Choosing between PhD and a job.

[frex]

I am an international student and have recently graduated from University in England. I am currently finishing applications to several PhD programs in Oceanography in the US for the fall 2012. I have also been applying to jobs to get some work experience before I would start graduate studies and have just been invited for an interview for a very good job in London. However, this job is for 1 year which would potentially clash with the start of the PhD.

I need some advice on how to approach this during the interview. Should I be honest and tell them I am applying to PhDs ? Or should I not mention it and pretend I will be available for the whole length of the contract ? I have to say this is quite a dilemma as I am very interested in this job, but I am also very enthusiastic about doing a PhD and might accept offers if I am accepted. And I don't want to end up being rejected from the job because of my applications and then not be accepted for the PhDs.

Any advice is welcome.

[nelafleck]

Is the research/work you'd be doing at the job at all related or potentially related to research you could be doing in your PhD program? If so, I would absolutely be honest. Let them know that you are looking to get a good "foothold" in this area before pursuing it in a PhD setting. Also, state that you are interested in publishing papers with any experiences you gain while on the job.

good luck!

[NinjaMermaid]

I am an international student and have recently graduated from University in England. I am currently finishing applications to several PhD programs in Oceanography in the US for the fall 2012. I have also been applying to jobs to get some work experience before I would start graduate studies and have just been invited for an interview for a very good job in London. However, this job is for 1 year which would potentially clash with the start of the PhD.

I need some advice on how to approach this during the interview. Should I be honest and tell them I am applying to PhDs ? Or should I not mention it and pretend I will be available for the whole length of the contract ? I have to say this is quite a dilemma as I am very interested in this job, but I am also very enthusiastic about doing a PhD and might accept offers if I am accepted. And I don't want to end up being rejected from the job because of my applications and then not be accepted for the PhDs.

Any advice is welcome.

I believe that unless you are actually accepted into a program and you KNOW you are going to start then you do not need to mention your desires to potential employers. If you get the job and choose the PhD instead then you can gracefully bow out. Many employers have no idea how much planning goes into grad school application processes and may be none the wiser that it was your intention all along. How you handle it will determine whether a bridge is burned or not.

[mallorn]

I was in the same boat as you, and I told my future boss straight up in the interview that I was applying for grad school in Fall 2012. I'll be 1-2 months short of a year before I have to leave if I'm accepted, but he hired me anyway. Then again, I do research in an academic setting so he may have been more sympathetic to my cause than say a person in a private company would be.

Personally, I would mention that I am planning to do grad school but it's not sure (I've been asked about future plans for most of my work interviews), and ask the person interviewing you if it's possible to not complete the one year and what options are available. I think it's better than keeping your plans under wraps and then ending with a bad note with someone who might employ you in the future when you finish your degree (if the job field is related to your PhD degree of course), especially if that someone has a reputation in your long term field.

[NinjaMermaid]

I was in the same boat as you, and I told my future boss straight up in the interview that I was applying for grad school in Fall 2012. I'll be 1-2 months short of a year before I have to leave if I'm accepted, but he hired me anyway. Then again, I do research in an academic setting so he may have been more sympathetic to my cause than say a person in a private company would be.

Personally, I would mention that I am planning to do grad school but it's not sure (I've been asked about future plans for most of my work interviews), and ask the person interviewing you if it's possible to not complete the one year and what options are available. I think it's better than keeping your plans under wraps and then ending with a bad note with someone who might employ you in the future when you finish your degree (if the job field is related to your PhD degree of course), especially if that someone has a reputation in your long term field.

This is a valid point - I didn't think about your job possibly being connected to your research interests. If this is the case then I agree that you should say something up front. Had the job I accepted in Jan (before grad school started) been in any way remotely related to my research I would have discussed everything up front. Thankfully it was just a high paying position in retail. I told my boss in March that I applied, told her in May that I was accepted, then I found my replacement for her by July. 3 months notice is a MUCH longer time than most employees give when they leave their jobs. Everything worked out very well and she still remains a solid reference.