Well, well, well! I’ve been contemplating writing this for ages now, and I’ve finally found the courage. Man, oh man, is a PhD program hard. I guess if it was easy, everyone would do it. Disclaimer: This post is not to dissuade or persuade anyone to do a PhD, but rather, just me sharing what I wish I knew before choosing to do a PhD. Here goes nothing.
Understanding the commitment
Guys, a PhD requires long-term commitment. The PhD duration can be anywhere between 3 and 7 years, depending on the university you’ve chosen to complete it at. I’ve never struggled with commitment before; my bachelor’s and master’s degrees were rather simple for me, even with the theses I needed to do at the end of them. The master’s was a little more challenging, but nonetheless, it was manageable. But geez, I’m in my third year of PhD now, and it is an uphill battle. Academic life requires dedication and motivation, an amount of which can only come from someone who actually enjoys it enough to survive through the whole program without facing depression or other negative feelings. This is where I made my first mistake; I got into a PhD without any actual interest in it. I just wanted to have my permit extended, and this was the safest way. This was the first mistake I made.
Comparing the minimum requirements needed to defend the PhD Program
The next thing I fumbled on was not doing enough research on what the requirements are to successfully complete a PhD at my university. I’d say this is the thing you need to pay most attention to. Before going in, find out what it takes to get a PhD at a particular university. Some universities demand you publish several articles before being approved to defend your thesis. You may also need to meet a minimum number of conferences, workshops, etc. Find this information out at the beginning, before applying. You need to know the success rates, especially in your study field, at that university and use that as a benchmark to decide if you can manage it or not. Especially if you’ll need to publish in high-quality journals. I’ve learnt that academia is now just a business—pumping articles to get the university a higher ranking worldwide or potentially increase funding—it’s a lot. I wish I had selected a different university to do my PhD at. One where your actual research skills are analysed versus where they only want to see that you’ve published papers and attended conferences and workshops.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Supervisor
This is probably more important than choosing the university itself. The university can be great, but if your PhD supervisor is nonsense, you’re done for. I know that sounds so harsh, but it’s reality, guys. Even though my PhD program has been going sideways, my supervisor has, to some extent, been helpful. But my topic is not a strength of his. which is ironic considering he proposed it, but life goes on. I recommend getting in touch with a supervisor before applying for a PhD position. Have an interview with them—ask questions about the topic. About how they’d advise you to go about the research. Assess their state of knowledge just as they are assessing you. Also, ask if there’s a possibility to get an academic mentor or research advisor on top of the supervisor as well. In some cases, you really need a team to support your PhD program, so don’t limit yourself to just one individual. Find out what your university offers and maximize on that.
Financial considerations
Most universities in Europe offer government or state-funded PhD positions. This means that you’ll be getting a monthly scholarship for your upkeep, much like a job—because it is a job, to be honest. This is something you should look into while applying for a position. PhD Program funding can extend beyond the scholarship. Some universities and governments then offer research grants for conferences, workshops, experiments, etc. You just need to check in with the institute to find out what opportunities are available. I’ve been working a separate job and doing my PhD program, and I wish I hadn’t done that. There isn’t enough time to really do both. I’m fatigued most of the time and can’t find the energy to do any work. This is probably more contributed by the fact that I didn’t want to do the PhD to begin with, but at the same time, it’s just a lot. I recommend really understanding what it takes to do the PhD and making sure you’ve got enough time to manage everything.
Balancing Life and PhD
It’s really important to get a work-life balance. The PhD program can be quite heavy on the mind, so taking care of your mental health should be a priority. I did write an article about taking care of your mental health in the EU; it certainly applies with the PhD, so have a read there as well. The stress that comes from a PhD program is not one anyone can undermine. Be prepared for it. Also, when you go to conferences and so forth, it’s important to do some academic networking. It might be other students or professors; either way, it’s good to build a network. You may seek advice from other students and just support each other along the journey. Professional relationships are also important for building your career.
Career Opportunities Post-PhD
Now, there’s some discussion over the difficulty in getting a job post-PhD program studies. You’re overqualified with little to no industry experience, yet you can’t legally be paid mediocrely in some countries. It is challenging, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The article How Smart PhD Program Graduates Get Hired Fast In Competitive Job Markets gave me some hope. Have a look at it to get some tips on how to set yourself up for success post graduation. You can find work in academic and non-academic job markets. You just have to search and plan out your years as carefully as possible. Instead, I just worked through my PhD program. It’s certainly more challenging, but I am gaining real-life work experience in the field of management, which is where I want to work after, even though my PhD is in building materials. I will also say that having a job I excel at makes me feel better when the PhD is hard. I know that I’m not a failure, but I’m just experiencing some minor setbacks with my PhD.
So here’s a summary of what I wish I knew before choosing to do a PhD program:
- 1. Understand the commitment. A PhD program is a long degree and can be even longer depending on what life hands you.
- 2. Understand the requirements. Have a look at what each university needs you to do in order to complete your PhD program. What are the success rates of other students with a topic similar to yours or in the department? Can you make it? Be honest with yourself in this review to avoid getting into something that will leave you depressed.
- 3. Understand the importance of choosing the right supervisor. This person can make or break your entire PhD journey. So just as they assess you, interview them back to determine if they are the right fit and if they can sustain you the entire journey.
- 4. Understand the financial implications. Check to make sure you can get paid while doing your PhD and it’s enough to support your daily life. Make use of other sources of funding.
- 5. Understand work-life balance. A PhD is demanding, but make sure you get rest when you need it and take care of your mental health. Network to build a community with other students so you can support each other.
- 6. Understand career opportunities postgraduate. Will you be at an advantage or disadvantage after the PhD? Do you want to stay in academia after graduating? Do some research to see how a PhD program aligns with your future goals and how you can set yourself up for a successful career.
To conclude, it’s not all that bad, guys. When that monthly scholarship comes in, you forget your worries for a minute. Everyone I know who graduated had a tough time, but they enjoy the rewards now. Don’t be afraid to try it! Give it a go if you think it’s something you’d be interested in. Do the groundwork, and you’ll be fine!
As always, DM if you have questions; I’d be happy to help answer. Till the next read!