Debatable.

Both PhD and Exp has its pros and cons. Some asked me to go for PhD and some telling me experience always has an upper hand than PhD. I googled this but none of them give me a direct answer. I even speak to a few PhD holders as well as some seniors whom already out working, both has different opinion on how PhD job career landed. Hence below are the pros and cons which I can think of (mostly thru advises from seniors and lecturers).

PhD PRO & CON:
PROS
- more secured job
- 5k salary
- less competition in M'sia
- able to join education line (which I'm not interested)
- knowledge seeking
- Doc. title

CONS
- minimum 3 years of devotion
- not getting any salary for 3 years MIN; no car no house no wife
- lack of work experience; you're treated as fresh grad when you enter the job industry

I'm currently a first class engineering student who being offered to further my studies in one of the local university. There is grant provided so I won't have to get any sponsor for the materials, plus an allowance of RM 1.5k per months.
Also, there are few MNC company offering me a position in their company, of course I still haven't reply them.

I have no interest in being a lecturer or joining the education line whatsoever. The lecturers told me that getting a PhD in 3 years will secure you a job as an Senior Engineer when you join some MNC company with at least 5k salary. They added it's impossible to reach 5k salary in 3 years time even when you work double hard without a PhD. Frankly speaking, the salary is what attract me the most; aside from the title.

So my question is which one is more important: PhD vs Exp?

HELP PLEASE.

This post has been edited by ShrugsLova: May 26 2011, 03:45 AM

Ya, thanks. I read about it and it's good, sadly I have to cancel the allowance before getting this MyPhd scholarship thing. Wouldn't it be great if I can take both the allowance and scholarship at the same time. *greed*

After reading some article about PhD. Most of them do it because of knowledge seeking rather than money. *Sigh* There is more to think.

This post has been edited by ShrugsLova: May 26 2011, 04:39 AM

You mean BEM and IEM? Those IR title?
Can I take those professional certificate together with phD (MIN 3 years research experience)? Or it require real work experience to get IR title?
As I recalled, it need 2 years experience but the question is do phD consider working experience as well?

Thanks for your advise, well the real question is: is phD valued in most of MNC company?
Most of the forum I followed, say phD is overqualified in M'sia

Oh thanks, i will take a look at it.

That's what I think too, but there is this 'over qualified' case which I'm worry at.

Anyhoo, thanks alot for your advise.

4.7k per months is a killer.
PF T.J may I know where you doing your PhD? Singapore? you skip master as well?

But since my University is not a major public Uni (universiti of perlis). I have to do a year of master in most university i.e USM.
I don't know about Singapore.

I'm actually planning to go Nottingham University Malaysia this weekend to ask them about this.

Not all, USM require me to do master first.

One more thing, it sound a bit naive to me but I'm curious: doing my phD in University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus = University of Nottingham.
The word 'M'sia Campus' will affect alot? I mean the world ranking for University of Nottingham is 21st, do the same apply for M'sia Campus?

Naive hor?

This post has been edited by ShrugsLova: May 27 2011, 05:42 PM

so it's the same whether to do it in Notts UK or M'sia?
whoa! thank you.

Thanks, but there is this issue where most employers tend to hire experience employee than phd holders.

Do it in M'sia? I read your post back then in 'Reason to get a PhD'; you strongly recommend ppl to do it oversea not?

But most of the oversea university want us to do master first. I don't think first degree is exempted from doing master in oversea.

In term of good supervisor, and equipment as well as great colleague; my current university-to-be has it all. The only disadvantages would be the fame; it's local and not oversea.

Anyway, I appreciate your post. TY.

The title is not the main reason I want to do it.

AeU stand for? If you're able to multitasking between your work and night/weekend-time-research then why not? Most of my friend hesitate to do that is because they can't even manage their work. In my opinion, why not discuss with your company to send you for a phd with a contract.

