Help!

Westwardho_2

I was hoping someone could please help me with this.

Basically, I am in my second year of a PhD and I hate it. I am pretty sure I am going to fail my upgrade and not be allowed to continue to complete the PhD qualification. Even if I am allowed to upgrade, I may well quit anyway.

My problem is that I have no work experience at all although I have got a first class degree from a Russell Group university. In addition, the only reference I have is my personal tutor from my undergraduate degree.

My issue is that if I am kicked off or if I quit my PhD, how negatively will my lack of experience impact upon my ability to get a job?

I understand that I will probably need to do some temping for a while to gain some experience but most temping jobs mean a cut in pay from what I am on now. Also, a friend of mine who quit their PhD found finding a temping job very difficult as most employers felt she was over-qualified for the position they were offering and would not offer her a job.

Any advice will be great thanks.

Oldernotwiser

What sort of work would you be looking for if you do decide to do this?

dmg24

You are probably not going to want to hear this, but in the current climate your degree counts for nothing, irrespective of where it is from, and your lack of experience means you are going to have to start at the bottom in any industry. Many agencies will decline you because of your lack of experience, and you will have the same problem with graduate schemes.

Did you not work at all during uni? Could you do some voluntary work now?

TEDDYRUKSPIN

Actually disagree of dmg24 - the statement about his/her degree not worth a thing. For one, it is a first class honour degree.

Westward - one - they will not kick you off the PhD. For one, you should have been upgraded at year 1. Strange. If you fail this year, you will be awarded with an MPhil. You will still have to write up the thesis and submit as norma. The other option, is to obtain another PhD with another supervisor. This will be the normal 3 years - 4 years. This is up to you.

All I can say, you will be unlikely to be kicked out. So would not worry about this.

The next answer - if you do decide to walk out with nothing (UNLIKELY), you can apply to normal jobs as normal. As it is the recession, just expect to work anything. Unfortunately, at this moment of time, beggars can't be choosers. So the statement stands. Apply for anything.

Now, if you do drop out of the PhD, you will no longer be able to apply for any postdoctoral positions or specialist roles within that field. They will question why you are a failure. So be prepared for this.

I would suggest you to continue with the PhD or walk away with a MPhil. Do not cancel or walk away without any certificates!

dmg24

TEDDYRUKSPIN wrote: »

Actually disagree of dmg24 - the statement about his/her degree not worth a thing. For one, it is a first class honour degree.

So who would you employ - a graduate with zero experience, or a non graduate with x years relevant experience?

A degree will only give someone the upper hand when compared to a non graduate with the same level of experience. No one is going to employ someone just because they have a few letters after their name, the candidate has to be able to offer more than that.

Oldernotwiser

TEDDYRUKSPIN wrote: »

Actually disagree of dmg24 - the statement about his/her degree not worth a thing. For one, it is a first class honour degree.
!

Although I agree with much of you post (the MPhil being a particularly good idea) I don't think that the vast majority of employers are going to give two hoots whether a graduate has a first or not.

The situation is made worst by the fact that having been able to work for at least 7 years the OP has no work experience whatsoever; there can be very few graduates in their mid twenties who would have to admit to this.

TEDDYRUKSPIN

One - thanks for putting Westwards morale down! LOL.

I am not disagreeing with any of you about employing a degree without experience or a person with experience.

I am just saying that most or not, majority of degrees have transferable skills.

You will be surprised what Westward can get. Majority of job applications are based and scanned by computer systems. By putting a 1st a degree, this will flag him up. I know.

Without experience will know a few points.

What you are trying to all say, is get some experience. Don't be picky! Any job is experience.

As for a high class degree or no degree, that does depend on what job you are applying.

eg. McDonalds. No customer service experience and a high class degree? Would employ someone with experience.

A research assistant with an MPhil with no experience or a person with an A-level with experience. Academia would employ the MPhil.

At the end of the day, Westward should continue his / her PhD if they want to progress in that particular field as a post-doc or lecturer alike. If not, you have surely been giving bad career advice by someone.

Oldernotwiser

TEDDYRUKSPIN wrote: »

At the end of the day, Westward should continue his / her PhD if they want to progress in that particular field as a post-doc or lecturer alike. If not, you have surely been giving bad career advice by someone.

Now that I do agree with!

TEDDYRUKSPIN

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Now that I do agree with!

From the above, I should sue my career advisor at school!

I was told not to become a pharmacist as in the near future no vacancies. I believed that cow. Ten years later, now all my friends who are registered, earn £45k.

Now do I sue or not? LOL.

Just to the above, I have PhD as well. Went through the problems years back. But still walked out with it. Just remember, if you plan to finish the PhD, you will be overqualified for working in most jobs! Warning! Sales assistants, customer advisers positions alike.

Last word for thought! The world is your oyster! People along time ago, went through the same downturn phase! They survived! Also............. it is expected that companies will fully recruit in May 2010. So please all smile! Watch horrible morning television and grow a big backside!

Westwardho_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

What sort of work would you be looking for if you do decide to do this?

Office based work really. I'm not too fussy on what it is. Although tele-sales and highly target drive sales jobs have been something I have always been keen to avoid!

dmg24 wrote: »

You are probably not going to want to hear this, but in the current climate your degree counts for nothing, irrespective of where it is from, and your lack of experience means you are going to have to start at the bottom in any industry. Many agencies will decline you because of your lack of experience, and you will have the same problem with graduate schemes.

Did you not work at all during uni? Could you do some voluntary work now?

No I didn't have any general summer jobs whilst I was at university. For one summer I worked as a chair mover arounder for an events company but left there on very bad terms! For the other one I did funded academic research.

TEDDYRUKSPIN wrote: »

Westward - one - they will not kick you off the PhD. For one, you should have been upgraded at year 1. Strange. If you fail this year, you will be awarded with an MPhil. You will still have to write up the thesis and submit as norma. The other option, is to obtain another PhD with another supervisor. This will be the normal 3 years - 4 years. This is up to you.

All I can say, you will be unlikely to be kicked out. So would not worry about this.

I would suggest you to continue with the PhD or walk away with a MPhil. Do not cancel or walk away without any certificates!

I'm just 12 months in now and my university upgrades at 18months. So I am three months away.

At the moment I don't even have enough data to write up a thesis for an MPhil- my project is very very sketchy and my supervisor is no help whatsoever!

I am aiming to get my MPhil but at the moment even that would be pretty unlikely.

I understand that any work is experience but I can't really afford to take a pay cut!

lynzpower

I agree with others. I would at the least carry on with the PHD for a while, along with trying to find some part time office work, such as weekend work. If you truly want to leave your PHD to work in a call centre part time or in administration, youlll be gaining skills at the same time. If you are applying for PT work ( esp the under 16 hours stuff) then the money will be an additional earner, and as it wont be your "main" job then you can simply say, like most students that you need a bit of extra cash.

Truly at the end of it you might end up loving admin or whatever and truly follow that path in confidence.

Would that be possible?