Hi all,

I was just wondering if any of you know exactly what you'll be doing after you have finished your PhDs? And if you are not sure what are your plans anyway? Staying in academia or going on to industry? Or maybe taking a year out? Was looking at job prospects for PhD graduates...it all seems very tight and competitive!

I'll be taking whatever I can get!

Ideally I'd like to work in academia for 1/2 years, then go into the corporate world (although it depends how the corporate world responds to someone who will be in their 30s and not 20s... I think N. America is less ageist with respect to entry position jobs...so probably I'll have more luck there).

I've heard some stories of graduates having job offers withdrawn or contracts cut short due to the credit crunch, so an academic career is probably a more secure place to be at the moment.

I know one things for certain, I'm definitely not staying in academia-no way! Experiences at my universities and my experience as a seminar leader, and marking exams and essays has taught me that its a definite no no!

I'm looking into returning back to my real interests; psychology. My PhD is in something that is in a slightly different field although dealing with the same populations that psychologists work with. I'm looking into becoming a chartered psychologist, either clinical or health-so looks like it will be more learning and university stress for me! :(

I want to get a job. I am definitely not staying in academia - am sick of universities!! I am really worried about what job though - and I still have two years to go! I may take a year out after the PhD to network and publish a lot and schmooze my way into a job... Am totally terrified that I will complete and then end up back temping as a customer service rep for a local council... as if I never left...

I know what u mean Jayney... all the years of hard work and then you end up in the same position again. Unless you are a science PhD graduate and huge corporations hire you for their research, you have pretty much the same career prospects as before doing the PhD (outside of academia of course). But as long as you enjoy doing it, it's all worth it I think!

Hi Guys,

Me asif from Bochum Germany. I have recently finished Ph.D in Physical chemistry (Surfce sciences). I am looking for postdoc or any industrial job. Any guess or idea will be highly appreciated.

Thanking you in advance.

Best Regards,

Asif Bashir

Well I'm joining the Police. Should have done it years ago but never had the courage, instead got sucked into doing this. I've thought about a few other career paths for once I finish, but this is the one. I don't even care if they ignore my PhD, I just want to be a copper!!

My boss ain't gonna be happy!!

I worry about that as well-the fear of returning to temping life just to pay bills etc after many many years of university life. I also worry about the issue of being too overly qualified for jobs as a result of having a PhD. The stress and worry never seems to end-or is it just me lol !

Hamilton, your research experience may prove useful for the police as they now do lots of intelligence work e.g. date analysis and reports. A friend of mine worked as an intelligence analyst, and found it very interesting - some of the department were coppers and some were civvies.

*data

I have a job in industry, fingers crossed I finish most of my thesis before I have to start!

Pineapple - that's something I would look into too if there were somewhere close enough for me to train. Good option.

why has there been extensive censorship on this tread?

yeah I've just noticed 2 posts disappeared...although the one comment wasn't relevant at all!

Jouri, I've noticed unduly heavy editing too.