I started my PhD knowing how horribly demanding academia is. Like you, I am using my PhD as a pathway to a better life in a new country. Still, I like my research, and it kills me to know that it will be over in a couple of years, but at the same time, I am impatient and all I want to do is get it over with so I can just work and go on with my life (I am married, with a child, and already working on the side).
@@connornewman1992 I am not done yet, I still have two more years to go (it is a 4-yr program). Once I graduate I'll be getting permanent residency and a stable job--hopefully a well-paying one. That's the plan at least.
It's crazy how I got this video in my suggestion when I was literally confused whether I should pursue PhD or not. This was really helpful & I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
@@AB-gu9ui people get PhD’s for personal reasons for the most part. It’s the challenge and goal to seek knowledge that interests them, not the salary benefits , although it will most definitely will help.
In marine biology and similar environmental fields in Sweden (probably all Scandinavia) there are in general two paths you can choose. Both lead to a good carreer with good pay, but PhD's are generally valued much higher with a wide array of choices. The two paths are: 1. Master's degree: Working as a research assistant OR in management/consultancy contexts. You will never do your own research, but you will always find a good, well paid job, executing recurring marine analyses within projects or programs. Expertise in environmental law, policy, sampling/analysis methods including boat handling are often required. This is a good choice if you value stability and family life over novelty and discovery. 2. PhD: Working as a scientist in an institution or institute with your own funding OR executing government-funded commissions and scientific assignments which the government has decided within an institute (these are common in Sweden). As you gain senior scientist status, or before that, leadership possibilities- or higher positions in jobs unlocks. They may not involve any execution of own science, but your knowledge could instead be valued for environmental managent, various levels of culsultancy (from helping regular companies to the government) or teaching jobs outside of university. Then there is ofcourse regular post-doc jobs for those who never stop hungering after new discoveries. And - Thank you Andy for your videos
I liked the point that some people just do a Ph.D. that they don't want to get into work and they just want to continue studying and enjoying their lives.
Insightful, thanks again for sharing! Could you do a video exploring the pros and cons of time length spent working prior to PhD and how that may affect likelihood of successful completion or admission? I think that after a bit too much time in work environment your cognitive flexibility may atrophy and maybe you know people that can share that experience. Thanks for your work on these videos!
I had a 20year career in marketing management before starting my completely unrelated PhD in history. I feel there are more benefits to having worked before - i.e project/ time management, communication, report writing etc
I've only completed my first year, but I feel like I did an incredible amount of cognitively (and physically) demanding work in the working world. I've been more frustrated that academia is in a thickly-walled bubble and that research is a bit removed from actual practice.
I'm 100% a unicorn. My hobby & job are completely aligned. I can't imagine doing anything else. I'm 40yrs old and just starting grad school and feel lucky to not have a lot of other responsibilities. I am so grateful to have found my topic that I'm so passionate about. Love your videos, thank you.
I always played with going back for a PhD in Computer Science after my CS Masters but did not think it would help me earn more. And I could already do research on things that interested me in my spare time.
Enjoyed that, Andy. I think I was a mix of some of those motivations. Chance to learn languages and live abroad was a big part of it and to experience being at the frontiers of knowledge and how it's put together and presented. Forgive the technical side questions from a UA-camr perspective, but how do you do the split screen with text on one third with the plain background that you used several times? Is that a plug in for Premier or FXP or some other way?
Hit the nail on the head mate. I was the opposite, after 4 years at Uni getting my honour in Chemistry both my future wife and I couldn't think of anything worse than continuing study...we just wanted a JOB and do curtain shopping on the weekend :)! Now however, 30 years later, doing a PhD, on a subject I like I am doing for a purpose, that is to change career and move into a field I want to when I've finished. Horses for courses
I'm a unicorn that ran away from corporate life 🦄 Worked in uni admin before but wanted to do my own research. Also in my field you need a PhD to be allowed to fart
I agree with your 2 ends of the spectrum. Most people I know with PhDs are in the BioTech world. They went for their PhD to research one hot topic and then ended up changing to something else. In the end their dissertation is in no way related with they said they were going to do 6-7 years earlier. And often strangely their work after getting a job has little to do with their PhD research.
I wana do PHD coz i m not satisfied with the quality of education or research i have done and I love my field and want to contribute towards it and have abstract future plans for it also as u said i dont wana do job .. it is not for me until i contribute something good towards the society i wont be satisfied.
I want to start a PhD in life Sciences after working 5 years. First I decided not to because I didnt want to persue an academic career and having the job of the supervisor I thought is horrible. But now I am bored and seeking for a challenge, for a project that can be mine and I am woring towards it with gaining more knowledge on the way. It would be difficult to cut off on money now but it is kind of worth it I guess. Also I want to have the title, as I nopticed that working in academia without a phd (eventhough the work itself is not necessarily very much research based) is tougher as people perseive you differently.
