The season for academic recruiting runs from about Nov-Jan for applications and Jan-April for review of applications, interviews, offers, and negotiations. In non-academia, there is no season, but you should be far into completing ALL the requirements for your PhD before applying.
Related to this:
(1) Do not start your career until all your graduate work is signed and sealed. I've seen too many "ABDs" (All But Dissertation) start their careers with That Thing hanging over the personal and professional lives. And some never complete the PhD.
(2) Your dissertation should be solid work, something that gets you to a PhD-level of intellectual confidence and maturity. But do not strive to make it your life's singular achievement. Hopefully, that will come later.
Stories teach--and old men like to tell them.
Many years ago, when I was director of a large biostatistics consulting unit at a major medical center, "Tom" (not his real name, but he will know this was about him if he reads this) had been in a full-time MS-level position for at least three years since leaving his PhD program as an ABD. He was now leading one of our teams and making a good salary for a young, single guy who had a nice non-work life. When I would ask Tom how his dissertation was coming, I'd hear of no progress and no earnest desire to make any. So one day, I hit him hard by explaining with conservative numbers what his lifetime earnings difference would be if got his PhD and continued working in the same organization. In 2019 dollars, for a 30-YO who will work till 65, the total income added by a PhD over an MS is well over $1million.
Tom got busy and competed his dissertation. I knew his chairman, so I am sure the work was solid. Nobody but his other PhD committee members may ever read it, but The Thing was D*O*N*E. Tom stayed in the same role at work, was now more confident and respected, and was also able to teach (which he enjoys). He got something like a 25% raise, which will only compound for the rest of his career.
I'm sure I told Tom about the ever-pragmatic Nina (her real name!). When she was doing her dissertation in developmental psychology 40 years ago, she told me, "Ralph, I just want to get the f&^&^% thing done." We've stayed in touch. She has had a great career and non-work life, and the last time she wrote, she and her husband were preparing to retire.
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Ralph O'Brien
Professor of Biostatistics (officially retired; still keenly active)
Case Western Reserve University
http://rfuncs.weebly.com/about-ralph-obrien.html------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 03-14-2019 06:40
From: Brian Kovacic
Subject: When to apply for jobs?
Greetings,
I am a 3yrd PhD Epi/Biostat student, I should be finished by this December of Spring 2020. When is an appropriate time to start looking for jobs? Which job engine do you all use? I've noticed some fantastic opportunities at Eli Lilly, but wanted to be as competitive as possible without missing out on a wonderful position?
thanks
brian
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Brian Kovacic
Full-time PhD Biostat/Epi Student
University of Kentucky
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