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Ask HN: PhD and Now?

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Re: Ask HN: PhD and Now?

#11

Post by taubek »

GianFabien wrote: post #10
taubek wrote: post #3

Why did you enroll PhD in the first place? I enrolled my because of my interest in the filed. I was working at uni at that time, but as part of IT staff not professor. I would be happy if I could be the professor, but with no connections and background it is hard.

Once you enroll in a PhD program, you can easily get adjunct lecturing work and TA work. Which sets you on the teaching path. The conferences and seminars you attend and the papers you publish create the network of connections. Perhaps you are at the early stage of your PhD and haven't yet explored the multitude of opportunities. Talk to your advisor(s) about your long-term plans. I'm sure you'll get useful advice an…

I was actually to old. I was 30 when I enrolled. And there was some rule to become TA you must be under 30. It was a long time ago.

Re: Ask HN: PhD and Now?

#12

Post by weirdbeardmt »

I took a starting position as "just" a software developer. (In fact I also took a job as bar tender too, cleaning toilets etc....) I learnt what it was like to operate in a business, gradually moved up, moved jobs, and after paying my dues eventually broke out and started my own thing.

Remember that the specifics of your PhD are probably mostly irrelevant to most commercial organisations; other than the larger ones who maybe have dedicated R&D functions... but you ruled them out.

One thing to keep in mind is that you will face pressure and stress wherever you go - it will just be of different type. Non-academic jobs come with a whole bunch of extra responsibilities which you will also likely feel are beneath you.

I occasionally long for the relative simplicity of academia and the ability to work on genuinely interesting / novel things.

Re: Ask HN: PhD and Now?

#13

Post by [deleted] »

speedgoose wrote: post #7

I worked both in research and industry. I don't have a PhD myself but many people I know have one. Hope it's fine. I also find industry to be boring to me but I know people who enjoy it more. Research is stressful, difficult, with high expectations, you often need to find money on your own. In addition to that, universities don't pay as much as the industry. Software development in the industry is simpler and more re…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: PhD and Now?

#15

Post by jgrahamc »

DamonHD wrote: post #14
jgrahamc wrote: post #2

I decided I did not want to be an academic and went to work for a small computer networking company. That led to a career in startups.

That's somewhat modest of you! B^>

Well, you've heard of one of the startups and so you think "success" but you haven't heard of the other six startups and all the failure along the way. I joined Cloudflare after working for 19 years post my doctorate.

Re: Ask HN: PhD and Now?

#16

Post by DamonHD »

jgrahamc wrote: post #15
DamonHD wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's somewhat modest of you! B^>

Well, you've heard of one of the startups and so you think "success" but you haven't heard of the other six startups and all the failure along the way. I joined Cloudflare after working for 19 years post my doctorate.

I've had a lot of startups fail, so I understand the survivor bias thing. Feel free to finance my next ideas in the queue! B^>
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