What do you do if your PhD was a waste of time?

Question

When I was considering doing a PhD all the people I consulted (careers advisers, my professor, friends and family) said it was a fantastic opportunity. The money was much better than I would have been offered as a graduate engineer in research and development….so who would have said no.

After much hard work and some prizing winning research, I completed my PhD two years ago. However, I am still yet to find a decent job. On a weekly basis, I search the internet for relevant jobs and approach every relevant company I can but no luck. I don’t want to stop hunting as it means I have wasted 5 years of my life on research and a further 2 years searching for a job.

How long is too long to continue searching? If I stop looking what can do I do next? Is there a place for all those people who couldn’t find a career after their PhD?

....sorry I should add that I have no interest in teaching.

Answer 1

So the Doc can't get a job? What a pity... perhaps because you're such a whiner and your "hey look at my shingle, I'm entitled to a good job with no further effort 'cause I worked my but off on my dissertation for 2 years straight" attitude comes through loud and clear. Bill Gates dropped out of college because he had a passion for his endeavors. Take a clue, meat... get off your duff and apply your brains to making yourself into a valuable commodity. It's not called a job MARKET for nothin', Doc...

Answer 2

You got a PhD in engineering and you cannot get a job.

Are you sure it s in engineering or 'not some time wasting bed time reading course' like geography, history, english, media studies.

Unless you bought your PhD from the local supermarket, it is hard to imagine why you can't get a job.

Any way good luck in your job hunting..By the way I did a degree in history..n what a waste of time that was....no jobs for historians out there..but manage to get a job in the local supermarket for a start..but now working my way up...I have been promised that I will be trained to be a cashier soon...can't wait. Walmart...watch out here I come!!!

Answer 3

Did you 'learn' to the PhD level? or is it just a trophy?
But I will assume that you really did learn that impressive and difficult degree.
I would bet that you are not presenting yourself well at all. I have seen resumes from very competent people that so misrepresent them to the low side. Or if you are getting interviews and then it falls apart, you need better personal presentation skills.
If that is not it, then perhaps you need to move to a different region of the country. None the less, it was NOT a waste of time. That education is yours forever. Good luck.

Answer 4

Maybe you got at PhD in a field that you really are not interested in. Maybe you got a PhD in a field you did not want to be in.

Every bone in my body suggests to me that you are destined for great things..but not in the area you think you are.

Try taking all those skills and look outside the box. I think you will find an answer there.

Answer 5

I stumbled in this question as i'm desirous to invite the comparable. I even have generally been searching at chemical and environmental engineering classes, yet i thought i could ask in case you got here upon a software you savor. i could have fun with in case you would be prepared to bypass on any information/adventure.

Answer 6

Have you tried sending your cv to the MOD?? Its not all guns and blowing things up- R&D is good

Answer 7

Yeah, you can work at Walmart. Oh, wait, that's for people that get their B.S. degree.

Try teaching. That is the best course of action for a PhD.

School is so worthless, isn't it?

Answer 8

Why don't you become a dental nurse? You can sit there, look lovely.