Yes!! Until my PhD I had NO idea of the life of an academic! It looks like hell but, weirdly, I'm still keen to give it a go! P.S I'm a unicorn, I ❤️ my PhD topic and pretty much live it daily!! Ask me again when I finish (9 mths and counting)!
@@man0sticks Turns out that I did! I've booked my plane ticket, and start my doctoral journey next Monday! I figured that, overall, my life will (probably) be better in three years with a PhD than without one.
I started my PhD because I really liked my topic and my professor basically convinced me so much to join his group that I couldn‘t resist. Even though I was extremely passionate about it, I was always bored by the way they explored things (e.g. using programmes without knowing how they work etc) Right now, 9 months later, I am totally desperate. The working contract I was supposed to get didn‘t work out and nobody literally cared. I got financial problems and, and a consequence, I lost the first love of my life and am currently living in a country I hate. Therefore, I fall into a depression and don‘t know how I should proceed. I finished my Master‘s only with top grates and got the best overall result one could get (in the area of physics/chemistry). From my post-doc I now got to know how things work in academia and that my professor deliberately manipulated me also by using other people in the group. Everything just brought me into the biggest crisis ever in my life, and evolved a big depression. Because of my very good degree I got a lot of very well paid phd offers in my home country, however, I already got mental health problems and somehow lost the sense on even persuing an academic carreer. On the same time, I could not imagine to „work for someone“ the whole rest of my life and have an office job. I am now so lost that I even applied for medicine, since this is the only natural science where you really have the guarantee to stay in this field. However, it really hurts so much because I terribly like quantum mechanics and molecular physics. But maybe it is better to give up that dream sooner than later? What do you think?
For people that want to change fields and don't have the skills for the new field, any piece of advice? Not every skill you can learn by yourself at home, at least not in a professional level. How to convince a PI to take a chance on you?
@Greg my best bet would be to volunteer in the lab at first And gather some experience that you can later show in a different lab or Maybe just join the same lab
I'm just wondering, if you eliminate all the people that know what they want to do AND the people who don't know what they want to do, who else is there?
I have watched several videos in your channel at the time; my goal is to become a professor in order to do research full time while teaching. Do you think is still possibile or this depends on the level of toxcity in the department you're working for?
B.A. music, M.A. in marketing, currently Sr Mgr, Business Intelligence (data ETL & data viz for business), looking to leave my check behind, change careers, and go do cognitive psych research to improve neurodiagnostic instruments for psychology/education/medicine. I could be a unicorn if I can navigate the jump. Do you think I could make the pitch for a PhD with some psych classes and current relevant skills (data munging, analysis, project mgmt, coaching/training, tech communication, etc.)? I feel like I would hire me as a colleague…
Ahh, it almost felt as though you were going into Marx with your "Peter Pan" reason -- you didn't want to grow up and get a job just yet. And that being, many, if not most, people are disconnected from their jobs and the fruit of their labour. Yes, it earns you money to pay for your insurance, car, house, and so on. But your degree and your interests may not really be inside of the job/career that you have. And worse, as you were starting to mention, the only thing you as a person can "sell" anymore is yourself and your time. And yes, even seeing a bit of my professors working, I, too, wondered, "Do I really want to be running around a good deal of days like someone trying to bring water to put out a house on fire? Maybe not. Maybe it was not as cracked up to be as it first seemed.
Andy! I am thankful for your videos and value your advice. 🙌 Do you have any suggestions on how to negotiate graduation with an advisor that wants one more paper, but a an employment opportunity has already been identified with the offer signed?
I started as "knows exactly what they want to do" and finished as "no idea what they want to do".
That's precisely the purpose of the PhD course. 😂
Would you mind elaborating what made that change?
LOL that's so true
I started my PhD knowing how horribly demanding academia is. Like you, I am using my PhD as a pathway to a better life in a new country. Still, I like my research, and it kills me to know that it will be over in a couple of years, but at the same time, I am impatient and all I want to do is get it over with so I can just work and go on with my life (I am married, with a child, and already working on the side).
So have you finished your Phd? And what is your plan after getting it?
@@connornewman1992 I am not done yet, I still have two more years to go (it is a 4-yr program). Once I graduate I'll be getting permanent residency and a stable job--hopefully a well-paying one. That's the plan at least.
@ANA TONA which country offers permanent residence after earning PhD? US is not like that unfortunately.
@@kiaaurora Canada for sure does
@@kiaaurora Canada does. The process is simpler and shorter than in the US and you can bring your family with you.
