Surviving as a Ph.D. in Industry

Within the career development forums in which I participate, there is a growing realization amongst those soon to earn their Ph.D. that there is a severe shortage of teaching and research assignments in academia. This group is also realizing that their academic programs have fallen far short of preparing them for careers outside academia. This is especially true for those who have gone from Nursery through Ph.D. without getting any life or career experience. In this piece I offer my thoughts on the realities of surviving and functioning as a Ph.D. in industry based on 35 years experience.