how to find phd position in linkedin

LinkedIn Tips for PhDs: 4 Hacks to Get You Hired

LinkedIn is a professional social network where users can post their resumes and accomplishments to find work. Networking to find career opportunities is vital for academic professionals, especially PhD graduates and postdoctoral researchers. LinkedIn also allows users to connect their social profiles and showcase their raw skills and personalities. With this combination, users can find a job that fits their various needs. It is easy to create an eye-catching and interesting profile by using the right strategies!

Making Connections

When starting out in the professional world, most PhD graduates do not have many professional contacts. This is quite normal, early in a graduate’s career. However, it can seem overwhelming if someone doesn’t know how to network. The best way for a new graduate to build a network on LinkedIn is to connect with people they know. Academic contacts from school are the obvious choice, but connecting with family can also be helpful. Millions of people use LinkedIn, and people may be connected in unexpected ways.

Finding a job on LinkedIn sometimes depends on small things. It may not be obvious who could help a PhD graduate the most. New graduates should reach out as much as they can when trying to make connections. LinkedIn has many groups where people with similar education and interests can find a common ground for a good connection. Some of these groups, like alumni groups, may contain even more contacts than a student already knows. These contacts may have new leads of their own, and those new people may take notice.

In today’s modern and interconnected world, CVs alone are not enough to get a job, no matter how impressive they are. Sending a resume to a job posting does not help many graduates, because there are so many people who do the same thing. Therefore, it is difficult for one resume to get noticed in a large group. Personal connections make a graduate seem more interesting, and encourage others to take another look.

Building a Profile

A LinkedIn profile has a different style than a CV. Many graduates upload their CVs to LinkedIn and assume that it will function the same way. However, this is a common mistake. Graduates should make sure their profile is 100% complete as a complete profile contains things not found on a CV. An effective LinkedIn profile contains a profile picture and a catchy summary. It often includes pictures as well, to emphasize a graduate’s experience.

Because LinkedIn is not like a CV, graduates can add many different things to their profiles. Links to accomplishments, portfolios, or social media are often useful. This can add to a reader’s positive perception of the graduate by proving that the person is hard-working, or has contributed to something significant. These unique pieces of a profile are usually free of buzzwords and jargon to help the reader get to know the graduate.

LinkedIn profiles can do more than highlight professional accomplishments. They can showcase personal successes, and these can be just as important. Sometimes, highlighting unique skills in a graduate’s personal life can grab a reader’s attention. Things that may not seem directly applicable to the professional world might be an asset in some careers. Showing one’s unique personality through personal accomplishments can help a graduate stand out.

Be Social and Proactive

When making connections on LinkedIn, it is important that a graduate be social and proactive . Writing personalized requests for connections on the platform can spark someone’s interest, and could lead to more connections. Recommendations are another important part of being on LinkedIn. It is helpful to gain recommendations for skills from connections, but giving recommendations to others can open the door for new connections as well.

To get connections from others, a graduate must be ready to reach out when necessary. LinkedIn is not like other casual forms of social media. It is a network of professionals, so accepting connections from people a graduate does not know involves very little risk. In fact, connecting with new people gives the graduate a much better chance of being noticed and finding a job. It is still important to ensure that new connections are trustworthy and this is easy to do by looking at their profiles and connections.

Because LinkedIn is a social network, users have the ability to share whatever they wish. However, graduates should remember that LinkedIn is a professional and not a casual environment. This means that anything the user shares could reflect on them professionally. Joke posts, politics, or other controversial topics are not appropriate for a LinkedIn profile. Being proactive means telling the world about oneself, but this should be done in a professional and neutral way.

Keep It Simple to Stand Out

Knowing all the capabilities of LinkedIn, graduates may be tempted to create a long profile, containing minute details of their work. However, most readers do not go through long profiles and it is best to keep them simple . No reader wants to sit through a long, specialized summary when carefully chosen words and a few pictures could do the same job. This can apply to any area of a graduate’s profile. Too much detail can bore readers, instead of enticing them.

The best way to avoid making a profile too complicated is to give information in small chunks. Small pieces of information are easy to read and understand. Carefully wording these small pieces can tie together a graduate’s profile while giving the reader essential information. A LinkedIn profile is not just a list of accomplishments, it is also a marketing tool.

A LinkedIn profile should not only give the reader enough information to generate curiosity about the graduate, but also leave them wanting to know more. If readers want to know more, they will contact the graduate. The new contact could be a passive connection, but they will still expand the graduate’s network. If the new contact decides to contact the graduate for a job, the LinkedIn profile is then at its peak effectiveness, doing exactly what it was meant to do.

