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When I found out I& #39;d got funding for my PhD, I was in the final round for a generic non-academic graduate job, and I had a real crisis about what to do. I was worried, I suppose along similar lines to these, about whether to take up my place or not.
What helped me decide... https://twitter.com/ColleenDerkatch/status/1379848072184745984">https://twitter.com/ColleenDe...
What helped me decide... https://twitter.com/ColleenDerkatch/status/1379848072184745984">https://twitter.com/ColleenDe...
was when someone in my fac said;
"These jobs you& #39;re looking at: if you had a PhD now, would you not be able to do them?".
Rightly or wrongly, my response was "I guess it wouldn& #39;t make that much of a difference".
"So what opportunities would you lose by doing a PhD?"
"These jobs you& #39;re looking at: if you had a PhD now, would you not be able to do them?".
Rightly or wrongly, my response was "I guess it wouldn& #39;t make that much of a difference".
"So what opportunities would you lose by doing a PhD?"
I thought pretty carefully about that. Maybe some of the consultancy grad schemes would prefer a fresh-faced 21yr old straight out of a BA. I don& #39;t want to be a lawyer so I wasn& #39;t concerned with conversion courses. School teaching definitely still an option post-PhD.
And if a company was going to take me on with an MPhil in Classics, I don& #39;t see why they *wouldn& #39;t* want me with a PhD? I might not be a stronger candidate, but I don& #39;t think I would be a weaker one.
So I thought "I don& #39;t think I& #39;ll miss out on that many opportunities".
So I thought "I don& #39;t think I& #39;ll miss out on that many opportunities".
I thought the stipend was enough to live off, as a young person with no dependents. As things turned out I had to subsidise my income with a lot of teaching (now THAT& #39;s a warning that needs to be made), but I was...kind of right, just. Not a huge amount of £££, but enough for me.
In that situation, the only reason for me not to do a PhD was because I thought I might not enjoy the process. The dream academic job was 100% out of reach without a PhD, and maybe 90%+ out of reach with a PhD. What& #39;s to lose?
Clearly, the answer to this would be different...
Clearly, the answer to this would be different...
for different people. People come at PhDs from so many different backgrounds, with so many different variables that could affect how the grad student life will treat them. Those things absolutely have to be considered, *independently* of how effed up the job market is.
But honestly, pandemics notwithstanding, I& #39;ll say I have enjoyed myself; I made the right choice. I haven& #39;t secured a position for when I finish, chances are I wont. I& #39;ll try! But maybe at this stage in my life, I& #39;ll end up opting for a reliable job outside academia instead of...