I'm actually very new to phd and not even taken phd; just in the phase of planning now, so my answer could be helpless. Sorry.

haha..good point over there, 5k is just a starter. What I'm trying to say is you might earn 5k in 3 years without a phd too. But there is always competition; you have to compete among the Degree holders (let's say) for promotion, meaning you have to shine to the max to catch the attention of your employer. Aside from that, bear in mind there is always Msc holders, which is by large has more chances to get the promotion than you. Promotion in 3 years is possible but with a higher odds; some might be CEO in 3 years, but what I'm trying to say is by the majority, 3 years to get promotion to 5k without a phd is near impossible.

Phd on the other hand has a more secure route. You finish your phd (3-4 years), you get into the industry with zilch experience; but you get some Senior Executive Position (5k minimum). That's what most of the engineers out there told me: 3 years to boast up your salary to 5k; possible but not everyone can get.

My perspective of higher salary is not just getting 5k, but an easy and more secure route to getting 5k in 3 years.

That's just my opinion too.

then what's the main reason you do your phd? Salary didn't ever come across your head?
I'm not aiming for high BIG bucks salary; i mean a phd will at least secure your salary; a better salary is a 'for sure' right?

I'm not very sure about part time, perhaps azarimy can help since he already started his phD.
But to be a lecturer, it's a must in most of the university (some action taken to raise the reputation of M'sia Uni)

haha..i know what azarimy mean. I just wanna joke with him about salary.
PhD is not always about money, but it do attract more money (that is still a plus not?)
But the reason I really want to do it is I feel that there is still thing I haven't settle, you know that feeling of wanting to complete every stages in computer games? Or you can call that as my interest.

lolz.

And for part time phd, it's usually very hectic, you take longer time to complete around 6 years. During this years, you have to sacrifice your weekend/night time to do research. The main problem with part time phd is:

1. Can you bear sacrificing your leisure time for research? Some engineers I knew in my previous company, give up half way (after a years or so) because they lose their interest as the time for completing a part time phd is rather long.

2. You may have to take leave just to meet your supervisor, back to the university for the test, etc aka performance lower. You employers will sometimes irritated by this.

3. Hectic, can you manage multitasking?

Are you a lecturer now? Cause in my university, the lecturers are paid to have their phd. I mean they are still consider working even when they're out doing their phd. There are fund for that, I suppose.

Rather than you take part time phd, in my opinion, why not apply for Industry Phd (It's actually a full time phd but you can do it with your company, provided that your company and university agree on that).

The above is totally based on my limited understanding, I just share my opinion based on my slight understanding to phd. If there are mistake, please bear with me.

Let's make more dent.

By the way, where you did your phd azarimy? Mind to share a little about the environment and why you choose your university and what title. It will help me to choose what university I want too. Thank you.

I already e-mailed IEM and BEM for further clarification. Ir title is important? I thought Ir only useful for Civil Engineering.
By the way, I'm from materials engineering (basically Mechanical engineering major in Material Science) and we do have those branch. Thank you.

The University of Nottingham is in a Russell Group, there has a campus in M'sia as well; so is that a good choice to do it in M'sia?

Whoa! +1.. I'm more confident to do my phd now.

what is that?

The latest offer I got is from USM; nevertheless I'll gone through a year of Msc, if my performance is good, then hopefully within that year, it'll convert to PhD as well.

just a grant provided by my supervisor, not much though.

For Msc, i think there is a variation of 1 year (mixed mode), 1.5 years and 2 years depend on your supervisor. Grant is optional, again, depend on your supervisor. Ya, funding issue are prevalent; that's why it most advisable to find for scholarship.

with MyBrain aka MyMaster, you're not eligible to apply for other scholarship. That's how bad ass this thing is.

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Added on June 14, 2011, 12:48 amYa it's true, cause now every Msc research in USM (if possible) is limited within 1 year (max 1.5 years). With additional 0.5 year for thesis/dissertation writing. Normally those taking 2 years is for part-time Msc; for part-time, normally its for working peoples, hence there shouldn't be any financial problem for those working engineer.

This post has been edited by ShrugsLova: Jun 14 2011, 12:48 AM