For more details, the following links may be helpful:   Part 1 ,  Part 2 , and  Part 3 .

Have you created your own LinkedIn profile? What steps did you follow to create your profile? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!

Its easier said than done. My experience says 8/10 people don’t respond to a personal message. I have tried sending a message with a nice introduction about myself and then asking for a referral. Though I have read somewhere that it’s not a good idea to ask for a referral/job in the first message. But I think LinkedIn is a platform for professional and being direct into context is no harm, as long as someone is not repeatedly messaging. I feel bad to see that a person is very active in LinkedIn and not responding to the message written in a very modest and formal way. Jobseekers don’t always expect a positive reply from the people but any kind of reply would surely make them happy.

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

• Career Corner
• PhDs & Postdocs

How Can You Make the Most Out of Virtual Scientific Conferences and Seminars: 6 Important Reasons for Researchers

This article is also available in: Turkish, Russian, Portuguese, and Spanish The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has been a trigger…

H-index — Is it Enough to Score Scientific Excellence?

Publishing your work is great for your career and future funding opportunities. It will increase…

How to Successfully Boost Your H-Index

How successful are you as a researcher? How good are your publications? What is the…

• Free Resources

Increase Your Visibility Through Digital Networking

Digitalization has changed the landscape of scientific research. Today, researchers can unravel several possibilities just…

• Promoting Research
• Using Online Media

Can Twitter Raise Your Research Profile?

In the past decade, the usage of the term “social media” seems to have increased…

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

• Reporting Research
• Industry News
• Publishing Research
• AI in Academia
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Infographics
• Expert Video Library
• Other Resources
• Enago Learn
• Upcoming & On-Demand Webinars
• Peer Review Week 2024
• Open Access Week 2023
• Conference Videos
• Enago Report
• Journal Finder
• Enago Plagiarism & AI Grammar Check
• Editing Services
• Publication Support Services
• Research Impact
• Translation Services
• Publication solutions
• AI-Based Solutions
• Thought Leadership
• Call for Articles
• Call for Speakers
• Author Training
• Edit Profile

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

Which among these features would you prefer the most in a peer review assistant?

• Your Job Search
• Networking & Focusing Your Search

Build Your LinkedIn Profile

Why use linkedin.

LinkedIn is a widespread social media platform used by job-seekers, employees, and employers to establish and maintain professional online presences. It is a valuable tool for developing your network, seeking jobs and internships, and developing your career.

Getting Started

When you make a LinkedIn account, the first task is crafting your profile. What you add to your profile will be visible to your connections and potential employers (depending upon privacy settings—see below). Once you establish your profile, update it as you would a  résumé to reflect your experiences and interests. Keep in mind, who is the audience you are trying to reach? How can you draw attention to what you have done and why you do it —this should not be a CV-like recounting of academic accomplishments alone.

The four major sections of a profile discussed here are the Intro , Summary , Experience , and Education . While there are other sections to consider when crafting your profile, these four sections necessitate the greatest degree of curation.

The Intro section includes a Headline , your pronouns, current role, industry, and location, and whether you are open to work or hiring. Think of this information, plus your headshot, as your LinkedIn business card. When you appear in search results, users will see this information alongside your name. Therefore, it is key that your Headline provides a snapshot of you and your aspirations.

Your Headline is a short, memorable professional slogan that conveys your professional brand, strengths/skills, and interests/goals.

• Needs Improvement: Graduate Student at Northwestern University
• Better : Neuroscience PhD Student at Northwestern | Expertise in SQL | Seeking Data Science Position
• Check out the profiles of students, alumni, and professionals in relevant industries. What works well? What does not? How are experiences framed?
• Under your settings, view the “Job Seeking Preferences” and if you are looking for internship or full-time opportunities, select “yes” to allow recruiters to know you are open to opportunities.

The About section provides space to articulate a longer version of your Headline , sharing the sum of your experiences and goals toward your aspirations. Think of this like an abstract of your interests and skills for a given professional space (or spaces).

Your Summary should build on your Headline . Use the Summary to describe who you are, including your background/experience, strengths/skills, accomplishments, and goals/aspirations. Tie these elements together into a cohesive professional narrative. Use industry keywords and keep it concise (4-6 sentences).

