Hi, I have recently been accepted to start a phd in september and I just dont know what to do. The studentrship is not very well paid, just minimum to survive really. The topic is in the area of my degree and I feel confident of being able to do a good job but I just have a fear of what it will lead to and if I will be jobless after? do most uni's tend to offer lecturing positions after completion of the phd if you are suitable? I just dont know if the 3 years would be better spent heading in a different direction. I guess these are all post phd doubts but I just dont know what to expect. Is it all research or will I be able to carry out other tasks i.e. help teaching and so on. I know its impossible to ask but I guess im after sing other peoples experiances

thanks

Hi Kallie, firstly congratulations on getting accepted for your PhD, I am in the same position as you but still completing my MSc, will be starting my PhD a few weeks after submitting my dissertation. What field are you in?

I think all of your doubts are normal, it is after all a major transition. I think that what you may do afterwards depends on your field and what you want to do. In terms of the recession and HE cuts I've been told that things should improve in the next few years, so hopefully I will be able to get work afterwards (I'm in the social sciences), but it still concerns me. I want to have an academic career -  and my supervisors want me to finish with my PhD, publications and teaching experience. They have said that my PhD is only the beginning, like an apprenticeship, and to be able to get a good job afterwards I need to have more than that to show for my three years. One of my supervisors has talked about putting me on a teaching course at the beginning of my PhD so that I can start teaching asap, I don't know whether that will materialise though, it depends on how much money the department has to spend.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you will be doing more than just your PhD, if your supervisors are interested in developing your career, providing you want an academic career afterwards. You should also be going to conferences. I think you're probably best speaking to your supervisor(s) about your other doubts at the beginning, but I'm sure you are capable and have shown enthusiasm and aptitude, otherwise they would not be funding you.
Good luck, I hope I've helped, Nx

Hi Kallie

Natassia's right - you need to talk to your supervisors about a career plan. Lots of students pick up teaching work along the way, or research assistant work, so you'd probably end up doing more than just your PhD. As for a job - it depends on your field, but academic positions at the moment are extremely hard to get in my area, social sciences. There's been lots of posts on here about how hard it is to get into academia, and so while you might have that as your ideal, realistically, you'd also need to have a back up plan in case you can't find a job. There are way, way too many PhD graduates for the number of positions available.

I dont know what to expect. My topic is forensics. I would really want to do lecturing but I feel like as the phd is not guaranteed a job at the end i may be better spending three years consolidating a career. Im nearly 24 and I feel like Im getting old and need to start earning some proper money.Im having so many doubt and mainly it feels like time is passing me by so quick!

You're a year ahead of me then! I'm 25 (and 1/2) and starting my PhD in September! Don't worry about age, you will still be under 30 (hopefully) when you finish, and can spend the rest of your life making money. NO big deal. ;-)

Well, I think your chances of lecturing are better with a PhD than without one! :p

Don't worry about age, you're still young! I started when I was 21, and I felt too young throughout my PhD! :-)

24 is not old. Many of us here started PhDs in our 30s, 40s and older. As others have mentioned, you can make money later. However, you need to really, really, want to do a PhD, and I'm not sure you sound like you do, at the moment. It's a really long, hard road, many parts of it are enjoyable, but overall, it's a gruelling, isolating slog. You need to have enough interest in your area to be able to study it for years, on your own, with little feedback, and be able to keep motivated. You might want to consider working for a while, then coming back to a PhD when you've learnt more about yourself and want you really want to do.