Deciding on Post-PhD Priorities

by

Completing my PhD has been my goal for a very long time, even before I realised I wanted to do a PhD at all. Now that it is over, I am reflecting on what brought me to this point, and where I would like to go next.

My goal to become a ‘doctor’ probably began around age 16. Exactly what type of doctor I wanted to be changed from month to month (mostly forensic pathologist), and over the years has taken many forms. I never made it to medical school, despite considering applying after my A-Levels, and again towards the end of my degree.

Instead, after my degree in psychology I became interested in a career as a doctor of clinical psychology. The next few years, therefore, were geared towards gaining the necessary experience and going through the application procedure. In an effort to strengthen my application, I decided to do a research Masters degree, and that was that. I fell in love with research and a new ‘doctor’ possibility unfolded before me; a new chance to fulfill my dream.

Which brings me to the present day – the other side of the doctorate. I feel like I am on the other side of a big life goal. It wasn’t as though I set out in life to get a PhD, but getting to this point in life has been the focus for such a long time. It feels as though I am at a major cross roads. This is the time to decide the path I will follow for the next few years and what the next big goal will be.

A few years ago I would have assumed that the next big goal would be a full-time academic post, but that isn’t necessarily an achievable goal. So it is up to me to carve out a new path, but I’m not sure exactly where I want it to lead. Just plodding from one short-term contract to the next doesn’t really seem like a sensible way forward without a definite career goal in mind, but maybe that is exactly what I need to do until the next inspiration or opportunity grabs me. Perhaps the one advantage of short-term contracts is being able to experience many different workplaces; each offering new skills, colleagues, and opportunities. I think it would also be valuable to get more experience of non-academic jobs – even if only to further cement my feeling that I would like an academic career – but it would feel casting the deciding vote against any possibility of progressing in academia. It would feel impossible to make up that lost time in teaching and publishing papers if I wanted to come back. Is there such a funding clause as “I only published one paper that year because I was trying out being a (insert non-academic career here), but now I definitely want to be a professor”?

I hope that time and some research will lead to a way forward from here. Do you have any advice or experiences to share? Have you completed a life-goal and how did you find a new direction afterwards?

  • http://twitter.com/KL_Wheat/status/232372502804975618/ @KL_Wheat

    My new blog post: “Deciding on post-PhD priorities” http://t.co/KdEVBeIb #ECRchat #AcWri #phdchat

  • http://twitter.com/Wandedob Crazy Scientist (@Wandedob)

    It feels like you’re thinking too much about it. I also just completed my PhD and I’m going to start a 2 year postdoc in September. After that, I will decide what to do next. I simply try to do what I think is fun and interesting right now.

    • Katie

      I think you are probably right – I do tend to over think things. On the other hand, don’t you think that some preparation and consideration of options is needed before a short-term contract comes to an end.
      I hope I would always be able to find a job, but even this isn’t guaranteed. Finding a rewarding career will be even more difficult. I do agree that just enjoying how things are now is important, but I still feel like I need to do more.

      • Claartje van Sijl

        Hi Katie, the post-PhD period is, indeed, a major crossroads (I’ve been there too and recognize a lot in your writing). Although academics have a tendency to over think things, I feel it’s fine to take time to decide on your path for the next few years and the bigger picture of your career and what you ultimately want for yourself. Of course, if you are happy to go where the currents take you (like @wandedob), that’s fine. However, I feel this does not apply to most of us. Taking time to reflect on your career will pay back, no matter the stage of the project you are currently in, but it’s probably a lot easier to not wait for the end of a short term contract. Knowing your assets and having your goal in mind you will 1) work more effectively; 2) stay motivated in difficult periods; 3) create opportunities to further your career in the direction you want; 4) receive more long term satisfaction from your work.

        You might like to know that NWO and LNVH are hosting a career event for female scientists in Amsterdam on October 11th (check out: http://www.nwo.nl/pumpyourcareer). The program looks promising, with workshops and many networking opportunities. Allow me to give you a hint: if you are interested in the workshop career planning but don’t speak Dutch, contact the organization and they might find a way to have me accommodate your wishes… ;-)

        • KatieWheat

          Thank you for commenting. It is always reassuring to know others have been through a similar period of readjustment and come out at the other side with a positive attitude.
          The course you mentioned looks really useful. I wish I could go, but unfortunately I am teaching that day. Thanks anyway!

  • http://twitter.com/beingahistorian/status/232504218810974208/ @beingahistorian

    @FernRiddell Saw this and thought of you @KL_Wheat http://t.co/SHp21y4V

  • http://twitter.com/TuftsGSAS/status/232624948240343040/ @TuftsGSAS

    Great post by @KL_Wheat on what lies ahead after completing a Ph.D., http://t.co/CSbh7BcY

  • http://www.facebook.com/alex.burns.58173 Alex Burns

    Many funding agencies have a section called ‘performance or track record relative to opportunity’. Some also have a ‘career interruptions’ option that includes time spent in non-academic jobs. Grant assessors take this into account for the Early Career Researcher (ECR) phase of a career (first 5 years after PhD conferral). People tend to have ‘spurts’ of publications throughout their career. However, assessors may still rank more highly the applicants who have stayed in the academic game and who have published. This tends to lead to a ‘winner takes all’ or ‘success to the successful’ dynamic, in which a small group of well-organised academics tend to get competitive funding. It depends on the funding agency and what they have funded in the past; the ‘fit’ of the project with the agency; the collaborative team; and the rigour of the research design and methodology. It can be useful to look at what an agency has funded in the past in your area, if this information is publicly available.

    • Katie

      Thank you very much for taking the time to comment. I think you make some very important points regarding how ECRs can declare non-academic periods to funding agencies, but how this system may ultimately favour people who have not had any breaks from academia.
      As you say, this ‘success to the successful’ process favours academics with a long history of obtaining funding. I think there should be more schemes to support ECRs in good faith. In other words, small starting grants that are more flexible in terms of track record and career breaks, but that would allow ECRs to get a foot on the ladder and demonstrate their potential. I realise that these type of schemes are available, but there is so little funding to go round so many applicants that I expect these grants tend to go to more experienced ECRs who really deserve to be moving onto a permanant (academic or non-academic) post, rather than being stuck in training positions.

  • http://twitter.com/KL_Wheat/status/232951938323451906/ @KL_Wheat

    How did you decide on your post-PhD priorities? http://t.co/hEFjYJHi #ECRchat #highered #emcrforum

  • Emma Compton

    I think you’re absolutely right to be thinking about the future already. I’ve seen a lot of very disillusioned and miserable postdocs who don’t think about it until it’s too late and then don’t have any idea of what to do next or any skills to allow them to do something else.

    • KatieWheat

      Thank you for your comment. I do wonder if part-way through my first postdoc is still a bit late to be thinking about this, but better than at the end of my postdoc I suppose.