Leaving Academia for Industry: Is a PhD Necessary?

[topcomer]

I have a job as a RA in applied maths, and in about 1 year will have a couple of publications with good/high industrial relevance. I'm currently enrolled as a PhD student as well, but haven't accomplished any of my graduate duties. I'm very annoyed with the academic lifestyle and want to move to industry afterwards, so I wonder whether I should eventually get the PhD or not. I expect that dissertation&courses will take 1+ years in addition to my actual research, is it worth the bill?

PS Forgot to say that I already have a M.Sc. from another university.

 

[fasterthanjoao]

I expect that dissertation&courses will take 1+ years in addition to my actual research, is it worth the bill?
.

It sounds to me like you want to give it up and go take a job in industry. If you're sure you dislike the academic lifestyle, then there perhaps isn't much point in continuing on with it - why stick in an unhappy situation when you have the freedom to leave? You can always apply for jobs and if you get one, take it. Otherwise, there are always difficult times in a PhD. Make sure you aren't just having a particularly low point - and make your decision about the PhD work itself, not the fact that you haven't been able to carry any out. Is it possible to restructure the things that you're doing so you can focus more on your graduate duties? Would you want to do it if it were?

 

[topcomer]

It sounds to me like you want to give it up and go take a job in industry. If you're sure you dislike the academic lifestyle, then there perhaps isn't much point in continuing on with it - why stick in an unhappy situation when you have the freedom to leave? You can always apply for jobs and if you get one, take it. Otherwise, there are always difficult times in a PhD. Make sure you aren't just having a particularly low point - and make your decision about the PhD work itself, not the fact that you haven't been able to carry any out. Is it possible to restructure the things that you're doing so you can focus more on your graduate duties? Would you want to do it if it were?

Thanks, a very good suggestion indeed. I'll wait until I'm done with the publications I'm preparing, then see if I still want to leave my current position. Maybe it's as you said, I'm realizing that our research is becoming old fashioned before being published and feel a little depressed at the moment..

 

[topcomer]

3 months have passed and nothing has changed.. still want to leave. also because, according to my advisor, my PhD won't be over before 2012-3..