Life after PhD
Matt,
Whilst I've never had depression issues, I can relate to what you're saying. I came to the end of what was a thoroughly enjoyable but tough PhD (though with a very strange viva day that ended with minor corrections) and to cut a long story short, it hit me 10 days later it was all over - "so what next" I thought?
I would do at least one post-doc if on offer, showing you're considered good enough to keep on and to give yourself a less intensive couple of years to recover from the PhD. However, the short term nature of post-docs and the politics can be damaging. My first post-doc in my PhD Uni. was enjoyable, but the shadow of our group being closed down loomed larger and the latter period was all about finding something else.
My second post-doc was more damaging at a different Uni.; politics plus personality Professor made for a miserable year. They only took me on to relieve the workload of a longer term post-doc; I was a "second choice, a stop gap measure" and "they would just have to make do" with me. You have to be as careful with post-doc choices as with PhD choices. Although I saw out the contract, I left without a reference.
A year's dole was followed by my current real world job, which whilst not entertaining is at least not short term contract. I had to stack my CV with previous references in order to overcome the second post-doc damage.
Yes you need that run of luck with decent departments to progress in research and academia. Otherwise, sooner or later, you find yourself back in the real world wondering if the PhD was worth it careerwise. That said, I became more confident as a person and don't regret the PhD.
There will always be something to take from the experience, and you may find once finished the emotional lift you get may even reduce your depression.
Ian (Mackem_Beefy)
CONTINUED
I personally didn't mind the labwork (Materials Science / Engineering) for me, however, I will comment that there are days of tedium where your experiments are just not producing data or it seems equipment won't co-operate (actually I didn't have very many of these). That is research for you and you have to do the graft to get the results. If I had similar now, I wouldn't mind as I like being hands on and my current office-based job is very hands off.
Industry is a lot more goal oriented and information is often needed quickly to maintain competitive advantage. If there is not a case for short-to-medium term financial viability, then often a project will be cut short or not proceeded with and you'll be reassigned. Another big difference is the need for a multidisciplinary approach and teamwork; you're not left to work alone for weeks and months on end with little interaction. You also find yourself working on different tasks with the priority depending on the greatest need or the shortest deadline (or often, which manager shouts loudest).
If you're short-term goal oriented and want results quickly, then industry may better suit you. If you like to concentrate on a small number of tasks and are prepared to stick at the same small number of tasks for longer periods (often someone's pet project) then an academic research backgroun may suit you more. However, in academia there is an expectation that you will eventually gravitate towards a lecturing position.
With your PhD coming to an end, I'd have a plan B just in case staying in academia isn't possible. There is a substantial oversupply of PhDs compared to post-doc and academic positions, thus there may be no choice but to follow an industrial / real world path. You then have to find a job (i.e. overqualified, off as soon as there's something better, etc.)
Hope that helps,
Ian (Mackem_Beefy)
