Hi. Thought about a PhD then I started talking to the post docs in my labs and most hated their lives….and were poor..but hardworking and brilliant. I’m trying to transition into industry myself and I appreciate this channel. I’m kinda at the point where I don’t see education as a badge of honor and more as an investment to fund my life and allow me to make money to live the lifestyle I would prefer. Great advice!
I know a few hardworking and brilliant grad students who are poor, depressed, unhealthy, and hate their lives. I am developing a slogan: grad school is where young talented people go to waste their 20s. (I may or may not fall into this category - the talented part maybe not, but the wasted 20s part, definitely)
New subscriber: love your insight and how you articulate. A few requested videos- tips for your last year of phd, financial component of your decisions to do a post doc/leave academia, etc, thank you!
I’ve been looking forward to this video and can agree about pursuing industry for a lot of the same reasons. I am currently searching in the Boston/Cambridge area and it seemed very clear that an industry salary increased living quality. However, the stigma associated with leaving academia for industry has been personally isolating and brought on struggles. It really helps to find a sense of mentorship in your videos. Thank you for posting!
Once you come to Boston, most everyone is in a pharma/biotech setting, or is friends/married to someone that is. You won’t feel out of place. There’s a weird stigma attached to leaving academia, but once you go to industry it will be in the rear view mirror.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.😜 I have a question, when you start looking for industry jobs, do you explore any role other than r&d? You mentioned about networking, I am wondering do you have any strategy or tips to find the right company in the field of your expertise (like company doing aging or aging related research)?
I looked outside my area as well. In fact, I took a job as a bioanalytical scientist rather than staying in physiology or metabolism/aging. I would talk to PIs or former postdocs in the area and see if they know anyone in a company they can hook you up with. That is the best way to network. Also, LinkedIn has a lot in the way of networking and is a great place to be. If you want a specific area of research for a company, try googling “aging pharmaceutical company” for example. Also, talking to PIs in the field they may have a sense of what’s out there. Just trial and error unfortunately until you find what you’re looking for. There are SO many companies out there now that there’s surely something you would be looking for.
is research in academia and Pharma industry similar? For example, I have heard that Pharma scientists apparently do not got as in depth with the science. How does research procedure differ in the two? For example in academia, it starts with 1) finding the unmet need 2) doing a literature review of the topic 3) setting up the experiment 4) collecting results 5) analysing results and writing the paper. Does Pharma research work that way or differently? I have heard that Pharma research doesn't involve doing the literature review and the paper writing part. Is that true?
Thank you for your sharing. I am studying Metabolism during my Ph.D in Korea. If I want to move to the USA and go to industry. Should I find a postdoc in the USA, then turn to the industry? What kind of job I can look for?
I think if you want to go into industry in the US you should look for a scientist position. The biggest hurdle will be legal - industry positions won’t want to sponsor you for a visa. You can use your Postdoc to obtain a green card, which is the most common path I see people take.
If PhD students are intending to go into industry, would you still recommend doing a postdoc at HMS or should graduate students attempt an industry position right out of graduate school? Also, is there a big difference in the training environment at HMS versus HMS affiliated hospitals?
It’s a mixed bag going right to industry. I do know people that went from grad school into a scientist position, but others really struggled to find a position. You are a new PhD competing against other postdocs for the position. What’s worse is if it’s Boston, you are competing against HMS and MIT postdocs. I don’t think the training environment between HMS and the affiliated hospitals is any different. I knew postdocs in both and we all worked about the same, had the same expectations for publishing, etc.
Hello doctor, I'm in my final year of PhD studies. And seriously I'm thinking to move to industry. I want to know the position name of a new graduated student in industry? Is it postdoc researcher or scientist? Thank you for your help?
Please do let us know about marriages also. Are post docs able to get married? Are their married life impacts by mental health issues a phd or post doc faces? Looking for some advise here.
