Hacking the PhD- Find a Mentor
Hacking the PhD: Find a Mentor
I want to give grad students and researchers real PhD career advice and a big picture perspective.
The most important step (among dozens of other most important steps) to ensure success in grad school and beyond… is finding yourself a mentor.
Many of you, especially you guys, are still driving around in circles, just hoping to luck out. Swallow your pride and ask for directions.
Believe me, there is no better and easier way to get to where you want to go, than to ask someone who knows the area well.
That’s what a mentor is AND finding the right one is critical.
Finding a research advisor is a lot like finding a mate, there is no such thing as the perfect mentor, only the perfect mentor for you.
BUT, enough with the analogies…
Here are the 6 critical questions you should ask before you select your mentor…
1) Ask yourself honestly… Can you see yourself working with this person 6…7 years from now? Trust me if you can’t stand being around that person you won’t learn very much from him. Most of your energy will be spent dealing with the emotional drain and drama.
2) How do they act with other people? How they act with their assistant and other grad students is how they’ll act with you in the future. Is this the type of work relationship you want to have with your mentor?
3) What is their value network? The reality is that You are not only learning from your mentor skill wise, but you are also going to rely on him or her for assistance, career or otherwise.
4) What are their former students doing right now? It’s probably a good representation of how you’ll be doing. If they are not where you’d like to go, chances are this person is not the right mentor for you.
5) What’s his/her reputation amongst his peers? Again, you’ll be relying on his value network. If he is well respected in the industry you are going into, GREAT. If not, be cautious.
6) Finally, the last question (and it’s big one)… do they have funding? Enough funding to sustain you for at least 5 years. The grad student’s worst nightmare is being there in year 4 and the funding runs out. AND they are forced to switch projects or worse yet, switch research advisors. If you don’t choose carefully, this nightmare is likely to happen to you.
You’re a freelancer and the RA will be your client for the next 5-7 years. You are lending your brand, youth, and energy in exchange for his/her partnership. You are helping your mentor to expand his own brand value and his connections. Be very clear that you are there to help him succeed and in return he’ll help you succeed.
Be clear about that and keep an open mind.
Another thing I forgot to mention, officially you have ONE research advisor. but you are not limited to having one mentor only.
I learn from everyone I interact with… AND there is always something you can learn from people.
Stop trying to do it your own way and find someone successful, who has been there and done that.
Find a mentor… before you run out of gas.
