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Worried about what to say

  • 22-05-2014 3:05pm
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi.

    I started a phd position 3 years ago which caused me a lot of problems. Largely due to a lack of support from my supervisors and a clash of personalities. The area I went into was loosely related to my academic experience but as it turns out I had to learn a huge amount about another area that did not interest me. this was not properly explained prior to starting. The studies werent working out (due to improper sample taking before I started) and I began to develop anxiety and depression related issues. These were exacerbated by a clash of personalities between myself and my 3 supervisors. I decided to leave 2 years into the project (a 4 year project) and write up a masters. that will be submitted shortly. However, I feel like I really want to continue in research and I have applied for a couple of Phd positions. I genuinely feel like it was the situation and not the actual work that was the problem. I feel I could do really well with the right phd position.

    However I am now worried that I wont be taken seriously at interviews (I have one lined up) because if they ask why it took so long to complete a masters (usually takes a year, maybe 2) I will have to explain about having already dropped out of a phd. I am afraid this will look very bad and on top of that I have one of my supervisors down as a reference but god only knows what he'll say about me.

    I didn't know quite where to put this so if its not suitable in this forum could somebody moved. I'm just worried nobody will ever take me seriously now :(


Comments

  • #2
    Tokyo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,656 ✭✭✭✭Tokyo


    OP,

    You won't be the first person to walk away from a phd that didn't interest them, nor will you be the first to have a difference of opinion with a supervisor, and I'm sure that whoever is interviewing you will have experienced that before. Personally I wouldn't volunteer the information, but if you are asked directly why it took so long then turn it into a positive - let them know that the phd you had been pursuing hadn't been going in the direction that you wanted, and rather than walk away from it you gained your masters from it, so that you could pursue a phd more suited to your field of interest.


  • #3
    Merkin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,230 ✭✭✭Merkin


    You need to remember that you're not walking away from the experience with nothing, you have gained a Masters, which is also no mean feat. I don't think you will be asked why it took three years but if it is, you simply say the PhD wasn't for you and you wanted to maximize on the situation by obtaining a Masters.


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