PhD, job and DC plans

[PixieChemist]

So I'm thinking of doing a PhD and considering the impact this will have on other plans. DP and I would like to have DC in the next few years (or try at least!) and in an ideal world I'd like to take some time out to be with them in their early years. So I'm wondering, as an employer what looks better; having a years industrial experience plus a PhD behind me, or having 5 years industrial experience? Either way there would be a gap in my employment / study history after these things but I'm just not sure which would put me in a better position. What do you think is better in your experience/ opinion?

[HollyBuckets]

Really really depends on your field.

From the sounds of it, you're in STEM? I'd say that to move back into industry after a PhD, it'd be important to have industrial experience prior to starting a PhD.

What are you doing now?

Do you have a burning desire to do a PhD above anything else? Do you enjoy long hours of research - in the lab and in the library? Do you enjoy writing - in whatever discipline you'll need to write 70-100k words in a coherent single piece of writing. That is, a PhD is not just 6 x 12,000 word essays jammed together.

[PixieChemist]

Yes in chemistry Holly. I'm currently working in the chemical industry.

I do enjoy research, not so much writing but then who does?

[geekaMaxima]

In whatever discipline you'll need to write 70-100k words in a coherent single piece of writing

Thesis length varies a lot by discipline too - computer science PhDs can be under 40k due to large amounts of computational modelling (all those lines of code don't count!) and maths PhDs can be even shorter.

No idea about pure chemistry, mind.

[Ullupullu]

How old are you OP? The bigger picture is having kids to fit your long term life plan.

I wouldn't have your first child during the PhD, having kids is so life-changing you might struggle to get back on track. Starting the PhD having already had (a) kid(s)... sounds crazy but from experience I'd say go for it.

[KnitFastDieWarm]

Depends how old you are, but for what it's worth here's my experience! I'm 30 and have a two year old, I'm currently halfway through a masters and am planning to spend the academic year after this one making my PhD applications and being pregnant with dc2 (that's the plan, anyway). I'd hope to begin when hypothetical
DC2 is six months or so. However I'm a humanities researcher so I don't need to be on site every day, which i guess would make a difference. I think also it depends if you really WANT a PhD for its own sake or if you are more focussed on what's lost useful for career progression. For me I hope to have a career in my area but I also love studying for its own sake - it keeps me sane. Good luck whatever your route!

[verybookish]

It's a tough one. One thing I know though is that I found having a small child in the midst of a research project really hard.