Earlier this week, the Office of Career Strategy (OCS) hosted the latest session of our PhD Pathways series with an insightful panel on careers in economic consulting, featuring two outstanding Yale PhD alumni:
• Yujie Qian (’21 PhD Economics) – Senior Economist at Compass Lexecon, where he provides economic analysis in private litigation, merger reviews, and antitrust matters. His doctoral research examined strategic information sharing on digital platforms. He also has experience advising FinTech companies and teaching the Economics of Blockchains here at Yale.
• Oscar Soler (’21 PhD Economics) – Associate Principal at Charles River Associates, with over a decade of experience in causal inference, micro-econometrics, and large-scale data analysis to support decision-making and develop innovative, data-driven solutions.
In this session, our speakers shared candid reflections about their transitions from academia into economic consulting, offering guidance for students interested in exploring this industry career path. Below we highlight the main takeaways from their discussion.
Understanding Economic Consulting
Both alumni emphasized that economic consulting offers a unique blend of rigorous empirical research, team-based problem solving, and real-world impact, making it an appealing path for PhD students who enjoy applied work. While academia often rewards originality and solo-authored research, economic consulting also places strong value on:
• Collaborative work with co-authors and teams of research assistants
• Clear communication and the ability to translate technical research into non-technical terms
• Flexibility and willingness to learn new methods quickly
Although technical skills – such as coding and econometric expertise – are valuable, both panelists stressed that analytical processes, clarity of thought, and communication skills are equally valuable.
Internships as an Effective Strategy
A central theme of the conversation was the importance of internships for gaining traction in the economic consulting job market.
Internship programs often have more favorable applicant-to-opening ratios than full-time positions, and they provide a valuable way to build professional relationships. Strong internship performance can also lead to return offers and early-career mentorship opportunities.
PhD students can typically begin applying for internships around the third year of their program, with the best chances of receiving a return offer during the fifth year.
How to Demonstrate Career Readiness
Transitioning from an academic mindset to an industry-oriented one can be challenging, especially when trying to signal “job readiness.” The panelists discussed the importance of:
• Showcasing applied experience, such as independent projects, data-intensive research, coding repositories (e.g., GitHub).
• Highlighting transferable skills, including project management, cross-institutional teamwork, and concise communication.
Navigating the Application and Interview Process
The speakers also shared several practical tips for standing out as an applicant:
• Avoid small but consequential mistakes, like misspelling company names or using generic cover letters.
• Customize your materials for economic consulting (not academia), and highlight skills that match the work firms do.
• Ensure your application signals genuine interest and understanding of the field.
• Prepare specific, thoughtful questions for interviewers that demonstrate curiosity about the role and the firm.
A warm thank-you to Yujie Qian and Oscar Soler for sharing their insights and for helping make this session a success.
Stay tuned for future PhD Pathways events as we continue to highlight diverse careers for doctoral students in the social sciences!
