Disclaimer: these Q&A are just personal opinions based on my experience.
Is pursuing a PhD really worth it? Will it help me obtain better job positions? People keep telling me it’s only useful if you want to become a university professor, and that’s not what I want to do.
Every professor at a university has a PhD, but not every PhD holder is a professor. In fact, the number of people who continue in academia after earning a PhD is very small. Most people in engineering and science disciplines move to industry and into positions that demand high technical skills. In Spain (and other countries), people holding a PhD belong to the group with the lowest unemployment rate. Although a PhD does not give you an automatic Willy Wonka golden ticket, the process of a PhD should provide the following opportunities:
- To work on a nascent scientific or technological topic that could become a mainstay in the high-tech industry for the coming decades.
- To develop your skills by tackling hard and complex problems.
- To gain access to and experience with advanced tools and techniques.
- To unlock the full potential of your creativity.
- To master advanced communication and management competencies.
These qualities are highly valued by technology companies. Therefore, good job opportunities will arise for someone who makes the most of the PhD process.
On the other hand, if your dream is to become a professor, let me wish you the best of luck! Be prepared to work very hard, be resilient, and look at the stars every night, hoping for a shooting star to make your dream come true. The path is long, complex, and full of challenges. Exceptions do occur, of course. My personal advice is to lower your expectations and conduct in-depth research on how Spanish universities work, and to be aware of both the pros and cons.
How do I select a PhD topic? How can I tell if a professor would be a good PhD supervisor?
This is an important question, as a PhD student is expected to work for 3–4 years on a specific topic and in close collaboration with the person or people supervising and guiding the research.
From my experience, the right PhD topic is the one that keeps you curious, hungry for knowledge, and full of questions. This is crucial for staying motivated over the following 3–4 years. On the other hand, it is important to consider whether the topic offers opportunities for the aspects mentioned earlier.
Regarding the professor, ideally, the optimal is to have some previous experience by doing the bachelor’s or master’s thesis with him/her. Also, feel free to ask for references to former supervised and current PhD students. Of course, try to arrange a face-to-face meeting with him/her. Prepare your question, but also be ready to be interviewed by the professor. In my opinion, if you feel that the professor is not engaged in research or is a super busy person who cannot commit to a 1-hour face-to-face meeting at least once every two weeks (exceptions may occur), you should look for another professor. Besides, consider that your profile can be dismissed.
How can I get funding to do a PhD in Spain? Is it provided as a stipend or as a job contract? Will I have to repay the grant if I leave the PhD?
In Spain, there are several grants available for pursuing a PhD. These grants are offered by the national government, regional governments, universities, and private organizations. They are used to finance the university that employs the PhD student through a full-time predoctoral research contract. Thus, the PhD student becomes an employee of the university, with the corresponding rights and duties.
The funding process can be summarized as follows:
- The student applies to one (or usually several) PhD grants (here there is a good list of funding opportunities).
- The funder (government, university, private organization, etc.) reviews the applications. Grantees are usually selected based on their bachelor’s academic record, PhD project proposal, and the PhD supervisor’s CV.
- The university where the PhD grantee will study employs the student with a full-time contract. The details of the contract, such as its duration and gross salary (18-24 k€/year), depend on the specific call.
The time from the opening of the call to the signing of the contract can vary between 6 and 12 months. Therefore, it is highly recommended that students contact professors during their master’s studies. On the other hand, professors can usually support only one student application per call.
Finally, if the student leaves the PhD program, they do not need to repay any salary received.
Is it true that PhD students work 24/7, including weekends, and without taking vacations?
NO. PhD students, like any fully contracted public employee in Spain, have the right to work no more (but also no less) than 37–40 hours per week (Monday to Friday) and to enjoy holidays, in accordance with the laws and regulations of their employment contract. However, it is true that approaching a deadline, such as a conference submission, a project call application, or the delivery of a project report, may require some extra hours from both the student and the professor. Nevertheless, these are occasional situations, usually not exceeding 3 to 6 times per year for PhD students.
What soft skills do I need to pursue a PhD?
Prospective PhD students need certain non-technical skills, along with the commitment to continue developing them throughout the PhD. As a former PhD student and current supervisor, I value the following abilities:
- Effective communication. Many problems and unproductive efforts stem from ineffective communication. Conversely, a good researcher is expected to be able to synthesize key points.
- Teamwork. Collaboration and cooperation are essential for achieving top research results.
- Adaptability. There is a high level of risk when exploring potentially disruptive ideas. You should be open-minded and resilient when things don’t go as you expected.
- Work ethic. This means being able to work independently while also following instructions. Be professional, organized, focused, punctual, responsible… These are some of the qualities that will build trust with your supervisor and colleagues.