To feel anxious that I am so behind in my career

[confusedcareer]

I am 24 and graduated this year with a master's in biomedicine. I am trying to plan my next steps but feeling quite overwhelmed. I was planning on going travelling this year (obviously now not possible with COVID-19) whilst applying for PhDs. Then my plan was to pursue a career in academia.

However, I am back in my hometown for now and seeing old friends has made me suddenly feel anxious that I am behind on my career. I have friends who did not go to university or those who graduated at 21 or 22 and they have made a lot of progress in their careers whilst I haven't even put my foot on the first step.

I am now worrying as a PhD (if I manage to get one!) would mean three more years of being a "student" on a low stipend working long hours. Compared to friends I feel like my life has been quite stagnant... However, pursuing a PhD has been what I have been working towards for several years now and something I think I would definitely regret not doing. If I wasn't accepted this application round I would get a part-time job and try again the next application cycle. However, that's two years of "waiting" and then 3 years of the PhD and I'll be nearly 30...

The alternatives are getting a PGCE and becoming a biology teacher or working in industry, they would get me into a career quicker which would give me some financial security at least.

I am feeling so restless and unsure of what to do.

Op not sure why you've posted this in aibu. You are 24, of course you are.being unreasonable!! Do you realise how many years of your career you have ahead of you. I don't really know what to say. Imagine how an unemployed 39 year old feels!!!

In 30 years time will these few years difference matter?

Do what you really want to do.

Do what you want, but be aware that the job market for academics is terrible at the moment. There are other reasons for getting a PhD of course.

I was inspired by the other thread in AIBU by a 25 year old about the career. Some of the comments made my heart drop and made me realise how I feel like I have been drifting up until now and need to start being more practical and serious.

I feel like my plans at the moment are quite wishy washy. I plan to get a retail job for now and apply for a PhD but if I fail to get a place I have no plan B. It all rests of me getting accepted onto a competitive funded PhD programme.

Well you do have a plan B don’t you? Pgce or industry.
I get how you feel. Realistically, ehat are your chanxes in academia? Did get a 1st ocerall or in your final year research project? Do you have strong research interests? Are you an extremely resilient person with a thick skin, and cast-iron time management and organisation skills? Do you like writing? Is pursuing your passion iltimately more important to you than money? If so, go for the phd.

Sorry about all the typos!

I'd personally crack on and do the PGCE and find a teaching job abroad. Earn money, travel and then if your still keen to work towards your masters, do it later. If COVID has taught me one thing, it's to see as much of the world and experience as much as possible whilst you can. In my opinion, travel is the best education

@Ridiculosity

Well you do have a plan B don’t you? Pgce or industry. I get how you feel. Realistically, ehat are your chanxes in academia? Did get a 1st ocerall or in your final year research project? Do you have strong research interests? Are you an extremely resilient person with a thick skin, and cast-iron time management and organisation skills? Do you like writing? Is pursuing your passion iltimately more important to you than money? If so, go for the phd.

Yes I got a first (undergraduate) and a distinction (master's) and was top of my cohort for both. However the time I spent getting those grades meant I have limited work experience. My university also didn't offer a placement year so I have a lot less work experience than others my age. I really enjoy writing and was told by my academic tutor that I am very good at science writing.

I think I do really want to do a PhD, I think it is a bucket list thing for me that I would really regret not doing. I am just worried I won't get accepted and will spend years working odd jobs whilst applying and not really making any progress. Maybe I need to give myself a deadline where if I don't get accepted I will do a PGCE instead.

Reading that back and it sounds quite braggy which was not my intention. Just trying to paint a picture of my pros and cons.

Not clear on why you’d only take part time work if you didn’t get on a phd program? You could have the best of both worlds in that situation, a year of full time work experience in a related field, and the promise of stating your phd at the end of it?

Look at what you want to get at the end of it. If you want to go into academia, I think it would be sensible to have a back-up plan - because it is v competitive. If funding for a phd is competitive, I can imagine it would also be hard to get a lecturing or research post - and you may have to move location. It is also not massively well paid. But if you are happy with that, then it’s fine.

So, look on jobs websites on what people with phds in your field could do: it could be research associate/assistant, nhs biomedical track (nhs may support you or give you some contacts for phd - but you would need to find this out), genomics (if your phd involves programming, you could be software dev after - which pays quite well), medical writing/communications (they tend to be clustered in some areas), pharma (also may support some phds but not sure, and not sure if there would be pressure etc).

I guess you also have to figure out whether you mind moving or want to stay in a location. Good luck!

Ps - a lot of the jobs mentioned above will take people with bsc or masters too - so teaching is not the only option

You did a science degree. So you have a basic understanding of maths. Google the graphs of wages with various education levels. They start higher but rise less.

PHDs aren’t just for people in their 20s! Apply but also apply for industry jobs that will give you the opportunity to learn more about biomedicine in practice rather than theory iyswim. It will only make you a more attractive phd applicant in the future.

It is good that you are looking at a plan b, but I would really council against a pgce unless you actually want to be a teacher . It is not the sort of job you do when you do not really know what else to do .

I don't understand why you are only considering low level jobs whilst waiting for a PhD position. Why not get a full time job in a related industry. That will benefit your PhD anyways and if you do not get a PhD position you are already well on your way for a plan b

Your career trajectory is totally normal for people in the field. Just go do the phd and enjoy it! I have had a very similar career path to you. Ten years on I am applying for PI positions, have a family, have travelled a lot with work. The post doc years when contracts are every few years or so are tough at first. Expect a dip in mental health around year two of your PhD. If you are worried about money pick your country for phd carefully. Some pay significantly more than others. Enjoy this time!

Oh I should add, start emailing as many groups as you are interested in to ask if they have free space. Not all positions are advertised. With marks like yours you will find something.

At 24 you are literally a baby! Lots of people haven't even started studying for their career yet. Your problem is comparing yourself to others - always a bad idea! Follow your dreams and remember - it's not a race!

A PHD sounds right for you. But go job shopping in industry now. Cast your net really wide and see what roles - low level or high level but gaining you work experience - appeal to you. Remember if you get one it doesn't mean you can't leave if you get on your phd. Start submitting writing to blogs and New Scientist too if you don't yet. Get on Linkedin or other places where people talk about your subject if not already and build networks. Get serious about YOUR career trajectory, not other people's. Good luck you are doing great.

OP, if a PHD is a clear path to your career goal, then it’s fine. What often happens with people is that degree after degree becomes a proxy for lack of direction because they don’t actually know what they want to do. The degrees then have no financial value, only intellectual value. Studying becomes an escape because they are somehow afraid or reluctant to step into the real world of competitive career climbing. You need a clear plan and path to get there, without getting distracted.

You sound like you need to reasess your values and what is important to you, rather than comparing yourselves to unmeasurables such as your friends. Their journeys and experiences are not the same as yours, so can't be directly compared.

If you want to pursue a PhD, do it. If you want to have achieved something else by the age of 30, do whatever that is instead.

Don't do a PGCE just for the sake of it unless you actually want to be a teacher.

Also, why 2 years in a part-time job if you don't do a PhD this time round? That definitely won't help the feeling of being behind your friends who will likely be working full time for those 2 years (and all the years previously).

If you are happy to live away from the UK consider the marie curie itn positions (need some mobility). They pay quite well. Look them up on euraxess or Google. They are fab positions and sometimes hard to recruit for due to the need for relocation.

Why apply for a job in retail?!

Why not apply for jobs directly applicable to your field, have a year or two out in industry which you feel you've missed out on and then look to do your PhD after?

You could still achieve all of the above by the time you're 30 which is good going!