I’ve spent the better part of the last 4 years chasing a lifelong dream of working in academia as a university lecturer by doing a full time PhD and teaching work. To cut a long story short, things haven’t worked out as I’d expected.

I’m looking at two options; either submit my work in August knowing that I’ll probably have at least another year / year and a half of unpaid extra work on top of this, or walk away at the end of the period, regroup and re-approach in a couple of years time.

Either way the job prospects in my speciality are bleak at best so I’d have to get something else in the mean time while I apply for what little work is available. I’m thinking that this might actually be the time for a career change.

Has anyone here got any experiences (uplifting preferably 😆 ) of making a career change in their 30s? Did you find it hard to readjust / retrain in a field you weren’t familiar with? Did things work out etc? Would be interesting to hear some other perspectives.

Maybe not quite such a leap but three years ago I switched from academia in the physics/engineering discipline to a commercial engineering role. Leaving aside the fact that I stuck with engineering, the skills I acquired during my PhD did transfer very well into the commercial environment and continue to set me apart from my colleagues – a different way that a (former) academic looks at things.

So even if you do massively switch discipline (unlike me) there will be a lot you’ve learned over the years in academia that will set you apart. I certainly don’t regret doing my PhD even though my work now is entirely different.

I sort of did this. Did a law degree, then the LPC, then graduated into a recession. I am now (or will be in 2 months) a time served welder at a well known aerospace company.

Big stress, complete break from my comfort zone. It has worked out really well – I am on a good salary and happy.

Did a phd did about 3-4 years as a post doc. Bored the shit out of me. Retrained as a teacher. Mostly love it.

Leaving academia straight after a PhD is a good time to go – but make sure you submit and finish it! What discipline are you in?

If you can get another year then do it so you can plan ahead/apply for other fields.

Ever thought of working abroad?

Me:

Left research and did a masters in science education so I could teach science and maths.

Except the long hours, I usually enjoy it. Love watching the kids learning improve/progress to high levels.

Probably start my own business after a few years. In what? Don’t ask me yet, I’m still watching the markets.

Same thing happened to me know several other people it happened to as well. For most of them resubmitting worked out, for me after a 18months of extra work I ended up finding a larger problem with my work which ment I had to throw 1/3 away and call it quits. With hind site I should have given up straight away but given that other I knew who had the same problem after their first viva enede up ok I was not to know. A PhD is so personal it depends so much on the problem you are set and your relationship with your suporvisor its unreal. No two are the same.

Whatever you do best of luck. I think the entire PhD thing is massivly overrated a broken method to develop promising young sicentist and engieers. There is a world outside acadimia many diffrrent levels of complexity of work. You find that your interests end up being less of the pure academic route.

Don’t worry about chaning careers, whatever a career is other than a serise of jobs, unless you work as a doctor or the army or something else similarly regimented. I’m looking to change career again about 4 years after my PhD / non PhD.

Excusse the spelling for some reason my spell checker has turned off.

Friend completed his PhD in 3 years with no correction (he passed) but was told to publish if he wanted a job as Uni lecturer. (think he is in some sort of social science research whatever …) No publications no job because PhD does not guarantee a job in Uni. Question is how can he publish if he has no job or income? 😯

His research topic was “bureaucratic ZMs jobworth” which is my specialty without even having to do a PhD. 😆 Public management = bureaucratic, people in public management = ZMs and jobworth. How hard can that be?

If you find it hard now wait until you get the job as they will demand your blood …

Get out now or at least upon your PhD completion. Apply for jobs that you like asap with whatever retraining available. You got the will you got the way.