Authors

• Aarresaari network of the Academic Career Services in Finland

Keywords

appointment to job, career development, educational certificates, employment opportunities, higher education institutions, labour and employment, labour force, post-graduates, tertiary education (second stage)

Abstract

The data charted the careers and employment situations of Finnish doctoral graduates three years after they had obtained their degree in 2014. Themes of the survey included impact of a doctoral degree on employment, job satisfaction and development suggestions for doctoral education.

The respondents were first asked to what extent different reasons had impacted their decision to take up a doctoral degree, and how they had financed their studies. They were asked to estimate the share of time they had spent on their doctoral dissertation alongside other work at the university. Relating to employment situation and quality of work, questions charted how the degree had affected the respondents' status in the job market and what their occupational status was at the time of the survey and what it had been 6 months before starting the degree and 6 months after finishing it. The respondents were asked if they had been unemployed after finishing their degree, and reasons were charted that potentially had hindered their employment. The respondents who were in paid work were asked the type of their current work tasks and the competences needed in their work. It was also examined whether a doctoral degree was a prerequisite for their current job as well as how well the respondents' work corresponded to their qualifications. Gross monthly income was also charted.

With regard to the significance of a doctoral degree in occupational life, opinions were charted on whether the topic of the respondent's 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. Relating to developing and improving doctoral education, views were probed on the guidance received during studies, satisfaction with the studies, and things that should be emphasised in the education (e.g. teaching skills, entrepreneurship).

Background variables included the respondent's gender, field of study, and age at the time of graduation (dichotomised "under 36"/"36 and over").