• Social scientist with 5 years of experience using qualitative and quantitative methods. Effective communicator, collaborator, project manager, and educator seeking to apply expertise in field of child development.
• Data scientist using time-series and weather sensor information from industrial machines to create preventive maintenance models. Programming: Proficient in Python (e.g., Pandas, Scikit-learn, Scipy, Bokeh, Tensorflow), MATLAB, R, GIT; Data Analysis/Database: Image processing, machine learning, working knowledge of SQL.

Experience & Education

The Experience and Education sections mirror the corresponding sections of a  résumé in which you itemize these data points.

Visibility Settings

In the settings menu, you can alter the visibility of the components of your profile. Privacy is a personal choice, but there is a distinct advantage to making your profile publicly visible.

• Select "Edit your public profile" to edit the visibility settings of your profile. From this editor, you can designate which parts of your profile you wish to be visible to any LinkedIn user.
• Your contact info: Share your contact info in your “About” section or in your settings, be sure your email address is at least visible to those you connect with.
• Profile viewing options : LinkedIn will inform a user when someone has viewed their profile. You can alter your Profile viewing options to curate whether someone sees your full intro or an anonymized version of your profile. Someone seeing that you have viewed their profile is actually a positive and may lead them to check out your profile.

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

How to Master LinkedIn for Academics & PhD Students

Whichever stage you’re at in your academic journey it’s never too soon to start building up your presence on LinkedIn. While LinkedIn is commonly known as a platform for job seekers and professionals, it also provides a great way for academics and PhD students to showcase our research and engage with others in our fields.

In this post we’ll walk through my top tips for networking with LinkedIn. We’ll begin with covering why having a LinkedIn profile can be a good idea, move on to polishing your profile and how to engage with the community, then discuss how to expand your network.

I’ve also included a few bonus tips at the end for anyone who’s approaching the end of their PhD and looking to make the move into industry.

Tight on time? Be sure to download my LinkedIn Top Tips guide from the free resource library so you can start putting these suggestions into practice.

Why You Should Use LinkedIn as an Academic Researcher

I’ll admit that I used to think that LinkedIn wasn’t useful for anyone outside of the corporate world. However, despite not using any other social media, I’ve been actively using LinkedIn as a researcher for a number of years and think it is well worth setting up an account.

Here’s why:

1. Stay up to date with developments in your field

Yes, us researchers do use LinkedIn! I see loads of new and interesting work getting shared on LinkedIn: not just people announcing their own papers getting published but also highlighting interesting studies they’ve seen.

You can follow updates for academics on places like Google Scholar but the perk of LinkedIn is that: 1) people will also share their own take on the work 2) since LinkedIn is a network you’ll also be exposed to new work from your connections connections etc. I know that a lot of people like Twitter/X for this stuff too.

For this reason I suggest adding people that you meet at conferences, currently work with, or would like to work with (more on that in a second!).

2. Learn from others

Alright so I’ll admit that the idea of using any social media platform to learn things can quickly descend into doom scrolling.

However, given that people generally treat LinkedIn as a lot more of a professional platform than most others, it does seem to be a lot more curated (i.e. useful) if you’re following the right people. I often see people sharing useful tutorials, workflows, interesting findings, etc, alongside general cool science.

3. Expand your reach

You can of course use LinkedIn as a platform to share your own research, thoughts etc. This makes it more likely that relevant researchers could see your work and will help you to build your own personal brand if you’re into that.

4. Career moves and job opportunities

The obvious reason! I see loads of job adverts on LinkedIn and it’s easy to set up alerts for specific companies or job roles. If you’re considering moving into industry at some stage this can be a fantastic place to look for open positions.

Sometimes I’ve known PhD students or academics to urgently set up a LinkedIn profile out of desperation when they’re looking for a job. It is much better to gradually set one up, as we’ll come onto shortly.

5. Collaborations

Maybe you’re not looking for a job, but networking via LinkedIn can still be a useful way of building connections with people you may want to work with: by collaborating!

For this reason I suggest adding interesting people you meet, or reaching out to people who you know do cool work. We’ll discuss more about the best ways to connect with them shortly.

6. I nteresting academic opportunities

LinkedIn can act as a notice board for different opportunities which may become available.

For instance:

Now that we’ve covered off some of the benefits of using LinkedIn as a researcher, we’ll next go into some practical ways to network on LinkedIn.

Polish your Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is the first impression you make on potential connections, fellow academics, collaborators, and employers. So the best place to start is by enhancing your profile to ensure it accurately represents who you are and what you do.