What you said about someone with a good publication record, good pedigree, strong knowledge base, etc. resonates. I think a lot of us know people like that who had trouble finding academic positions. Meanwhile, sometimes you look up the CV of people who did recently get positions, and they were (on paper) inferior to these rockstars we know were applying at the same time. Imo, what it comes down to is fit to a very complex context. The hiring process is filled with undercurrents that those outside the room are not privy to. It could be that a big name is retiring and they really need to find someone who could eventually fill similar shoes, or it could be that it's a particular sub-division's turn to fill a badly needed spot in some very niche interest. Maybe the department is being shaken up by new management. Maybe there is a curmudgeony goal-keeper with large heft in the department who won't let anyone score who doesn't meet his very personal list of qualifications--which could include things that no one else would even think to consider, like whether they used his favorite unit for energy in a recent publication, or whether they have cited his favorite author's seminal paper from 1948 in their research proposal, just to make up some examples. Maybe the person who ended up getting hired only managed to slip through, because it was the one day this curmudgeon was out sick and didn't get a chance to tear them apart during their chalk talk! I've deliberately invented these examples, so as not to refer to any specific real people or experiences. Therefore, it's not fruitful to try to imagine who I might be referring to in what university or department. Nonetheless, I think this archetype will resonate. Complex undercurrents like these are present in the academic job search process, and very often the committee is not just looking for someone who knows the background of their field, has a good publication record, etc. These are actually necessary but not sufficient qualifications, because it doesn't eliminate enough people from the running. Remember, the committee only gets to choose the top person typically out of the pile of hundreds of applications. And yes, they want someone with strong soft skills too. To add some more food for thought, a lot of universities actually won't choose the strongest contender in the pile, because it would be a waste of time and resources for them to bring this exceptional person out only to lose them to another more competitive offer from another more prestigious university that they assume will also attempt to hire this person. And if, for whatever reason, that more competitive university doesn't invite this person for an interview either, well, that's how an exceptional well-qualified candidate could easily fall between the cracks as well! Because applicants cannot possibly know in advance what they are actually looking for, basically all you can do is make the best application you can make, and throw it to fate. It's rare to get through two days of interviews without having at least one mistake that you could mentally attribute to losing the job offer after you never heard from them again. And for sure, you should attempt to learn from these mistakes. But don't beat yourself up too much because these undercurrents are probably the thing that took you out, not the awkward 5-second pause you had before answering the second-to-last question in your job talk, or the guy's hand you forgot to shake. They just went through 5 weeks of long interviews. A few weeks later, they probably won't remember little details like this as vividly (and embarrassingly) as you do.
@@gradschooladvice9537 if the percentage is low/hard, does it mean being a faculty member (e.g., associate profs etc) is so important or special? ./. but why? when industry pays more
Americans: industry has better pay, but academia has greater freedom. Those are difficult choices. Europeans: we work in industry to be in academia for no or very little money
Hi. Thought about a PhD then I started talking to the post docs in my labs and most hated their lives….and were poor..but hardworking and brilliant. I’m trying to transition into industry myself and I appreciate this channel. I’m kinda at the point where I don’t see education as a badge of honor and more as an investment to fund my life and allow me to make money to live the lifestyle I would prefer. Great advice!
I know a few hardworking and brilliant grad students who are poor, depressed, unhealthy, and hate their lives. I am developing a slogan: grad school is where young talented people go to waste their 20s. (I may or may not fall into this category - the talented part maybe not, but the wasted 20s part, definitely)
Thank you. Sharing your personal experience is not an easy thing to do. This kind of honest input is what we need in the community.
Thank you for your honesty. All grad school students should hear this kind of advice at some point to ground our expectations
Thank you very much for sharing this. I needed to hear. Yes, we have to keep train 🚂 moving. Wishing you all the very best.
Thank you for sharing your insights.
This is a nice video.
Thank you so much for this valuable information
New subscriber: love your insight and how you articulate. A few requested videos- tips for your last year of phd, financial component of your decisions to do a post doc/leave academia, etc, thank you!
Great questions! Can do!
I’ve been looking forward to this video and can agree about pursuing industry for a lot of the same reasons. I am currently searching in the Boston/Cambridge area and it seemed very clear that an industry salary increased living quality. However, the stigma associated with leaving academia for industry has been personally isolating and brought on struggles. It really helps to find a sense of mentorship in your videos. Thank you for posting!
Once you come to Boston, most everyone is in a pharma/biotech setting, or is friends/married to someone that is. You won’t feel out of place. There’s a weird stigma attached to leaving academia, but once you go to industry it will be in the rear view mirror.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.😜 I have a question, when you start looking for industry jobs, do you explore any role other than r&d? You mentioned about networking, I am wondering do you have any strategy or tips to find the right company in the field of your expertise (like company doing aging or aging related research)?
I looked outside my area as well. In fact, I took a job as a bioanalytical scientist rather than staying in physiology or metabolism/aging. I would talk to PIs or former postdocs in the area and see if they know anyone in a company they can hook you up with. That is the best way to network. Also, LinkedIn has a lot in the way of networking and is a great place to be. If you want a specific area of research for a company, try googling “aging pharmaceutical company” for example. Also, talking to PIs in the field they may have a sense of what’s out there. Just trial and error unfortunately until you find what you’re looking for. There are SO many companies out there now that there’s surely something you would be looking for.
Same feeling here! What matters is money at the end. Feeling why I could not be another ELON musk.
is research in academia and Pharma industry similar? For example, I have heard that Pharma scientists apparently do not got as in depth with the science. How does research procedure differ in the two? For example in academia, it starts with 1) finding the unmet need 2) doing a literature review of the topic 3) setting up the experiment 4) collecting results 5) analysing results and writing the paper. Does Pharma research work that way or differently? I have heard that Pharma research doesn't involve doing the literature review and the paper writing part. Is that true?
Thank you. What was ur age when u started ur postdoc?
Thank you for your sharing. I am studying Metabolism during my Ph.D in Korea. If I want to move to the USA and go to industry. Should I find a postdoc in the USA, then turn to the industry? What kind of job I can look for?
