Have a PhD...Now what?

LegacyUser

Hi all

this is very much one of those PI situations that might not be much of an issue compared to what other's face here on a daily basis but it's an ongoing theme in my life.

Basically, at 21, having secured a BA, the economy failed. I didn't have many options but was approached to do a PhD in my area (arts). I decided to go for it, thinking I was absolutely great (lol). During my time as a PhD student I wasn't actively conferencing (maybe 2 a year) nor was I publishing. I was drinking and acting the ****e. I took longer than others who did the PhD after a series of mad events in my family life.

At the age of 28 I graduated with my PhD and went into a quasi-academic job training people in my area. I hated it. The institution wasn't well-respected, the students were poor-performers, and I wasn't given ample time to develop my research area. After awhile I got lazy and now, at 29 (coming up to 30), I am in a job that I do genuinely like and in a better college. I love the team I'm in but it's only loosely related to what I did my PhD on. I am on an OK salary (46.. scale goes up to 52 in my job) but I am freaking that this is it for me and that I can't progress further beyond that.

My topic was very, very niche and I think prospective universities wouldn't look at me. I also don't really enjoy researching the area any more and find reading and research laborious and boring. I am also working full time so I don't have a huge amount of time to research as it would be out of office hours.

I feel a bit lost. I want to be a lecturer for the sake of the career prospects, the teaching (which I like), but don't like my PhD field and don't know how to break into another area in my subject. I don't know if I should do a post-doc, another MA, or something else just to get me back on track but I have very little published and don't conference. I am a failing academic and I am beginning to panic a bit. I feel like other academics my age or younger are doing so well and I am failing at this... It has gotten to the point where I am a bit of an anxious mess at work.

Any advice?

s4uv3

Would you go speak to a career coach?
Sounds like practical help is what you need, you have your head fairly well screwed on

Mr. Incognito

Write a book?

I mean if you are in academia and cant be arsed putting the work in at least use the time to produce something you are interested in. You can segway into other areas of academia.

Teyla Emmagan

There are no jobs in lecturing. No permanent ones anyway. So unless you like having no stability forget it. Do you really want to be an academic anyway? It's a terrible, cut throat world. Especially for the ones who care about the students. And you will never get in unless you are publishing like a SOB.

The job sounds good though. You've done very well so far. The role may not go much further but could you transfer with it? Or build a career in the industry? There are loads of people in industry with PHDs, I know you spent a lot of time getting it but you don't necessarily have to "use" it. Whatever you do, no more study ATM. The economy is up, you have to be spending this time working.

LegacyUser

Thanks to all for the advice! To be honest it was just something I needed to get out of my head (the joys of PI)

@s4uv3 - I have done and the fees were mad and I ended up not going ahead with it. I think I know what I want - a senior job in a university but not as a lecturer - but I'm worrying that I'm not good enough. I dunno..

@Mr. Incognito - thanks a mil, I have thought about writing a book and I could potentially turn my PhD project into one. However, it's a very nice topic and might not be picked up by a publisher. It would also be a full-time situation and I'd need to possibly pack in my current role. Not sure about this one! TBH not really arsed is pretty much how I feel about writing a book. I don't read (outside of stuff on my phone) and not interested in writing fiction.

@Teyla Emmagan - thanks again! Every summer 1-2 positions come up in lecturing in my field but the competition would be mad. I applied to one university and didn't get an interview but upon requesting feedback I was told I scored 75% in the marking scheme...!? Yeah, I know I'd never get one because I am not publishing and don't have any bother in doing so. I was only thinking of further ed to re-ignite the passion for research (lol) but this would be done part-time and possibly even online. I have no desire to put more expensive, time-consuming letters after my name!!

I just see guys my age, particularly one friend, who is on 80k+ in a media related job with loads of room for growth while I am here on half his money and might not ever get much further... I dunno, I feel like I used to be ambitious and thought I'd be the 'successful' one out of my group but not feeling that way at all at the minute. I know success is relative and that I am the first person in my family to achieve a PhD but I dunno... feel like with all that time spent in college I'd have been better off becoming a medical doctor!!

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Tenigate

Your salary is fine and your career is probably fine as well, particularly if you have a permanent contract. You're pretty successful by the sounds of it. (Don't compare yourself to others, either your "age or younger" or you'll definitely be unhappy!)