Some of my key recommendations are:

• Start early and enhance it over time – filling out a lot of blank spaces can seem intimidating, so make things easier for yourself by just doing a high level summary now and gradually fleshing it out.
• Make it visually appealing – use a professional headshot and interesting background picture.
• Regularly add new projects and publications – it can be tricky to remember your achievements after a lot of time has passed, so make it a regular habit to add new information to your LinkedIn. While you’re at it I’d also encourage this for your CV as well.

Once you’ve got your Linkedin profile set up, you’ll be ready to move onto the next step: interacting with others on the platform.

Engage with the Community

LinkedIn isn’t just a place to display your credentials, it’s a dynamic community where you can build relationships and share your insights.

Here are a few ways you can start engaging on LinkedIn:

1. Add People You Already Know

Search for people you already have connections with, this could include both your current colleagues and previous course-mates. Building this initial network creates a strong foundation for what will come next.

2. Interact with Other Posts

I feel like a YouTuber saying this but like, comment, and share posts related to your field. Offer meaningful comments that showcase your expertise.

This not only helps you build relationships but also increases your visibility.

3. Get Active!

Interacting with other posts is all well and good, but it’s also important to actively share your knowledge and research with your network.

Write posts about interesting papers, developments, or challenges in your field. This invites discussion and shows that you’re actively engaged in your area of study. Sharing your work could also lead to collaboration opportunities!

Expand Your Network

Building a meaningful network on LinkedIn involves more than just connecting with your immediate contacts. It’s about expanding your reach and connecting with professionals and researchers who share your interests.

Here are some ways you can expand your LinkedIn network as a researcher:

1. Join Relevant Groups and Follow Hashtags

LinkedIn groups are like virtual conferences and seminars, where people in your field gather to discuss the latest research and trends. Find groups related to your research interests and join them. Participate in discussions, share your insights, and connect with group members.

It’s also possible to follow hashtags to stay updated on topics of interest. Check out the video below for further information on how to do this.

2. Find Your LinkedIn QR Code for Faster Networking at Conferences

LinkedIn offers a QR code feature that makes connecting with new people easy. When you meet someone at a conference, simply give them your QR code to scan and you’ll be connected!

You can find your QR code by logging into the LinkedIn app on your phone and clicking on the search bar. Upon doing so a QR code symbol should appear on the right-hand side. Once clicked it will provide your code, ready to be shared and scanned.

3. Add a Personalised Note When Cold-Contacting People

While connecting with people you know is straightforward, you’ll also want to reach out to professionals and researchers you haven’t met yet. When sending connection requests to people you haven’t interacted with before, always include a personalised note.

This is really important! Personally I don’t ever tend to accept invites from people I don’t know if they’ve not added a note, or aren’t clearly working on interesting topics. I can only assume other people take this approach too.

Also, even if someone does accept your invite, if you’ve not sent them a message they don’t have any reason to know why you’re interesting in connecting.

• If you’ve met someone at an event, just send them a quick note reminding them of who you are.
• If you’ve never met them before, explain why you want to connect, how your interests align, or what you hope to gain from the connection.

This extra step will significantly increase both the chances of them accepting the invite and how meaningful your connection with them is.

Example notes you can use

• “Hey {X}, I really enjoyed your talk at {a conference} and would love to connect. Thanks”
• ”Hi {X}, after my PhD I’m hoping to move into {new career field} and would really appreciate a quick call to hear about how you were able to make the leap.”

It’s worth saying that yes, you can ask for something immediately, but it’s even better if you’re able to offer your new connection something as well. Do expect that they will look at your profile before accepting.

Bonus: LinkedIn Job Search Tips

Finishing up your PhD and/or considering a move into industry?

If you’re in that position now, here are a few things you can do to maximise your chances of securing a role.

1. Target Specific Companies

Already have a specific industry or company in mind? Below are three ways to boost your chances of success.

• Stay Informed: Follow companies you are interested in working for to stay up to date about job openings, company news, and developments in your chosen field.
• Engage: Interact with the content companies post on LinkedIn. Commenting and sharing their updates might get you noticed by their recruiters.
• Leverage the Alumni Tool: Use LinkedIn’s Alumni Tool to see where graduates from your university work. This can help you identify companies that have hired people with your academic background.

2. Optimise Your Profile for Job Searches

Use relevant keywords in your profile to make it easier to discover in job searches. Include skills, qualifications, and job titles you’re interested in.

3. Use LinkedIn Job Search Tools

LinkedIn has an abundance of tools specifically designed for job seekers.

