PhD students and their supervisors often focus mainly on the research that leads to the doctoral thesis, but they tend to overlook other important aspects. These include organizing your work, giving presentations, working effectively in a team, managing your time, and navigating the relationship with your supervisor.
Interestingly, many former PhD students find that the overall experience of being a graduate student—like learning how to solve complex problems and work well with others—ends up being more valuable in their careers than the actual content of their thesis.
This post series is here to help you develop those non-academic skills that are just as crucial for success. By focusing on these often-neglected areas, the articles aim to help you get the most out of your PhD years and to prepare you for your career after graduation.
Sink or Swim
A Professor in the UK remarked, “Earning a PhD is like swimming across a vast lake. Some students can’t swim, so they’ll sink. That’s how the academic system filters out those who won’t make it. If students have a guide on how to swim, they’ll pass and disrupt the system.”
We believe it’s entirely possible to learn how to swim and make it across. In fact, mastering key skills along the way is just as important as reaching the other side and earning your PhD.
Stay connected for upcoming sections of the series.
References:
Gosling, P., & Noordam, B. (n.d.). Mastering your PhD: Survival and success in the doctoral years and beyond. Springer.