Studying for a doctorate is a big undertaking that requires a lot of research. Full-time doctoral studies can take 3-4 years, while part-time studies can take 6-7 years.
Here are some things you might want to consider before starting your PhD.
Discuss your PhD plans with your manager
It’s easier to work full time and get a PhD when you can discuss your situation with your manager.
Talk to your manager about your promotion plans. They may be willing to work with you to fit your work hours into your schedule. If you are taking work home often, you need to let them know that it is probably no longer possible.
what does desperation look like
My first job interview was a nightmare. I put on an ill-fitting $75 suit with one of those heavy ties from the 90s and shoes that were a different shade of brown than my belt. I showed up and waited in the company lobby, going through a list of interview questions I pulled from the internet. I recited pre-recorded answers in my head and thought, “Okay, I’m ready for this test. I will get all the right answers. The receptionist called my name and led me back to a large office where three people were sitting. They started asking me basic questions and I answered like a robot. Then I waited for them to ask more questions. There was a lot of awkward silence, but I didn’t know why. I thought they had prepared more questions. Why were you waiting to talk to me? I somehow passed the interview and a week later I got a call with a really bad offer. The salary was almost double what I expected. But I took it anyway. Because I was desperate.
Starting a new career can be a confusing process, especially when industries are changing. The path is particularly challenging for PhD graduates looking to transition into business. Because the worlds of science and business are very different. It is also the case that most universities offer little or no professional training to doctoral students.
As a result, modern graduate students who are retiring from academia are thrown into the business world without thinking about how to find it. You’ll get some networking tips and be encouraged to keep sending resumes. But nothing happened. In fact, less than 40% of doctoral students will find a job in a company at the end of their studies or shortly after. And less than 20% of life science graduates will have a corporate job after graduation. The truth is that most graduate students will never get a job in business, even if they do everything right. The problem is that they also do the wrong things. The key to starting a successful career in business is learning what not to do. Here are 5 things to avoid:
Industrial Internship
An internship is a short-term work experience offered by companies and other organizations to people, usually students, but not always for entry level to achieve. exposure in a particular industry or field. It is usually a great opportunity to make business contacts and see how you can use your research knowledge to add value to the private sector. In many cases, internships are sponsored by the universities themselves (for example, internship projects for doctoral students at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden). A key recommendation here is to look for paid internships. It is quite common for companies to try to hire interns without paying them in exchange for learning and experience. However, we strongly encourage you to look for projects that will always reward you.
It is not uncommon for PhD students to teach or have exhibition hours during their PhD to earn money and gain experience at their university or home research center. Primary graduate student responsibilities include conducting undergraduate seminars, scoring assessments, and providing demonstrations or laboratory supervision. In some cases, graduate students may work as Teaching Assistants (TAs), taking on a more administrative role, being responsible for scheduling, teaching, email and grading. Our recommendation is that you ask your manager about matters, at least they know who to refer to.
Saturday/evening work
If you are willing to sacrifice a day or a few evenings a week of your free time, it is easy to learn temporary work in shops, call centers and pubs/restaurants . This type of work is unlikely to pay much more than minimum wage; However, some students consider that task-based work relieves them from the rigors of their doctoral work and also gives them the opportunity to socialize. Other odd jobs that might be suitable for a PhD include bookstore, market research and journalism.
Many graduate students study part-time, especially those who are self-financed to have a stable income during their studies. If you are already working full-time, you can request flexible working hours to allow you to study part-time. It is important to find the right balance so that you have enough time for work and promotion and time to relax.