Considerations for starting a PhD

Embarking on a PhD is (I think) one of life's major decisions. The word "journey" is apt; you'll continue to place one foot in front of the other along an unexplored path, with vague signposts along the way leading to a not-entirely-clear destination.

Here I share what students should consider beforehand, presenting the full range of both positives and negatives.

While this guide is from the perspective of the Australian education system, the underlying themes should be applicable world-wide.

What is a PhD?

A PhD is training for how do to research. In Australia they are a 3 - 3.5 year full-time commitment (or 6 - 8 years if enrolled part-time). Other countries will have similar timeframes. You'll work closely with a primary supervisor who ideally is an expert in your field of interest. A secondary supervisor (or even more) is common to help balance the supervision load and provide more guidance and insight.

To graduate, you're required to produce a novel and significant body of work that contributes new knowledge to the field that did not exist before, whether via a unique methodology, unique findings, or by solving a unique problem/question. You'll produce a thesis, which requires a substantial amount of work and effort. Theses range in page/word counts but roughly (usually) sit between 150 - 250 pages in total. I recommend downloading some theses to get an idea of what a completed one looks like and the amount of effort invested.

A PhD then really is the "first-step" to your career. Once you've graduated, that's where the real work begins!

Why do a PhD?

In my view, a PhD is a means to an end, ideally to be embarked on when you've deemed it an essential step to get where you want to go. Again we must remember that a PhD is a training program on how to do research, so expectedly your career goal would have a research component.

Ponder the following question at length: "Why do I really want to do a PhD?". A PhD is needed if you want to:

• Become a university lecturer/researcher. It would be highly unlikely you'd get this position without a PhD, unless you had an exemplary portfolio of past experience/works that demonstrates your understanding of how to research.
• Do research in industry. This may be for a government research agency, or a private business' research department.

Besides the above, limited evidence suggests that a PhD is needed or even beneficial for your career, with many companies expecting a Masters at most. Some students claim they're doing one "for fun" or "for the love of research or their topic", although this is reserved only for students who are fortunate that the negatives aren't a major factor (e.g. have strong finances to carry them through).

Negatives - know the sacrifice

I certainly don't want to scare you away, but let's be realistic about the negatives.

Financial cost

If you do not have a scholarship or funding, you're sacrificing years of potential earnings versus if you were to work a full-time job. Studies have shown that PhD-holders usually acquire higher salaries than non-PhD holders in the long-term (10 - 20 years), so overall you may be financially better off in the end. However, this is not guaranteed, and in the short-term you'll be considerably worse off.

Furthermore, the lack of income can be a source of considerable stress during your PhD journey, particularly if your savings or financial support becomes unreliable, or if your PhD takes longer than expected.

Opportunity cost

During the 3 (or 6) years, what else could you have been doing? This is known as opportunity cost. Those years in your PhD could instead be spent working a job, gaining industry experience, networking, and potentially working towards a promotion.

Additional to the financial and career considerations are the social and quality-of-life ones. A PhD is intense, and you'll likely have less time to spend with family and friends, to travel, and to enjoy your hobbies.

Hardship and uncertainty

3 (or 6) years, or more, is a long, long time to focus on the one project. Unlike a regular job where you have clear tasks to complete (provided by your boss/company), with a PhD you are your own boss. It is often unclear how long each step of the PhD will take, and this uncertainty can be stressful. Furthermore, it is often even unclear how to complete each step; that is what you are there to figure out... with the guidance of your supervisor(s) of course.

Having a high-level of resilience is absolutely key. You will face a myriad of challenges, unknowns, and uncertainty... you must be able to push through. A level of self-reliance is also required, as likely you'll be working on a project individually, and it is up to you to develop the solutions to complex problems.

Positives - a unique journey

Hopefully we can balance the negatives with the below positives.

Refined way of thinking

You're essential taught how to think. I am now much better equipped on approaching complex problems. I can better identify all the variables/factors involved, and develop thorough methodologies to solve them. This way of thinking permeates all aspects of my life now, far beyond the academic world. It is a unique skillset to have, one valued by employers.

Unique journey

Completing a PhD was one of the hardest yet significant journeys I've ever had. I began my PhD underestimating the amount of work required, or really what was expected of me. Having now completed it after a long, rough journey, I have mixed feelings although overall am pleased. I embarked on a PhD to become a university lecturer, which I have now achieved. The PhD was a means to an ends, and was my motivator over the journey.

Opens doors

Having a PhD is well-regarded, and demonstrates to the world that you're deeply analytical, disciplined, resilient to hardship, and highly resourceful. Consequently, you may find you've access to jobs that others do not, or are sought after to a degree.

Sense of achievement

I never planned on doing a PhD when I was young, and during my PhD I genuinely feared at times that I would never be able to complete it (again I state: completing a PhD is very hard work!). I now have a quiet sense of confidence, knowing that I can overcome immense challenges and complexities.

Conclusion

Don't begin a PhD blind. Seek out PhD holders, particularly from the university you're considering and/or your topic of interest. Get a sense of the expectations, the workload, and personality of the supervisors. Whatever your decision, let it be an informed one.