Does Your Degree Count as Work Experience?

My take on how to properly value your work from a graduate degree

When it comes to experience, you had better be prepared to speak up in interviews. Photo: Michal Czyz/Unsplash

It’s often mentioned as the hated paradox of job seekers: In order to apply for a job, you need to show that you have experience. But in order to get that experience, you have to first have a job!

This applies less for entry-level jobs, but when you move into more serious positions, including many positions in biology or technology, there’s a big payoff to having the experience. Senior scientist positions require years of experience in relevant skills.

When a new graduate, with either a master’s or a PhD, heads out to look at job postings, how do they explain their lack of experience?

Should your work in graduate school count as experience for applying for a job?

Each mentor or advocate in the industry will have different advice, and this advice may vary from one industry to another. My thoughts shared here are derived from the last five years, as I’ve occupied both the role of job seeker and hiring manager.

What requirements are commonly seen in job postings?

Obviously, being able to count any school or study time as “work experience” would greatly help a new graduate’s chances…