Here are two ways to use these to your advantage:

• Activate Job Preferences: Let recruiters know you’re open to job opportunities by discreetly activating the “Open to Work” feature in your profile.
• Set Job Alerts: Create job alerts based on your preferred criteria.

4. Utilise Networking

Your LinkedIn network can be an incredibly valuable resource when searching for job opportunities. Start by reaching out to connections who work in your desired industry and seek advice or referrals. I personally know of people who have been successful in securing roles this way after struggling to otherwise get a foot in the door after graduating.

It can also be a good idea to follow thought leaders in your chosen field and engage with their posts. This will help to ensure you stay up to date on the latest insights and there’s always the chance it could end up leading to a job opportunity.

Finally, be sure to look out for and attend online webinars and events within your industry to further expand your network.

Summary: How to Master LinkedIn for Academics and PhD Students

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for academics and PhD students, it allows you to showcase your research and can help to open up opportunities for collaboration.

By following these tips you can build your online presence, stay informed about the latest trends in your field and put yourself in the best position for your next career move.

You can find all of the key points available in my free LinkedIn Top Tips guide, available to download from the resource library .

I’d highly encourage everyone to set up a LinkedIn profile, even if you’re at an early stage in your PhD and dead-set on staying within academia. It’s so much easier to build it up gradually than to try and tackle it all in one go and you never know what opportunities it may lead to! If you want to add me here is my profile .

Happy networking!

Do you have any other suggestions for how academics and PhD students can use LinkedIn? Let me know in the comments!

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

A Week in the Life of an AI Postdoc Researcher: Insights and Tips

28th August 2024 28th August 2024

Beyond the PhD: April to June 2024

17th July 2024 17th July 2024

What is a Postdoc? Key Insights for Aspiring Academics

4th July 2024 28th August 2024

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

• Find Your Perfect PhD
• Finding a PhD

Find Your PhD, Fast Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest. Search Now

• When looking for PhD research projects, a great place to start is with our comprehensive and up-to-date database .
• Speak with lecturers within your area of interest about potential PhD opportunities they may have.
• Attend Postgraduate Events . Whilst there, speak to current PhD students and career advisors to get an awareness of what PhD projects are on offer.
• Visit the postgraduate section of university websites and the PhD Research Council section of the GOV.UK website

Finding A PhD

Searching for PhD research projects can sometimes feel like daunting process. Often, it’s difficult to know where to find a PhD position or where to even start.

To make this searching process as easy as possible for you, we’ve curated a collection of the best places to search for PhD projects. By using our recommended collection, you should hopefully gain a greater insight into where your interests lie and which programme is best suited for you.

Our Comprehensive and Up-To-Date Directory

We can’t create a list of great resources and not include ourselves! At DiscoverPhDs, our primary aim is to connect great students to great PhD projects. To enable this, we provide a comprehensive database of PhD projects offered from universities all across the UK.

We regularly add to our database to ensure you’re getting the latest opportunities and the most relevant information and programme details. On top of this, we’ve created our database to be as easy to use as possible; all our PhD listings provide a direct ‘apply’ link or contact email address of the lead supervisor. This enables you to:

• Request further information about any aspect of the position,
• Enquire about the specific applications process,
• Connect directly with the supervisor

Universities Websites

Search on the website of the universities you are interested in as some many only be listing PhD research projects internally or may link you to other opportunities such as Professional Doctorate Programmes. As examples, have a look at the research pages of The University of Cambridge , Cardiff University , University of Leicester , Sheffield University and The University of Glasgow .

Your Current Supervisor

If you’re currently undertaking a research project or dissertation as part of your undergraduate or master’s degree, it would be a good idea to speak to your current supervisor. Not only would you have already built a good rapport with them, but having worked with you they will have a good idea on what PhD positions would utilise your strengths or best interest you. In fact, a noticeable percentage of past and current PhD students came into their PhD programme because of being recommended by their undergraduate supervisor. Your supervisor will be well-connected – make sure you take advantage of these opportunities.

Tip: Don’t just limit your discussion to your own personal supervisor. All supervisors are within their field of work because they have a natural passion for research and teaching. As such, most supervisors will be more than happy to help any student who wishes to follow in their footsteps and make their own impact.

Postgraduate Events

Nearly all universities hold regular Postgraduate Fairs and Open Days. As part of these events, current postgraduate students may be on hand to share their experiences of their projects and university. This is a fantastic opportunity to not only find out what PhDs the university is offering but to find out more about their facilities, research labs and library collection, etc. Given that you will be heavily relying on these resources during your PhD, it’s important that you know what’s provided by each university. Hearing student stories about what PhD life is really like, what to expect from supervisors and some of the challenges that current students have encountered can be really useful in your decision making process.