The problem seems to me is that you're not really into academia apart from wanting a cushty number lecturing students and a bit of a prestige. But is it really your vocation? Is there a particular area you could study that would suddenly motivate you to research, conference and publish, despite working or writing a paper? If yes, study it.

If no, accept your job for what it is, find a hobby, and continue maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

LegacyUser

@Permabear - you're absolutely right - I don't think academia is for me as it focuses on research. I don't mind doing small-scale projects but my area is mostly concerned with producing discourse-laden tombs of shi'te. Don't know if a career in finance is for me but your story is definitely inspirational - it reads like the trajectory I hope to have career-wise. In terms of advancing, I think I'd have to sit here and wait for people to retire. Even then I'd wonder if I'd get it... some see through the fact that I'm not 100% happy.

@Tenigate - Thanks for the words of encouragement, I actually touched upon a few of those points in my other post which was delayed because of moderation so you bet me to the punch! Definitely want something that I feel has value but prestige definitely isn't something I care about... I have other interests outside of my field but I just feel very much in a slump of work - gym - tv - bed (and at weekends wake - gym - drink - bed).

Maybe I need to diversify and do more studying but I want to do it part-time and online if I could.

StupidLikeAFox

Many graduate programs for large companies will have a minimum entry requirements of a degree. They will appreciate your life experience.

For instance when I worked in IT consulting at different stages I worked with a history PhD grad, a former professional musician and a former structural engineer

LegacyUser

@StupidLikeAFox - thanks a mil for that. I have considered graduate entry programs into IT and such myself (I like computers!) but now with a mortgage and a possible engagement coming up I want to stay in as high of a salary as I can. I know those programs would usually pay the bare minimum but I could be wrong.

dudara

A PhD thesis, by its very definition, is research into a niche area. I did my PhD thesis on a very particular set of electron transport mechanisms in a very particular set of semiconductor materials. I was never going to get a job lecturing or writing on that, but a lectureship in physics (generally) and/or quantum/optoelectronics would have been reasonable.

But, as has been already pointed out, getting a permanent position in lecturing is tough. Very tough. It can happen, but you will have to work for it, publish, apply for all positions.

In my case, I left after my Ph.D. and joined a consulting company as a graduate. It's taken me down a different path, but one that's been no less challenging and rewarding.

TheAnalyst_

Stay away from academia as I don't think it suits you. You need to forget about your PhD and work where you want to. It's a few lines on your cv that should help you to move jobs.

LegacyUser

Likewise, forget about the PhD. You have it; it's under your belt now, a great achievement but something you can't have as a defining thing in life. I was awarded mine 9 years ago, and it's a single line on a cv I never use.

Even at the start of my PhD it was clear the jobs weren't there and that loads of people who were doing the 'post-doc merry-go-round' were suffering from mental health issues, most especially depression. I survived my PhD. Dark, isolated, introspective days full of an awareness of how small and political the academic area was - and that there were no tenure-track jobs. I've never used it and most people who know me at work don't know I have it. Although it was a factor, but by no means the most important one, in being awarded my current job.

It's just a part of a distant past achievement now, as it will be for you the further away from it you become. It was a culture shock getting my first job after it - I had to develop an entire set of new skills - interpersonal and creative. Yes, when Irish people discover you've a PhD they'll perhaps be impressed but certainly more impressed that you're humble enough to not talk about it, never mind expect to be called 'Dr'.

Metric Tensor

Another PhD holder not in academia here OP. According to my friends who stayed in academia in Ireland it has become a very cut-throat, unstable, poorly-paid career for many (although not all) of the new entrants.

More importantly - you don't like research and you enjoy the job you're in - it would be madness to go back.

Most days I don't work in something directly related to my PhD but I pick up the odd consultancy project in the area and the skills I developed during my research have stood me well in all aspects of my life. Maybe you could supplement your current role with some additional work related to your field? Even if you can't, don't treat your PhD as wasted - the techniques and skills you developed will stand to you for life.

Money is important (we'd all like to be making more) but don't make it your sole focus.

You're earning literally twice what most arts PhD graduates are earning at your age.

Do a post doc if you want to move into another field. You'll be taking a dramatic paycut (to 32k) if you're one of the lucky few to get funding.