PhD: profession or self-employment?

We are often asked questions regarding job openings deriving from a PhD. It must be said that there are indeed many opportunities, although in the same professional field where the degree is earned. Despite that, PhD holders are considered multitasking people, able to cover several roles because of their commitment to research and setting of new goals.

Professions that usually require extensive training and formal qualifications are the following: accounting, public administration, law, marketing, administration, teaching, human resources, tourism and business management. Of course, our reference is to the global area, where each individual country implements laws to regulate or not professions. However, in a professional perspective, we would like to point out that one should consider the PhD as a specialization because, usually, the Master's degree is already enough to do a regulated profession. So the professions that can be pursued are those indicated in your Master's degree. The PhD is considered instead as an additional specialization when speaking about the professional usability.

However, there is one area, quite unlimited, which is consulting and self-employment, where many professional activities can be carried out. In almost all countries it is allowed to carry out consulting activities to private individuals or public bodies, as professionals or self-employed, even associated. This category includes not only all forms of consulting, but also the establishment of small businesses or associated firms. In Europe, Asia, US and Africa, the self-employed represents a substantial portion of the workforce. For the holder of a PhD there are also many opportunities to work as a freelancer, either in technical business or academic fields, selling one's skills and abilities. Consultant work is an excellent opportunity for those who want to be self-employed and be free of the routine, which employees cannot avoid.