The variables determining the attractiveness of social science PhDs remain unknown. A study on the job position of PhD graduates in the social sciences in Grenoble (1984-1996) was carried out to gain insight into the relationship between the research environment during the PhD (funding and time available for the research, i.e. full-time versus part-time), the quality of research (estimated by distinctions and publications) and PhD students' initial training. The conditions in which the doctoral research is carried out have a crucial influence on the job position the graduate is subsequently able to find. PhD graduates are thus locked into trajectories they may not have chosen because of the lack of information needed to make rational decisions. Empirical analysis helps to improve PhD training. Keywords: PhD graduates, professional trajectories, job position, higher education, university, social sciences.