I chose to further PhD. I don't think that this is a better option than getting a corporate experience and vice versa. As cliché as this may sound, both have it's pros and cons. It's a matter of what you want to experience.

PhD is a long term investment. Choose a PhD if you are still young. When you put DR in front of your name, your boss will expect you able to propose the solution from a complex issue with insufficient information. Skills are transferable.

For example,

Process of creating knowledge
Introduction - research problem, research objectives
Literature review - what have been done and what have not been donein the research area
Methodology - method to get new data for analysis
Results and Discussions - analysis of results and discussion to find out new knowledge
Conclusion - conclude your added knowledge through the process.

Process of creating profit
Introduction - market opportunity, investment objectives
Literature review - what have been done and what have not been done in the market
Methodology - method to improve the products/services
Results and discussions - analyse and discuss the how these improvements to get new profit
Conclusion - conclude your new profit through the process

In scientific trainning, you have been trainned to be faimiliar in a chosen area to create new knowledge. If you want to transfer the scientific skills in the business area, you adjust yourself to be familiar with the chosen market to create new profit.

When business is growing to be more complicated, you need more scientific skills to understand which new profit to gain in the complicated market with inssuficient information. Therefore big data is a popular term now.

PhD is a trainning to think scientifically more than a degree.

I know a few people who chose to further studies and work at the same time. Not easy, some end up slightly crazy, poor than their peers and suffer from chronic stress. Given the chance, I'd follow in their foot steps the moment I save enough funds.

To put it simply :

Corporate world appreciates their ROI in you. Your Phd and gold standard journal would mean very little if you do not bring value to the company.

Academia world appreciates you if you contribute suitable scientific research and publish journals.

Both very different paths in life, so it depends on your SMART goal settings and how your choice fits into your short/medium/long term goals, take your time to think it over, write it down if you must, do a cost benefit analysis and ROI on each path, do it two times if you may, then pick your choice between Good Job/Further studies.

from what u r saying, just go for the PhD..money cant buy experience..thats it..u get the sense of accomplishment and ur dream..just go for it TS!.....btw, money is important, but it is not everythg..

Btw guys, TS started this thread in 2011. He probably completed his Phd by now lah. Haha

Im curious is TS still active in Lowyat and perhaps can give us some comments

TS should give the sharing. Studying PhD or goibg for job is the common question in the junction.

TS should give the sharing. Studying PhD or goibg for job is the common question in the junction.

Y not consider taking the pHD p/time?! That way, with enough discipline, you be able to do both?

Almost complete. Expect to grad next year.

@ koaydarren - Not so active in here anymore. Like I said (see the top most comment in this page), it really depend on what you want to experience. I now don't really believe one is better than the other.

@ joshuawhlam - appreciate your previous view on this issue. I chose for a full time Phd. I had the desire to further my study when I was creating this thread back in 2011. So that was what I chose. The experience of Phd is not counted as 'working experience' in most companies. But it doesn't matter since my goal is to enter the world of academia. I no longer have the desire to enter the corporate world. I've been working on several publications in reputable journals.

@ tinkerbel - That was what I did in the beginning. I can't find the time to meet my supervisor at all. Have to cancel/postpone several meetings with supervisor due to work commitment. Then I told myself that what I really wanted to do the most. From there, it helped me to make the decision.

This post has been edited by seanwc101: Aug 12 2015, 11:01 AM

Thanks seanwc for your comments. They are useful for me in deciding part-time/full-time dilemma.

Good job Seanwc101 ! Getting started is the hardest, and once you start your path and methods will work itself out. And now you are fast approaching completion. Commendable indeed, cheers !

This post has been edited by mkdreamervl: Aug 25 2015, 11:41 AM