Besides the above, career advisers may also be available at these events. Speaking to them will help you understand what you can do with a PhD, whether a PhD is right for you, what degree class you’re expected to hold and how best to prepare for research projects. Seeing as they would have helped many PhD candidates through the decision-making process before, they will provide you with some invaluable insight that you would otherwise be oblivious to.

To help bring all Postgraduate Fairs and Open Days offered across all universities together, we’ve created a helpful Postgraduate Events page which we highly recommend you check out.

Research Councils

Research councils are nationally funded agencies which offer sponsored PhD research projects (also known as a PhD studentship). Different research councils cover different areas of research, these include:

• The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC),
• The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council ( BBSRC ),
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC),
• The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ( EPSRC ),
• Natural Environment Research Council ( NERC ).

The GOV.UK website has a full list of nationally-funded research councils available online. You can find further details on these councils on the GOV.UK website.

Although our database includes PhD programmes offered by these research councils, it would be a good idea to regularly browse the website of the ones you are particularly interested in case they list some internal only. These councils play an important role in supporting and encouraging doctoral researchers and they regularly hold calls for applications for PhD funding. If you or your potential supervisor have a PhD project proposal defined but need funding, then applying to these calls may become a key first milestone in your postgraduate research journey.

For example, the EPSRC offers a Doctoral Training Partnership programme in which a research student is given funding to pursue postgraduate study with a research question that aligns with the Councils core engineering and physical sciences themes. These awards often have eligibility criteria linked to them, impacting which postgraduate research students can apply; an international student, for example, may not be able to apply to a certain UK based scholarship scheme but there are several other options that can still help you fund your doctoral research; this may involve taking out a postgraduate loan (or more specifically a postgraduate doctoral loan).

To make this searching process as easy as possible for you, we’ve curated a collection of the best places to search for a PhD. By using our recommended collection, you should hopefully gain a greater insight into where your interests lie and which programme is best suited for you.

Further Resources

As you continue your search of PhD research projects, be sure to check our our PhD advice articles, including how to prepare for your PhD application, and interviews with current and past doctoral students. Many of the people we’ve interviewed have completed degrees within a STEM discipline; they offer a wide range of advice on their individual approaches to applied research and independent study, as well as sharing some the impact their work has had. Many have continued the research of their projects within academia after finishing, whilst some have developed successful careers in industry and business sectors.

It’s worth noting that when you apply to undertake doctoral study, you may first be registered as an MPhil researcher, depending on the specific doctoral programme you apply for, officially become a full PhD student after passing an upgrade viva. At the upgrade stage, some students do decide to graduate with an MPhil research degree rather than pursuing further PhD study however this is less common.

We hope the above list will help you find the perfect PhD position and earn your doctoral degree.

If you have any recommendations besides these resources, please let us know at [email protected] so we can look to add it.

If you’re ready to start your search for your PhD, start now with our  PhD database .

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

• 11 . 12 . 20

Should I Put PhD After My Name on LinkedIn? Yes! Here’s Why.

• Posted by: Chris

Updated December 21, 2022

If you’re a PhD who is getting active on LinkedIn, or perhaps creating a profile for the first time, you might be wondering whether you should put PhD after your name.

In this short post, I argue yes and give my reasons. Don’t forget to read our guide to LinkedIn for PhDs here. You’re welcome to connect with me there too- Find me here!

This post may contain links to affiliate products, which–if you choose to purchase–pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support our work. We only promote products we’ve used and love.

You can read my story about leaving academia in Doctoring: Building a Life With a PhD–Available on Amazon.

Should I put PhD after my name on LinkedIn?

Yes. There’s no harm in including PhD after your name on LinkedIn, and it may help. As your career progresses, you can decide whether or not to keep it as your skill-set gets more defined and you build a reputation for other things.

Why you might leave PhD off of your LinkedIn profile

The reasons often cited for leaving your PhD off of your LinkedIn profile are as follows:

1. Overqualification

How many PhDs believe that they are overqualified, especially since they’re often told this by managers?

I am hesitant to accept this. Managers might be concerned about two things: someone whose overqualified might expect higher compensation or might get bored and leave fast. Either of these might be reasons why they say you’re overqualified, but you can have that conversation in an interview–if you get there.