I think if you want to go into industry in the US you should look for a scientist position. The biggest hurdle will be legal - industry positions won’t want to sponsor you for a visa. You can use your Postdoc to obtain a green card, which is the most common path I see people take.
If PhD students are intending to go into industry, would you still recommend doing a postdoc at HMS or should graduate students attempt an industry position right out of graduate school? Also, is there a big difference in the training environment at HMS versus HMS affiliated hospitals?
It’s a mixed bag going right to industry. I do know people that went from grad school into a scientist position, but others really struggled to find a position. You are a new PhD competing against other postdocs for the position. What’s worse is if it’s Boston, you are competing against HMS and MIT postdocs.
I don’t think the training environment between HMS and the affiliated hospitals is any different. I knew postdocs in both and we all worked about the same, had the same expectations for publishing, etc.
Hello doctor, I'm in my final year of PhD studies. And seriously I'm thinking to move to industry. I want to know the position name of a new graduated student in industry? Is it postdoc researcher or scientist? Thank you for your help?
Please do let us know about marriages also. Are post docs able to get married? Are their married life impacts by mental health issues a phd or post doc faces? Looking for some advise here.
Money?
What you said about someone with a good publication record, good pedigree, strong knowledge base, etc. resonates. I think a lot of us know people like that who had trouble finding academic positions. Meanwhile, sometimes you look up the CV of people who did recently get positions, and they were (on paper) inferior to these rockstars we know were applying at the same time.
Imo, what it comes down to is fit to a very complex context. The hiring process is filled with undercurrents that those outside the room are not privy to. It could be that a big name is retiring and they really need to find someone who could eventually fill similar shoes, or it could be that it's a particular sub-division's turn to fill a badly needed spot in some very niche interest. Maybe the department is being shaken up by new management. Maybe there is a curmudgeony goal-keeper with large heft in the department who won't let anyone score who doesn't meet his very personal list of qualifications--which could include things that no one else would even think to consider, like whether they used his favorite unit for energy in a recent publication, or whether they have cited his favorite author's seminal paper from 1948 in their research proposal, just to make up some examples. Maybe the person who ended up getting hired only managed to slip through, because it was the one day this curmudgeon was out sick and didn't get a chance to tear them apart during their chalk talk!
I've deliberately invented these examples, so as not to refer to any specific real people or experiences. Therefore, it's not fruitful to try to imagine who I might be referring to in what university or department. Nonetheless, I think this archetype will resonate. Complex undercurrents like these are present in the academic job search process, and very often the committee is not just looking for someone who knows the background of their field, has a good publication record, etc. These are actually necessary but not sufficient qualifications, because it doesn't eliminate enough people from the running. Remember, the committee only gets to choose the top person typically out of the pile of hundreds of applications. And yes, they want someone with strong soft skills too.
To add some more food for thought, a lot of universities actually won't choose the strongest contender in the pile, because it would be a waste of time and resources for them to bring this exceptional person out only to lose them to another more competitive offer from another more prestigious university that they assume will also attempt to hire this person. And if, for whatever reason, that more competitive university doesn't invite this person for an interview either, well, that's how an exceptional well-qualified candidate could easily fall between the cracks as well!
Because applicants cannot possibly know in advance what they are actually looking for, basically all you can do is make the best application you can make, and throw it to fate. It's rare to get through two days of interviews without having at least one mistake that you could mentally attribute to losing the job offer after you never heard from them again. And for sure, you should attempt to learn from these mistakes. But don't beat yourself up too much because these undercurrents are probably the thing that took you out, not the awkward 5-second pause you had before answering the second-to-last question in your job talk, or the guy's hand you forgot to shake. They just went through 5 weeks of long interviews. A few weeks later, they probably won't remember little details like this as vividly (and embarrassingly) as you do.
Is it really the case that getting faculty job is difficult?What is percentage of ppl with phd getting into those jobs ?
It is hard. Less than 20%. It is doable though! Don’t forget, many that get a PhD don’t want to work as a faculty member.
@@gradschooladvice9537 if the percentage is low/hard, does it mean being a faculty member (e.g., associate profs etc) is so important or special? ./. but why? when industry pays more
It is low because not as many jobs. Way more jobs in industry. Many people prefer the academic position despite lower pay.
@@gradschooladvice9537 why many pppppl prefer the tough academic life despite the lower pay? .... I wonder if it is not good why ppl want it?
Academic freedom to research whatever you want. Ability to travel the world and be an expert in your field. Many different reasons.
B-U-R-N-O-U-T
Some will only leave academia feet first and dead.
Smart move dude. Academia would have destroyed your marriage during your overworked time of seeking tenure.
You don't have to opens your mouth with your hands on your head though...🙂. Who taught you that? 😊
Americans: industry has better pay, but academia has greater freedom. Those are difficult choices.
Europeans: we work in industry to be in academia for no or very little money
Industry hahaha lol 🤣 try Leaving school when the only prospects are going down a coal pit or into a foundry
Explanation?