Life After Dissertation
Goëry Genty
Tampere University of Technology
(GETA 2000-2004)
Sooner than you think...
• The big day!
Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Science in Technology to be presented
with due permission of the Department of Blablabla for public examination and
debate in Auditorium XXX at XXX University on the XXXth of January, 200X, at 12
o'clock noon
• Don’t forget to thank Geta btw...
• But then, when you wake up (hangover?) the day after....
to avoid the tormenting question ”Oh boy, what am I going to
do now?”
Bottom line is:
Don’t wait the last minute to think about your future!
First, some numbers...
• Number of Doctorates in Finland
2004-2006
835
886
• ~20% of PhD in Natural sciences
• ~20% of PhD in Engineering
• Likely to be many Doctors in your field on the market
Competition is tough...
Is there room for everybody?
Other fields
2509
Natural
sciences
(Un)Employment of Doctors
Source: ministry of education (2004)
You are unilkely to be jobless!
So, what to do?
• Industry
– Most common route, PhD degree may give you access (on the long term) to jobs with
reponsibilities
– Own company?
• Academy
– For highly motivated people, if research rocks your world
• Polytechnics
– If you feel like you are a born-teacher, research might also be possible
• Other government organizations (research institutes...)
– Sort of bridge between academic and insdustry world, less freedom than in academy but
closer to real products
Think carefully (long term), make your pick!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
Idea: climb the ladder (as fast as you can?)
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
• Steps in academic career:
–
–
–
–
–
Master of Science (MSc), but you passed this one already
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Senior Researcher (Academy Research Fellow?)
Professor
Idea: climb the ladder (as fast as you can?)
• What you should know…career in academia is one of the most
competitive fields you can choose to work in
– Why?! Must do great research with little funding, few positions and
opportunities
• To succeed in academia, you have to really want the job and you are not in
it for the money!
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your filed of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking (optional)
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your filed of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking (optional)
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your filed of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking (optional)
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your filed of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking (optional)
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your filed of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking (optional)
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your field of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking (optional)
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your filed of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career
Doctoral degree is the first (compulsory!) step: it shows that you have obtained a
certain level of expertise in a particular area
Your mission (if you accept it!)
•
Acquiring publications in well-recognized journals (MUST)
•
Applying for and securing research funding (MUST)
•
Demonstrating efficient project management that consistently delivers outcomes
on time AND within budget (MUST)
•
Advise and recruit students
•
Teaching courses (not necessarily in your filed of expertise…) (hard to avoid)
•
Use conferences as a way of raising your profile and networking (optional)
•
Analyze the selection criteria of academic selectors and provide convincing
evidence that you meet their standards (that’s up to you, dear!)
Academic Career: Postdoc
• Postdoc
– in general from 1 to 4 years
Academic Career: Postdoc
• Postdoc
– in general from 1 to 4 years
• Your mission
– Become an expert in your own field
– Spend time abroad (1 year)
– Assist Professor
– Learn new skills
– See how things work
– Start teaching
– DO RESEARCH but most importantly
PUBLISH!
– Become reviewer for journals (payback time...)
– Travel the world (if your lab has money...)
Postdoc, the dark side
• Much more work compared to when you were in GETA
• Must look for funding (and get it!)
• Less time for research?
• Tamporary contracts, can not be a Postdoc forever....
• Must publish substantial amount of papers to get to the next steps
• Not so easy to get back on the industry track
Academic Career: Senior Reseracher
• Senior Researcher/Group leader
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
> 4 years
Spot your own niche (remember you need to publish...)
Be aware of latest developments
Supervise and evaluate
Get funding
Organize and...delegate
Establish (inter)national collaborations
Join committees (european networks, conferences...) to travel around and
meet people
• At this stage, you will be on your own and therefore you must show you
are up to it!
• Flexibility, flexibility....Beginning of a (long) journey, be prepared to adjust
the path of your research
Academic Career: the graal?
• Professor
– 5 years or... forever if you don’t screw up
– If you reach this level... you can be proud of yourself
– Much less time for research, much more time for bureaucracy!
– Extensive teaching duties
– Must delegate...to Postdoc for instance
– Politics...
• Very few openings every year
– might not be an opening in your field in your own university in several years
– publicly open, tough competition (need an impressive CV, in particular
impressive record of publications)
– be ready to move if needed
Towards Industry
•
8% of companies considered necessary to hire a PhD in 2002...
•
Greatest need in Helsinki area and highest demand in Engineering and Natural
Sciences
•
25% of companies with own R&D unit said they needed to recruit a PhD, especially
in
–
–
–
–
Electrical Engineering
Electronics
Information and Automation Technology
Technical physics
Good news for GETA students!
Towards Industry
• Why are companies reluctant to hire PhDs?
– Not enough practical-oriented
– No knowledge of real business world
– No knowledge of working life
(at least that’s what they claim...)
• What you should therefore emphasize
– Practical Experience
– International Experience
• Advice: target large, international companies (>500 staff) with own R&D
units as these are more likely looking for PhDs
• Most importantly: Why going to industry?
– various positions, different aspects, learn new skills
– changing job is easier than in acadmic world
– salary
Other Options
• Polytechnics
– Less than 6% of people have a PhD
– Teaching skills required
– Was your PhD worth it then?
• Research institutes
–
–
–
–
–
Mostly VTT
1/3 of engineers
Experts (with PhD) needed for research and management positions
Own research group possible
The more employed PhD, the more likely you will be hired
FAQ
FAQ
• Being a doctor, will I get rich?
FAQ
• Being a doctor, will I get rich?
– well,..I don’t want to ruin your cruise but
you may get back your investment only in 15 years....
FAQ
• Being a doctor, will I get rich?
– well,..I don’t want to ruin your cruise but
you may get back your investment only in 15 years....
• If I tell I am a Doctor, does that make me look more clever?
– Not really
– But if you say that you were in GETA, then yes!
FAQ
• Being a doctor, will I get rich?
– well,..I don’t want to ruin your cruise but
you may get back your investment only in 15 years....
• If I tell I am a Doctor, does that make me look more clever?
– Not really
– But if you say that you were in GETA, then yes!
• Did I waste my time then?
– Not really: a PhD degree may give you access to very interesting position...but
it may take a while, so be patient
FAQ
• Being a doctor, will I get rich?
– well,..I don’t want to ruin your cruise but
you may get back your investment only in 15 years....
• If I tell I am a Doctor, does that make me look more clever?
– Not really
– But if you say that you were in GETA, then yes!
• Did I waste my time then?
– Not really: a PhD degree may give you access to very interesting position...but
it may take a while, so be patient
• Is there a way back?
– I’m afraid there isn’t!