It's crazy how I got this video in my suggestion when I was literally confused whether I should pursue PhD or not. This was really helpful & I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Dont waste 4 years of your life, PhDs mean nothing to companies
@@AB-gu9ui people get PhD’s for personal reasons for the most part. It’s the challenge and goal to seek knowledge that interests them, not the salary benefits , although it will most definitely will help.
In marine biology and similar environmental fields in Sweden (probably all Scandinavia) there are in general two paths you can choose. Both lead to a good carreer with good pay, but PhD's are generally valued much higher with a wide array of choices. The two paths are:
1. Master's degree: Working as a research assistant OR in management/consultancy contexts. You will never do your own research, but you will always find a good, well paid job, executing recurring marine analyses within projects or programs. Expertise in environmental law, policy, sampling/analysis methods including boat handling are often required. This is a good choice if you value stability and family life over novelty and discovery.
2. PhD: Working as a scientist in an institution or institute with your own funding OR executing government-funded commissions and scientific assignments which the government has decided within an institute (these are common in Sweden). As you gain senior scientist status, or before that, leadership possibilities- or higher positions in jobs unlocks. They may not involve any execution of own science, but your knowledge could instead be valued for environmental managent, various levels of culsultancy (from helping regular companies to the government) or teaching jobs outside of university. Then there is ofcourse regular post-doc jobs for those who never stop hungering after new discoveries.
And - Thank you Andy for your videos
I liked the point that some people just do a Ph.D. that they don't want to get into work and they just want to continue studying and enjoying their lives.
Insightful, thanks again for sharing! Could you do a video exploring the pros and cons of time length spent working prior to PhD and how that may affect likelihood of successful completion or admission? I think that after a bit too much time in work environment your cognitive flexibility may atrophy and maybe you know people that can share that experience. Thanks for your work on these videos!
I had a 20year career in marketing management before starting my completely unrelated PhD in history. I feel there are more benefits to having worked before - i.e project/ time management, communication, report writing etc
I've only completed my first year, but I feel like I did an incredible amount of cognitively (and physically) demanding work in the working world. I've been more frustrated that academia is in a thickly-walled bubble and that research is a bit removed from actual practice.
I'm 100% a unicorn. My hobby & job are completely aligned. I can't imagine doing anything else. I'm 40yrs old and just starting grad school and feel lucky to not have a lot of other responsibilities. I am so grateful to have found my topic that I'm so passionate about. Love your videos, thank you.
I'm so happy for you!
Another really insightful video. Thanks Andy!
My pleasure!
I always played with going back for a PhD in Computer Science after my CS Masters but did not think it would help me earn more. And I could already do research on things that interested me in my spare time.
Enjoyed that, Andy. I think I was a mix of some of those motivations. Chance to learn languages and live abroad was a big part of it and to experience being at the frontiers of knowledge and how it's put together and presented. Forgive the technical side questions from a UA-camr perspective, but how do you do the split screen with text on one third with the plain background that you used several times? Is that a plug in for Premier or FXP or some other way?
Hit the nail on the head mate. I was the opposite, after 4 years at Uni getting my honour in Chemistry both my future wife and I couldn't think of anything worse than continuing study...we just wanted a JOB and do curtain shopping on the weekend :)! Now however, 30 years later, doing a PhD, on a subject I like I am doing for a purpose, that is to change career and move into a field I want to when I've finished. Horses for courses
I'm a unicorn that ran away from corporate life 🦄 Worked in uni admin before but wanted to do my own research. Also in my field you need a PhD to be allowed to fart
What field is that
I agree with your 2 ends of the spectrum. Most people I know with PhDs are in the BioTech world. They went for their PhD to research one hot topic and then ended up changing to something else. In the end their dissertation is in no way related with they said they were going to do 6-7 years earlier. And often strangely their work after getting a job has little to do with their PhD research.
I laughed so hard at 00:09 🤣 ! Thanks, Andy!
The hoodies are brilliant.
Amazing hoodie!
I'm 20 and don't even have a BA what am I doing here haha
I wana do PHD coz i m not satisfied with the quality of education or research i have done and I love my field and want to contribute towards it and have abstract future plans for it also as u said i dont wana do job .. it is not for me until i contribute something good towards the society i wont be satisfied.
I want to start a PhD in life Sciences after working 5 years. First I decided not to because I didnt want to persue an academic career and having the job of the supervisor I thought is horrible. But now I am bored and seeking for a challenge, for a project that can be mine and I am woring towards it with gaining more knowledge on the way. It would be difficult to cut off on money now but it is kind of worth it I guess. Also I want to have the title, as I nopticed that working in academia without a phd (eventhough the work itself is not necessarily very much research based) is tougher as people perseive you differently.
