**Part two in our series on PhD alumni pursuing non-academic careers.
While pursuing his PhD in Communication at Carleton, Howard Fremeth (PhD/11) enjoyed studying the people and organizations involved in running our country.
Now as the Director of Communications at the Embassy of Israel in Canada, he says it is really exciting to make news and not just study it.
Says Fremeth: “When journalists find out that I have a PhD, they sometimes joke about working with an actual “spin doctor”.
In his current position, he works with a range of people from journalists to policymakers while directing the Embassy’s external communications over a variety of platforms from social to traditional media.
Fremeth is especially proud of an interview that he co-ordinated in Jerusalem between Global TV’s Tom Clark and Israeli President Shimon Peres. “This was much harder than one would expect: in an era of funding cuts especially in international news coverage,” says Fremeth. “it is rather difficult to convince Canadian media companies to send a person oversees for profile interviews.”
Does he think his PhD help him obtain his current job? “A PhD can make a resumé stand out but it is still important to clearly communicate practical skills and experiences,” says the alumnus. “Above all else, completing a PhD gives you a high level of confidence that stands out in any job interview. “
He also adds that “Carleton’s School of Journalism and Communication is well-known and has a certain caché in the job market.”
During his degree, Fremeth researched the shift in media representations of the Canadian military from the image of the peacekeeper to the warrior. “I owe the completion of my PhD to my supervisor, Dr. Ira Wagman, who helped me to focus my topic and think carefully about methods. I have the utmost respect for his ability to mentor students and I know his guidance will benefit many more graduate students for years to come.”
For other PhD students who are just graduating, Fremeth has this advice:” If you’re looking for work outside of the academy, be comforted to know that there are many PhDs in non-academic jobs. Be proud of your PhD and use it as a source of confidence.”
To read stories about other PhD alumni pursuing non-academic careers, please go to our Alumni Success Stories archive.
Note: Photo is of Howard Fremeth and Tom Clark, host of Global TV’s program, the West Block.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 in Alumni Success Stories, News
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