Quick summary of some great hints on how to frame your PhD skills for non-academic job applications thanks to a Twitter thread from @preranasabris
1. Communication - You are extensively trained in oral presentation & writing. Data visualisation and condensing information with all the details is a valued skill set! And also at listening & improving based on feedback. Also writing in different styles - from very technical to understandable to public/lay.
2. Teamwork & individuality - You have experience with collaborations, work delegation, conflict management. But as a single player, you can also handle large projects, with minimal supervision.
3. Critical thinking - You have great problem solving, reasoning, and analytical skills. You have experience coming up with creative solutions to problems on a daily basis.
4. Ethics - You have a good grasp of how to maintain confidentiality.
5. Computer - You are well versed with the basic Microsoft Office software (or equivalent). But also with languages like R, Python, etc. Data visualisation. You know how to interrogate search engines and efficiently store and manage results.
6. Other - You are organized, flexible, self-motivated, social media savvy, quick to learn new skills, growth mindset.
7. A big one if you're considering consulting is being able to find, read, and synthesize information quickly. We read so many papers and go to talks outside that we need to pull out the important parts quickly.
8. Project management - you know how to plan a project with milestones and timelines, and deliver it from start to finish. Maybe even consider doing a short training course and getting a certificate.
and you can also check out: “An evidence-based evaluation of transferrable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs.” Sinche M, et al. PLoS One. 2017. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185023 PMID 28931079