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x0rg_ t1_j2rzj2k wrote

Reply to comment by tonsofmiso in [D] life advice to relatively late bloomer ML theory researcher. by notyourregularnerd

I disagree mostly. One should do a PhD if research is what one wants to do right now/for the next few years. The PhD is a unique opportunity to do focused, very deep research at the boundaries of human knowledge. You will most likely not be able to do that at any point later in your career (maybe still somewhat as a post doc, but certainly not as a professor, because then you are a science manager, and also not in industry). Also, the feeling of inventing the future when you make a discovery for the first time is just amazing.

Also, a PhD provides you with unique training to tackle unstructured problems, and having a PhD is often prerequisite to research positions in industry

However, I agree with the statement that one should not do a PhD if salary/prestige is what one wants. You have to be 150% self motivated in a PhD, otherwise it’s a recipe for misery.

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tonsofmiso t1_j2s5npi wrote

> One should do a PhD if research is what one wants to do right now/for the next few years.

I like how you framed this, but it's important to consider opportunity costs. In many fields, the PhD track is severely underpaid compared to industry. You'll spend a few years working more or less alone, and in a single organization. The longer you stay your PhD, the greater the cost of not finishing. I dropped out after 1.5 years at a PhD, and this was one of the reasons.

Fresh PhDs going into industry are also junior in many aspects. I've been working alongside one who recently finished a PhD on the topic we're working on in my team, and they do require training in many aspects like someone fresh from a master's. He excels in other areas, naturally, and that's why we hired them :)

Edit: The advice I was given is a little bit black and white to be honest. I think points from both sides are valid, but the importance of really, really wanting to do a PhD can not be overstated.

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x0rg_ t1_j2xj1le wrote

Agreed, the salary difference is brutal (>3x more in industry after MSc, at least in ML…). My PhD experience was similar in terms of isolation. However, I think this does not necessarily have to be this way, it’s just how most academics unfortunately work :-/ advice would be to try to find groups which are more collaborative

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