Overview of Becky1210

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Should I quit my masters degree?
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Let's be honest. If you has 1st class marks in bachelor, why are you failing your courses and feel miserable at the moment? Is it just stress or more? How are you doing compare to your classmates? Why are studying the Master in the first place? good potential employment? Free tuition?

"I don't want to work in this industry". How does this Master degree benefit your career? If not, while getting free money but wasting more time to study something not enjoying / no job prospect. Is it worth?

How to Keep Sanity intact after being forced to quit first year of PhD
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It's hard to know what was really happening to you on a forum.

You need to have a GOOD talk with a professional counselor at your institution. Can you contact graduate program coordinator / career adviser / School of Graduate studies? An international graduate service? Even a social worker can guide you to a right service. If you have mental problem, go to get a psychiatry appointment.

You won't get the answer, if you don't confront them.

Quitting PhD after four years
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I haven't seen all the responses but ... if a supervisor did not make you quit in the 2th, 3th years because you don't have the potential or very bad works. Why would he do it now when you only are a few months left in the program, right?

I think what he means is that your work may not be as good as he expected, and most likely disappointing / far behind. That you need to reconsider this career down the road because your peels are better and he may think you are not competitive. Being said that, he is not asking you to quit but just giving you a real feedback? Remember professor is not only your supervisor but a mentor for your professional. He has responsible to bring up his students, otherwise not only look really bad for you (quit on 4th yr), but on him professtionally.

Msc Students and Interns
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I understand this is frustrating. I was a PhD previously and other graduate students in our lab also have fourth year student. Basically our supervisor do not expect any exciting results from them. In fact, is another way around, this is the teaching and mentorship experiences created for you to train you. For me, I have learned so much about myself strength, weakness, and because I have students following me so I was forced to pull off my best. Just at presence and professional with them, make sure they know what they are doing and learning. I would not plan anything big. Maybe just some very simple experiments that you needed to replicate? and then changes here and there on your protocol. Who know maybe you have some surprising results. You can always let them clean up or reading on their own.

We all hate having fourth student after the first around :P

PhD or job?
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Quote From eng77:
Hi. I am in favour of you taking the job. Looking for jobs during your PhD means that you do not really enjoy it. Quitting now is better than spending two more years depressed and maybe the end is not great.


I disagree that looking for job is an indication of not enjoying your studies. In fact, people should look more into the market to have a realistic view of where their career heading and keeps an open-minded about it. If I am doing PhD again I will definitely do the same.

Will a PhD open more other opportunities like if you are fired or resigned? If money is not immediate needed and you are genuinely enjoying PhD, then don't take it.

Quitting before I've started
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I think getting a PhD for becoming rich is a good joke. There are other good reasons to do PhD beside academia. Of course your supervisor will support you because he needs labor! Honestly If you NEED to ask here, you possibly are not ready to do it firsthand. Do you like to learn? Do you have career goal? Talk to other PhD students there to get some first hand opinion.

PhD dropout resume?
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Quote From Cat123:
The employer is concerned about whether you possess the skills required to do the job, and depending on the role other factors such as how well you will fit in with their team. The CV should be tailored for each job application, based upon the person specification for that role. I agree with Tru's advice about writing that you were a graduate researcher etc. if you prefer not to say that you were a PhD student, since this is still factual. For the role you mention interpersonal skills will be very important so emphasise these in your application - citing examples from your past work and study. You won't need to go into detail about your PhD studentship if it is not relevant for the role for which you are applying.


Indeed, I learned a lot of applicable skills as a researcher which can be transferred to the job I wanted.

PhD dropout resume?
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Just write that you are a graduate researcher for the time you were doing your PhD. And no, I do not think that they will discriminate you on being a PhD dropout. However. they will be reluctant to hire you if you display negative emotions or attitude at the interview. I have friends who dropped out from their PhD, worked for a while at odd jobs (cleaners, tutors, waitress, etc), before getting their full time position. The important thing is to display a positive attitude and not be bitter about quitting your PhD.


That's a good idea. I will be positive about this. Thanks.

PhD dropout resume?
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Quote From pm133:
Quote From Becky1210:
Quote From kikothedog:
Just don't go into lots of detail about any research you carried out. I'm not saying dumb down but I do know of employers binning CV with higher degrees on them for fear they clearly won't stay.


That is exactly what I was concerning, not only I will not be considered at all because of the graduate studies, but I think it's bad if other co-workers knew my background that I might get challenge and bullied. Thanks for the input.


I am not sure I understand you here. Why do you think you would be bullied?


Hi, thanks for pointing it out. I did not notice this myself and I think this shouldn't be in my attitude.

PhD dropout resume?
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Quote From kikothedog:
Just don't go into lots of detail about any research you carried out. I'm not saying dumb down but I do know of employers binning CV with higher degrees on them for fear they clearly won't stay.


That is exactly what I was concerning, not only I will not be considered at all because of the graduate studies, but I think it's bad if other co-workers knew my background that I might get challenge and bullied. Thanks for the input.

PhD dropout resume?
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Your CV is a personal marketing document. Put whatever you like in it as long as it is true. Omit whatever you want as well but employers will ask what you did during that period[/quote]

Right. As long as I don't lie about it when the employers ask.

PhD dropout resume?
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Hi everyone thanks for reading this. As PhD quitter, I am looking for a real job but at the same time I need a part-time to pay bills. Do I have to write that I am a PhD dropout when applying for part-time position? I am planning to work as cashier at locate store or in a cafe or some kind and I am afraid people will not understand what I did as a phD student and that they might not hire me for this reason. But I don't want to lie either... what is your experience?

The cost of quitting a PhD
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I quited my PhD one month ago. No regret at all, best decision. That being said it was because I know PhD will not help my future career. I do have a master degree. If you know what you want in a career and quit your program, i don't think employer will look down on you at all, in fact, you look smart for not spending 4 + years in school and post-doc. A Master degree is good enough for most job application,s unless you want to be a researcher or PI etc.. Since you had quited, then there must be rigid reasons at the back of your head as why this PhD doesn't work. By the way, job rejections are expected for everyone, not just you.

Politic - Pay scholarship back? Should I?
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Quote From bewildered:
I think you need legal advice. Does Canada have any free/cheap advice schemes or is legal insurance covered in any insurance policies you have?


Hi. There is a problem though. If I go for legal advice like employment act in Canada or contact representative in town. At the end, it will be my former PhD supervisor pay me out of his own funding for that ~ $ 2000 - 3000. I do need his reference letter in the future. Although we had a good term and he mentioned will support me anything, but I am not sure if this is about money...

Will he hate me if I ask for money and not give me reference in future?

Politic - Pay scholarship back? Should I?
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So after I paid back $ 5000 to Graduate Studies because my department said will recalculate my guaranteed stipend (I thought they will pay).

Finally after calling and three weeks of waiting, my department write me an email said basically they have no control during the term if I quit or not, that I am responsible for losing the $ 5000 award. They will not pay me, even though I was a full time student, and they don't care if I worked 2 months for free. What should I do? I found they are really disrespectful for not answering my email and call for 3 weeks and basically just reword what their minimum stipend mean. I felt they have fool me treating me like dirt.

They said it was the Graduate Studies policy at fault that I don't get pay. I don't feel going back and forth between this departments will have any progress. Should I tell my former PhD supervisor about this? Please help.