The milestone of completing a doctorate program demands huge celebrations as it is by no means a small feat. As you are ready for the next exciting chapter in your career, you will be asking yourself whether to continue research work in the traditional sense or switch over to industrial research jobs. This is a scenario of utmost importance as every PhD candidate has to deal with it near the end of their PhD course. Although transitioning from a doctoral research scholar to a fully developed academician in the form of an educationist or professor is slightly difficult but with some thoughtful consideration and planning, you can set yourself up for success.
Here is a helpful guide that can help you traverse through this transitional journey and make a rewarding career post completing the Doctorate in Computer Science.
Academic Career Vs Industrial Research: Points to Evaluate
Successful culmination of doctoral research is quite a gratifying experience. However, selecting the correct pathway to pursue an academic research job or an industrial one is very vital and difficult in the same terms. The decision is hidden in your inherent abilities that are based on your career aspirations, skills, interest levels, and job satisfaction. For your benefit, we have listed down major differences between working in an industry vs a full-fledged academic job:
a). Responsibilities - Academic career involves conducting teaching duties, department related services, mentorship and interaction with students, publishing journals and research papers, designing and conducting self directed research work. On the contrary, industrial jobs focus on the application of research concepts and theoretical work. You shall be developing and supervising various projects that are in line with the business plans and growth prospects of the organization.
b). Sense of collaboration - Though the importance of teamwork is vital in both academic and industrial work, the sense of collaboration take different forms. In case of academia, the work involves exchange of knowledge, concepts and resources with scholars and domain experts. When you work in the business world, the collaborative efforts are centered around different teams and across verticals to realize specific company targets.
c). Career trajectory - When you are in the academic profession, your work comprises writing journals, conducting research work, formulating articles, procuring grants to fuel your research explorations. On the other hand, the industrial position focuses on innovations in the exisiting line of products, delivering best in class services, creating new line of goods and services to meet the demands of the business and customer requirements.
d). Professional work environment - You have options to either take up the research work alone or work on team projects in the academic career. It presents you an opportunity to work with freedom and independence in flexible working environment. However, industrial work is dynamic with deadlines to complete the projects. It includes continuous review and evaluation of your work.
e). Remuneration - Academic career is often associated with decent compensation levels as compared to the corporate sector. However, it rewards you with higher satisfaction, better job security and flexibility of working hours along with grants and funding from various institutes for further research. Contrarily, there are high packages on offer for you in industrial jobs but they come with low job satisfaction, limited employment security and less flexibility in the working hours.
Academic career after doctorate in computer science online
You should consider below indicative points while you explore the academic career pathway after completion of a doctorate in computer science:,
1. Discovering the enthusiasm for research
It is pertinent to understand your core interests behind pursuing doctoral program in computer science. You need to find answers to questions like what projects, research papers, and the topics that kept you engrossed during PhD program. When you become self aware about your passion in the computer science field, it will direct you to pursue the department of choice that aligns with your future career growth.
2. Develop a clear and definite research agenda
It is essential to work on a specific research agenda as it depicts your aspirations with respect to what you want to achieve in your specialization. This documentation helps to display your past work and achievements, current research projects and future plan of work in your research field to potential employers. Research agenda should explain how your research aligns with prevalent trends and future advancements in your field.
3. Gather teaching experience
Several institutions are seeking PhD holders who hold considerable experience in teaching. It is valuable to have teaching experience that you can showcase in your CV to potential recruiters. In case, you do not possess enough experience in teaching, seek out opportunities for guest lecturing, creating online content with delivery, or leading a workshop. This helps in developing your engagement skills and emphasizes on delivery of complex ideas effectively.
4. Understand the current job environment
The job market in the academic field is intensely competitive based on your field of research and location. You have to be realistic and flexible in your job search as the the field of your specialization might not be available in every institution. Contemplate the factors such as department's focus, size, location, and available resources.
5. Associate with a mentor
Interviews for academic positions can be quite intense. Mentors usually help you provide genuine feedback on your job applications and offer insights into the challenges and opportunities you might encounter during the interviews. They also guide you in preparing compelling job applications comprising of:
i) Cover Letter
ii) CV
iii) Research Statement describing your ongoing research work, past contributions and future research plans.
iv) Teaching Statement expressing your engagement levels, teaching philosophy and methodologies.
It is better to find a mentor who has already worked with you such as a former advisor, a senior colleague, a senior professor or someone in your network.
Closing Comments
Embarking on an academic career post-completion of a doctorate in computer science demands patience and persistence from you. It requires you to acknowledge your research interests, prepare an effective portfolio, attain lecturing experience, understand the market trends and an assistance from your mentor. An amalgamation of these elements will surely help you excel in your academic pursuits.
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