(ThySistas.com) A PhD can be a lot of work, so it’s worth knowing the significance and the reasons for studying towards one, before you commit to taking your qualification. Knowing why it’s so important to you can keep you motivated when things get challenging.
Improving job prospects
One common reason for gaining a PhD is to improve your job prospects. This could be to start a career in a new industry or progress in your current career. For example, if you currently have nursing qualifications and work in this field, gaining a PhD could help you progress to roles such as leadership or senior roles within nursing, where the pay is higher and the job itself is more rewarding on a personal level.
You may be asking, what is a PhD in nursing? If so, you can find out more from Wilkes University, which has experience in delivering PhDs to help its students to progress in their careers. There are lots of roles in nursing that a PhD can help prepare you for, and it’s always good to give yourself choices, even if you’re happy in your role right now.
While money often isn’t the sole reason for further education, it helps to compensate graduates for the extra time and cost of further study.
Gain transferable skills
Another reason to get a PhD is to gain transferable skills. Even if you’re not sure which direction you want to take your career in, it doesn’t hurt to have skills that can be used in different roles. Job security can be a problem for many people. While you might not stay in the same role for the whole of your working life, it helps to have skills to fall back on. These can ensure that you always have a job within your chosen career, even if it’s not always the one you started out with. Even if you decide to change the industry you work in, some skills you gain could be transferable to other careers.
Discover new things about yourself
It is one thing to want to pursue a certain career path, but taking a PhD can provide knowledge and work placements in varied roles. You might discover different aspects of your career, or other roles that you want to focus on instead. You could also learn things about yourself, whether your current role is for you or if you might be better placed in another role.
To teach others
If you enjoy helping others to gain knowledge and understand complex subjects, you might take a PhD to become a teacher. Alternatively, you could become a mentor to new graduates and other staff in junior roles. Having been through similar challenges and experiences, you will be in a better position to offer guidance to people who are going through the same thing.
If you’re unsure about further study, ask yourself why you’re considering it and what you hope to gain. Most of the time, a PhD will lead to further opportunities and is a good qualification to have.
Staff Writer; Susan Short