Anthropology: finishing PhD vs. Quitting With a Masters

[gradone]

After much soul searching and a very unpleasant experience with my department, I'm 100% sure that I do not want to enter academia. I'm not completely opposed to carrying out my research topic and writing a dissertation, but I know for sure that the academic environment is not where I want to be. Right now, I'm trying to decide whether I should leave with my Masters or get the PhD and then leave academia. I don't want to be out of the workforce for too long, which would be the case if I got my PhD (six years), but I'm also wondering if getting a PhD could allow me to argue that I have some special expertise when it comes to finding a job. I'm not going to go into the details of my research interests for privacy reasons, but it could fall into the category of economic anthropology. At the same time, I don't feel that going on to get my PhD will give me any of the skills that will make me any more qualified than I am for a job now. Or would I better off trying to carry out a research project that can be marketed on the job market? I would also imagine that the time I would spend in my PhD program is time I could be spending gaining work experience and figuring out what I want to do. Any advice?

[kuniklos]

There is a reason I am applying into art history and not anthropology: that facet of academia. If your interests are economic, you may have a niche in business and advertising as applied anthropology has many uses there. Granted, you may end up doing mostly survey, but you absolutely wouldn't need a PhD for it. Its absolutely useful, but the trick is selling yourself. Get a binder of relevant research and data. Go for an interview and show them what data you can offer them and how it would help them.

Look for marketing jobs looking for people to "scan" for target audiences. Bring some work with you, and begin the climb up! Maybe it's not helpful, but I remember a professor of mine preaching the joys and variety of applied anthropology concerning this route. Also HR is almost always more than willing to hire anthropologists.

[JadeMagpie]

You could always ask the kinds of private sector / non-academic institutions you're interested in. Do what kuniklos suggested and create a portfolio of your accomplishments and speak to someone who is in charge of hiring. See if you can't call or e-mail and introduce yourself, say you're very interested in doing work for companies like this in the future, and that you are still in graduate school wondering whether or not to go on for further work. Ask for a tour of the company/organization, ask about how your expertise might fit in, and whether or not it is a significant advantage or disadvantage to have a PhD. For many employers, you may have to quantify exactly what having a PhD might mean (I will come away with X amount of knowledge and experience and expertise).

One thing to carefully consider is that you do not want to be over-qualified for jobs in this market, indeed, probably no in any market. If having a PhD means that they think you'll be expecting a higher income, or that they feel you have too much expertise in your given field, then perhaps walking away with only a masters is the best plan. In my experience working for non-profits, it is what you can do rather than what you know that counts. Have you done it before? Can you quantify your accomplishments in such a way that can make your future employer imagine how you might be able to do the same for them?

This is just generalist information, but I think you will find it more helpful to talk to people outside academia, and most people love to talk about themselves. Good luck!

(P.S. -- It's just my personal opinion, but if you are not passionate about your present course of action, then I think it's definitely time to consider what's missing. It seems like you already have your answer, and that you just need the courage and the validation to make a big change. One rarely regrets chasing one's passion, more often it is those who have chosen the safe or practical course that resent letting go of something meaningful to them. Be vigilant in your self-searching, and reach out to as many folks in your field outside academia as you can! Just do your best to examine the possibility of the "grass is greener" type thinking, and then you can confident in leaving your PhD, if that's what you choose to do)