However, on LinkedIn, you want to attract the highest denominator of people who would be interested in your talent–as in, people who could actually envision a use for your PhD. Yes, they exist. You want to get the most AMAZING people to notice you, not the manager with no imagination who wants to use you for grunt work.

Did you know? When managers don’t want to hire PhDs, for any number of reasons, overqualification becomes an easy excuse for them to say no. If you suck at interviewing or don’t have the experience, they can let you down gently by saying, “We would have loved to hire you, but you’re overqualified.” It’s difficult to know if they’re actually telling the truth or if you are ACTUALLY overqualified.

2. Changing Industries

Some PhDs, like me, end up working in a different field than what their PhD was in. They’re worried that including a PhD on their LinkedIn profile is misleading since they haven’t actually obtained the qualification in their new industry.

If that’s the case for you, keep it on. Everybody’s career trajectory is different, but if PhD is a PhD. If people care enough about the details of your history, they can go figure out that you have changed fields. And if your PhD was in English literature, they won’t hire you for a job that requires a PhD in neurobiology–simple as that.

Why I think you should include it…

1. phds are leaders.

If you have a PhD, you are a leader. In the long term, develop a big-ass vision for your life and work that lets you operate at the very edge of all of your potential.

Today you might need a crap job to pay the bills. I’ve been there.

Tomorrow, once the bills are paid with your telemarketing gig (true story from a PhD I know), step out and grow a vision worthy of you.

I don’t care what somebody told you about you being overqualified, the hardest thing about being a PhD in the labor market is growing your leadership ability to match the letters after the name.

There are a lot of things you can do to influence your brand. You can create a LinkedIn account for example that screams leader instead of a dispensable employee.

But either way, those letters after your name are a sign of your greatness. I wouldn’t get rid of them. I would grow the rest of your brand until you look like a leader to everybody who looks at you.

2. People respect it

It might be hard to believe, but there are a lot of people out there who respect your PhD. I think some PhDs get mixed messages about this because they talk to family members or others who don’t understand our world.

The thing is, you need to understand that not all work outside of Academia is created equal. Not all of it will respect your PhD.

So your uncle who is in management at a paper mill or your cousin who works in a municipal government office are not going to get it. Why would they? They are not in the right type of workplaces.

Some PhDs do end up working in these kinds of spaces. And sometimes aren’t appreciated.

However, if you can get around the knowledge economy, your PhD is going to be respected.

So leaving it off of your LinkedIn because of what certain people might think is actually pandering to the wrong people anyways. You want knowledge economy people to notice you, and it’s totally fine if some of the others don’t.

FURTHERMORE! I’ve heard from women and racialized folks that including the “Dr.” or “PhD” can, in some cases, help them get the respect they deserve.

Working on some new skills? Try LinkedIn Learning here!

3. You might remove it with time

I’ve noticed that, with time, some of my contacts who are PhDs have removed the letters from after their names. In most of these cases, they’re not job searching. They are established and known for things other than their PhD. They’re running companies, they have high-quality product management skills, etc.

If you are just starting out, it makes total sense to keep PhD on your LinkedIn. And make sure your LinkedIn looks great, I have a guide for how to do that here.

Consulting Secrets 3 – Landing Clients

Photo by Christian Sterk on Unsplash There’s a new type of post buzzing around LinkedIn. I confess, I’ve even made a few.  The post is

You’re Not Good Enough… Yet

Last year, I spent $7k on a business coach. She was fantastic. She helped me through sessions of crafting my ideas to become a “thought

$200/hr Expert? Here’s the Secret!

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash I was listening to Tony Robbins this week. He was talking about being the best.  Tony asks the audience,

SHARE THIS:

EMAIL UPDATES

Weekly articles, tips, and career advice

Roostervane exists to help you launch a career, find your purpose, and grow your influence

• Write for Us

Terms of Use | Privacy |   Affiliate Disclaimer

©2022 All rights reserved​

• Get Dream Job

Complete LinkedIn Guide For PhDs

Learn the latest LinkedIn tips & strategies to get PhDs hired into top industry careers.

• Create a professional brand to showcase your LinkedIn profile.
• Learn how to increase your LinkedIn visibility to employers.
• Focus on keywords that will attract recruiters to you from LinkedIn Recruiter.
• ​Learn how to create a conversational hook that will drive referrals.
• Increase your connections to 500+ and improve your SSI score.

Get your FREE copy below

Why You Should Share Your PhD Vacancy on Social Media

Social media is an important tool for recruitment, but it’s often overlooked in the academic sector. There are a lot of benefits to sharing your PhD advert on social media, especially now that the oldest members of Generation Z are starting to apply to grad school. 

