Reading this: http://www.realworldmagazine.com/science I have realised that have fallen into the pitfalls. I can't decide on a career. Academically I'm very interested in theoretical physics - but I worry about the lack of career options and salary. I feel I should push my career towards a less exciting but better paying area. How do I get out of this rut, make a decision and move forward?

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Hey Spark! I don't think you're unusual in this regard...many people from academic backgrounds are having to consider other options. I've just finished my PhD and have been lucky enough to secure a 1-year post-doc, but am already thinking about what to do if I don't make it in research. For now, I'm following my heart and doing my best to secure a career in a research topic that I really want to pursue more than anything else in the world, but the reality may be that it doesn't work out. My own view is that if you don't shoot for what you want to do, you'll never know if you could have done it, but of course there are many practical issues that make this a risky option. And of course, people have different priorities too, with some people having more to lose than others. For me, at the moment I am mobile within the UK and don't have any dependents, so am prepared to take a risk. If this wasn't the case, I'd probably be a lot more cautious. I don't think that answers your question, but that's just my own view on the situation- it is a tough call! Best, KB

Edit: Just realised this is posted on the prospective masters students board- where are you up to at the moment with your studies?

Hey, basically taking a second masters to go into and would love to do a PhD - but have come to realise that trying to stay in academia beyond that is a joke. My passion is quantum mechanics and and I have an offer for a Msc in theoretical physics at imperial however I wonder about the lack of transferable skills? I also hold an offer for applied maths (my background is physics so this may be hard). I would like to do a PhD for personal satisfaction and then break away into finance or industry. But everything I talk to profs about this kind of route they accuse me of not being committed enough to the cause. I spend my first master at an Ivy league collage in the states and was treated like a PhD student - but with out the pay and less rights, didn't really enjoy it, started to question why I even too physics, worst of all I lost my long term girlfriend due to me always being busy (bearing in mind that I was an undergrad my super experted a lot and minimum input from himself - maybe three hours a month?) So I'm trying to find an area that I will be happy in and lead to something outside academia and even be a benefit - the only area that appears to value your skills is investment banking - but even that's getting hard to break into. So there it is I have no idea what to do any more - follow passion and end up jobless, follow applied Math and end up unsatisfied or no PhD route at all. I have no problem making sacrifices but there comes a time when you have to question weather it will all be worth it, or I will wake up and regret the failed relationship's and missed opportunity's that I let go in the name of research? Everything comes with risk but graduates studies takes the biscuit, Like you said its a tough call :-(

Hey again Spark! One thing I would say is that I understand someone wanting to do a PhD for personal satisfaction, but if you do not intend to use it in terms of future career plans then it is a huge investment in terms of time and effort. Additionally, it is not easy to win funding for a PhD at the moment- the pure sciences are less competitive than some other subjects, but still very competitive- so it certainly wouldn't be an easy option. Would you need a PhD to get a job in industry or would you literally just be doing it for personal satisfaction? Best, KB

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I feel when people do PhDs they are mostly doing it for their own personal satisfaction, which is good. But in the career world a PhD in physics is worthy if you decide to continue with physics. Other people will argue that there are many transferrable skills if you want to go into a different career if you do a PhD in physics (without a doubt more so than any other subject), but remember that there will be people specifically trained in those other careers who will get that job instead. Transferrable skills may have been more important in the past but in these days with no jobs then you really have to be the best qualified for what you want to do. It would be extra difficult to do a PhD in physics if it isn't something that you intend on using to your advantage afterwards.

If you do intend on going into banking i think it would be better to do something business or finance related, because remember you will be up against an army of people with PhDs in business and finance and all you will have is a PhD in physics.

If actually you do really want to have a career in physics, but just afraid about the job prospects, i'd say go for it anyway. There is no reason why you can't be the one who makes it.

Ender