Every year the National Association of Colleges and Employers compiles a list of the attributes employers most look for when hiring. In 2020 the top 10 skills are leadership, ability to work in a team, written communication, problem-solving, verbal communication, work ethic, initiative, quantitative analysis, flexibility & adaptability, and technical knowledge. These are all transferable skills that many PhD students develop over the course of their graduate study.

• 20 Transferable Skills That Make PhDs Employable
• Preparing for a Non-Faculty Job
• Preparing for Life Outside the Academy: A Primer and Resource Guide
• Leading an Effective Research Team
• Transferable Skills and How to Talk About Them
• PhD in English? What the F%$@#K!
• Transferable Skills for Job Seekers
• Transferring Your Skills to a Non-Academic Job Setting
• Reframing Doctoral Skills
• University of Michigan Transferable Skills
• But I Have No Skills
• The Job Benefits of Scientific Management Training
• How to Land a Nonprofessor Position after Grad School
• PhDs Do Have Transferable Skills
• Exploring Your Skills
• The Academic Side Hustle
• Recasting Yourself for Non-Academic Jobs
• Oh, The Things You Can Do!
• Internships: Not Just for Undergraduates
• Humanities Departments After the Fall
• The PhD Skills Mismatch