You are so funny, yet informative 🤣
I hope I love my research ❤️
Yes!! Until my PhD I had NO idea of the life of an academic! It looks like hell but, weirdly, I'm still keen to give it a go!
P.S I'm a unicorn, I ❤️ my PhD topic and pretty much live it daily!! Ask me again when I finish (9 mths and counting)!
How is it now ?
@@komalnasir2081 I am now Dr having passed my defence 2 weeks ago 👍
I got accepted by a good university today for a PhD (fully-funded!), but here I am...wondering whether I should take the offer 🤔🤔
I rejected two offers already. Watching this video just to reaffirm why I rejected the offers.. 😌
It’s been three weeks now. Did you take the offer? If not, I have to ask, why did you apply?
@@man0sticks Turns out that I did! I've booked my plane ticket, and start my doctoral journey next Monday! I figured that, overall, my life will (probably) be better in three years with a PhD than without one.
I started my PhD because I really liked my topic and my professor basically convinced me so much to join his group that I couldn‘t resist. Even though I was extremely passionate about it, I was always bored by the way they explored things (e.g. using programmes without knowing how they work etc)
Right now, 9 months later, I am totally desperate. The working contract I was supposed to get didn‘t work out and nobody literally cared. I got financial problems and, and a consequence, I lost the first love of my life and am currently living in a country I hate. Therefore, I fall into a depression and don‘t know how I should proceed. I finished my Master‘s only with top grates and got the best overall result one could get (in the area of physics/chemistry). From my post-doc I now got to know how things work in academia and that my professor deliberately manipulated me also by using other people in the group. Everything just brought me into the biggest crisis ever in my life, and evolved a big depression. Because of my very good degree I got a lot of very well paid phd offers in my home country, however, I already got mental health problems and somehow lost the sense on even persuing an academic carreer. On the same time, I could not imagine to „work for someone“ the whole rest of my life and have an office job.
I am now so lost that I even applied for medicine, since this is the only natural science where you really have the guarantee to stay in this field. However, it really hurts so much because I terribly like quantum mechanics and molecular physics. But maybe it is better to give up that dream sooner than later?
What do you think?
For people that want to change fields and don't have the skills for the new field, any piece of advice? Not every skill you can learn by yourself at home, at least not in a professional level. How to convince a PI to take a chance on you?
@Greg my best bet would be to volunteer in the lab at first And gather some experience that you can later show in a different lab or Maybe just join the same lab
I'm just wondering, if you eliminate all the people that know what they want to do AND the people who don't know what they want to do, who else is there?
I’m in the last tier. I don’t know what to do after all this years.
I have watched several videos in your channel at the time; my goal is to become a professor in order to do research full time while teaching.
Do you think is still possibile or this depends on the level of toxcity in the department you're working for?
B.A. music, M.A. in marketing, currently Sr Mgr, Business Intelligence (data ETL & data viz for business), looking to leave my check behind, change careers, and go do cognitive psych research to improve neurodiagnostic instruments for psychology/education/medicine. I could be a unicorn if I can navigate the jump. Do you think I could make the pitch for a PhD with some psych classes and current relevant skills (data munging, analysis, project mgmt, coaching/training, tech communication, etc.)? I feel like I would hire me as a colleague…
Wow... diversity in your journey. You can leverage your PhD & transform into a viable business venture.
Got my PhD last month, did it because l didn't know what to do and l just wanted a visa.
Are you applying for any postdocs positions?
Ahh, it almost felt as though you were going into Marx with your "Peter Pan" reason -- you didn't want to grow up and get a job just yet. And that being, many, if not most, people are disconnected from their jobs and the fruit of their labour. Yes, it earns you money to pay for your insurance, car, house, and so on. But your degree and your interests may not really be inside of the job/career that you have. And worse, as you were starting to mention, the only thing you as a person can "sell" anymore is yourself and your time.
And yes, even seeing a bit of my professors working, I, too, wondered, "Do I really want to be running around a good deal of days like someone trying to bring water to put out a house on fire? Maybe not. Maybe it was not as cracked up to be as it first seemed.
Andy! I am thankful for your videos and value your advice. 🙌 Do you have any suggestions on how to negotiate graduation with an advisor that wants one more paper, but a an employment opportunity has already been identified with the offer signed?
What do you think about a phd in environmental toxicology?
I think with any PhD, the question you ought to ask is "what am I going to do with it?"
My reason is same as yours
PhD living the dream . Living a nightmare is the reality.
Did you fell in love while doing Phd?
Tbh I’m just here for fun
You want a PhD? Then forget about 'independent thinking', 'original contribution to knowledge' & all such fantasies. Do what you're told or get lost!