I have worked in the same University as a research assistant for the last 5 years. Last year my employer suggested that I embark on my PhD, part time, and they are funding me. I am a year in, I have my ethical approval and all the necessary R&D approvals, I'm ready to begin collecting my data.

My problem is...I really have had enough of working here to the point where I can say 'I hate it' I float from one project (often being picked up half way through them) to another with no real direction as far as my career is concerned. I have no problems with my supervisors, they have been great.

I really want to look for another job, I've had enough. If I do this and I was successful in finding a different job, would I be better off taking my PhD with me? Could I do this? I am aware that I may have to fund myself. Would I have to pay back fees to my current employer? So many questions to answer before I make a decision but I'm really unhappy in my work.
Hope someone has some answers, thanks in anticipation.
D

Hi Debee_s,

The "I hate my job...." thread tangential to PhDs (usually "I want to do one to escape...") is not uncommon on here. I responded to one such thread fairly brutally yesterday. Your circumstance is somewhat different, though it has some tenets of similarity.

At what stage did you realise that you hated your job? Before starting your PhD or in the year since? Has your dislike of your post been accentuated by some kind of struggle to fit the PhD into your life and around your work? And - crunch question - if you disliked your job prior to starting your PhD, what made you think that doing a doctorate would make you happier?

I would say that yes, there's every likelihood that your employer would want back-fees if you quit... though the only ways to find out would be to either check any conditions your employer attached or ask them. As to whether you could take it with you, I'm guessing yes, but that would be up to your institution. But in doing so, would that necessitate still continuing to have to work in your former work environment? In which case, there may be some ill-feeling.

There is the perspective that if your employer was prepared to fund you to do a part-time PhD, they must like you. That counts for a lot, both now and in the future. And in the "real world", what proportion of employees (that's people lucky enough to have gainful employment in the first place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) have any real liking for their job? Being optimistic, I'd say somewhere below 10%. So my advice would be to think very carefully before making a rash decision.

Thanks for the reply. I absolutely loved my job up until about 6 months ago and that was the reason why I knew a PhD would be the best idea for me as I wanted (still do) a research orientated career. Things at work changed, new line manager, new departmental head amongst other stuff. I don't like the way the research department is being run and there's nothing I can do about it. I am at the bottom of the pecking order with no control over anything. What makes it worse is that I am really passionate about my PhD subject and want to carry on but it's just the work situation gets me down on a daily basis.

My initial reaction when I realised how I was feeling was to just put my head down and plough on but now I am feeling I need to do something for the sake of my health.

You're welcome...

I would say that, having been in a career for years prior to doing my PhD, my experience would tend to suggest that being in a job where you DON'T dislike the way things are being run is the exception rather than the rule. Unfortunately, that seems to be more the case today than it ever was. I left work to do a PhD full-time, and realised that I also had the utmost disdain for the way that my university research group was being run. But the advantage of doing a PhD is that, for the most part, you're your own boss, can decide which direction to take, and have a very great and direct interest in the outcome.

One of the things I'm not clear about still is the nature of your work:PhD:life balance, i.e. are you given time in work to do PhD stuff, or do you work full-time and then have to work on your PhD late into the evening, no time out, etc?

From what you've written, you've certainly swayed me that you've opted for the PhD path for the right reasons. My impression is that you should stick at that if at all possible. Is your supervisor and line manager the same person? If not, I would suggest speaking to him/her about how you feel. Or else there must be a postgraduate tutor in your school or institution, so get their advice. Or the counselling service, if you think it's affecting your health. Your employer does have a duty of care to you, so if it is affecting your health, you have an obligation to yourself to formally notify them with as many specifics as possible. That way, they can't wriggle out of it later.

Anyway, I wish you luck with it!