Sharing your advert on social media increases your chances of reaching relevant candidates. Candidates don’t check your institution’s or lab’s careers page every day, but they do check social media every day. Candidates are more likely to see your PhD ad if you share it on channels that they actively check. Using social media also allows you to reach out to passive candidates who aren’t actively searching for a PhD position or checking job boards. 

You’ll even reach future candidates by sharing your vacancy on social media. Future candidates are people who aren’t able to apply for a vacant position even if they’re interested in it. When it comes to PhD positions, bachelor’s and new master’s students are future candidates. They don’t yet have the necessary qualifications to apply for a PhD but still casually read PhD ads. Sharing your vacancy on social media can help keep you on their radar so they seek you out as a potential supervisor once they’re ready to apply for a PhD. 

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your recruitment on the three biggest social media platforms:

Download your free PhD advert toolkit

Get your free PhD advert toolkit with our top tips for writing and publishing a PhD advert that will make candidates excited to apply.

Twitter is widely viewed as the most popular platform for academics to share and connect with each other. Utilize relevant hashtags like #academicjobs #researchjobs and #sciencejobs to increase your tweet’s reach. You can also use emojis in your tweet to stand out in the feed. Try to find one that is relevant to the PhD project or research field or use some more general ones like: ⭐️ 📅 📌 📍 📝 ✅ 📣 💻 . Adding a picture is another great way to catch people’s eye. You can use a recent picture of your research group or cool figure from a recent publication. If you’re feeling a bit creative, you could even create a simple infographic with k ey dates or project description . An infographic is also a great way to get around the 280 character limit and share more detailed information about your PhD opportunity. 

Facebook isn’t as popular among Gen Z as it is among older generations and the platform makes it difficult to reach people who are outside of your personal network of friends. However, Facebook groups can be a great way to share your job ad with an interested audience. Private groups have had a resurgence in the last couple of years and membership is on the rise. Users also tend to engage more with content shared in groups than on their newsfeed. Some popular groups for PhD positions are PhD and postdoc positions (400,000+ members), International PhD, Postdoc and Faculty Positions (115,000+ members) and Master, PhD, and Postdoc Scholarships (95,000+ members). You can also search for groups that are country or field specific. 

Though it’s not as popular with academics, LinkedIn is the most used platform when it comes to job advertising. Like Facebook, LinkedIn groups are a valuable place to share your job advert to reach relevant candidates. You can also reach people outside of your network by posting about your vacancy and setting the sharing settings to “anyone”. This will also share the post with people who follow you but aren’t connected to you. Finally, use hashtags like #phdjobs and #phdposition to help relevant candidates find your vacancy. 

Now that you know the best ways to share your PhD ad on social media, download our free PhD advert toolkit to learn how to write a compelling advert and measure your results. 

Toolkit for Phd recruitment download form

" * " indicates required fields

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Discover more advice & insights

15 PhDs and Postdocs to the MECS Cluster of Excellence

MECS aimed to bolster its research team by attracting top PhD and Postdoc talent in their field. To achieve this, they engaged Academic Positions, leveraging our expertise in academic recruitment marketing.

2 min read · By

The Role of AI and Data Analytics in Transforming Academic Recruitment

In the dynamic landscape of higher education, the integration of data analytics and Artificial Intelligence …

3 min read · By

Strategic HR Trends in Higher Education

In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the role of Human Resources (HR) within universities is …

10 Tips For Academic Recruitment Excellence

In the increasingly competitive realm of higher education, the academic recruitment of faculty members is …

4 min read · By

How to Measure Your Talent Attraction

Whether you rely on an outside partner or internal data, measuring your talent attraction can lead to more efficient hiring.

3 min read · By Academic Positions

8 Key Factors Shaping Academic Recruitment in 2024

In the dynamic landscape of academic recruitment, the year 2024 marks a pivotal point of …

2 min read · By Academic Positions

The Dynamics of Attracting Quality Applicants in Academic Recruitment

In the competitive landscape of academia, the quality of applicants for job positions can vary …

5 Tips to Optimize your Postdoc Adverts for Digital Recruitment

Make sure that promising postdoc candidates are able to find your vacancy by optimizing the text for digital recruitment. Here are our top tips to get started.

6 Tips for Successful Academic Recruitments

While there is no magical solution when it comes to getting applications, there are several things you can do to increase your chances of filling your position.