Authors

• Aarresaari network of the Academic Career Services in Finland

Keywords

career, career development, doctoral degrees, employment opportunities, higher education institutions, labour and employment, occupational life, recruitment

Abstract

The survey charted the employment and early careers of people who had attained doctoral graduates in Finnish universities in 2004 and 2005.

The respondents were first asked how they had financed their doctoral studies and what their reasons had been for taking up a doctoral degree. Relating to employment situation and quality of work, questions charted what the respondents' occupational status was, how well their work corresponded to their qualifications, and what reasons had potentially hindered their employment. The respondents who were in paid work were asked their employer type, tasks at work, supervisory tasks, gross monthly income, satisfaction with work, and ability to make use of skills learned in doctoral studies in their job. The respondents who had begun working for a new employer after graduation were asked how they had received the job. The respondents who had a job that was not commensurate to their qualifications were asked what had been the most important reason for accepting the job or continuing to do it.

With regard to the significance of doctoral degree in occupational life, opinions were charted on whether the topic of doctoral dissertation had been useful in employment, whether having a doctoral degree had led to an increased salary and better standing in occupational life, and whether doctoral education was useful when it came to employment and skills needed in occupational life.

Background variables included, among others, the respondent's gender, marital status, university, field of study, and age at the time of graduation.