied NF-kappa B signaling pathways in bronchopulmonary dysplasia,” describe transferable skills such as project management, experiment design, and simplifying complex information.
- Use Job Descriptions as Guides – Treat job postings as checklists. If a description asks for project management, highlight times you managed research projects.
- Show Proof, Not Just Transferable Skills – Build portfolios, side projects, or freelance work to demonstrate abilities beyond academia.
- Reframe Your Value – A PhD is an asset. Position it as evidence of perseverance, problem-solving, and the ability to learn complex concepts quickly.
Final Takeaway
The real issue isn’t the PhD itself, but how it’s presented. Instead of shrinking back or removing credentials, candidates should focus on tailoring their PhD resume to the language of industry roles. As Dr. Nonterah reminds her audience: “You worked hard for this, and you deserve every bit of success that comes with earning a PhD.”