The doctorate degree is the highest academic degree that one can obtain. If it isn’t life changing then how do you justify its importance and relevance? It takes long term hard work and resilience to get a PhD degree and all the scholars know that it will undoubtedly enhance their academic and research based skills. It equips researchers to look into new emerging problems and solve them with a more logical perspective. But Derek feels that other than these skill enrichments, doing a doctoral degree transformed his life is many other dimensions. Some of them are:
1. His opinions and suggestions became more impactful: Derek feels that in his job as a research analyst, his PhD prepared him to transform his impact on the industry in a very unique way. His analysis and suggestions became more logical and based on substantive research grounds making him more confident of his analysis and the subsequent suggestions.
2. He qualified for a significant jump at work: His Company identified that he had harnessed effective decision making skills and that was the key specialisations needed at the top level positions. His PhD journey allowed him to explore his horizons and develop the ability to take decisions faster and more accurate, it opened the avenue for him to jump on a higher pedestal much faster.
3. He had a much wider professional network: Derek had a part time PhD course but the duration of the course and the rigorous involvement it calls for, required him to a have a strong professional network that became his support system. This network did not end with the end of the course but became a strong resource base that helped him at different junctures of his PhD journey.
4. His financial strength improved: The reason he took up PhD is, because he wanted to increase his earnings. The jump in the career and a better position in the organisation helped him to improve his income and in addition to that, he became a freelance consultant to increase his sources of income. It was an icing on the cake.
So, if you still have second thoughts about pursuing your PhD, this should be inspirational enough to make you realize how a PhD can change your life for good. Don’t wait now as decisions when delayed, become shaky and uncertain.
More than financial, my intellect has been drastically improved (or I prefer changed)
I loved the line “If it isn’t life changing then how do you justify its importance and relevance? ”
PhD might get tiring but the research life worth a chance.
Congrats Derek for you had completed your PhD and that made a lot of difference in your life. Not everyone is this much successful with PhD, there are some unlucky people for whom it remains an unfilled dream. However, it has changed my life too.
This is a rare case where financial condition has been improved. I have seen my senior doctorates working with average salary. I dont know about here but in Australia, the condition of PhD graduates is pathetic.
True, although PhD is a laborious task, it surely has a lot of benefits. Your brain becomes more flexible and you career prospects become more wide.
having a wide professional network always helps….in phd too
Derek’s transformation is certainly going to help a lot of people with their research. Following your transformation Derek, I would use these points in my research as well.
I don’t know about improvement in the financial condition, but enrolling in PhD can definitely add value to your existing knowledge.